WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 22 Today's Topics: #1 BIOS: BOWMAN, Frank Llewellyn, Mor [Vivian Brinker To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <000118151926.7769@RAVEN.CCC.CC.KS.US> Subject: BIOS: BOWMAN, Frank Llewellyn, Morgantown The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II. pg. 185 HON. FRANK LLEWELLYN BOWMAN. The ordinary individual, concerned with the business affairs that secure for him his daily livelihood, is representative of the nation's citizenship. This is the normal type, whose life begins and ends, perhaps with nothing more distinctive than is the ripple on the stream when the pebble is cast into the water. It is the unusual type that commands attention, and it is his influence, exerted on his community, and the record of his life, that are valuable and interesting as matters of biography. In the professions, especially the law, the opportunities for usefulness and personal advancement depend almost entirely upon the unusually gifted individual, and here natural endowment is as essential as is thorough preparation. The bar of Monongalia County, a representative body of the state, has its full quota of brilliant men, and one of its foremost members is Frank Llewellyn Bowman, of Morgantown, who has also been identified prominently with business and civic affairs for the past fifteen years. Mr. Bowman was born at Masontown, Pennsylvania, January 21, 1879, and is descended from an old Keystone State family which settled in Lancaster County in pre-Revolutionary war days. His father, Josiah A. Bowman, who was born at Masontown, February 13, 1851, removed to Morgantown, West Virginia, in 1908, and engaged in the mercantile business. He married Sue, daughter of James Llewellyn, and both parents continue to make their home at Morgantown, where they are held in the highest esteem. After passing through the public schools Frank Llewellyn Bowman entered the University of West Virginia, from which he was graduated in the spring of 1902, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. His college career was a brilliant one, in which he won the Inter- Society Oration and Debate prize. After his graduation he was appointed teller in the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Morgantown, a position he held for two years. He then took a course in the law department of the West Virginia University and was admitted to the bar in 1905, at which time he entered the practice of law at Morgantown and has been engaged therein ever since, with constantly enlarging success. In 1911 Mr. Bowman was appointed postmaster at Morgantown, and served in that position until 1915. In 1916 he was elected mayor of the city by the largest majority ever given a candidate for that office, and in 1917 was renominated by the convention, but declined to make the race. Mr. Bowman has important business interests, being vice president and treasurer of the Tropf Coal Company and a stockholder in and attorney for several other coal companies. He belongs to the Monongalia County Bar Association, the West Virginia Bar Association, and the Rotary Club, and also holds membership in the Phi Sigma Kappa college fraternity. He is a Knight Templar, belonging to Morgantown Commandery No. 18, Knights Templar, and Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Wheeling. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias, in all of which he is very popular. His religious faith is that of the Presbyterian Church. On June 3, 1904, Mr. Bowman was united in marriage with Miss Pearl Silveus, the daughter of Rev. W. F. Silveus, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a clergyman of the Presbyterian Church, and to this union there have come two children: Marjorie Virginia, born January 16, 190? (Note: Copy not clear, but looks like it may be 1908), and Frank Llewellyn, Jr., born May 15, 1911. ______________________________X-Message: #2 Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 16:44:56 -0600 From: Vivian Brinker To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <000118164456.7769@RAVEN.CCC.CC.KS.US> Subject: BIOS: GROVE, Roy C., Martinsburg, Berkeley County The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II. pg. 186 ROY C. GROVE, of Martinsburg, Berkeley County, represented this county as a member of the House of Delegates of the West Virginia Legislature, to which he was elected in November, 1918, and in which he gave effective service during the legislative sessions of 1919 and 1921, besides having the distinction of being the youngest member of the House. He was assigned to important committees, including that on arts and science, of which he was chairman, and on those of taxation, finance, railroads, unappropriated lands and enrolled bills, besides which he became chairman of the West Virginia and Maryland Bridge Commission. Since 1921 he has been actively associated with the Bowers Realty & Insurance Company, one of the representative business concerns of Martinsburg. Mr. Grove was born on a farm near Berkeley Springs, in Morgan County, this state, on the 18th of May, 1888. His father, Carson Grove, was born in Frederick County, Virginia, a son of Francis M. Grove, who likewise was a native of that county, as was his father, Abraham Grove. A well established family tradition is to the effect that three brothers, Abraham, Adam and John Grove, came from England to America in the early Colonial days and first settled near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and that one of the number was the ancestor of the Groves of Frederick County, Virginia. In that county Abraham owned and operated a farm six miles west of Cross Junction. Francis M. Grove, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, removed to Morgan County and purchased a farm near Berkeley Springs. He became a successful general farmer and served eight years as a judge of the County Court. He was more than seventy years of age at the time of his death. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Bohrer, was born on a farm lying along the line of Frederick and Morgan counties, and was a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Shade) Bohrer, both natives of Frederick County, Virginia, and members of pioneer families of that county. Carson Grove became a progressive and representative farmer and also a successful dealer in live stock. In 1901 he removed to Martinsburg, where he is still engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock. He married Annie S. Gano, who was born near Bloomer, Frederick County, Virginia, a daughter of Daniel Gano. Daniel Gano was born in Gerrardstown District, Berkeley County, where his father, James Gano, was an early settler. In the period of the Civil war James Gano started forth from his home with a four-horse team and wagon, and no trace of him was ever afterward found by his family, the supposition being that he was either drowned while crossing a stream or that he was murdered and his team stolen. Daniel Gano purchased the William Grove farm near Boomer, Frederick County, and on this place he passed the remainder of his life. The maiden name of his wife was Betsy Ann Grove, she having been a daughter of William and Susan (Buzzard) Grove. Of this union were born the following name children: William, Susan, Catherine, Simeon, John, Maria, James and Annie. William Gano settled two miles from Parkville, Missouri, and became one of the prominent horticulturists of that state, he having been for twenty years president of the Missouri Horticultural Society and the Gano Apple was named in his honor. Roy C. Grove, attended public schools in Morgan County and at martinsburg, and after a two years' course in the University of West Virginia he was associated with his father in the buying and shipping of live stock until 1921, when as before stated, he became associated with the Powers (Note: above it said Bowers) Realty & Insurance company, but his principal business is real estate and he is manager of three orchard companies in Berkeley and Morgan counties. He is an active member of the Kiwanis Club at Martinsburg, is affiliated with the Phi Kappa Alpha college fraternity; with Martinsburg Lodge No. 778, B.P.O.E.; with Tuscarawas Lodge No. 24, I.O.O.F.; and with Martinsburg Council No. 35, Junior Order United American Mechanics. The year 1910 recorded the marriage of Mr. Grove and Miss Adda Virginia Geyer, who was born at Martinsburg and who is a daughter of James P. and Hannah H. Geyer. Mr. and Mrs. Grove have one child, Anna Virginia. Mr. Grove cast his first presidential vote for William Howard Taft, and has since continued a staunch supporter of the principles of the republican party.