Upshur County, West Virginia Biography of MATHEW E. HYMES 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 II, pg. 618 Upshur MATHEW E. HYMES, mayor of Buckhannon, is one of that city's progressive business men, and as mayor has set a high standard of efficiency in the administration of local municipal affairs. Mayor Hymes was born on a farm in Barbour County, West Virginia, November 9, 1879. His parents, John C. and Phoebe (Edmonds) Hymes, were natives of old Vir- ginia but were reared and educated in Barbour County, and after their marriage settled on a farm there, where they lived out their lives. John Hymes became a prosperous farmer and was one of the influential men of his community. He was a republican, and both he and his wife were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of their six children five are living: Mathew E.; Rosa J., wife of O. C. Williams; H. C., a merchant at Junior, West Virginia; Sher- man G., also at Junior; and James R., who served as a soldier in the World war. Mathew E. Hymes grew up on the farm in Barbour County and had a share in its work and toil. He finished his common school education at the age of fourteen, and soon afterward became a teacher and for thirteen years was closely identified with the educational interests of Barbour County. In the meantime he volunteered at the time of the Spanish-American war and served as a non-commissioned officer in a West Virginia regiment. After his discharge he resumed teaching, was principal of schools at Junior, and when he gave up educational work he became a general merchant there. Mr. Hymes served as mayor of Junior. In 1911 he removed to Buckhannon, primarily to educate his children. Here he has engaged in the theatrical business, was chief of police three years, and was then elected mayor, an office he is now filling for the fourth term. Mr. Hymes owns the Grand Opera House at Buckhannon, has a half interest in the Inland Auto & Supply Company, and is owner of considerable real estate and lands valuable for gas, coal and oil. On June 30, 1897, he married Miss O. E. Thacker. They have three children. Myron B., the oldest, is a high school graduate, graduating from West Virginia Wesleyan Col- lege, and is now completing his education in Harvard Uni- versity, specializing in law. The two younger children are Florence E. and Harry M., the former a graduate of and the latter a student in the Buckhannon High School. Mr. and Mrs. Hymes are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks, and is a republican in politics.