Preston County, West Virginia Biography: William Hubert PENTONY ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , March 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 26 WILLIAM HUBERT PENTONY. The people of Tunnelton know and respect William H. Pentony for the industry and faithfulness that have carried him through younger years of considerable struggle, for the success he has made as a mer- chant and business man, and his true citizenship at all times. Mr. Pentony was born in Lyon District of Preston County, between Reedsville and Gladesville, March 28, 1875. His father, Thomas Pentony, was born in Ireland in 1842. As a young man he came to the United States, and in Preston County he married Matilda Jane Snider, whom he first met in Pennsylvania. Her parents were John S. and Susan (Fast) Snider, the former a farmer in West Virginia who lived in Taylor County until moving to the Lyon District of Preston County. Thomas Pentony died in 1898 and his widow on January 1, 1921. Of their children the only two now living are William H. and Lena, the latter the wife of Luther Helms, of Birds Creek, or Irish Ridge, Preston County. William H. Pentony spent his early youth on the home farm and left there at the age of seventeen with only a com- mon school education. Away from the farm his first employ- ment was with the Watson Coal Company. For four years he was employed by that and other mining companies in the vicinity of Fairmont. Day labor furnished him a wage of a dollar and a quarter a day, and in 1898 he returned to Tunnel- ton, still depending upon day wages and frequently working for $1.15 per day. For one year he was also one of the proprietors of a livery business. For ten years Mr. Pentony continued as a worker in the local mines and in 1909 became associated with A. H. Halbritter, under the firm name of Halbritter & Company, and they bought the mercantile business of T. R. Shay. In April, 1917, Mr. Halbritter retired and since then Mr. Pentony has been the sole proprietor of what is now a very prosperous and well stocked establishment, one that has been developed from a small enterprise, its suc- cess being chiefly due to Mr. Pentony's concentrated energies as a merchant and his personal integrity. Mr. Pentony acquired his original capital for this business by borrowing a thousand dollars on some property he owned. That was his only source of credit. He has improved the corner where his business is located, is now one of the stockholders of the Tunnelton Bank, also a director in the same, was one of the organizers of the Raccoon Valley Coal Company, and he owns farming land in Lyon District, including part of the place where he was born and reared, and owns one of the best pieces of residence property in Tunnelton. He is also a stock- holder in the Glass Casket Company at Altoona, Pennsyl- vania. Through his property management and business Mr. Pentony has contributed his services in a public way to the development of Tunnelton. He has not been in politics for office but some years ago, during the coal miners strike, hp consented to serve as chief of police, and rendered valuable service in combating the general disorder that prevailed for a time. He is a stanch democrat, cast his first presidential vote a quarter of a century ago, and has attended congressional conventions. He helped nominate Junior Brown for Congress, and he was the first democrat to represent this district since the days of Willis L. Wilson. Mr. Pentony is a charter mem- ber of Tunnelton Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and during the twenty-one years since its organization he has missed only two meeting nights when possible to be there. He is also affiliated with Aurora Lodge, No. 43, F. & A. M., at New- burg, has taken the Perfection degree in Clarksburg, and the other Scottish Rite degrees at Wheeling. At Tunnelton in April, 1903. Mr. Pentony married Miss Irma Maud Ashby, who was born at Austen, Preston County, August 15, 1883, daughter of Frank and Elizabeth (May) Ashby. Her parents were born near Fellowsville, Preston County, and her father was a Union soldier with a West Virginia regiment and was wounded while on duty. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Ashby were: Delia, who married Henry Wright and is deceased; Minnie, wife of Clinton Stevens, of Hiora, West Virginia; William D. and Albert R., of Tunnelton; Pearl, who died in young manhood; Charles, of Hiora; Mrs. Pentony; and Elizabeth, wife of H. D. Zinn, of Tunnelton. Mrs. Pentony was reared at Austen, Newburg and Tunnel- ton and acquired a public school education. Their home circle of children comprise six: Hilda Vivian, a student in the State University of West Virginia; Justus M., a sophomore, and Thelma C., a freshman, in the Tunnelton High School; Thomas D., John F. and Blanche Eleanor.