West Virginia Statewide Files WV-Footsteps Mailing List WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 120 Today's Topics: #1 BIO: SAMUEL V. WOODS, Barbour Co. [Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991126004608.00f8f5e0@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: SAMUEL V. WOODS, Barbour Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 317-318 SAMUEL V. WOODS. In the forty-one years since his ad- mission to the bar Samuel V. Woods has proved himself the possessor of many of the distinctive abilities of his honored father, the late Judge Samuel Woods, whose career is briefly given in sketch following. In the broad field of general practice, particularly in chancery, and as a trial lawyer Samuel V. Woods has few equals. He possesses a generous and abundant equipment and knowledge of the law, and his personal character, which is of the highest order, has combined to make his career a source of genuine public service, though comparatively little of his time has been spent in public office. He was born in Barbour County on the 31st of Angust, 1856, and was educated by private tutors, in the public schools, and at the West Virginia University. He studied law under his distinguished father, Judge Samuel Woods, and was examined before and admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Appeals in 1881, upon the motion of William L. Wilson. Since that time he has been a steady practitioner in the County of Barbour, where he has resided, and in other counties in that section of the state, and before the Supreme Court of Appeals. He has handled a great volume of business covering an immense range in the practice of his profession. For many years in Barbour County nearly every important trial found him engaged therein on one side or the other, and he always acquitted himself with great credit and with a high degree of satisfaction to his clients. A brief professional opinion of his work is as follows: "In his court work he has always been distinguished for the thoroughness of his preparation, the tact of his exam- ination of witnesses, is accurate knowledge of all the de- tails of pleading and practice, and coolness and self poise, which he exhibits under circumstances of the most ad- verse and trying nature. As an advocate he is gifted with logical powers and a faculty of expression remarkably simple and lucid. His diction is clear and correct, his language forceful and pointed, and on all occasions he shows the power of an able public speaker and debater, and is an honorable, upright and reliable attorney." Men who have been so fortunate as to come within the friendship or professional association of Samuel V. Woods pronounce him as one of the most genial men in all their acquaintance. He possesses and exhibits the courtesy of the old school gentleman, and his personal character and attainments give special force to this disposition. He has always been interested in the discussion of political questions, and is an unusually forceful and eloquent platform speaker in the discussion of political questions and questions of public policy, and he has always been an earnest independent democrat. And while he has lived in a strongly republican county and republican senatorial and congressional district, he was elected to the State Senate in 1910, and for four years represented the Thir- teenth Senatorial District. While a member of the Senate, which was equally divided politically, he was unanimously elected president of the Senate, and under the constitution of this state he thereby became in effect lieutenant gov- ernor of West Virginia. He was twice the democratic nominee for Congress in the Second Congressional District. He was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in 1900. Mr. Woods has been a life long member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in 1916 was elected as a delegate to the General Conference, which is the law making body of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in 1920 he again served in the General Conference of the church. Since 1903 Mr. Woods has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the West Virginia Wesleyan College at Buck- hannon, and has been consistently one of the most generous supporters of that institution, of which his distinguished father, Judge Samuel Woods, was one of the founders and for many years president of its Board of Trustees. He has from that College the degree of LL. D. For the past fourteen years Mr. Woods has been the president of the Citizens National Bank of Phillppi, the strongest and one of the oldest banking Institutions in Barbour County, of which he was one of the founders and organizers. Mr. Woods married on the 9th day of March, 1893, Miss Mollie Strickler, and they have had one child, Ruth Neeson Woods, who is now the wife of Arthur S. Dayton, a dis- tinguished member of the Philippi bar, and the only son of the late Judge Alston G. Dayton. ______________________________X-Message: #2 Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 00:49:12 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991126004912.00f956b0@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: Seth A. MORTON, Clay Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 320 Clay SETH A. MORTON. With the possible exception of honesty and integrity, there is no other quality so in demand in the business world of today as practicality. Energy, push, en- terprise, courage and rapid and sure decision mark the men who become the compelling forces in the upbuilding of the trade and commerce of the country. Seth A. Morton, a well-known lumberman of Sutton, has been so marked. There has been no element of chance in the success which he has achieved; on the contrary, it has been the inevitable result of what he has put of himself into his energies. No fortunate circumstances gave him any early advantage, for he began his business career with only the endowments with which nature had favored him, coupled with the sound principles instilled in his home during his boyhood. Mr. Morton was born in Clay County, West Virginia, April 7, 1868, a son of Daniel and Charlotte (Roger) Mor- ton. His father was also bora in Clay County, a son of John T. Morton, the latter being a son of Thomas T. Morton, who was a soldier during the Revolutionary war and the War of 1812. After the close of the latter struggle he went to Clay County, where he and his wife passed the rest of their lives. His son, John T. Morton, was reared in Clay County, where he married the widow of Samuel Holcomb and became the father of six children, among them Daniel Mor- ton. Daniel Morton was reared in Clay County, where he was given only limited educational advantages, and as a young man adopted the vocation of agriculture, which he followed throughout his life. He was a republican in poli- tics, although not an office seeker. Of his ten children the following are living at this time: G. P., of Molino, Florida; Seth A., of this review; Chloe, the wife of John D. Ramsey; Moses S., of Harriman, Tennessee; Mary S., the wife of W. J. Ramsey, and Esther, the wife of H. J. Walker. It is interesting to note that of this family three of the Morton daughters married three brothers of the Eamsey family, while one of the Morton boys married one of the Ramsey girls. Seth A. Morton was reared on his father's farm in Clay County, where he was given his education in the district schools, and until he reached the age of twenty-one years was his father's associate in the work of the home place. While thus engaged he became interested in the lumber busi- ness, which he finally entered on his own account and eventu- ally established an office and yard at Sutton. Following his marriage he lived for a time on the old home farm in Clay County, where he divided his time between farming and lumbering, subsequently moving to Webster County, where he owned and operated a sawmill until 1918. He then dis- posed of his interests in Webster County and moved to Sutton, and has here built up a splendid business and placed himself among the leading business men of the place. In October, 1896, Mr. Morton was united in marriage with Miss Hattie M. Ramsey, who was reared on a farm in Clay County and was educated in the public schools, and to this union there have been born four children: Mabel, the wife of F. J. Howie; Mamie, the wife of W. A. Robinson; and Marco O. and Olive, who are attending public school. Mr. and Mrs. Morton have one grandchild: Elnora Robin- son, born December 26, 1921. By a previous marriage Mr. Morton had two children, of whom one is living, Fred &., of Webster County, West Virginia, a veteran of the World war. In his political allegiance Mr. Morton is a democrat, but has not cared for public office, his business interests having been of sufficient importance and size to keep his attention and energies occupied. He has some valuable realty holdings in this region, which include 300 acres of coal lands, as well as a modern home at Sutton and a dwel- ling at Charleston. ______________________________X-Message: #3 Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 01:06:43 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991126010643.00f959a0@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: Stanton TRIMBLE, M. D. Braxton Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 314-315 STANTON TRIMBLE, M. D. The physician and surgeon of today not only is a highly trained individual whose every faculty has been brought to the highest perfection, but also one whose broad experience with people and affairs enables him to act with the efficiency of a really high-grade man, and to energize those with whom he comes into contact. The practical physician does not work for spectacular results, but for sane, sound, progress, not only in his profession but in other directions. One of the men of Braxton County who stands high among the physicians and surgeons of this class is Dr. Stanton Trible, who has been engaged in prac- tice at Burnsville since 1914. Doctor Trimble was born in Barbour County, West Vir- ginia, August 24, 1882, a son of John A. and Euphiasia E. (Young) Trimble. John A. Trimble was born in 1848 in Barbour County, where he received his education and was reared as a farmer's son, and as a young man went to Harrison County, where he met Miss Young, a native of that county, born in 1849, who, like her husband, had enjoyed a rural school education. Following their marriage they went to Barbour County, where they settled down to agricul- tural pursuits, and through industry and good management became prosperous in this world's goods, being the owners of 300 acres of well-cultivated and highly improved farm- ing land. After a long and honorable career John A. Trimble died on his farm, where his widow still makes her home in advanced age. She is a member of the Presby- terian Church and is highly esteemed for her many admir- able qualities of mind and heart. Mr. Trimble was a stanch republican in politics, and for some years served in the capacity of postmaster at Pepper, West Virginia. They were the parents of six children, of whom five are living in 1922: Camden, an agriculturist of Barbour County; Huff- man, who is also carrying on agricultural operations in that county; Daisy, the widow of Dr. Erlo Kennedy; Dr. Stan- ton, of this notice; and Voie E., the wife of Clarence House. Ida May died January 9, 1918. Stanton Trimble passed his boyhood on the home farm in much the same manner as other farmers' sons of his day and locality, receiving his early education at the rural schoolhouse. He had no inclination, however, to pass his life in agricultural pursuits, early deciding upon a profes- sional career, and accordingly was sent to the State Normal School at Fairmont for his preparatory work. Completing the course there satisfactorily, he then entered upon his professional studies at the Baltimore Medical College, Balti- more, Maryland, from which he was duly graduated as a member of the class of 1908, receiving the. degree of Doctor of Medicine. Doctor Trimble's first field of professional work was at Kremling, Colorado, but after eight months in that community he returned to West Virginia and opened an office at Oriando, where he remained from 1909 until 1914. In the latter year he settled at Burnsville, where be has since succeeded in building up a large, lucrative and repre- sentative practice. He possesses ability and sympathy, and has gained the confidence and good will of the people of his community and the respect and esteem of his professional associates. Doctor Trimble belongs to the various organiza- tions of his profession, including the American Medical Association, and has maintained throughout his entire career a high standard of ethics and honorable practice. In poli- tics he supports the principles and candidates of the repub- lican party. His fraternal affiliation is with Orlando Lodge of the Odd Fellows order. In 1910 Doctor Trimble was united in marriage with Miss Callie Stout, who was born at Bridgeport, Harrison County, West Virginia, and educated in the public schools, and they are the parents of two children: Stanton C., who was born June 26, 1913; and Mary E., born July 13, 1919. ______________________________X-Message: #4 Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 01:06:43 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991126010643.00f78e80@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: Henry B. MARSHALL, Braxton Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 315 HENRY B. MARSHALL. In annotating the qualities which have brought Henry B. Marshall to a position of importance among the bankers of Braxton County, those of persistence and singleness of purpose should not be overlooked. While he possesses other qualities which add to his equipment for successful participation in financial affairs, almost from the start of his career he has devoted himself whole-heartedly to one line of effort and has persevered in one avenue of activity. The result is that he is a thorough master of every detail of his special line of work, and as cashier of the Burnsville Exchange Bank occupies a place high in the esteem of his associates and firm in the confidence of the people of the community. Mr. Marshall was born in Ritchie County, West Virginia, January 4, 1876, and is a son of Benjamin P. and Virginia (Jackson) Marshall. Benjamin P. Marshall was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, and as a youth was brought by his parents to Ritchie County, West Virginia, where he re- ceived a common school education, grew to manhood and married Virginia Jackson, a native of Ritchie County, and also a product of the public schools. Following their mar- riage they settled on a farm near the Village of Petroleum, in that county, and there spent the remainder of their well- governed lives. They became prosperous in a material way and in the respect in which they were held by their neigh- bors, and were active and faithful members of the Meth- odist Protestant Church. Mr. Marshall was a republican in his political views, and served one term as a member of the County Court. At the outbreak of the war between the states he enlisted in the Eleventh Regiment, West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for five years, or until the close of the war. He and his worthy wife were the parents of twelve children, of whom five died in infancy, the others being: One who died after reaching maturity; Fannie, the wife of R. M. Foutty, living in Wood County, West Virginia; Jennie, the wife of A. M. Douglass, of Cairo, this state; Viola, whose home is at Akron, Ohio; R. C., a hardware merchant at Cairo; C. A., who is carrying on operations on the old home farm in Ritchie County; and Henry B., of this review. Henry B. Marshall was reared on the home farm in Ritchie County, where he obtained his primary education in the rural schools, and in the summer months assisted his father and brothers in the cultivation of the home fields. Subsequently he took a business course in a commercial college situated at Cairo, then returned to the farm, whence he removed to Cairo to accept a position as bookkeeper with the Bank of Cairo. During the time that he was identified with that institution he rose to the post of assistant cashier, and it was in a like capacity that he first joined the Burns- ville Exchange Bank in 1903. In 1907 Mr. Marshall became cashier of this institution, a position which he has since retained. His fellow officials are: Hon. John I. Bender, president; W. C. Hefner, vice president; and Frank Amos, assistant cashier, the board of directors consisting of the following: John I. Bender, G. D. Marple, C. A. Wade, H. B. Marshall, E. A. Stockert, W. C. Hefner, P. G. Hoover, Frank Amos, John M. Marple, R. D. Dennison and W. G. Wilson. This is one of Braxton County's sound and reliable institutions, and Mr. Marshall has contributed to its success in no small degree. In 1902 Mr. Marshall was united in marriage with Miss Matilda Gilbertson, who was born at Blair, Nebraska, where she was educated in the public schools, and who first met her future husband while on a visit to relatives at Cairo, West Virginia. Three children have come to this union: Helen B., born September 23, 1903, a graduate of the Burnsville High School; Virginia May, born August 9, 1915; and a son that died in infancy in 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall are members of the Methodist Protestant Church, Mr. Marshall being a member of the official board and a contributor to all religious movements. As a fraternalist he holds membership in Burnsville Lodge No. 87, A. F. and A. M., is a past noble grand of Burnsville Lodge No. 252, I. O. O. F., and belongs to the Grand Lodge of that order. In politics he is a republican. ______________________________X-Message: #5 Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 01:05:55 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991126010555.00f99c20@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: William Winfred SMITH, Cabell Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 321 Cabell WILLIAM WINFRED SMITH. To those who are interested in the facts concerning the development of their community there is something attractive in the lives of those who have been connected with the law. The jurist and legist occupy a place which can be filled by no others in our country and under our form of government. While all may aspire to and attain positions of high distinction in public life, the man versed in the laws of the country must be depended upon to conserve human rights and to see that each class of our citizenship may have its representation in a legal way. Of the lawyers of Cabell County who have attained distinction in their profession during recent years, one whose career has been more than ordinarily successful and who has been the recipient of numerous honors is William Win- fred Smith, of Huntington. Mr. Smith was born in York County, Pennsylvania, Febru- ary 24, 1877, a son of Henry N. and Mary A. (Hildebrand) Smith, and received his early education in the public schools of his native county and of Ceredo, Wayne County, West Virginia, where he was a member of the first graduating class, of 1894, graduated from the Ceredo High School. He then entered Marshall College, Huntington, graduating in 1896, following which, in 1897 and 1898, he was principal of the public schools of Kenova, West Virginia. In 1898 he entered West Virginia University, from which he was graduated with the class of 1902, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and in the year 1904 was given his Master of Arts degree from the same institution. He com- pleted the law course ..in 1905 and received the degree of Bachelor of Laws and was admitted to the West Virginia bar in the same year at Morgantown. Mr. Smith had a somewhat remarkable college career. He was admitted to membership in the Phi Sigma Kappa Greek letter fraternity, was president of the college Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation in 1901, was president of the Parthenon Literary Society during 1901, was editor-in-chief of the College weekly, The Atheneum, in 1902, and during his senior year of the academic course took the Wiles prize in oratory, $100 in gold; the W. C. T. U. prize for an essay, and the State Tax Commission prize for an essay, the subject of the last named being "Taxation in West Virginia." On leaving college Mr. Smith practiced law at Morgan- town from 1905 until 1910 and then came to Huntington, where he has since carried on a general civil and criminal practice, his offices being located at 300 and 301 First National Bank Building. During his residence at Morgan- town Mr. Smith was elected a member of the city council, and rendered the service of compiling the ordinances of that city. At present he is attorney for the town of Ceredo. He holds membership in the Cabell County Bar Association, the West Virginia Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He took an active part in all local war move- ments, helping in all the drives, serving on the Legal Advisory Board of Cabell County and speaking throughout the county as a "Four-Minute Man" in behalf of the Liberty Loan campaigns, Red Cross and other patriotic organizations, which he also assisted liberally with his means. He is the editor and compiler of "The Honor Roll of Cabell County, West Virginia," an illustrated his- torical and biographical record of Cabell County's part in the World war, perhaps the most elaborate work of its kind of any county in the United States. In January, 1922, Mr. Smith was appointed by Governor E. F. Morgan as a West Virginia representative to the Illiteracy Commission of the National Educational Association, and attended the first conference, held at Chicago, February 24 and 25, 1922, at which conference the slogan coined by Mr. Smith, "No Illiteracy by 1930," was adopted. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Prisoners' Belief Society of Washington, D. C., and served as its managing director for a time, and his interest in this direction is also indicated by his membership in the American Sociological Congress. Mr. Smith has a number of important business connec- tions, being secretary of the Bungalow Land Company, president of the Park City Oil & Gas Company, secretary and treasurer of the Huntington Cannel Coal Company, and secretary of the Cabell Oil and Gas Company, all of Hunt- ington, and secretary of the Williams Sanitarium Company of Kenova. He owns a modern residence at 232 Sixth Avenue, a comfortable home in an attractive and exclusive residential section of the city, and also holds some suburban property. In polities he is a republican, and during 1904 and 1905 was a member of the city council of Morgantown. His religious connection is with the Congregational Church, of the movements of which he has been an active and gener- ous supporter, and formerly served as state president of the West Virginia Christian Endeavor Union. Mr. Smith has been very prominent in fraternal affairs. He is a member of Reese Camp No. 66, W. O. W., and is past head consul of the jurisdiction of West Virginia of the Woodmen of the World, this jurisdiction including West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. He was twice sovereign delegate to the national conventions and is a member of the sovereign law committee of the Woodmen of the World. He is also a member of Hunting- ton Lodge No. 33, Knights of Pythias, of which he is past chancellor, and was for four years chairman of the judiciary committee of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia of the Knights of Pythias, now being grand inner guard of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia of this order. He belongs also to Huntington Council No. 191, Junior Order United American Mechanics, and Huntington Lodge No. 347, Loyal Order of Moose, and is treasurer of the Fraternal Society Law Association of Chicago, Illinois, a national fraternal legal association. Mr. Smith likewise holds membership in the Huntington Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club of Huntington. On March 7, 1907, at Morgantown, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Lide Allen Evans, a daughter of Thomas R. and Delia (Allen) Evans, the latter of whom re- sides with Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Mr. Evans, who died at Morgantown in December, 1920, was a business man of that city. The Evanses were pioneers into that part of Virginia now included in West Virginia. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and of the Mayflower Society of Connecticut, and is a direct descend- ant of Elder William Brewster.