Biography of William Clyde & Richard Claude Neely - Summers Co. WV The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 606 WILLIAM CLYDE AND RICHARD CLAUDE NEELY are brothers whose fraternal and business relations are specially close and noteworthy. They own and conduct a well ordered clothing establishment at Hinton, Summers County, and have made the title of the Hub Clothing Company a potent one in connection with the business interests of their native county. Apropos of their fraternal associations it is special- ly interesting to note that they are twins and that in a sense are able to celebrate their exact birthday anniversary only once in four years, as they were born February 29, 1888. The place of their nativity was the family home- stead farm in Pipestem district, Summers County, and they are sons of Matthew and Alice (Martin) Neely, the father being still one of the substantial and representative ex- ponents of farm industry in this county, he being fifty-five years of age at the time of this writing, in 1922. His first wife, mother of the subjects of this sketch, passed to eternal rest in the year 1902, and the maiden name of his present wife was Neely, the two families, however, being of no kinship. The twin Neely brothers, who are familiarly known by their second personal names, Clyde and Claude, worked to- gether on the home farm until they were twenty years of age, and in the meanwhile attended the same school and kept pace in educational advancement. When they were twenty years old, in company with their younger brother, Dr. Robert S., who is individually represented on other pages of this work, they borrowed from a local bank sufficient money to enable them to open and stock a small grocery store in the Masonic Building at Hinton. The twin brothers continued to be associated in the conducting of this enterprise nine years, within which period they pur- chased the interest of their brother, the Doctor. Their success and experience justified their progressive move in expanding their mercantile operations by opening the Hub Clothing Store on Third Avenue. Here they initiated busi- ness August 28, 1913, and two years later they removed to their present modern and handsomely equipped quarters, 213-215 Temple Street, where they have ample space for the display of their comprehensive and select stock of high- grade men's clothing and furnishing goods and where they cater to a large and appreciative patronage. Their success has been based alike on their fair and honorable dealings, effective service and personal popularity, and they are vital and progressive young business men. Both are active mem- bers of the local Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club, both are staunch republicans, and both are affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. From their childhood the companionship of the twin brothers has been of the closest and most gracious order, and now that both are happily married they and their families occupy the same house. There has been one lack of coincidence in the careers of the two brothers - in that Clyde anticipated his brother in appearing at the hymeneal altar, his marriage to Miss Ger- trude Mannix, daughter of Patrick Mannix, of Hinton, having occurred in 1910. Claude Neely did not long con- sent to be a laggard in the matrimonial field, however, for on the 2d of July, 1913, was solemnized his marriage to Miss Amy, daughter of J. W. Shepherd, of Hinton. He and his wife have four children: Harold, Richard Claude, Jr., Virginia and Caroline. Submitted by Valerie Crook **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************