***************
The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III, 
pg. 174-175
Cabell

CHARLES WELLS STRICKLAND. Shortly after finishing
his education Mr. Strickland went to work with the engi-
neering department of a coal mining corporation, and suc-
cessive years of training and experience with different or-
ganizations have brought him increasing responsibilities of
a technical and executive nature. For several years past
he has been located at Huntington as general manager of
the mining interests of Cunningham, Miller and Enslow.

Mr. Strickland, who was born at Morristown, New Jer-
sey, October 29, 1880, was named for his maternal grand-
father, Charles F. Wells who was born in New Jersey in
1836 lived at Morristown and later moved to Philadelphia,
where for many years he conducted an extensive business
as a building contractor, and where he died in 1914.

Allen S. Strickland, father of the Huntington business
man, was born at Morristown, New Jersey, in 1854, and
while living at Morristown developed an expansive business
as a grain merchant, with offices in Philadelphia, and finally
removed to that city in 1886, living there until his death
in 1902. He was a republican and a member of the Ma-
sonic fraternity, being affiliated with St. Johns Command-
ery, Knights Templars, of Philadelphia, and Lulu Temple
of the Mystic Shrine in Philadelphia.

Allen S. Strickland married Laura Virginia Wells, who
was born at Morristown, New Jersey, December 13, 1861.
She was the mother of four children: Charles W.; Mabel,
wife of George Hane, an artisan living in Philadelphia;
James, who died at the age of nine years; and John, a
cabinet maker in Philadelphia.

Charles Wells Strickland attended the public schools of
Philadelphia, and in 1899 graduated from the Central Man-
ual Training School, where he was given some of the techni-
cal training which proved valuable to him in his early expe-
rience in the mining industry. For about a year after
leaving school he was employed in the maintenance depart-
ment of the Pennsylvania Railroad. On February 1, 1900,
he became a rodman on the engineer corps of the Mitchell
Coal & Coke Company at Gallitzin, Pennsylvania. He re-
mained there until December, 1902, in the meantime being
promoted to assistant chief engineer. For a number of
years Mr. Strickland's field of work was in Kentucky. At
Sturgis he was a mining engineer for the Crittenden Coal
& Coke Company until 1905, in the latter year became as-
sistant engineer of the West Kentucky Coal Company at
Sturgis, and in 1911 was promoted to chief engineer. He
left these duties and came to Huntington on February 1,
1918, since which date he has been general manager of the
mining interests of the widely known firm of coal operators
and coal land owners, Cunningham, Miller & Enslow. The
bulk of the interests of this firm are situated in the mining
fields of Kanawha and Logan counties. Mr. Striekland's
offices are in the First National Bank Building of Hunting-
ton. He is also a director in the Bengal Coal Company.

Mr. Strickland is a republican, a Presbyterian and a
member of the Guyandotte Club of Huntington. His fra-
ternal affiliations are in Sturgis, Kentucky, where he is af-
filiated with Kelsey Lodge No. 658, A. F. and A. M., is a
past high priest of Sturgis Chapter, R. A. M., and past
chancellor of Silver Lodge No. 68 of the Knights of Pythias.

On December 26, 1905, at Gallitzin, Pennsylvania, he
married Miss Mary K. Gunning, daughter of James and
Mary Gunning, her mother a resident of Gallitzin. Her
father, now deceased, was a hotel proprietor there. Mrs.
Strickland finished her education in the Mount Aloysius
Academy of Crescent, Pennsylvania. The two children of
their marriage are: Mary, born June 22, 1913; and Vir-
ginia, born September 15, 1919.

***************
The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III, 
pg. 175
Cabell

PAUL HARDY acquired his early experience in the steel,
iron and mining industry in his native state of Ohio, and
for a number of years past has been the leading business
man of Huntington, where he is president of the Steel Prod-
ucts Company.

He was born at Columbus, Ohio, January 7, 1879. His
grandfather, George Hardy, was a native of Scotland, came
as a young man to America and settled at Lebanon, Ohio,
where he was a merchant and where he married. He died
at Lebanon in 1840. His son, Charles James Hardy, was
born at Lebanon in 1828, and was twelve years of age
when he lost both his parents by death. He arrived in
Columbus, Ohio, shortly afterward in a stage coach, before
the days of railroads, was reared and educated there, and
became a distinguished factor in the life and affairs of
the capital city of Ohio. Banking was his chief business,
and, when he finally retired from service he had the dis-
tinction of being the oldest bank cashier in point of dis-
tinguished years of service in the country. He was for
many years cashier of the Deshler National Bank of Colum-
bus. He was a republican in politics and one of the lead-
ing members of the Trinity Episcopal Church.  Charles
James Hardy, who died at Columbus, Ohio, in 1914, mar-
ried Emily M. Carpenter, who was born at Lindonville,
Vermont, in 1854, and died at Columbus in 1918. They
were the parents of four children: Chester, associated with
the Peoples Savings Association of Columbus; Jean M.,
wife of A. W. Forrest, a real estate man at Columbus;
Caroline C., of Cleveland, Ohio; and Paul.

Paul Hardy graduated from high school in Columbus in
1895. He continued his education for two years in Ohio
State University, and then followed a period of two years
in which he was an employe of the Otis Steel Company at
Cleveland. In 1898 he re-entered the Ohio State University,
remaining until he graduated in 1902, with the Mining
Engineer's degree. He is a member of the Sigma Chi col-
lege fraternity. After graduating he spent two years as
chief engineer for the Columbus and Hocking Coal & Iron
Company and one year as field man for the Jeffrey Manu-
facturing Company of Columbus. Mr. Hardy's first busi-
ness interests in West Virginia were as chief engineer for
the U. S. Coal and Oil Company, now the Island Creek Com-
pany, at Holden. He was promoted to general superintend-
ent, then to general manager and finally consulting engi-
neer, and continued with the corporation until 1914. In
that year he organized the Coal River Coal & Coke Com-
pany at Dobra, West Virginia, and was president of that
business until it was sold in 1916. In the meantime he or-
ganized the Monte Coal Company at Ottawa, West Virginia,
became president of the company and sold out in 1921.

Mr. Hardy has been a resident of Huntington since 1914.
In 1915, in conjunction with others, he organized the Steel
Products Company of Huntington, and is president of that
important industry. He is also a director and general
manager of the Hardy Burlingham Mining Company, own-
ing some large coal mines in Eastern Kentucky; and is a
director of the Huntington National Bank.

His business offices are in the Loop Building. Mr. Hardy
is an independent voter, is a member of the Episcopal
Church, and is owner of considerable real estate in Hunt-
ington, including a very attractive home on Washington
Boulevard. During the World war he had some responsible
duties in supervising the manufacture of high explosive
shells in the plant of the Steel Products Company. Two
hundred men were employed in this department of the busi-
ness at the time.

In 1907, at Columbus, Mr. Hardy married Miss Anne
Brown Huff, daughter of Winfield S. and Anne Huff. Her
father is a retired insurance man of Columbus. Mr. and
Mrs. Hardy have one son, Paul, Jr., born August 21, 1914.


***************
The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 184-185
Cabell

CHARLES MARSH GOHEN at the age of fourteen began
work as a messenger in a Huntington bank. That was over
thirty years ago, and his service has been continuous with
one banking institution, under two organizations, and
throughout he has been in close touch with the practical
and technical side of banking.

The bank that first employed him was the Commercial
Bank of Huntington. From messenger he became teller.
In 1894 the consolidation of this bank with the Bank of
Huntington resulted in the present Huntington National
Bank. Mr. Gohen continued with the new institution in
the capacity of teller, and was successively promoted to
assistant cashier, cashier and other responsibilities, and
since July 1, 1919, has been president of this, one of the
largest and strongest banks in the state, with total re
sources aggregating nearly $8,000,000. The bank has a
capital of $700,000, which with surplus and undivided prof-
its total considerably over a million. The deposits in 1921
averaged over $5,000,000.   The active executive officers
are: Charles M. Gohen, president; James K. Oney, H. O.
Aleshire, C. R. Carder, J. W. Ensign, Frank Enslow, C. W.
Phellis, vice presidents, and W. H. F. Dement, cashier.

Mr. Gohen's grandfather was Thomas A. Gohen, who was
born in Ireland in 1832 and as a young man came to Amer-
ica and settled at Cincinnati. He was a chemist by profes- 
sion and was associated with the Marsh & Harwood Chem-
ical Company of Cincinnati, where he lived until his death
in 1900. He married Anna De Coursy, who was born in
France in 1834, and died at Cincinnati in 1902. They reared
a family of three daughters and five sons. There are three
sons still living: James A., whose record follows; David
M., secretary of the trustees of the Sinking Fund of Cin-
cinnati; and George A., in the insurance and real estate
business at Cincinnati. One of the deceased daughters was
Elizabeth, wife of the late Stark Arnold, who was a nephew
of Stonewall Jackson and was a prominent West Virginia
attorney and afterward a minister of the Methodist Church.
Their son, Gohen C. Arnold, is now president of the State
Senate of West Virginia.

James A. Gohen, father of the Huntington banker, was
born in Cincinnati May 5, 1849, was reared there, married
in Aurora, Indiana, and was a carriage manufacturer at
Aurora and other places, and in 1884 established his home
in Huntington, West Virginia, where for twenty years he
was connected with the motive power department of the
Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. In 1904 he removed to In-
dianapolis, where he was with the motive power depart-
ment of the Big Pour Railroad until he retired in 1914.
He is still living in Indianapolis. James A. Gohen married
Malvina Fenton Marsh, who was born at Aurora, Indiana,
September 8, 1852, and died at Indianapolis in December,
1920.

Charles Marsh Gohen, only child of his parents, was
born at Aurora, Indiana, September 18, 1876, and has lived
at Huntington since he was eight years of age. He at-
tended the public schools of this city until at the age of
fourteen he took up his banking career. Besides his office
as the executive head of the Huntington National Bank he
is president of the Clearing House Association of Hunting-
ton, is president of the West Virginia Paving and Pressed
Brick Company of Huntington, and vice president of the
Fesenmeier Packing Company of Huntington. He is a mem-
ber of the West Virginia State and American Bankers Asso-
ciation, is a democrat, a vestryman in the Episcopal Church,
a member of the Rotary Club, Guyandotte Club, and Guyan
Country Club of Huntington. During the World war he was
County chairman for the War Savings drive, also an ac-
tive factor in filling the local quota for the Liberty Loans.
Mr. Gohen owns a fine home at 1418 Fifth Avenue.

June 14, 1906, at Huntington, he married Miss Mary
Elizabeth Emmons, daughter of Carlton Delos and Minnie
(Gibson) Emmons, residents of Hnntington, where her fa-
ther is president of the Emmons-Hawkins Hardware Com-
pany. Mrs. Gohen is a granddaughter of Delos E. Emmons,
who was commissioned by his brother-in-law, Collis P. Hnnt-
ington, of New York City, to lay out the City of Hunting-
ton, and he was active in the upbuilding of this West Vir-
ginia railroad and commercial center. Mrs. Gohen is a
graduate of the Hollins Seminary of Roanoke, Virginia.



***************
The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 185
Cabell

R. P. ALESHIRE, representative of Cabell County in the
Legislature, is one of Huntington's prominent financiers,
head of a real estate and investment brokerage business in
that city.

Mr. Aleshire was born at Gallipolis, Ohio, and his grand-
father, Reuben Aleshire, was a pioneer in that city on the
Ohio River, going from Luray, Page County, Virginia. He
was a flour miller at Gallipolis, where he lived until his
death at the age of seventy-five.  He married Margaret
Shepard, who was born in 1818 and died at Gallipolis No-
vember 19, 1896, at the age of seventy-eight.

Edward S. Aleshire, father of R. P. Aleshire, was born
at Gallipolis in 1841, and as a young man enlisted from
that city in Company F of the Second Ohio Heavy Artil-
lery and served all through the war. He was also engaged
in the flour milling industry at Gallipolis, but about 1890
moved to Huntington, West Virginia, and became manager
of Armour & Company's branch house in that city. He died
at Huntington January 3, 1905. He was a democrat, a
vestryman of the Episcopal Church and affiliated with the
Masonic fraternity. Edward S. Aleshire married Justine
Onderdonk, a native of New York State, now living at
Huntington. She became the mother of seven children:
Walter, who died at Gallipolis at the age of seventeen;
Henry O., vice president of the Huntington National Bank;
Edward S., secretary and treasurer of the Standard Print-
ing Company at Huntington; R. P. Aleshire; Halsey W., a
merchandise broker at Huntington; Morris B., an artist in
New York City; and Justine, who died in infancy.

R. P. Aleshire graduated from the Gallipolis High School
in 1889, and also attended the Gallia Academy in that city
for two years. After completing his education his early
experience was in banking, and he was bookkeeper and
subsequently promoted to assistant cashier of the Ohio Val-
ley Bank of Gallipolis. He also became interested in poli-
tics while in Ohio, and in 1901 was democratic candidate
for state treasurer, but was defeated in the republican
landslide of that year.

Mr. Aleshire removed to Huntington in 1905, and has
since been in the real estate and investment brokerage busi-
ness. He is president of the Aleshire-Harvey Company,
real estate dealers and brokers, and is a director in several
real estate organizations. He is secretary-treasurer of the
Mutual Land Company, Home Land Company, Steel Prod-
ucts Company and the Boone Block Mining Company, all
Huntington business organizations.

Mr. Aleshire was elected to represent Cabell County in
the Legislature in November, 1920, on the democratic ticket.
During the session of 1921 he ably represented his constitu-
ents, and was a valued member of the committees on finance,
mines and mining and labor. He is a member of the Epis-
copal Church, of Huntington Lodge No. 313, Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks, and is past exalted ruler of his
former home lodge in Gallipolis. He is a member of the
Rotary Club, Guyandotte Club and Guyan Country Club of
Huntington. Mr. Aleshire is unmarried.


***************
The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 187
Cabell

HUGH B. HAGEN, president of the corporation of Hagen,
Ratcliff & Company, the oldest and most substantial whole-
sale grocery concern in the City of Huntington, has been
a resident of Cabell County from the time of his birth. He
is a representative of one of its honored pioneer families,
and he has witnessed and assisted in the development of
the fine industrial City of Huntington, which he has seen
evolved from a corn field into a fine city of more than 
50,000 population. His father, the late William H. Hagen,
was born at Wellsburg, Brooke County Virginia now West
Virginia, in the year 1823, a son of John Hagen, who was
of Irish ancestry and who gained a due share of pioneer
honors in what is now West Virginia. As a young man
William H. Hagen came to Cabell County and engaged in
the general merchandise business at Guyandotte. He mar-
ried Mary, daughter of William Buffington, one of the early
settlers of the county, where he became the owner of large
tracts of land, including a portion of the site of the pres-
ent City of Huntington. After the death of Mr. Buffing-
ton this land was purchased by the late Collis P. Hunting-
ton, the great railroad builder, who intended to establish
here the terminus of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. The
home of William H. Hagen was situated on the Guyandotte
River, in what is now the City of Huntington, and there he
and his wife reared their six children. Mr. Hagen became
a citizen of prominence and influence in the community,
served fifteen years as president of the County Court, and
on this account became widely known as Judge Hagen. He
served also as a member of the City Council of Huntington
in the early days, and was a director of the old Bank of
Huntington, which gained the questionable distinction of
having been robbed by Jesse James. He was also a director
of the First National Bank. He was a great admirer of
Alexander Campbell, he having been one of the early gradu-
ates of Bethany College, which was founded by Mr. Camp-
bell. William H. Hagen was one of the venerable and
honored citizens of Huntington at the time of his death,
and his name and memory are revered in the city and county
which long represented his home.

Hugh B. Hagen was born December 7, 1866, and when
Huntington was founded the future city came to him rather
than his having gone to the city. From the corn field and
meadow he has seen every phase of the growth and develop-
ment of Huntington, and his loyalty to the place and his
native county has never wavered, but rather has found
expression in civic liberality and effective contribution to
business advancement. He completed his youthful educa-
tion in Marshall College when sixteen years of age, and in
1884 he entered the service of the First National Bank of
Huntington, at a time when it had only two office executives,
who did all the detail work. In this institution he won
advancement to the position of paying teller. In 1887 he
aided in the organization of the wholesale grocery firm of
Hagen, Ratcliff & Company, and he has been an influential
factor in the development and upbuilding of the large and
prosperous business.  The concern was eventually incor-
porated, as a matter of commercial and financial expediency,
and he is now its president. He continues a member of
the directorate of the First National Bank, and is one of
the quiet, unostentatious and substantial citizens and busi-
ness men who have made the name of Huntington a synonym
of civic and commercial integrity and progressiveness. Mr.
Hagen has received the thirty-second degree of the Scottish
Rite of the Masonic fraternity, is a member of the Mystic
Shrine, is a democrat in politics, and he and his family hold
membership in the Johnson Memorial Church. He has had
no desire for public office, but his civic loyalty has been
shown by his service in past years as a member of the city
council. Mr. Hagen married Miss Etta Gaines, and they
have four children.


***************
The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 191-192
Cabell

LESTER J. HUDSON is prominently concerned with the
industrial activities of the City of Huntington, where he
is manager of the United States Chain & Forging Company,
the extensive plant of which, together with the general of-
fices, is situated at Fifteenth Street, West, and Adams
Avenue. This well ordered corporation, one of the most
important in its special field of enterprise in the United
States, manufactures a large variety of iron and steel
chains, especially for railroad and dredging purposes, and
Mr. Hudson has the general supervision of the work of 125
employes.

Lester J. Hudson was born in Wood County, Ohio, July
5, 1887, and is a son of Frank M. and Catherine (Miller)
Hudson, both natives of Seneca County, Ohio, where the
former was born in 1853 and the latter in 1855, the father
being now a resident of Deshler, Henry County, that state,
and being still active in the supervision of his fine farm in
that county, his wife having passed to the life eternal in
1917. He is a republican in political adherency and is a
zealous member of the Presbyterian Church, as was also
his wife. Gaylord, eldest of their children, is an electrician
and resides at Deshler; Laura is the wife of Henry Wentz,
of Elkhart, Indiana; Elmer is a farmer near Attica, Ohio;
Lester J., of this sketch, and his twin brother, Chester A.,
were next in order of birth, the latter being an employment
manager in the City of Cleveland, Ohio.

Frank M. Hudson was reared and educated in his native
county, where his marriage was solemnized and where he
continued his activities as a farmer until he removed to
Wood County, Ohio. In the latter county he was engaged
in farm enterprise until 1892, since which year he has been
one of the substantial exponents of agricultural and live-
stock enterprise in Henry County, that state.

After attending the district schools of Henry County,
Ohio, Lester J. Hudson there continued his studies in the
high school at Deshler until his graduation in 1907. He
taught two terms of school in that county, and in 1910 he
graduated from the Lima Business College at Lima, Ohio.
He then became stenographer in the offices of the Stand-
ard Chain Company at St. Marys, Ohio, and he so thor-
oughly familiarized himself with the details of the business
that he won consecutive advancement and finally, in 1912,
was made manager of the company. In 1918 this concern
sold its plant and business to the American Chain Company,
and Mr. Hudson -was transferred to the latter's plant at
Columbus, Ohio, where he held the position of purchasing
agent three months. He then, in November, 1919, resigned
and accepted his present responsible office, that of manager
of the United States Chain & Forging Company.

Mr. Hudson is a thoroughgoing republican, but has had
no desire for political office. He and his wife are members
of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church at Huntington, in
which he is a member of the church orchestra. He is a
past grand of Shawnee Lodge, I. O. O. F., at St. Marys,
Ohio, where he is affiliated also with St. Marys Lodge No.
219, Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the West
Side Country Club of Huntington. He gave loyal service
in support of the various patriotic movements in connection
with the World war, and was specially active in advancing
local campaigns in support of the Government bond issues,
he having been responsible for bonds sold to the employes
of the company of which he was an executive.

At Pittsfield, Illinois, in 1917, Mr. Hudson wedded Miss
Cora C. Laugh, who was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, and
who graduated from high school in that city and also from
a training school for nurses. Mr. and Mrs. Hudson have
no children.

Mr. Hudson is a scion of one of the sterling pioneer fami-
lies of the old Buckeye State, his paternal grandfather
having been born in Seneca County, Ohio, in 1817, a date
that indicates the pioneer priority of the family in that
commonwealth. In his native county the grandfather be-
came the owner of a valuable landed estate and was an
extensive and successful farmer, his death having there
occurred in 1897.


***************
The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 194-195
Cabell

THOMAS J. JONES. The lumber industry at Huntington
has had since 1919 a worthy, capable and progressive rep-
resentative in the person of Thomas J. Jones, sole proprie-
tor of the Leon G. Brown Lumber Company, a wholesale
concern. For many years Mr. Jones was one of the best
known figures in telegraphic circles, having held numerous
important positions with the leading companies.  He is
purely a self-made man, as he has been making his own way
since fourteen years of age, and the success that he has
attained is added evidence of the value of the possession
of the virtues of persistence, integrity and fidelity.

Mr. Jones was born at Dade City, Florida, December 9,
1871, a son of Matthew Jones. His father, who was born
in 1819, was a veteran of the Seminole war as well as of
the war between the states, in the latter of which he fought
as a Union soldier. For a number of years he lived in
Pasco County, Florida, where he carried on extensive opera-
tions as an agriculturist, and his death occurred at Dade
City, that state, in 1879. He was a democrat in politics,
fraternized with the Masons, and was a local preacher of
the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Jones married Miss
Emily Jackson, who died near Dade City in 1880, and they
became the parents of the following children: William A.,
who resides at St. Petersburg, Florida, and is engaged in
the real estate business; Mary, the wife of John O'Berry,
a farmer of Blanton, Florida; Martha, who married Isham
Howell, and died at Terracea, Florida, where Mr. Howell
is engaged in farming; Emily, who married Newton D.
Eiland, and is now deceased; James M., superintendent of
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company at Brunswick,
Georgia; Leila, the wife of Clarence Lockhart, a farm
owner of Jacksonville, Florida; Thomas J., of this review;
Julia, who died as the wife of John Klein, a prominent
farmer of Melrose, Minnesota; and Marvin, superintendent
for the Pressed Steel Car Company at McKee's Rock, Pitts-
burgh, Pennsylvania.

Thomas J. Jones was reared on a farm near Dade City,
Florida, and as his parents died when he was still a lad
his education in the public schools was cut short when he
was fourteen years of age, at which time he went to Tampa,
Florida, and learned the cigar-making business, at which
he spent three years. His next location was San Antonio,
Florida, where he entered the railway station and learned
the art of telegraphy, a field of endeavor in which he made
rapid strides. He followed this line of work with the Or-
ange Belt Railway, now a part of the Atlantic Coast system,
until 1890, in which year he joined the Florida East Coast
Railway and remained with that system for six years. He
was then with the Plant system, now a part of the Atlantic
Coast system, with which he remained until 1898 as a teleg-
rapher, being then made rate clerk, a post which he held
until April, 1899. At that time he removed to Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, and joined the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in
the train despatcher's office, but November 6, 1899, left
that post and joined the Pressed Steel Car Company at
McKee's Bock, Pittsburgh, as general file clerk, a position
which he held until 1905. He was then head of the order
department until May 25, 1910, when he resigned and
joined the Western Union Telegraph Company as a branch
manager in the Stock Exchange at Pittsburgh. On October
1, 1911, he became district manager of the Western Union
Telegraph Company, covering Northern West Virginia and
Western Pennsylvania. On April 1, 1912, he was appointed
district cable manager at Pittsburgh, covering the states
of West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York,
and June 1, 1916, was made district commercial manager,
covering Western Pennsylvania, with headquarters at Pitts-
burgh.  He received further promotion August 1, 1916,
when he was appointed district commercial manager of the
Western Union Telegraph Company, in charge of all offices
in West Virginia, with headquarters at Huntington, and
resigned this position March 1, 1919, at which time he en-
gaged in the wholesale lumber business by becoming sole
owner of the Leon G. Brown Lumber Company. Mr. Jones'
offices are situated at 717-1/2 Ninth Street, and he has built
up one of the leading enterprises of its kind at Hunting-
ton. He has a splendid reputation for business integrity,
and has the esteem and confidence of all with whom he has
been identified whether in a business or social way. In
polities Mr. Jones is a democrat, but he has never taken
more than a good citizen's interest in political matters.
His religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South. Fraternally he affiliates with Huntington
Lodge No. 313, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
He took an active part in all local war activities, assisted
in all the drives for funds for all purposes, bought bonds
and War Savings Stamps, and contributed to the various
organizations to the limit of his means.

On December 7, 1898, at Tampa, Florida, Mr. Jones was
united in marriage with Miss Electa Carlin, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Carlin, the latter of whom is de-
ceased. Mr. Carlin, a resident of Los Angeles, California,
is a retired locomotive engineer, who was in the employ of
the Fort Wayne Railroad for forty-two years. Six children
have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones: Marion Leila,
Thomas Marvin and Margaret E., graduates of the Pitts-
burgh High School; and Melvin, Flavia and Regis, who are
attending the graded schools of Los Angeles.


***************
The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 196-197
Cabell

GEORGE B. SEAMONDS, in his second term as Circuit Court
clerk at Huntington, was formerly a railroad man and man-
ufacturer in that city, and represents one of the very old
and prominent families of Cabell County.

His grandfather, William R. Seamonds, was born in
Cabell County in 1812, spent his life there as a farmer, and
died on land that is now a part of the City of Huntington.
His death occurred in 1889. He married Nancy Harsh-
barger, a native of Cabell County, who also died at the old
home in Huntington.  Their son, William H. Seamonds,
was born near Barboursville, Cabell County, June 21, 1840,
was reared and married in the county, and spent his life
there as a more than ordinarily successful farmer. In 1914
he retired to Huntington to spend his last days in comfort,
and died there February 22, 1919. As a young man he
was a captain at the muster days at Barboursville, and was
a member of the Home Guards during the Civil war. He
served on the board of education and as road surveyor of
Barboursville District, was a democrat and affiliated with
the Baptist Church. William H. Seamonds married Sarah
J. Lusher, who was born in Barboursville District June 20,
1842, and is now living at Huntington. She is the mother
of the following children: Randolph Moss, an employe of
the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company at Huntington;
Mary M., of Huntington, widow of James G. Hatfield, a
building contractor and road builder; Susie L., of Hunting-
ton, widow of Benjamin F. Goolsby, a shop employe of the
Chesapeake & Ohio Eailroad Company; Lena, wife of Will-
iam H. Tinsley, a Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad man at
Huntington; William, who died at the age of nineteen
years; George R.; Maggie, wife of J. Alvin Burdette, a
locomotive engineer with the Chesapeake & Ohio at Hunt-
ington; Andrew J., also a locomotive engineer at Hunting-
ton; and Kate Gem, wife of W. Alonzo Toney, a railroad
conductor living at Huntington.

George R. Seamonds was born at Barboursville, Cabell
County, February 17, 1873. He was educated in rural
schools, and graduated in 1893 from Morris-Harvey College
at Barboursville.  The following fifteen years Mr. Sea-
monds spent in the clerical department of the Chesapeake &
Ohio Railroad at Huntington. From 1908 to 1914 he was
secretary of the Jarvis Machine & Supply Company of that
city, and in November, 1914, was first elected Circuit Court
clerk for the term of six years. In November, 1920, he was
re-elected, and his present term in the Court House at
Huntington expires in 1927. Mr. Seamonds has been one
of the busy men of his community for nearly thirty years,
and has become widely known for his ability, his thorough-
ness and his integrity.

He is a democrat, a member of the Baptist Church, and
fraternally is affiliated with Huntington Lodge No. 53,
F. and A. M., Huntington Lodge No. 313, B. P. O. E., Mod-
ern Woodmen of America, Ancient Order of United Work-
men, and Cabell Council No. 196, Junior Order United
American Mechanics. He is owner of some valuable real
estate in Huntington, including his own eight room brick
house at 919 Ninth Street, and an adjoining dwelling sim-
ilar in size and appointments at 917 on the same street.
During the war Mr. Seamonds went to the full extent of
his means and influence to support the Government in all
the drives.

He married at Huntington in 1905 Miss Cora Lee Jarvis,
daughter of Joseph C. and Alice N. (Pippin) Jarvis, resi-
dents of Huntington. Her father, now retired, was for
many years owner and operator of a machine shop. Mrs.
Seamonds, who died June 17, 1921, is survived by one daugh-
ter, Alma Louise, born October 4, 1906.