WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 68 Today's Topics: #1 BIO: GEORGE BARTON LARUE, Preston [Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000319004043.0083dea0@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: GEORGE BARTON LARUE, Preston County 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. 363 GEORGE BARTON LARUE, who represents one of the pioneer families of Preston County, has devoted more than twenty years of his life to a varied service as a miner and mining operator, railroad man, and is now mine foreman of the LaRue By-Products Company of Kingwood. He was born at Irontown in Taylor County, West Vir- ginia, March 9, 1879, son of Rolando S. and Mary Melissa LaRue, both of whom trace their lineage into the Revolu- tionary history of America. His father has for many years been a prominent coal operator in West Virginia. George Barton LaRue spent most of his boyhood at Newburg, where he attended the public schools. When only ten years of age he was acquiring a knowledge of coal mining, though not on the pay roll, under his uncles at the mines on Scotch Hill. When fifteen he began driving a mule in a coal mine, and the following year was pro- moted to the responsibilities of miner. He dug coal for three years for the Merchants Coal Company at Tunnelton, and for his father's company at West End. In the meantime Mr. LaRue spent almost a year in the army as a volunteer at the time of the Spanish-American war. He enlisted at Fairmont as a recruit, joined his regiment, the First West Virginia, Company H, at Chicka- mauga Park, and was in training there and at Knoxville and finally at Columbua, Georgia, whore he received his honorable discharge. After leaving the army Mr. LaRue decided to abandon mining and become a railroad man. He went into the service of the Baltimore & Ohio in the Cumberland Division, and for six years was a fireman and for eight years an engineer. Thus fourteen years of his active career were spent in railroad service. He then resumed mining in the employ of the Consolidated Coal Company of Fairmont, but after a few months joined the newly organized LaRue By-Products Company. He opened a new mine on the West Virginia Northern Railway at Tunnelton for this company, and also became financially interested in its operation. The first two years he was assistant foreman under his father, and then succeeded his father as foreman of the mines. The LaRue By-Products Company Mine was operated steadily and continuously until March 23, 1921, when the general business depression caused its shutdown. Mr. LaRue is a stockholder in the Preston Power Coal Company, now the Lick Run Collieries, at Trowbridge. He is a republican in politics, and voted for President McKinley in 1900. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Loyal Order of Moose. At Austen in Preston County June 7, 1899, Mr. LaRue married Hallie Paugh, who was born in Preston County in August, 1879. She is eligible to membership in the Daugh- ters of the American Revolution. Her soldier ancestor was John Hoffman, who was born in Berks County, Penn- sylvania, in 1741 and died in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, about 1790. He married Sarah Godwin, and their chil- dren were Mrs. Sarah Justine, Elizabeth, who became the wife of J. E. Howard, David and Philip. Philip Hoffman died in 1856. His son, Francis Marion, was born in Pres- ton County, West Virginia, and married Tena Shahan, and he and his wife now lie in the Mount Zion Cemetery in that county. Francis M. Hoffman was a soldier in the Civil war and lost a leg in the service. By his first mar- riage there were six children, one of whom was Mrs. La- Rue's mother, Charity E. Hoffman. She was married to Archibald P. Paugh, who was born near Deer Park, Mary- land, at the age of twenty came to Preston County, and during his active career was employed as a worker on public works. He died September 29, 1919, while Mrs. LaRue's mother now lives at St. Clairsville, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Paugh had the following children: Wilbert H., of Grafton; Mrs. Hallie M. LaRue; Goldie M., who died as the wife of Dr. George C. Howard; Waymon W., of Warren, Ohio; Ethel, wife of John Hall, of St. Clairsville, Ohio; Dessie E., wife of William E. Freeman, of St. Clairsville; Lester H., of Youngstown, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. LaRue have two children. Esther M. is now in the junior class of Goucher College at Baltimore. The son, George William, is a student in West Virginia Wesleyan College at Buckhannon. ______________________________X-Message: #5 Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 00:44:18 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000319004418.0087ce10@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: ROBERT M. FRENCH, Raleigh County 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. 365 ROBERT M. FRENCH has earned real distinction in the financial life of Raleigh County. Throughout his active manhood he has been in the service of the oldest bank of the county, the Bank of Raleigh, and is now cashier of that institution, which ranks among the strongest banks in this section of the state. Mr. French was born at Logan, West Virginia, December 17. 1888, son of Millard F. and Ellen (Wilburn) French, both natives of Virginia. His ancestors were soldiers in the Revolution, and his grandfather was Henderson French, a farmer and blacksmith. Millard F. French was a physician, and practiced a number of years at Logan and later at Beckley, where he died in 1908. He was an elder in the Christian Church and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The mother is still living at Beckley. Robert M. French as a boy attended the common schools at Logan, graduated in 1907 from the State Normal School at Athens, and also spent two years in West Virginia Uni- versity at Morgantown. About the close of his university career Mr. French entered the Bank of Raleigh as book- keeper. Two years later he was advanced to assistant cashier, a post he held six years, and since then has been cashier, and for eight years has been one of the bank directors. The Bank of Raleigh was established in 1899, and its stockholders and directors have included many of the most substantial men of Raleigh County. During the World war Mr. French was connected with all the bond drives in Raleigh County. At Athens, West Virginia, in 1912, he married Hattie L. Vermillion, daughter of S. I. and Rhoda (Bird) Vermil- lion, natives of West Virginia. Her mother is now de- ceased. Her father is a surviving Confederate veteran who served with the Virginia Regiment of Cavalry, and among other battles was at Gettysburg. He followed farming as his active vocation. Mr. and Mrs. French have two children, Robert M., Jr., and Elizabeth Ann. The family are mem- bers of the Christian Church, and he is a Royal Arch Mason, a Knight of Pythias and a member of the Rotary Club. ______________________________X-Message: #6 Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 00:43:42 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000319004342.0087ca80@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: WILLIAM W. HUME, M. D., Raleigh County 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. 364-365 WILLIAM W. HUME, M. D. A physician who began his work- in Raleigh County twenty years ago, Doctor Hume in recent years has withdrawn from general practice and is now a widely known and acknowledged specialist in eye, ear, nose and throat diseases at Beckley, and in that field rep- resents some of the highest abilities available in this section of the state. Doctor Hume was born in Orange County, Virginia, Sep- tember 21, 1866. He represents a long line of Virginia ancestors, the first of the name coming to this country in 1617. Another branch of the family included the famous Scotch historian and philosopher, David Hume. The par- ents of Doctor Hume were Dr. Charles E. and Mary E. (Thompson) Hume, natives of Virginia. His father made for himself a place of prominence in his profession. He waa in the Confederate army during the Civil war, and he treated both Union and Confederate soldiers in his pro- fessional capacity. His home was in the path of both armies, and the soldiers took everything valuable from the place. After the war Dr. Charles Hume settled in Cul- peper County, and he and his wife are now deceased. William W. Hume acquired his early education in the common schools of Culpeper County, and he had to de- pend on himself for his higher education. For seven years he was engaged in the drug business at Hinton, West Vir- ginia, and left there to begin the study of medicine in the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, where he gradu- ated M. D. in 1901. For four years he did a general country practice in Raleigh County, and then moved to Beckley, and a few years later he began his preparation for his special line of work. During 1914 Doctor Hume was a student of diseases of the nose and throat in the Philadel- phia Polyclinic, and took eye and ear courses in the Wills Eye Hospital at Philadelphia. After his return to Beck- ley he limited his practice to eye, ear, nose and throat. During the war he was a member of the Examining Board. Doctor Hume now has associated with him in practice Dr. J. H. Hoskins, a nephew of Mrs. Hume. Doctor Hoskins was born April 22, 1892, in Essex County, Virginia, son of W. D. and Ella Hoskins, and during the World war he was commissioned first lieutenant in the Med- ical Corps, April 10, 1918. He was on duty three weeks at Port Oglethorpe, Georgia, and then transferred to the Base Hospital at Camp Raritan, Metuchen, New Jersey, whore he received his honorable discharge January 20, 1919. Doctor Hume and Doctor Hoskins are both mem- bers of the surgical staff of the Kings Daughters Hospital of Beckley. In 1903, in Essex County, Virginia, Doctor Hume married Gazelle Hundley, daughter of John T. and Sallie (Garnett) Hundley, natives of Virginia. Her father was an educator and a soldier in the Civil war. Doctor Hume and wife have no children of their own, but for a number of years have been deeply interested in the welfare and progress of her sister's children, including Doctor Hoskins. They adopted two of the daughters, Beverly Hoskins Hume and Mathilda Hoskins Hume. Doctor Hume is a member of the Christian Church, is a Royal Arch and Knight Templar Mason and Shriner, votes as a democrat, and is a member of the County and State Medical associations. He and his family live in the finest home at Beckley. ______________________________X-Message: #7 Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 00:42:32 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000319004232.00881960@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: ALEXANDER G. STRICKLER, Ritchie County 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. 364 ALEXANDER G. STRICKLER is a merchant at Ellenboro, and the Strickler family have been prominent in the com- mercial affairs of that Ritchie County town for a long period of years. Mr. Strickler was born at Ellenboro May 5, 1877, son of William A. and Tea (McCoy) Strickler. His parents were both natives of Highland County, Virginia, his father being born March 5, 1852, and his mother June 16, 1853. Hia father spent his early boyhood at Monterey in his native county, and after the Civil war came to Ellenboro, where he passed his majority and where for many years he was active as a merchant. His wife, on leaving High- land County, lived at Petroleum in Ritchie County for a time, was married in Ellenboro, and this became their permanent home. William A. Strickler was elected and served two terms as clerk of the Circuit Court of Ritchie County. He was very active in polities as a democrat, and was appointed by a republican as assistant clerk in the House of Delegates and Senate. He was a member of the Methodist Protestant Church, and was a prominent Mason, being a past master of Ellenboro Lodge No. 50, F. and A. M., secretary of the lodge twenty-seven years, was secre- tary of Odell S. Long Chapter No. 25, R. A. M., recorder of Pennsboro Commandery No. 20, K. T., and was a mem- ber of West Virginia Consistory No. 1 of the Scottish Rite at Wheeling and Nemesis Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Parkersburg. He was a past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias and was a member of Grand Tribune of that order when he died. There were three children: Alexander G.; Kathleen, wife of J. B. Underwood; and William, Jr., deceased. Alexander G. Strickler acquired a public school educa- tion at Ellenboro, and as a youth went into the store with his father and eventually became proprietor of the busi- ness. He has a large stock of general merchandise and conducts one of the best appointed stores in Ritchie County. On October 16, 1901, Mr. Strickler married Miss Lena Pierpoint. She is a high school graduate. They have two children: Lenore, born October 6, 1902, and Holtis, born April 26, 1904, both graduates of the Pennsboro High School. The family are members of the Methodist Prot- estant Church, and Mr. Strickler is one of the trustees. He is a past master of Ellenboro Lodge No. 50, F. and A. M., a past high priest of the Royal Arch Chapter at Pennsboro, a member of the Knight Templar Oommandery and is a past worthy patron while Mrs. Strickler is a past worthy matron of the Eastern Star Chapter. He is also a past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias. In politics Mr. Strickler ia a democrat. Besides his mercantile busi- ness he is a stockholder in the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Pennsboro, and is owner of considerable real estate in Clay District of Ritchie County. ______________________________X-Message: #8 Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 00:43:08 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000319004308.00880af0@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: HON. CHARLES GORDON COFFMAN,, Harrison 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. 364 HON. CHARLES GORDON COFFMAN, who is engaged in the practice of his profession in the City of Clarksburg, Har- rison County, is not only one of the representative mem- bers of the bar of his native county but also a scion of an old and honored family of this county. He was born on his father's farm in Harrison County, August 30, 1875, and is a son of John Marshall and Cornelia J. (Swiger) Coffman, both of whom likewise were born and reared in this county, where they passed their entire lives, secure in the high regard of all who knew them. The father died at the age of sixty-two and the mother at the age of sixty- eight years, both having been earnest members of the Baptist Church. John Marshall Coffman served as a loyal young soldier of the Union in the Civil war, and in politics he was a stanch supporter of the principles of the republican party. He long held prestige as one of the substantial and progressive agriculturists and stockgrowers of his native county and was influential in community af- fairs. His parents, John G. and Achsah (Boggers) Coff- man, passed their entire lives in Harrison County, the former having been a son of Henry Coffman, who was born and reared at Smithfield, near Uniontown, Pennsyl- vania, where his father settled upon immigrating to Amer- ica from his native Germany. Henry Coffman was a pioneer settler in what is now Harrison County, West Vir- ginia, and contributed his quota to the civic and indus- trial development of this section of the state. Here, about the year 1805, was solemnized his marriage to Miss Eliza- beth Robinson, whose father had served as a major in the Continental line in the war of the Revolution and who became one of the very early settlers in what is now Har- rison County, West Virginia. Mrs. Cornelia J. (Swiger) Coffman was a daughter of Lemuel Swiger, the Swiger family being one of the oldest in Harrison County, where many representatives of the name still reside. Charles G. Coffman, one of a family of four children, early began to assist in the work of the home farm, and that he made good use of the advantages afforded in the public schools of the locality is indicated by the fact that at the age of seventeen years he became a successful teacher in the rural schools. For six years he continued alternately to teach and attend school, and in 1898 he graduated from Salem College with the degree of Bachelor of Science. He defrayed his own expenses while attend- ing this institution, as did he thereafter while completing his course in the law department of the University of West Virginia, from which he received his degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1904. He was soon afterward ad- mitted to the bar of his native state and initiated his pro- fessional career by opening an office at Clarksburg. Here he soon developed a remunerative practice, and here he has continued his successful activities as one of the able and representative members of the Harrison County bar. Mr. Coffman has been active and influential in the local councils and campaign activities of the republican party, and he was its candidate for mayor of Clarksburg in the election of 1906, but was defeated. In 1908 he was elected to the State Senate, in which he served one term and made a record of loyal support of the interests of his constituent district and of wise legislation in gen- eral. From 1904 to 1906 Mr. Coffman was chairman of the republican committee of Harrison County, and from 1916 to 1918, inclusive, he was secretary of the Republican State Central Committee of West Virginia, in which office he showed marked finesse in directing the political forces at his command in the presidential campaign of that year. Mr. Coffman has served continuously since 1905 as a commissioner of chancery for Harrison County, and on the 20th of February, 1922, he was appointed assistant United States District Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Delta Tau Delta college fraternity and the Masonic fraternity, in which last he has received the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and is also a member of the Mystic Shrine. October 14, 1909, Mr. Coffman wedded Miss Alma Earle Haymaker, daughter of Frank B. and Florence G. (Gray) Haymaker, of Harrison County. The two children of this union are Frank Haymaker Coffman and Julia Gray Coff- man. Mr. and Mrs. Coffman are members of the Methodist Church.