WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 71 Today's Topics: #1 BIO: JOHN WESLEY LUTHER, McDowell [Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000319181205.00885c50@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: JOHN WESLEY LUTHER, McDowell 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. 369 McDowell JOHN WESLEY LUTHER, a former member of the State Senate of West Virginia, had the distinction of estab- lishing at Welch the first undertaking business in McDowell County, and he has here continued in this line of business since 1903, besides which he was a stockholder and the president of the Welch Furniture Company. Mr. Luther was born on a farm on Twelve Pole Creek, Wayne County, West Virginia, July 26, 1874, and is a son of David H. and Rebecca R. (Stock) Luther, the former of whom died at the venerable age of eighty-four years, on the day that Col. Theodore .Roosevelt was elected president of the United States. Mrs. Luther was born in 1835, and her death occurred January 13, 1919. Her first husband was Wesley Harman, and two children were born of this union. As the wife of David H. Luther she became the mother of seven children. Of the children of the second marriage John Wesley and George B. were twins, the latter having lost his life in an automobile accident January 16, 1921, at Huntington, in which city he was associated with the Hunt- ington Lumber & Supply Company. The Luther family was founded in what is now West Virginia at the time when Gen. George Washington was- here engaged in making surveys, and thus few families in this section of the original Old Dominion commonwealth can claim prior pioneer honors. The original representatives of the family came here from the State of New York, and the genealogical line traces back to sterling German and Irish stock. Settlement was made by the Luthers in the present Wayne County, West Virginia, and there both David H. Luther and his wife were born. Representatives of the family have been residents of the Ceredo and Twelve Pole Creek districts of Wayne County and also of the City of Huntington. David H. Luther was a gallant soldier of the Union during virtually the entire period of the Civil war, and gained the rank of sergeant. He was a republican in political adherence, and his wife was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. John W. Luther gained his early education in a log school- house not far distant from the old homestead in Wayne County, and at the age of nineteen years he went to Chanute, Kansas, and found employment in the service of the Mis- souri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, in which connection he was finally made track foreman and placed in charge of a work train. He remained nearly three years in the Sunflower State, and upon his return to West Virginia he became an attendant in the Spencer Hospital. Two years later he was given general supervision of this institution, and in this office he served effectively for a term of five years, within which he gave special attention to the study of anatomy. In 1903 he passed a successful examination in anatomy before the state board, as a prerequisite to establishing him- self in the undertaking business. Later, in the year 1910, he attended the Barnes School of Anatomy and Sanitary Science in the City of Chicago, in which institution he took a post-graduate course in 1912. In 1903 Mr. Luther came to Welch, where he soon after- ward formed a partnership with C. D. and R. G. Brewster and engaged in the furniture and undertaking business, he being the technical and executive manager of the under- taking and funeral-directing department. In 1910 the busi- ness was incorporated under the title of the Welch Furniture Company. Mr. Luther has conducted an independent under- taking enterprise since January 3, 1918, with an establish- ment which is of modern standard in equipment, facilities and service. Mr. Luther has taken lively interest in political affairs, served two years as a member of the city council of Welch, and has been notable for progressiveness and public spirit. He has been influential in the local councils and campaign activities of the republican party, and in 1916 was elected to represent his district in the State Senate, in which he made a record of effective service in behalf of wise legisla- tion, he having been a member of the Senate committees on finance, public institutions and railroads during the first legislative session, and in 1919 having been a member of the finance committee, the sanitation committee and the in- surance and compensation committee, of which last he was chairman. In the Masonic fraternity Mr. Luther is a past master of the Blue Lodge and has been a delegate to the Grand Lodge of West Virginia, and he is a member also of the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in his home city, besides which he is a past noble grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and served fifteen years as secretary of its lodge at Welch. He is affiliated also with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Junior Order United American Mechanics, is an influential member of the Welch Chamber of Commerce, and attends and supports the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, South, of which his wife is a member. November 6, 1901, recorded the marriage of Mr. Luther and Miss Minnie Waren, who was born in Roane County, this state, a daughter of Rev. D. B. Waren, a retired clergy- man of the Methodist Protestant Church. Mr. and Mrs. Luther have no children. ______________________________X-Message: #2 Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 17:53:46 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000319175346.0088e100@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: BARNEY L. KIDD, Logan 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. 370 Logan BARNEY L. KIDD is one of the prominent young busi- ness men of Logan County, and at the age of thirty has attained business responsibilities that would do credit to a man much older. His experience has been almost altogether in the lumbering industry, and he is superintendent of two large plants in this typical coal field of Southern West Vir- ginia. He was born at St. Albans, Kanawha County, West Vir- ginia, April 6, 1891, son of T. J. and Mary A. (Thomas) Kidd. His grandfather was a native of old Virginia and of French ancestry, while his mother's people were English. Both parents were born in West Virginia, and his father has been active in the lumber business in Fayette County, and in the various localities where he has lived has always taken a great interest in public affairs. He has served as a school trustee, is a member of the Masonic Order, and is a leader in the Baptist Church, acting for years as superintendent of the Sunday school. Barney L. Kidd attended common schools in Kanawha County and in several other counties, and graduated in 1909 at the Mountain State Business College at Parkers- burg. After a few months employment in a law office he began his active experience in the lumber business with the Boone Timber Company at Clothier, West Virginia. He was chief inspector for that firm for two and one-half years, was then inspector for two years, with headquarters at Huntington, for the Peytona Lumber Company, was in- spector at Accoville about two and one-half years, and then came to his present location at Omar in Logan County, where he is superintendent of the company's operations, comprising two complete sawmills, planing mill, dry kilns and flooring plant. One complete sawmill is located at Christian in Logan County. The mills have a capacity of about 65,000 feet of finished product daily. This product is shipped from the plants to various points throughout the United States. Mr. Kidd married in 1913, at Pomeroy, Ohio, Miss Ruth Martin, daughter of James A. and Mary Martin. Her par- ents were both born in West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Kidd have two children, Geraldine Martin and Dona Gene. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. ______________________________X-Message: #3 Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 17:54:46 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000319175446.00846c40@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: LUTHER WILLIAM HELMINTOLLER, Greenbrier/Mingo 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. 370 Greenbrier/Mingo LUTHER WILLIAM HELMINTOLLER, superintendent for the Buffalo Thacker Coal Company at Chattaroy, Mingo County, has run the full gamut of experience in connection with the coal-mining industry, his first work having been as a trapper boy, when he was but ten years of age. Mr. Helmintoller was born at Ronceverte, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, on the 17th of August, 1893, and is a son of William B. and Margaret (Morgan) Helmintol- ler, the former of whom was born in Alleghany County, Virginia, and the latter in Greenbrier County, West Vir- ginia, where their marriage was solemnized. Mrs. Helmin- toller passed to the life eternal on the 3d of March, 1919, at the age of fifty-four years. William B. Helmintoller was engaged in farm enterprise for a number of years, and for fifteen years thereafter he was identified with public work in Raleigh County, this state. He is a republican and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as was also his wife. He now, at the age of sixty-eight years (1922) is living retired in the home of his son Luther W., of this review, who was fourth in a family of twelve chil- dren, of whom eight are living. Luther W. Helmintoller gained his early education in the public schools of Greenbrier and Raleigh counties, but early began to do practical work also in connection with coal mining, as noted in the preceding paragraph. By his mine work he earned the money to defray his course in the Dunsmore Business College, Staunton, Virginia. His first mine service was in Raleigh County, and he has since held various progressive positions in different mines, besides having had charge of general stores conducted by mining companies. His work has been in Raleigh, Logan, Boone, Kanawha, McDowell and Mingo counties, and his ambition and effective service gained to him consecutive advancement, as is shown by the fact that he became a mine superin- tendent when he was but twenty-three years of age. He has been a constant reader and student concerning matters per- taining to the coal industry, and has well earned the success which is his. He was with Jack Dalton in the World war period, and had charge of three mines on Coal River in Boone County. By thus spurring the production of coal he made effective contribution to the nation's war cause, the fuel production having been one of major importance. He has been associated with the Buffalo Thacker Coal Company in the capacity of superintendent at Chattaroy since August, 1920. He is a republican, is affiliated with the Blue Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic fraternity at Bramwell, and in the Scottish Rite Consistory at Wheeling he has received the thirty-second degree, besides which he is a member of the Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Charleston, the Lodge of Elks at Huntington, and the Lodge of Knights of Pythias at Pocahontas, Virginia. In 1916 Mr. Helmintoller married Miss Lillian White, daughter of Charles H. White, of Maybeury, McDowell County, and they have one daughter, Mary. ______________________________X-Message: #4 Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 18:07:59 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000319180759.008852d0@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: BERT T. GIBSON, Preston 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. 373-374 Preston BERT T. GIBSON, of Masontown, is the type of a busy and successful citizen, one working hard in his own affairs, equally interested in the welfare of his community and its institutions, and it would be difficult to find a man more popular throughout Preston County. This section of Virginia was a new and untried wilder- ness when Thomas Gibson located north of Pisgah in Preston County, where he acquired a large body of land and opened up a farm. His example encouraged many others to settle in that locality, and he lived there to realize some of the fruits of prosperity which his efforts initiated. His son, James Gibson, was equally enterpris- ing in developing the rural community where he lived. He married Rebecca Cramer, whose father, Peter Cramer, brought Rebecca and other members of the family from Frederick, Maryland. After his marriage James Gibson settled at Tunnelton, about 1840, and he and his wife lived there to a good old age. Fourth among their eight chil- dren was the late Milford C. Gibson, who became widely known as a financier and man of affairs. He was reared in the country, and come to manhood with a full knowl- edge of the work required of an ambitious farmer. Before getting settled in any regular occupation he enlisted as a soldier, in July, 1863, in Company B of the Fourth West Virginia Cavalry, and was in the fighting for the Union with his command until honorably discharged in March, 1864. After the war he determined to get a better educa- tion than had been possible in the schools which he at- tended as a boy. He enrolled as a student in the Millsbury Normal School, and after leaving that taught for a year. Then the call of the great West seized him, and in 1867 he followed the tide of migration as far as Henry County, Iowa. Something about the new country did not appeal to him favorably, and in 1868 he returned and resumed his citizenship at Tunnelton, where he entered the lumber busi- ness. In subsequent years he became one of the prominent lumber manufacturers of the state. For a long time he was associated with Charles A. Craig in this business. In 1875 he also established a store at Tunnelton, and con- tinued as a merchant there until his death on November 22, 1912. In 1869 Milford C. Gibson married Mary Anna Jackson, who was born in Ohio, and was reared and educated in Indiana. Her father, Alexander Jackson, went to Iowa during the Civil war and settled in Henry County. His former home was West Virginia. Mrs. Milford Gibson is still living in Preston County. She was the mother of four children: Bert Thomas, James C., Bessie, wife of Robert R. Hardesty, of Kingwood; and Joseph V., a King- wood lawyer and business man. Bert T. Gibson was born at Tunnelton February 5, 1871, and growing up as he did in the home of a successful business man he acquired much knowledge incident to his environment. He acquired his early education in the public schools, and subsequently entered the State University of Morgantown. Of his university career he recalls with especial gratitude the association he was privileged to have with Professor Jack Hare, whose life has influenced a good many hundred young men of the state. Before going to the university Mr. Gibson taught school, continued in educational work afterward, and his deep interest in schools has caused him to accept and occupy a place on the Board of Education of Masontown. For several years he was head of the board. In practical business lines Mr. Gibson took up the lum- ber industry, being in partnership with John Garner at Irona until their plant was destroyed by fire two years later. He then joined his father at Tunnelton, where he remained five years, and from there removed to Reedsville and with his brother, James C., engaged in the lumber business at Kanes Creek. The Gibson brothers became ex- tensive manufacturers of lumber, and converted large areas of timber land in Preston County to milled products. They shipped much of their output to other states. While in the business they furnished the M. & K. Railroad Com- pany with a large amount of their construction material. Mr. Bert Gibson disposed of his interests to H. T. Lin- coln in 1912, and since then his chief interest has been the farm, the old Snider place, which he bought in 1912. The farm, situated just beyond the limits of Masontown, is generally admitted to be the best farm property in Preston County. It has become so largely under the own- ership and administration of Mr. Gibson, who has improved it with one of the generous and attractive country homes of the county, has restored the soil to better than its virgin fertility, and has made it a center for the production of high grade and registered cattle, hogs and poultry. His cattle are the registered Shorthorns, his hogs, the Berk- shires, and his poultry the White Plymouth Bocks. The farm methods on the Gibson farm are those approved and authorized by the Agricultural Department of the state, and the state authorities frequently point it out as an object lesson in successful agriculture. While this farm provides important work for every day Mr. Gibson has other business connections. He is a mem- ber of the firm Gibson Brothers, coal operators in King- wood and vicinity, is a director of the Bank of Mason- town and the Tnnnelton Bank. His father was president of the Tunnelton Bank when he died. Mr. Gibson was a leader in the movement for the Valley District High School. He took a great deal of pride in this splendid institution, and when fire destroyed the building he caught the spirit for its restoration and was one of the leaders engaged in securing pledges by public subscription for the building which now graces the hillside in Masontown. This high school was erected not only with the proceeds of the in- surance from the first building but also with $23,000 of individual subscriptions. Mr. Gibson was reared in the Methodist Church, is one of the trustees of the Church of Masontown and was on the Building Committee when the new church and parson- age were erected, the Gibson Brothers furnishing the lum- ber for the church building. Mr. Gibson was reared in a democratic home, both his father and grandfather having been of that political faith. He east his first vote for Grover Cleveland and tor Wil- liam L. Wilson for Congressman of the Second District. Mr. Gibson's high standing in the confidence of his com- munity and his personal popularity were perhaps best demonstrated in 1910, when he was elected a member of the Preston County Court, defeating a republican in a strong republican district. He was made chairman of the board, and is the only democrat who ever served as chair- man. He continued in office two terms, and then retired voluntarily. Outside of routine work the principal busi- ness of the court was the improving of roads and the bridg- ing of the Cheat River at the mouth of Big Sandy. On September 6, 1893, in Preston County, Mr. Gibson married Miss Mabel Hartman, sister of H. Foster Hart- man and L. Bert Hartman, business men of the county and mentioned elsewhere in this publication. Mr. and Mrs. Gibson have the following children: Mabel, wife of Harold Painter, of Kingwood; Ruth L., an employe in the internal revenue service in Washington, District of Columbia; Ernest B. and Howard, students in the University of West Virginia; and Susan, attending the Masontown grade school.