West Virginia Statewide Files WV-Footsteps Mailing List WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 51 Today's Topics: #1 BIO: Frank LIVELY, Kanawha County [SSpradling@aol.com] #2 BIO: Irwon C. STUMP, M.D., Kanawha [SSpradling@aol.com] #3 BIO: John SLACK, Kanawha County [SSpradling@aol.com] #4 BIO: J. D. GARDNER, Kanawha County [SSpradling@aol.com] #5 BIO: E. Leslie LONG, Kanawha Count [SSpradling@aol.com] #6 BIO: Lewis PRICHARD, M.D., Kanawha [SSpradling@aol.com] #7 BIO: Charles C. GROFF, Kanawha Cou [SSpradling@aol.com] Administrivia: To unsubscribe from WV-FOOTSTEPS-D, send a message to WV-FOOTSTEPS-D-request@rootsweb.com that contains in the body of the message the command unsubscribe and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. To contact the WV-FOOTSTEPS-D list administrator, send mail to WV-FOOTSTEPS-admin@rootsweb.com. ______________________________X-Message: #1 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 03:42:45 EDT From: SSpradling@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <84462ea4.251f2875@aol.com> Subject: BIO: Frank LIVELY, Kanawha County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens W.S. Laidley Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL. 1911 p. 435-436 FRANK LIVELY, who holds the important office of assistant states attorney general of West Virginia, was born in Monroe County, this state, November 18, 1864. His parents were Colonel Wilson and Elizabeth (Guwyinn) Lively, and he is a grandson on the paternal side of Cottrell Lively, who was of English ancestry but who was born and died in Alber-marle County, Va., where he followcd farm-ing. This paternal ancestor of Mr. Lively's attained the advanced age of ninety years. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom Wilson, our subject's father, was the youngest. Col. Wilson Lively was born in 1802 and grew up on the farm, being trained to agri-culture by his father. He became a prominent man, served several terms in the office of sheriff, and later became colonel of a Virginia regiment that formed a part of the Confederate army. At the same time he served as a member of the state legislature. In the spring of 1865, while en route to Richniond to attend to his duties as representative, he heard that that city had been evacuated by Lee and that it was in possession of the Union forces. This news proved so great a shock to him that it caused his death. He was a man much respected, who did his duty as he saw it and in accordance with the precepts and principles of his early training, and was a consistent member of the Methodist church. He was married in Monroe County, his place of residence, to Elizabeth Guwyinn, who was born and reared in that county. She survived her husband many years, dying in '894 at the age of sixty-eight years. She was a daughter of Andrew Guwyinn, who was of Irish descent, and like her hus-band she belonged to the Methodist church. They were the parents of ten children, all of whom are now living and are married, with families of their own. Frank Lively, who was his parents' youngest child, was educated in the public schools and subsequently at the normal college at Athens, Mercer County, where he was graduated in the class of 1882. For a short time subsequently he followed the occupation of a teacher, in this manner earning enough to pay his way through the University of West Virginia, at Morgantown, where he was graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1885, receiving also diplomas from other departments. In 1886 he became principal of the Hinton High School. He had already been admitted to the bar in 1885-and in 1887 he began the practice of law, following his profession in Sum-mers and other counties, and being entitled to practice in any of the courts of the state. By force of ability he soon came into public notice, and, having identified himself with the active work of the Republican party, was appointed in 1898, by Governor Atkinson, as game and fish warden, two years later being elected as prosecuting attorney. After serving three years in the latter office, he resigned to become state game and fish warden, having a great interest in the preservation of the game and fish of this region. This office was created in 1897, being filled the first year by Capt. E. F. Smith, who resigned it to perform military service as captain in the Second Regiment of West Vir-ginia Volunteers in the Spanish-American war. Mr. Lively is the second incumbent of this of-fice. In 1904 our subject was the Republican nominee for judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit but was defeated at the election. In the following year he accepted the position of assistant attorney general under C. W. May, resigning it a year later to become pardon attorney and confidential assistant to Covernor Dawson, in which capacity he served until the close of the administration. He was then appointed to his present office of assistant Attorney General, his term ending in 1913. He. has been active generally in local and state politics, serving usuafly on the regular committee of his party to prepare the platform. In all these various positions he has shown excellent capacity and proved himself an able man of affairs, besides maintaining a high standing in his pro-fession. He belongs to Blue Lodge No.62. F. & A. M., at Hinton, in which he has filled all the chairs, being now past master. Mr. Lively was married in 1800, at Hinton, to Miss Anna Prince, who was born forty years ago in Raleigh County, W. Va., her parents being wealthy and influential residents of that section. She was educated at a private school in Kentucky, and is a lady of culture and refinement. Mr. and Mrs. Lively are the parents of children as follows: William, who graduated from the high school in 1910, and is now a student at the University of West Virginia, class of 1914; James, now attending the city high school; Frank W., Jr., who is also attending the high school; Frederick and Jen nie Hill, who are students in the common schools. Mrs. Lively is a member of the Methodist church. Sandy Spradling SSpradling@AOL.com State Contact for WV GenExchange http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm ______________________________X-Message: #2 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 03:47:38 EDT From: SSpradling@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: Subject: BIO: Irwon C. STUMP, M.D., Kanawha County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens W.S. Laidley Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL. 1911 p. 436 IRWIN C. STUMP, M. D., physician, engaged in the practice of his profession at Clen-denin, W. Va., was born in Roane County, W. Va., September 24, 1871, and is a son of Dr. C. E. Stump, one of the representative medical men of this section, now retired. Irwin C. Stump attended the public schools and was reared in a professional atmosphere, his father having been prominent as a physician for many years. He was graduated at the Kentucky School of Medicine at Louisville, Ky., in March, 1894, and has practiced in Roane, Clay, Kanawba and Calhoun Counties. For eight years he was physician for the Queen Shoals Coal Company and the Queen Coal and Coke Company, and also the Clay Coal Company of Berrien Creek, making his headquarters at Queen Shoals. At present he is the only practicing physician in Big Sandy District. Dr. Stump is identified with both the Masons and Odd Fellows at Clendenin. He is unmarried. Sandy Spradling SSpradling@AOL.com State Contact for WV GenExchange http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm ______________________________X-Message: #3 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 04:04:36 EDT From: SSpradling@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <7c6a607.251f2d94@aol.com> Subject: BIO: John SLACK, Kanawha County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens W.S. Laidley Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL. 1911 p. 436-438 JOHN SLACK who is now living in Charleston, was born November 1st, 1834, in Elk District, this County, which was then a part of the State of Virginia. His parents were Greenbury and Amelia (Triplett) Slack. The Slack family of West Virginia is of German origin. At an early day Philip Slack and wife came to Elk District from Pennsylvania, and here passed the rest of their lives. Of their children no record has been preserved, save of their son John, the grandfather of our subiect, who was already a young man when he left Pennsylvania. He resided for some time on Elk River, but later moved to what is now known as Slack Branch of Blue Creek in the same district. This region was then quite a wilderness. He was a man of much native ability, became one of the early iustices of the peace of Kanawha County, serving under the old Constitution of Virginia in operation prior to 1850-;1. He acquired a small farm on Elk River, which property is now owned by one of his granddaughters, Mary Wingfield. He was a staunch supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was a personal friend of Rev. Mr. Bascum, afterwards Bishop Bascum of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; who was recommended by Henry Clay to be Chaplain of the United States Congress and was appointed. By virtue of the office of iustice of the peace he became the high sheriff of Kana-wha County at some period early in the forties and lived to the age of eighty years. He rnar-ned Comfort Samuels and their children were Greenbury, John, Benjamin, Polly, Nancy and Martha. Polly died in Charleston in middle life the wife of John Atkinson. She was survived by a son and daughter. The son died young and the daughter became the wife of the Rev. j. B. Feather. of the Methodist Church. John Slack (2nd) was horn in Kanawba County and in early manhood came to Charles-ton. He was deputy sheriff under his father and became the purchaser of the office of sheriff as was the custom of that day; and later in the year 1863 being regularly elected sheriff. The first sheriff elected under the Constitution of 1850-51 was J H. Fry; Slack being the second sheriff. Was elected for two terms, two years each. Also prior to the war he carried on salt manufacturing as a business, and also steam-boating, being captain. He married Sarah Porter and they reared a family. He was county and circuit court clerk of Kanawha County for several years, commencing with the date June 20th, 1863. Benjamin Slack was a teacher and farmer. He married twice, first to Martha Phillips and secondly to a Miss King, and had children by both wives. Nancy Slack married Charles Bryant, a carpenter; they resided in Charleston and were survived by children. Martha Slack married Edward High and lived to advanced age in Kanawha County, and they left children. Greenbury Slack, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Elk District, Kanawha County, W. Va., in i8jo, and died at Charleston, W. Va., in 1874. He was identified with public matters both in the county and state for many years. After the Constitution of 1850-5i became effective he was elected a justice of the peace. At the time the State of Virginia seceded he was an earnest supporter of the Union; and was later a member of the Consti-tutional Convention that brought about the ad-mission of West Virginia to statehood in 1863. He also took an active part in the organization of the state government at Wheeling called the restored government of Virginia. Afterwards he was elected to the West Virginia Senate, and was also at one time collector of tolls on the river for the State. Atways a strong anti-slavery man, he naturally allied himself with the Republican party; and although not an apt public speaker, he was a strong and forcible writer. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and at one time wrote and published in pamphlet form a history of the early Methodist and Presbyterian Church in the Kanawha Valley. Greenbury Slack was married in Nicholas, now Braxton County, W. Va., to Miss Amelia Triplett, who was horn on an island in the Ohio River, and who was a daughter of Hedge-man and Mary (McClanahan) Triplett, natives of Virginia. Mrs. Slack's father died from a gunshot wound received in the early border wars with the Indians. They had quite a family of children, one of whom was Marshall, the youngest of the family, and who was for many years a prominent politician and a leader in public affairs in his county, being the first Representative in the Legislature of Virginia from what is now Braxton County. He was also a soldier in the Confederate Army, was twice imprisoned and died subsequently at his home in Webster County. To Greenbury Slack and wife four sons and one daughter were born, the latter being the youngest of the family. She is the widow of John Wingfield, who died at Fort Worth, Texas. The eldest son, Hedgeman Slack, died May 18th, 1908, on his farm near Charleston. He married Mary Jacobs and they had one son ,1 Greenhury, who is now deceased. During the Civil War Hedgeman Slack was a soldier in the Union Army, raising a company which be-came part of the famous 7th W. Va. Cavalry, and of this regiment he was made major, after participating in many engagements including the second battle of Bull Run. After being honorably discharged he was appointed U. S. Marshal for West Virginia by President Johnson and again by President Grant, and capably filled that office for some years. Greenbury, the third son, was a soldier in the Civil War and was killed in battle September 19th, 1864, near Winchester, Va. He was then captain of his company, which was a part of the 8th W. Va. Vol. Infantry. His superior officer, Col. John Hall, was killed in the same valley just a month later. The fourth son, Marshall, who was born July 12th, 1838, died August 23d, John Slack, whose name appears at the head of this sketch, was the second born of the above mentioned family. From 1852 to 1861he was a deputy sheriff of Kanawba County, and under the new State of West Virginia was elected first sheriff of Kanawha County, and entered upon his duties in June of the year 1863. He has also held other minor offices, both State and Federal. Mr. Slack married Miss Harriet Young; who was born in Elk District. Her grandfather, John Young, came to this section as a scout for settlers from the Virginia Valley, and, it is said, killed the last Indian of a band that had stolen a boy. A white man was also killed and was acting with the Indians. The place hears the name of White Man's Fork on the Little Sandy Creek. He attained a ripe old age. John D. Young, father of Mrs. Slack, and son of John and Mary (Tackett) Young, was a farmer in Kanawha County a,nd died in Charleston. When the Civil War broke out he raised a company for the 8th W. Va. Vol. Infantry, of which he was Lieutenant. He married Elizabeth James, who also died at Charleston. Mr. and Mrs. Slack had five children born to them, namely: Nellie Amelia, who died at the age of five years; Norman H., who is a member of the wholesale grocery firm of Hubbard, Slack & Lewis of Norfolk, Va., and who married Miss Lillian D. Kensett; Lizzie S., who is the wife of W. T. Williamson, manager of the Bell Telephone Company at Charleston, they having a twelve-year-old daughter, -Harriet Viola; John M., who AS employed by Lewis, Hubbard & Co., whole-sale grocers of Charleston; and Charles Marshall, who is in the employ of the Bell Telephone Company and who married Miss Dora Supple. Sandy Spradling SSpradling@AOL.com State Contact for WV GenExchange http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm ______________________________X-Message: #4 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 04:08:21 EDT From: SSpradling@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <6005bb8.251f2e75@aol.com> Subject: BIO: J. D. GARDNER, Kanawha County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens W.S. Laidley Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL. 1911 p. 438 J. D. GARDNER, who is engaged in the mercantile business at Snow Hill, Malden District, is a native of this county, born in Loudon District, March 27, 1800, and is a son of T. J. and Catherine Gardner. J. D. Gardner went to school in early boy-hood but was not yet very old when he went tQ work in the mines. He thus con-tinued for a number of years, filling almost all the mine positions before he retired from that industry.- Some sixteen years ago he started a grocery store and continued there until 1903, when he came to his present place and embarked here in a generl mercantile line. He and wife have a small farm and he cultivates that in connection with his other business. He is a well known and respected citizen of his section and is a member of the Democratic District Committee of Malden District. Mr. Gaidner married Miss Susan M. Rob-erts, a daughter of James Riley and Ada-line (Leftivich) Roberts. Mr. Roberts was one of the pioneers in the saJt industry in Kanawha County. Mr. and Mrs. Gardner have children and grandchildren and all are residents of Kanawha County. Charles A., the eldest son, married Willie Woolvine and they have four children-Sterling Reed, Hazel, Margaret and Charles Wellington. They reside at Malden. Howard C., the second son, married Helen Winnel and they live at Dana, W. Va. Nannie S., the eldest daughter, married James H. Skiles and re-sides at Dana, W. Va. They have three children-Ruth Alma, Charles Ira, and Mary Susan. The two youtiger children, Camille and Julius S., still live-at home. Mr. Gardner is a member of the Red Men and the Knights of Pythias, both at Malden. Sandy Spradling SSpradling@AOL.com State Contact for WV GenExchange http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm ______________________________X-Message: #5 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 04:13:57 EDT From: SSpradling@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: Subject: BIO: E. Leslie LONG, Kanawha County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens W.S. Laidley Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL. 1911 p. 438-441 E. LESLIE LONG, state treasurer of West Virginia, who was elected to his present office from McDowell County, W. Va., in 1908 for a term of four years, was born in Tyler County, W. Va., July 23, 1874, a son of L. H. and Martha - (Henthorne) Long. His paternal grandfather, who was a native of Tyler County, died in the prime of life when his son, our subject's father, was a child. The paternal great grandparents of Mr. Long were from Pennsylvania. L. H. Long was born in West Virginia in May, 1847. He resides in Alma, Tyler County, where he formerly carried on a mercantile business and was postmaster for some fifteen years. In April, 1863, he enlisted in the 11th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, although not then quite sixteen years of age, and subsequently took part in many engagements, but escaped unhurt. His commander was Col. Bukey of Parkers-burg, W. Va. His brother-in-law, Capt. Eli C. Henthorne, was captain of Company C, 7th W. Va. Regiment in the Federal army, and died from a gunshot wound received at the battle of Spottsylvania. - Mrs. Martha Henthorne Long, our subject's mother, was a daughter of James Hen, thorne, a native of Ohio, and Matilda (Conaway) Henthorne, a native of West Virginia. James Henthorne died in Ohio at the age of forty-one years. His widow married for her second husband a Mr. Davis, of which marriage there was no issue. She died in West Virginia in 1897. E. Leslie Long began his education in the public schools of Tyler County and was subsequently graduated from the West Virginia Wesleyan College at Buckhannon, W. Va., in the Class of 1898. He was later graduated from the law department of the University of West Virginia at Morgantown, Class of 1901, and being admitted to the bar the same year, began the practice of his profession at Welch, McDowell County, this state. He early became interested in politics as a member of the Republican party, and has been a delegate to every state and county convention since 1896 and is chairman of the judiciary committee of the 8th Judicial District, consisting of Mc-Dowell, Mercer and Monroe Counties. In 1908 he was elected, as above noted, to his present responsible position as state treasurer, this being the first public office he has held in the state. Since assuming its duties he has justified the choice of his party, having capably administered the business pertaining to the office. As may be inferred he stands high in the councils of his party in this state. Mr. Long belongs to the Ma-sonic order, being a member of the Blue Lodge, No. 112, Welch, W. Va.; the Consistory of West Virginia and of Beni-Ke-deni Temple, M. S., of Charleston; also of the Pi Kappa Psi college fraternity. He is unmarried. Sandy Spradling SSpradling@AOL.com State Contact for WV GenExchange http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm ______________________________X-Message: #6 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 04:24:38 EDT From: SSpradling@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <886cc2ae.251f3246@aol.com> Subject: BIO: Lewis PRICHARD, M.D., Kanawha County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens W.S. Laidley Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL. 1911 p. 441-443 LEWIS PRICHARD, M. D., president of the Charleston National Bank, at Charleston, W. Va., belongs to an old and prominent family that has been established in America since before the War of the Revolution. >From that acknowledged authority, "Burke's Landed Gentry of Wales," it is learned that the Prichard family can be traced many hundred years back in that land before any of its venturesome members crossed the Atlantic ocean to the American colonies. Prior to this disexception, to the age of maturity, setting an example of womanly virtue, courage and resourcefulness. Of this family four yet survive. Lewis Prichard, Jr., son of Lewis and Lucy Prichard, was the eighth in order of birth in the family of twelve children. He was horn near Big Sandy River, in Boyd county, Ky., near Buchanan postoffice, twelve miles above Cattlesburg, Ky., January 19, 1839, and grew up on the homestead. His educational opportunities were but meager but the devotion of his mother supplied what was lacking and he became an acceptable school teacher before he was twenty-one years old. Later he was able to complete his education, being under the instruction of the well known educator, Prof. Holbrook, at Lebanon, 0. He pursued his medical studies in the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated with his medical degree in the class of 1867. Subsequently he became a physician and surgeon of eminence in Northeastern Kentucky, where he first became interested in banking, having there organized the Grayson Banking Company of which he was president. In 1884 the present The Charleston National Bank was organized and Dr. Prichard was one of the original stockholders, becanie prominent in its affairs, and has continued his connection since its incorporation. Its first president was hisbrother-in-law, Charles P. Mead, and when Mr. Mead died, in July, 1888, Dr. Prichard became president and has been at the head of this institution ever since. The original capitalization of this bank was $50,000, hot from time to time it has been increased as business has warranted, and at present the bank is capitalized at $500,000, with an equal surplus. Dr. Prichard was married near Ironton, 0., on the Kentucky side of 'the Ohio river, Jan. 7, 1868, to Miss Sarah Belle Mead, a daughter of Henry Armstead and Elizabeth (Powell) Mead. The Mead family has been one of prominence in Greenup county, Ky., for years and is especially noted for its beautiful women. The father of Mrs. Prichard died in that county at the age of ninety-four years, his wife having passed away aged seventy years. They had eight children, four of whom survive, Mrs. Prichard having been the fourth in order of birth. To Dr. and Mrs. Prichard three children were horn: Henry Lewis, Frederick C. and Arm-tead Mead. Henry Lewis Prichard was born December 25, 1868. He is a graduate of Notre Dame University, md., where he was a member of the class of 1890, and there received his de-gree of B. C. His entire business life has been connected with banking and he has been continuously identified with the Charleston Na-tional Bank since 1890 and is its cashier. It is not too much to say that undoubtedly much of the success that attends this institution is due to his watchfulness, together with his courteous treatment of customers. He has long been regarded as one of the city's safe hosiness men. In i895 he was married to Miss Emma E. Walker, a daughter of Henry S. Walker, who was distinguished all over West Vir-ginia as an orator. To Mr. and Mrs. Prichard two children have been horn, Henry Lewis, Jr., born September 9, 1903; and Frederick Walker, born December 26, 1906. Frederick C. Prichard was born March 1, 1871, and was educated at Notre Dame University. After completing his education he entered into business as a coal operator and at present is one of the owners of much property, including one-half interest in the Robson-Prichard Concrete Building, at Huntington, where he lives, and is vice president of the Huntington Banking & Trust Company. He married Miss Alice Clare Wilson, of Laporte, md. Armstead Mead Prichard was born September 9, 1875, at Grayton, Ky. Like his elder brothers he entered Notre Dame University, becoming a student there in 1889, but before completing his course entered the law department of the University of West Virginia, where he was graduated in June, 1897, with his de-gree of A. B. L., and was immediately admitted to the bar and engaged in law practice until 1910, since when he has been associated with his father in the banking business. He was married at Charleston, January 7, 1902, to Miss Lydia B. Robson, who was born November 1, 1880, in Fayette county, W. Va., a daughter of James S and Laura B. (Nugent) Robson. Mrs. Prichard died June 19, 1910. She was a member of the Baptist church. Two little daughters survive her: Belle Mead, who was born August 15, 1905; and Lydia Robson who was born January 4, 1908. Dr. Prichard brought his family to Charleston in October, 1889. He is one of the men of independent fortune in Kanawha county. In addition to his financial interests already men-tioned, he is a stockholder in fifteen other banks and a director in three, and he owns a large part of 20,000 acres of rich coal and timber lands in this state. Dr. Prichard has been an admirable citizen. He has helped to promote almost every important interest in the city and lends of his ability and means to foster all enterprises of substantial worth. In politics he is a Democrat but has never sought nor held a public office. Many years ago he united with the Masonic fraternity. He is also a member of the First Presbyterian church of Charleston, W. Va. Sandy Spradling SSpradling@AOL.com State Contact for WV GenExchange http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm ______________________________X-Message: #7 Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 04:36:08 EDT From: SSpradling@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <38e9dc7c.251f34f8@aol.com> Subject: BIO: Charles C. GROFF, Kanawha County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens W.S. Laidley Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL. 1911 p. 443 CHARLES C. GROFF, general manager of the barreling station at South Ruffner, Kanawha County, W. Va., for the Standard Oil Company, with which corporation he has been identified for twenty years, was born October 9, 1851, in Maryland, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Barr) Groff. John Groff was born in Pennsylvania, probably of German parents. He followed farming all his life ant owned a farm in Bal-timore County, Md., on which he died at the age of fifty-two years. He married Elizabeth Barr, who was also born in Pennsylvania, and she survived him many years, passing the closing ones at the home of her son, Charles C., where she lived to be eighty-seven. Five children were born to them, namely: Ida M., who married Joshua Francy; Anna E., who married J. K. Gies; Charles C.; William B., who is a resident of Philadelphia; and a daughter who is deceased. Charles C. Groff obtained his education in Maryland and then assisted his father on the L'rm and after the latter's death conducted it for his mother until he came to South Ruffuer. In July, 1891, he became an employe of the Standard Oil Company, at first as foreman of the shops and gradually advancing until he secured his appointment and promotion to his present responsible position. He resides at the plant and thus keeps a careful eye on all business operations including the barreling and shipping from this point to others all over the country. He is justly considered one of the most reliable and trustworthy employes of the company. Mr. Groff married Miss Mary R. Fisher, a daughter of George W. Fisher, and they have had four children, as follows: G. Fisher, who is in charge of the store of the Nuttleburg Coal Company, married Grace Malcolen and has three children-Charles Malcblen, Forrest Barr and Mazie Hunter; Forrest C., who has been with the Charles-ton National Bank and also the Pine Lum-ber Company of St. Albans; Benjamin B., who is in the hardware business in Oregon, married a Miss Veach; and Charles C., who died when aged one year. Mr. and Mrs. Groff are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a man of strict temperance and votes according to his convic-tions, with the Prohibition party. Sandy Spradling SSpradling@AOL.com State Contact for WV GenExchange http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm