WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 168 Today's Topics: #1 BIO: ELMER WAITMAN COOK, McDowell [Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <4.3.1.0.20000711180454.00b83850@mail.earthlink.net> Subject: BIO: ELMER WAITMAN COOK, McDowell Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 498 McDowell ELMER WAITMAN COOK, vice president and cashier of the First National Bank in the industrial Village of Iaeger, McDowell County, was born at Oceana, Wyoming County, West Virginia, March 24, 1896, and is a son of Robert Lee and Mary (Conley) Cook, both likewise natives of Wyoming County and now residents of Williamson, Mingo County. Robert L. Cook became editor and pub- lisher of the Wyoming Herald at Oceana, which later bo- came the Independent-Herald, and subsequently he was identified with newspaper enterprise at Pineville. He is now connected with the Mingo County Republican at William- son. His father, Capt. James A. Cook, was an officer of the Confederate service in the Civil war, and was eighty years of age at the time of his death. The family early settled in Wyoming County, and the family name was one of prominence in the civic and material development and progress of that county. Elmer W. Cook, the eldest in a family of seven children, of whom two sons and four daughters are living, gained his early education in the public schools at Oceana and Pine- ville, his discipline including the curriculum of the high school. At the age of seventeen years he became bookkeeper in the First National Bank of Pineville. He later held a position in the First National Bank of Martinsville, Vir- ginia, and next became assistant cashier of the Clark Na- tional Bank at Northfork, McDowell County, West Vir- ginia. After leaving this bank he held the position of bookkeeper for the Traders Coal Company at War Eagle, Mingo County, and in 1919 he became one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Iaeger, of which he has since been vice president and cashier-one of the youngest bank executives in West Virginia and one who has made a splen- did record. He is a steward of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in his home village, and his wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church. In 1917 Mr. Cook wedded Miss Nathalie Morris, daughter of N. R. Morris, of Martinsville, Virginia, and the two children of this union are Nathalie Elizabeth and Sallie. ______________________________ X-Message: #2 Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 18:04:58 -0400 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <4.3.1.0.20000711180458.00bae850@mail.earthlink.net> Subject: BIO: HON. C. C. COALTER, Kanawha Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 497-498 Kanawha HON. C. C. COALTER has given nearly a quarter of his life- time to the public service of his state in the State Senate. However, this has been his only political office, and in his home community of Hinton he is best known as a successful miller and business man. He has been a member of the State Senate since 1912, and is now in his third term. The Seventh District, which he represents, comprises the counties of Mercer, Monroe, Raleigh and Summers, two of these being the heaviest coal producing counties in the United States. He is the only republican ever elected three consecutive terms to the Senate, and as a result he is now the oldest member in con- tinuous service in the Senate, though in point of years he is one of the youngest members. Senator Coalter is not an orator, and his work in the Senate has been distinguished rather by the business judgment he has brought to bear in the committee rooms. He has served on many of the im- portant committees, including the committee on railroads, of which he was chairman in 1917-19, and has also been a member of the important committees of mines and mining, finance, banks and corporations. C. C. Coalter was born on a farm in Monroe County, five miles south of Alderson, on Wolf .Creek, September 25, 1879, son of John A. and Emma (Poster) Coalter. His parents now live retired at Muskogee, Oklahoma, his father at the age of sixty-six and his mother at sixty-five. John A. Coalter is a millwright by trade, and he built and operated flour mills in many localities in West Virginia and also in Texas. In West Virginia he owned and operated the Wolf Creek Roller Mills, the Nickells Mills and the Greenbrier Boiler Mills. In 1908 he moved from Monroe County to Wilburton, Oklahoma, and later went to Roswell, New Mexico, where he was in the wholesale grocery business. From there he moved to Muskogee, and has been a very successful business man. He is a Mason, a republican and a Baptist. The mother of Senator Coalter is a sister of the late George B. Foster, a distinguished biblical scholar, au- thor and professor in the University of Chicago. Senator Coalter is the oldest of three children. His sister Georgia is the wife of William Given, of Wolf Creek and his sister Elizabeth is the wife of Owen Leach, of Roswell, New Mexico. Carl C. Coalter attended free schools in Monroe County, his education being meager. He was a farm boy and learned to do every kind of farm work. At the age of sixteen he went into the Nickells Mills of his father and he was soon put in charge of the night shift in a fifty barrel mill. At the age of eighteen he came to Hinton, and for several years had charge of the Hinton Milling Company's plant. This mill was burned, but was rebuilt in 1912. He is gen- eral manager and treasurer of the Hinton Milling Company, and since 1906 has also had charge of the Standard Oil Company's business at Hinton, and is president of the Hin- ton Water, Light and Supply Company. In 1906 Mr. Coalter married Cora Graham. She is a member of the Baptist Church. Senator Coalter is a past exalted ruler of the Elks and a past commander of the Knights of Pythias. ______________________________ X-Message: #3 Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 20:02:08 -0400 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <4.3.1.0.20000711200208.00c64c20@mail.earthlink.net> Subject: BIO: LEIGH H. HARRISON Kanawha Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 497 Kanawha LEIGH H. HARRISON is a Charleston business man, has been in the state for twenty years, and throughout this time has sold great quantities of mining machinery to the mining companies and corporations operating in all the coal district. Mr. Harrison is manager of the Goodman Manu- facturing Company. He was born at Paw Paw, Van Buren County, Michigan, in 1868, son of T. B. and Rhoda (Emory) Harrison, his father a native of New Haven, Connecticut, and his mother of Vermont. T. E. Harrison was a man of great brilliance, and made a notable record as a scholar, educator and jour- nalist. He graduated from Yale before reaching his eighteenth year. After leaving Yale he went to Michigan and was principal of the Battle Creek schools, where many of the pupils were as old as was he. Later for about a decade he was publisher of an anti-slavery paper at Paw Paw, one of the oldest journals in the state today. Leigh H. Harrison was well educated in the public schools and higher institutions, attending the State Agricultural College at, Lansing, Michigan. On leaving that state he removed to Chicago, and in 1890 entered the machinery busi- ness, eventually becoming associated with the Goodman Manufacturing Company of Chicago, manufacturers of machinery for mining and other industrial uses. Mr. Har- rison was salesman for this firm, and in 1900 was trans- ferred to Charleston as headquarters, with management of sales for his company in West Virginia territory. He not only looks after the sales but also the installation of coal mining machinery. In 1902 Charleston was constituted a regular branch office of the company, with Mr. Harrison as manager, and this pleasant and profitable connection has been continued now for twenty years. His business brings him into close touch with the great coal mining industry of the state, and he has many intimate friends among the prominent coal operators. Mr. Harrison is a member of the Rotary Club, the Cham- ber of Commerce, and the First Presbyterian Church of Charleston. He married Miss Josephine Evans, of Colum- bus, Ohio. ______________________________ X-Message: #4 Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 20:18:07 -0400 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <4.3.1.0.20000711201807.00c5f530@mail.earthlink.net> Subject: BIO: QUIM MORTON, Kanawha Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 497 Kanawha QUIM MORTON, who is a former president of the Kanawha Coal Operators Association, has been in the coal industry of West Virginia a quarter of a century, and his activities now and in the past give him a position among the most extensive coal operators of the state. Mr. Morton was born at Charlotte Court House, Virginia, in 1857, son of D. H. and Joanna (Cabell) Morton, natives of the Old Dominion. His maternal grandfather, Brecken- ridge Cabell, was a member of the very historic Virginia family of that name. During the Civil war the Morton home was in the direct path of devastation, and at the end of the war little remained but the bare land. Under such circumstances Quin Morton, who in normal times would have had the environment and advantages of a son of well-to-do Virginia parents, had to go to work early in life, and he came to know something of hard times, with few opportuni- ties for earning money. Though his school advantages were limited, he passed the necessary examination for a first grade certificate and began teaching between the ages of eighteen and nineteen. Two years prior to that time he had become a resident of West Virginia, in Greenbrier County. At the age of twenty-two he married, then entered the mercantile business at Ronceverte, traveled on the road a few years, and wag cashier of the Bank of Ronceverte. His first connection with the coal industry came in 1896, as bookkeeper for the Turkey Knob Coal Company, oper- ating in the New River District in Fayette County. His industry and ability brought new and increased responsibili- ties with this company, and in 1903 he became an individual operator through organizing the Morton Coal Company on Paint Creek in Kanawha County. After operating it for several years he sold the property in 1906. and then became general manager for the Imperial Colliery Company at Burnwell in Kanawha County. In 1911 Mr. Morton organ- ized the Christian Colliery Company at Mahan in Fayette County, serving as its general manager, and was also gen- eral manager of the Imperial Colliery Company at the same time. He organized in 1914 the Imperial Coal Sales Com- pany, and performed the duties of general manager of this corporation as well. He acquired in 1915 interests in the Coal Valley Mining Company, becoming president of the company. About that time he severed his connection with the Christian Colliery Company and the Imperial Colliery Company, though retaining an interest in the Imperial Coal Sales Company. Mr. Morton in 1916 bought an interest in the Peytonia Mining Company, and was its president until he sold out in 1920. In the fall of 1916 Mr. Morton, in association with W. S. Wood, organized the Wood Coal Company, of which Mr. Wood is president and Mr. Morton, a director. At the same time they organized the Hopkins Fork Coal Company, still operating, and of which Mr. Morton was the first president, and is still a director. These partners in 1918 organized the American Eagle Colliery Company, of which Mr. Morton is a director. In 1919 they organized the Leevale Coal Company, of which Mr. Wood is president and Mr. Morton, secretary and treasurer. Mr. Morton in January, 1920, severed his connection with the Imperial Coal Sales Company and organized the Wood-Morton Fuel Company, of which he is president. He is also a director of the Stonecastle Coal Company and the Imperial Smoke- less Coal Company at Quinwood, West Virginia. Mr. Morton several times was honored with election as president of the Kanawha Coal Operators Association. Up to 1916 he kept his home at the mines, giving his personal supervision to the practical side of the industry. In that year he removed with his family to Charleston. He has been a director of the National Coal Association since its organ- ization, is a member of the Charleston Chamber of Com- merce and is a Knight Templar Mason and Shriner. Mr. Morton married Miss Fannie Hurthal, of Philadelphia. They have five surviving children and eighteen grandchil- dren. These children are Helen, Mrs. O. A. Wilson; D. H. Morton; Joanna, wife of H. A. Hereford; F. H. Morton; Fannie M., wife of Ward Boldin. ______________________________ X-Message: #5 Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 20:25:33 -0400 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <4.3.1.0.20000711202511.00c5b5e0@mail.earthlink.net> Subject: BIO: QUIN MORTON, Correction Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 497 Kanawha QUIN MORTON, who is a former president of the Kanawha Coal Operators Association, has been in the coal industry of West Virginia a quarter of a century, and his activities now and in the past give him a position among the most extensive coal operators of the state. Mr. Morton was born at Charlotte Court House, Virginia, in 1857, son of D. H. and Joanna (Cabell) Morton, natives of the Old Dominion. His maternal grandfather, Brecken- ridge Cabell, was a member of the very historic Virginia family of that name. During the Civil war the Morton home was in the direct path of devastation, and at the end of the war little remained but the bare land. Under such circumstances Quin Morton, who in normal times would have had the environment and advantages of a son of well-to-do Virginia parents, had to go to work early in life, and he came to know something of hard times, with few opportuni- ties for earning money. Though his school advantages were limited, he passed the necessary examination for a first grade certificate and began teaching between the ages of eighteen and nineteen. Two years prior to that time he had become a resident of West Virginia, in Greenbrier County. At the age of twenty-two he married, then entered the mercantile business at Ronceverte, traveled on the road a few years, and wag cashier of the Bank of Ronceverte. His first connection with the coal industry came in 1896, as bookkeeper for the Turkey Knob Coal Company, oper- ating in the New River District in Fayette County. His industry and ability brought new and increased responsibili- ties with this company, and in 1903 he became an individual operator through organizing the Morton Coal Company on Paint Creek in Kanawha County. After operating it for several years he sold the property in 1906. and then became general manager for the Imperial Colliery Company at Burnwell in Kanawha County. In 1911 Mr. Morton organ- ized the Christian Colliery Company at Mahan in Fayette County, serving as its general manager, and was also gen- eral manager of the Imperial Colliery Company at the same time. He organized in 1914 the Imperial Coal Sales Com- pany, and performed the duties of general manager of this corporation as well. He acquired in 1915 interests in the Coal Valley Mining Company, becoming president of the company. About that time he severed his connection with the Christian Colliery Company and the Imperial Colliery Company, though retaining an interest in the Imperial Coal Sales Company. Mr. Morton in 1916 bought an interest in the Peytonia Mining Company, and was its president until he sold out in 1920. In the fall of 1916 Mr. Morton, in association with W. S. Wood, organized the Wood Coal Company, of which Mr. Wood is president and Mr. Morton, a director. At the same time they organized the Hopkins Fork Coal Company, still operating, and of which Mr. Morton was the first president, and is still a director. These partners in 1918 organized the American Eagle Colliery Company, of which Mr. Morton is a director. In 1919 they organized the Leevale Coal Company, of which Mr. Wood is president and Mr. Morton, secretary and treasurer. Mr. Morton in January, 1920, severed his connection with the Imperial Coal Sales Company and organized the Wood-Morton Fuel Company, of which he is president. He is also a director of the Stonecastle Coal Company and the Imperial Smoke- less Coal Company at Quinwood, West Virginia. Mr. Morton several times was honored with election as president of the Kanawha Coal Operators Association. Up to 1916 he kept his home at the mines, giving his personal supervision to the practical side of the industry. In that year he removed with his family to Charleston. He has been a director of the National Coal Association since its organ- ization, is a member of the Charleston Chamber of Com- merce and is a Knight Templar Mason and Shriner. Mr. Morton married Miss Fannie Hurthal, of Philadelphia. They have five surviving children and eighteen grandchil- dren. These children are Helen, Mrs. O. A. Wilson; D. H. Morton; Joanna, wife of H. A. Hereford; F. H. Morton; Fannie M., wife of Ward Boldin. ______________________________ X-Message: #6 Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 20:34:58 -0400 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <4.3.1.0.20000711203458.00c61c40@mail.earthlink.net> Subject: BIO: W. BRANCH YOUNG, M. D.,McDowell/Monroe Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 499 McDowell W. BRANCH YOUNG, M. D., is giving effective professional service as physician and surgeon for the Crozer Coal & Coke Company, the Turkey Gap Coal & Coke Company, and the Upland Coal & Coke Company, with headquarters at Elk- horn, McDowell County, where he has also a substantial general practice aside from these connections. Doctor Young was born at Union, Monroe County, West Virginia, April 16, 1882, and is a son of W. Preston Young and Rebecca Jane (Early) Young, both natives of Virginia, in which state the respective families were founded many generations ago, the Young family being of German and English ancestry and the Early family of Scotch and Irish genealogy. W. Preston Young became one of the substan- tial and representative farmers of Monroe County, West Virginia, was influential in public affairs of local order, and was serving as county assessor at the time of his death, in 1888. He was a gallant young soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war, in which he served as first lieutenant of Company A, Sixtieth Virginia Infantry. At the battle of Cold Harbor he received a severe wound in one of his hips, and he thereafter passed four months in a hospital. After attending the public schools at Union, Monroe County, Doctor Young continued his studies in Alleghany Institute at Clifton Forge, where he took a two years' academic course. In 1911 he graduated from the Maryland Medical College in the City of Baltimore, and after thus receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine he was associated with Doctor dark in the practice of his profession at Algoma, McDowell County, about six months. Since the spring of 1912 he has been engaged in practice at Elkhorn, where he is official physician and surgeon, also for the three coal and coke companies above mentioned, besides which he is local surgeon for the Norfolk & Western Rail- road. He maintains well equipped offices, operating room and dispensary, and has gained high repute as a skilled surgeon. In 1916 he took an effective course in the New York Post-Graduate Medical School. He is an active mem- ber of the American Medical Association, the West Virginia State Medical Society, the McDowell County Medical So- ciety, and the Phi Chi medical college fraternity. He is affiliated also with the Masonic fraternity. At Sweet Springs, Monroe County, in 1911, Doctor Young wedded Miss Mabel Beckner, daughter of F. L. and Amanda (Baker) Beckner, her father being a prosper- ous agriculturist and stock-grower in that county. Doctor and Mrs. Young have two children: Elizabeth and Wil- liam B. Doctor Young is a liberal and progressive citizen and takes lively interest in all things touching the welfare of his community, but he has had no desire for public office of any kind.