Ohio County, West Virginia    Biography of David C. KURNER

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Submitted by <PJSTON@aol.com>, March 2000
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II

pg 199 + 200

David C. Kurner during his youth at Wheeling learned the painting and 
decorating trades, and for many years has been active head of a successful 
business and organization handling painting contracts and is also proprietor 
of a large and well stocked store handling wall paper, paints, oil and glass.

Mr. Kurner was born in Wheeling, July 10, 1859.  His father, John David 
Kurner, was born in Wurttemberg, Germany, in 1832, came to the United States 
when a young man and settled at Wheeling, was a merchant, and in the course 
of years achieved an influential place in local business circles.  He was a 
member of the State Militia during the Civil war.  He was affiliated with the 
democratic party and a member of the Lutheran Church.  His death occurred at 
Wheeling in 1891.  His wife was Susanna E. Strobel, still living in Wheeling, 
where she was born in 1838.  The children of John David Kurner and wife were: 
 Veronica, now living at Akron, Ohio, widow of Philip Knabe, who was a nail 
manufacturer at Wheeling; David C., William, a painter and decorator who died 
at Wheeling at the age of fifty-five; Charles, a painter and decorator at 
Wheeling; John David, a resident of Cleveland, Ohio; Harry J., an advertiser 
at Wheeling; Archibald, who has never contracted the habit of settled 
residence; Nellie, whose husband, F. Slagle, is an investment broker in 
Texas; and Joseph, a painter and musician who died at Wheeling at the age of 
forty-eight.

David C. Kurner attended school at Wheeling only to the age of thirteen, and 
then worked in various lines but served the apprenticeship that gave him an 
expert knowledge of painting, sign work and graining.  He has used this 
useful mechanical trade as the basis of a permanent business career.  In 1886 
he established himself in business as a contractor and dealer in decorative 
materials, starting with a very small capital, and with his own labor, supplem
ented by a few employees, and during the past thirty-five years has made his 
business one of the leading organizations of its kind in the state, with 
offices and store at 1518 Market Street, and he does both a wholesale and 
retail business in decorative materials as well as contracting for painting 
and decorating.  He is sole proprietor of his business.

Mr. Kurner had three sons in the World war, and was busy throughout that 
period in local war activities, being captain of teams in drives for the 
Liberty Loan, Red Cross and other causes.  A number of years ago he was a 
member of the Wheeling City Council, is a democrat, a member of the Catholic 
Church and the Wheeling Chamber of Commerce.

In 1886, at Wheeling, Mr. Kurner married Miss Barbara Ebbert, daughter of Mr. 
and Mrs. John Ebbert, now deceased.  Her father was a farmer.  Of the ten 
children born to Mr. and Mrs. Kurner two died in infancy.  The oldest of 
those living is John Raymond, who for fifteen years has been in the Regular 
Army service, is a member of the Marine Corps, and was with that famous 
organization in the war.  David C., Jr., whose home is at Logansport, 
Indiana, was commissioned a captain in the war, was sent overseas to France 
and was in service there over a year.  Robert J., the third son, is foreman 
for his father's business at Wheeling, and is married to Jaenetta Yeager.  
Clement O. was in the navy and was one of the 300 Americans who lost their 
lives when the U. S. S. Cyclops disappeared.  Caritas is the wife of Wilbur 
L. Heinlein, a clerk with the Whitaker-Glessner Company at Wheeling.  Miss 
Martha lives at home.  Stella is the wife of Wm. A. Roth, a plumber.  Paul J. 
is an automobile salesman at Wheeling and Ebbert is a student in the 
Cathedral High School.

Mr. Kurner owns a modern residence at 77 Eighteenth Street, and in the course 
of his business career has acquired much other local real estate, including a 
house at 73 Eighteenth Street and one at 213 South York Street.