Tucker County, West Virginia Biography of JOHN F. REPAIR This biography 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. 586-587 Tucker JOHN F. REPAIR, former sheriff of Tucker County and one of the representative figures in the business life of the county and its judicial center, the City of Parsons, was bora at Rowlesburg, Preston County, this state, July 17, 1868, and he was a boy at the time of the family removal to a farm near St. George in Licking District, Tucker County, where he was reared to adult age and where his somewhat limited educational advantages were those of the rural schools. His father, Frank Repair, was drowned in the Cheat River May 1, 1893, and his wife died at Parsons, the remains of both resting in Macedonia Cemetery near Hannahsville, this county. Frank Repair was born at Bal- timore, Maryland, and was a child at the time of his moth- er's death. He was sent by his father to kinsfolk in Vir- ginia, and after the father contracted a second marriage the only son of the first marriage returned to Baltimore and was placed in a Catholic school. The boy did not like his school and at the age of thirteen years ran away and came into what is now West Virginia. When the Civil war be- gan he entered the Union service as a member of the Sixth West Virginia Cavalry, and after the close of the war he was identified with Indian warfare in the West about two years. Upon his return to West Virginia he married, at Rowlesburg, Miss Annetta Hebb, a daughter of Thornton Hebb, and of their children six sons grew to maturity: John F., William, deceased, George, a resident of Kenton, Ohio, Richard, who lives at Parsons, and Nathan Ellsworth and Thomas, both likewise residents of Parsons. Frank Repair was one of the prosperous farmers of Tucker County at the time of his death, and commanded unqualified popu- lar esteem. He was a man of jovial and generous quali- ties, was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and he and his wife were members of the Protestant Methodist Church. As a youth of eighteen years John F. Repair began to raft logs down the Cheat River to Rowlesburg, and he con- tinued his active association with the timber industry about five years, in the employ of Dewey & Sons. At the age of twenty-nine years he purchased the old home farm on which he was reared, and also took unto himself a wife, who has been his devoted companion and helpmeet. After leaving his farm he established his residence at Parsons, where for three years he conducted the feed store owned by one of his brothers. In the election of 1908 he was chosen sher- iff of the county by a majority of about 500 votes. He assumed office in January, 1909, and prior to the expira- tion of the term he purchased and remodeled the Pifer Hotel, to the conducting of which he directed his attention after retiring from the office of sheriff. Four years later he was again elected sheriff, and his administration covered the period during which the nation was involved in the World war. His eldest son met his death in the severe epidemic of influenza that prevailed at this time, as did also his chief deputy in the office of sheriff, James Bed- ford, a fine young man who was his representative on the Draft Board of the county and who had charge of the rec- ords of the office. Mr. Stewart, who was supplied by the state auditor to fill the vacancy as clerical assistant in the sheriff's office, succumbed to the influenza within ten days after assuming his duties, he having been succeeded by Paul Dudley, who is still in service, under the administra- tion of Sheriff Close. Mr. Repair continued the successful operation of his hotel and farm, and in the summer of 1922 he resumed his connection also with the cutting and mar- keting of timber. Mr. Repair is a staunch republican, and while on his farm he served six years as president of the School Board of Licking District. He is affiliated with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. August 15, 1897, recorded the marriage of Mr. Repair and Miss Virginia M. Shaffer, who was born and reared in Tucker County, a daughter of Samuel and Angeline (Miller) Shaffer. Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Repair the first- born, Dewey Dale, was just approaching manhood at the time of his death, of influenza, as previously noted; Georgia Goldie is a stenographer in the extension department of the University of West Virginia; William F. was gradu- ated from the Parsons High School and is a member of the class of 1922 in the Mountain State Business College at Parkersburg; Lena Rivers graduated from the Parsons High School as a member of the class of 1922; Ruby An- netta graduated from the Parsons High School, class of 1922; and the younger children are Maude Ray, attending high school, Helen Angeline and Frank Fleming. As a boy and youth Mr. Repair was of normal size and weight, but he now weighs 425 pounds, a record not equalled in Tucker County. He claims the distinction of being the heaviest man who ever served as a sheriff in the State of West Virginia.