Upshur County, West Virginia          Biography of Charles Edward HODGES

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II,
page 240

CHARLES EDWARD HODGES, only son of the eminent West Virginia educator and
banker, the late Thomas Edward Hodges, has in a brief but intensely active
career proved the possession of many of the admirable qualities which
distinguished his father. The son made a fine record as a soldier and
officer with the Expeditionary Forces in France, was abroad nearly two
years, and not long after his return to Morgantown he bought and is editor
and publisher of The New Dominion, the leading morning newspaper.

Charles Edward Hodges was born in Huntington, West Virginia, September 27, 1892.
He graduated from Morgantown High School in 1909, from West Virginia Uni-
versity with the A. B. degree in 1913, and also did post-graduate work in
international law and diplomacy.

From 1913 until May, 1917, his duties were those of a reporter and editor
for local Morgantown newspapers. He was one of the early volunteers for
service when America entered the war with Germany. He enlisted as a private
in Company A of the Fifth Reserve Engineers at Pittsburgh, July 1, 1917,
with this command he went overseas, and was on duty in France for twenty-
two and a half months. In October, 1917, he was promoted to sergeant and
in March, 1918, was sent to the Army Candidates School at Langres in Haute
Marne District, where he graduated with the rank of second lieutenant of
infantry in July, 1918. He was assigned to the 359th Infantry, 90th Division,
but later transferred to the 143rd Infantry of the 36th Division. With this
command he participated in the Meuse-Argonne campaign, in the offensive
action along the Champaign front, and before the armistice was promoted
from first lieutenant to captain. After the armistice he remained with
the 36th Division until that command returned home on June 1, 1919. During
the Meuse-Argonne fighting he was cited in orders of the French Army Corps,
with which his division was operating, and was recommended for the Croix
de Guerre. Before returning home Captain Hodges was offered a place on
the United States Food Commission at Berlin, but declined that opportunity
for service in order to return home, the health of his father being then
very critical. For about a year he looked after his father's interests and
in November, 1919, with B. H. Jarvis, bought The News Dominion, one of the
newspapers with which he had been employed in former years. He is now
president of The Dominion News Company, a publishing company, and has
active charge of the editorial and general business management of this
influential newspaper.