Randolph County, West Virginia Biography of LEROY SEE This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 551-552 Randolph LEROY SEE, a representative citizen of Elkins, West Virginia, and an able member of her bar, belongs to one of the oldest settled families of this section of the United States. In 1734 Adam and Michael Frederick See, brothers, came from Prussian Silesia, Germany, to America and settled in Pennsylvania. They belonged to a colony of Schwenfelders, a religious sect which immigrated to escape religious persecution. In 1745 Adam and Michael F. See removed from Penn- sylvania to Virginia and settled in what is now Hardy County, West Virginia. About 1760 Michael See removed to Greenbrier County, and was killed there by the Indians July 17, 1764. Adam See was the father of several daugh- ters and of one son, George See, who in 1767 married Jemima Harness, born in Hardy County, and they had five sons and four daughters born to them: Adam C., Michael, George, Charles and John, Barbara, Hannah, Elizabeth and Dorothy. The two oldest sons, Adam C. and Michael, removed to Randolph County in 1790, where the former was admitted to the bar in 1793. In 1798 he became prosecuting attorney for Randolph County, being the fourth lawyer to hold that office in that county. Afterward he served in both branches of the Virginia Legislature, and in 1829 was a member of the Virginia Constitutional Convention. This able and distinguished citizen was the great-grandfather of LeRoy See, a worthy descendant. Anthony B. See, son of Hon. Adam C. See, married Julia Leonard, and they reared a family of children. Randolph See, son of Anthony B. and Julia (Leonard) See, was born in Randolph County, West Virginia, May 9, 1837, and died in Upshur County, April 16, 1915. He was twice married, first to a Miss Sexton, and afterward to Sarah E. Talbott. One daughter, Minnie, was born to his first marriage, and one son and one daughter, LeRoy and Agnes, to the second. The mother of LeRoy See survives and still resides in Upshur County, of which she is a native. Randolph See was a farmer by occupation and from choice. During the war between the states he served with gallantry in the Con- federate army for two years. In church faith he was a Presbyterian, while Mrs. See's religious association has always been with the Methodist Episcopal Church. LeRoy See was born on his father's farm near French Creek in Upshur County, West Virginia, on February 6, 1874. He grew up on the farm and his early education was secured in the rural schools and afterward he taught for five terms in the county, prior to entering Wesleyan College of West Virginia, from which he was graduated in 1899. His tastes and talents indicating the law as a con- genial career, he entered upon its study and for a time was a student in the University of West Virginia, and in 1903 successfully passed his bar examination and at Buckhannon, West Virginia, was admitted to practice. Since 1905 Mr. See has been established at Elkins, and has honorably built up a very substantial practice. He has been an active and influential factor in democratic politics for many years, and in 1896 was his party's chosen candi- date for sheriff of Upshur County. Although he failed of election it was not on account of lack of confidence by his party, for he carried its full strength, as he also did in 1904, when the contest was for prosecuting attorney. In 1906 he was again honored by a loyal party that chose him as the democratic nominee for state senator, from the Thirteenth Senatorial District, when he again carried his party's full strength, but was defeated, as were many other prominent. men of his political faith in that year. As a private citizen of Elkins Mr. See is public-spirited and watchful of the town's best interests. For many years he has been identified with such representative fraternal organizations as the Odd Fellows and the Modern Wood- men of America, and additionally belongs to numerous social bodies. Mr. See is unmarried.