Ritchie County, WV: Biography of Benjamin F. McGinnis
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The following article taken from the Parkersburg News is Courtesy of:
THE RITCHIE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
OCT/NOV 1973 NEWSLETTER  VOL I NO. IV   
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BENJAMIN F. MCGINNIS WAS AN ATTORNEY FOR 53 YEARS
[From The Parkersburg News (Jan. 19, 1964)]

Fifty-three years as an attorney ended in 1962 for Benjamin F. McGinnis,
who now resides at the West Virginia Masonic Home on Murdoch Ave.

A native of Ritchie County, the 80-year-old McGinnis practiced law in his
home county until 1936, when he moved to Charleston and completed his years
of service in that area.  The Kanawha County Bar Assoc. presented him a
50-year service certificate.

Graduated from the law school at West Virginia University with the class of
1908, McGinnis began his practice with M. K. Duty, at Pennsboro, an
attorney who was widely known as a criminal lawyer.  Duty also served for
many years in the State Legislature.

Although he never ceased the practice of law until his retirement, McGinnis
included other work with that practice.  At the time the United States
entered World War I, in 1917, there was a shortage of bank employees.
McGinnis became cashier for the Farmers and Merchants Bank at Pennsboro and
held that position until the banks in that area closed in 1924.

At that time he was made posmaster at Pennsboro and served until 1929.  He
then practiced law along until his move to Charleston.

McGinnis, who was born at Ellenboro, June 6, 1883, was married to Xa Price
of Morgantown, while he was in attendance at law school.  She died in 1947.
 There are four children, Col. Frederick D., with the War Dept. at
Washington, D.C., Benjamin Jr., with Firestone at Akron, O., Mrs. Virginia
Connor, whose husband is with the FHA at Washingon, D.C., and Mrs. Mary L.
Hallahan, whose husband is with the Carbide and Carbon Co., in Lamarque,
Texas.  He has 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

There were three children in the McGinnis family, and all are still alive.
The Parkersburg resiednt is the oldest.  His brother, John W., lives at
Redwood City, Calif., and the sister, Miss Sada McGinnis, lives at
Ellenboro.  Their father was a farmer and at the time of his death owned
1,300 acres of land.

Although McGinnis has always been interested in politics, the only public
position he ever held was membership on the county board of education.

He came to the Masonic Home in August of 1963 and holds a 50-year
certificate from the Masonic Lodge.

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