West Virginia Statewide Files WV-Footsteps Mailing List WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 103 Today's Topics: #1 BIO: LAWRENCE ARTHUR JARRETT, M. D [Valerie & Tommy Crook <vfcrook@tre] #2 MARRIAGE BOND OF NANCY HARDESTY TO ["Sherrett Rae" <sherae@gte.net>] #3 BIO: ARTHUR JAMES WOORE, Berkeley [Valerie & Tommy Crook <vfcrook@tre] #4 BIO: NOAH S. PARKS, Barbour Co. WV [Valerie & Tommy Crook <vfcrook@tre] #5 BIO: HARRY F. BRITTINGHAM, Barbour [Valerie & Tommy Crook <vfcrook@tre] #6 BIO: LUTHER CLEARFIELD STEVENS, Ba [Valerie & Tommy Crook <vfcrook@tre] Administrivia: To unsubscribe from WV-FOOTSTEPS-D, send a message to WV-FOOTSTEPS-D-request@rootsweb.com that contains in the body of the message the command unsubscribe and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. To contact the WV-FOOTSTEPS-D list administrator, send mail to WV-FOOTSTEPS-admin@rootsweb.com. ______________________________X-Message: #1 Date: Mon, 08 Nov 1999 21:25:55 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook <vfcrook@trellis.net> To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991108212555.00bab880@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: LAWRENCE ARTHUR JARRETT, M. D., Braxton 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. 289-290 Braxton LAWRENCE ARTHUR JARRETT, M. D. The medical frater- nity of Braxton County contains in its membership men who by reason of their knowledge and attainments form a repre- sentative body of careful, learned and skillful physicians and surgeons, and among them one who has won deserved standing and patronage is Dr. Lawrence Arthur Jarrett. Engaged in practice at Gassaway since 1913, he has won his way into the confidence of a large practice and at the same time has merited the appreciation of his fellow- practitioners. Doctor Jarrett was born at Jarrett's Ford (now Elk View), Kanawha County, West Virginia, February 1, 1880, and is a son of John T. and Cynthia E. (Copenhaver) Jarrett. His father was born in the same county and state, October 12, 1848, while Mrs. Jarrett was born in November, 1853, at Copenhaver Mills, Kanawha County, and both are now residents of Charleston, West Virginia. John T. Jarrett was educated in the public schools, while his wife had a similar education, and following their marriage they settled down to farming in Kanawha County, where they resided until about 1898. At that time they disposed of their agricultural holdings and moved to Charleston, where Mr. Jarrett engaged in the lumber business. In this, as in his farming ventures he proved successful, and at present he and his wife are living in comfortable retirement. Mrs. Jarrett is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the work of which she is active. He belongs to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the Improved Order of Red Men, and as a democrat wields some influence in his community, where he formerly served one term in the ca- pacity of deputy sheriff. He and his worthy wife became the parents of five children: Elvin L., a graduate of the Charleston High School, who is now an engineer in the service of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company; Dr. Lawrence Arthur, of this review; Erna M., the wife of John M. Nichols; Forrest L., a graduate of the common schools, who is a conductor in the service of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company; and Clara M., the wife of C. O. Reveal. Lawrence Arthur Jarrett was reared on his father's farm and attended the country schools as well as the Charleston High School. Later he pursued a course at the Capital City Commercial College, which prepared him for a business career, and for three years he was employed as a book- keeper. From youth, however, he had possessed a predilec- tion for the medical profession, and finally, finding that a business life was not congenial, he entered the Kentucky University at Lexington, subsequently pursuing a course in the medical department of the University of Louisville. Thus prepared, he entered upon the practice of his profes- sion at Swiss, where he remained for three years, and in 1913 came to Gassaway, where he opened an office and where he has remained ever since, in the enjoyment of a con- stantly increasing practice. Doctor Jarrett has built up a reputation as a skilled and sympathetic physician, a close and careful student and a talented and steady-handed sur- geon, one who gains and holds the confidence of his patients and the esteem and respect of his fellow-practitioners. He is a member of the Kanawha Medical Society, the West Virginia Medical Society and the American Medical Asso- ciation. He has been successful in a material way, and is a director in the Farmers and Mechanics Bank of Gassaway and a number of other business enterprises. In politics he votes the democratic ticket. Fraternally he is affiliated with Clay County Lodge No. 97, A. F. and A. M.; Tyran Chapter No. 13, R. A. M.; Kanawha Commandery No. 4, K. T.; and Beni-Kedem Shrine at Charleston. In 1907 Doctor Jarrett was united in marriage with Miss Mary Elizabeth Tallman, an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They are the parents of two children: John T., born March 13, 1910; and Virginia E., born June 3, 1912. ______________________________X-Message: #2 Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1999 18:57:19 -0800 From: "Sherrett Rae" <sherae@gte.net> To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <008001bf2a5e$242414a0$2cff153f@sherrettrae> Subject: MARRIAGE BOND OF NANCY HARDESTY TO JAMES MORRIS Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Vol. 02 Page 787 Morgantown, Monongalia County, (West) Virginia MARRIAGE BOND alphabetical filing 28 March 1798: Elijah Hardesty's daughter, Nancy Ann Hardesty to James MORRIS. Know all men by these presents that James Morris and Elijah Hardesty of Monongalia am held and firmly bound unto James Wood Esq. Governor of this Commonwealth for the sum in the Joint and full sum of one thousand dollars to which payment we bind our selves, our heirs, our assigness and admistrators jointly and severaly. Finaly by thy presents seal with our seal and on this 28 day of March 1798. The Condition of this obligation is such whereas there is a marriage suddenly intended to be had between James Morris and Nancy Hardesty. Now if there should be no lawful impediment why this couple should not be joined to gether then this obligation to be void. This way to remain in full force as in full force as in Victorian law. Signed sealed and delivered in the Presence of John Euing James Morris [Seal] Eilijah Hardesty [Seal] *See the copy of James and Nancy marriage bond and a copy of what it really said. "A lawyer and professor of law and I spent several days figuring out the bond woding." Letter from Albert Tingley Morris postmarked 13 March 1999. This was transcribed using the Victorian law of the day. NOTE: Sherrett M. Rae mailed her own transcription to Albert Tingley Morris in 1998 which he and his lawyer arrived at nearly the same language. Hers is as follows: "Know all men by these presents between James Morris and Elijah Hardesty of Monongalia am held and firmly bound unto James Wood Essq. , Govinor of ths Commonwealth for the time being is the Just and full Sum of one thousand dollars to which payment we bind our selves our heirs and executor and administrator firmly by these presents did with our seal and date this 28 day of March 1798. The Condition of this obligation is such we are as there is a marriage sudde nly intended to be had between James Morris and Nancy Hardesty. Know if there should be no lawfull impediment why this intended should not be joined together thes obligation to be void. This way, to remain in full force." ______________________________X-Message: #3 Date: Mon, 08 Nov 1999 22:11:36 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook <vfcrook@trellis.net> To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991108221136.00dab9a0@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: ARTHUR JAMES WOORE, Berkeley 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. 295-296 Berkeley ARTHUR JAMES WOORE, an old and honored resident and business man of Martinsburg, is a native of England, but has no recollection of the picturesque and historic shire of his birth, since he was brought to the United States in in- fancy and spent most of his early youth and manhood in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Mr. Woore was born in Monmouthshire, England. His father, Oliver Woore, Jr., was born at Llangattock Vibon Avel in Monmonthshire, July 5, 1839. His grandfather, Oliver Woore, was born in 1815, and was of pure English ancestry. Oliver Woore, Jr., married Hannah Prince, who was born near the village of Husk in Monmonthshire, May 23, 1839, and at an early age was left an orphan and was reared by her maternal grandfather, a wealthy farmer named Williams, in Monmouth County. She was married to Oliver Woore, Jr., May 8, 1862. Three children were born to them in England: Edith, born May 22, 1863; An- nie, born December 23, 1865; and Arthur James, born Oc- tober 31, 1868. In 1869 the family came to America, and first located near Alton in Madison County, Illinois, where Oliver Woore, Jr., followed farming for nine years. Leav- ing Illinois, he came to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and bought a farm in Frederick County, continuing his oc- cupation as a farmer until acquiring a competence and there- after lived retired in Winchester. He was a man of good education, and continued his intellectual interests all his life. He and his family were devout members of the Bap- tist Church. While in Winchester he cultivated a beautiful little garden during the summer season, but the rest of the year he devoted to reading in his private library. He died December 9, 1919. His widow is now eighty-three years of age and lives with her daughter in Frederick County, Vir- ginia. The children born after the family came to Amer- ica were: Edgar, born December 14, 1870, on the farm in Madison County, Illinois; Lucy, born December 23, 1873, and died October 20, 1875; William Oliver, born March 21, 1876 Julia, born June 29, 1878, and Frank Lee, who was born June 26, 1881, the only one of the family a native of Frederick County, Virginia. The daughter Edith married John L. Hauptman, a wealthy farmer in Frederick County. Annie became the wife of Joseph Cooper, a prominent farmer near Winchester. Edgar is a farmer and orehard- ist near Winchester. William Oliver is junior partner and manager of a large furniture store at Covington, Virginia. Julia married W. K. Alther, general superintendent of the Masonic Life Insurance Company, with headquarters in Buffalo, New York. Frank Lee, the youngest child, is a traveling salesman living at Winchester. Arthur James Woore had his first conscious recollections in Southern Illinois, of the farm in Madison County, and there he first attended school; later he attended school in Frederick County, Virginia, working on the farm in the meantime, and began his active career as an extensive farmer and stock raiser in Clark County, Virginia. For several years he farmed, then took up contracting and building and has erected several fine residences and busi- ness buildings. Since 1912 he has been in business at his trade in Martinsburg. December 28, 1893, Mr. Woore married Fredda Milton Darlington. Her father, Joseph Benton Darlington, was born on the old homestead at Gainesboro, Virginia, where his father and grandfather owned three large farms. It was on one of these farms where the British and Hessian prisoners taken at Saratoga in 1781, were kept, and one field on that farm, is to this day, known as the Barracks Field, being the one on which stood the barracks in which those prisoners were confined. He was born April 15, 1840, son of Meredith and Rachel Ann (Swartz) Darling- ton, and a grandson of Gabriel and Margaret (Edwards) Darlington. Gabriel Darlington was a son of Meredith and Sarah (Davis) Darlington, and a grandson of William and Mary Darlington, of Pennsylvania. An extensive genealogy of the Darlington family was compiled by Gil- bert Cope and published in 1900. Mrs. Woore's father entered the Confederate Army, at the beginning of the war as a member of Imboden's Cavalry, served in Stone- wall Jackson's Brigade, and at one time was a courier between General Jackson and Lee. A man of good educa- tion, he taught school for a time after the war, then learned the trade of house painter and decorator, and fol- lowed that business in Martinsburg until his death on March 9, 1913. Mrs. Woore's mother, Hannah Vincent, was born in Clark County, Virginia, daughter of John and Julia (McDonald) Vincent. John Vincent was a native of Scotland, came to the United States when a young man and was an American soldier in the War of 1812. He followed his trade as a miller in Clark County, Virginia, until late in life, and spent his last days in Iowa. Julia McDonald, his wife, was a native of Ireland and died in Clark County, Virginia. Mrs. Woore was one of four children. Her brother Lagona Vincent married Margaret dark, of Fred- erick County, Virginia. Her sister Emma May married Charles H. Coachman, of Martinsburg, West Virginia. Her brother John Meredith married Cora Roberts, of Martins- burg, West Virginia. Mr. and. Mrs. Woore have three children, Emma Hannah, Arthur Meredith and Frank Randolph. These children are members of the Baptist Church. Miss Emma is a gifted mu- sician, a professional singer, a teacher of vocal and instru- mental music, and has been a lecturer on musical subjects in city schools. She is a member of the extension depart- ment of the National Academy of Music, and is a member of the Wednesday Afternoon Music Club at Martinsburg. The son Arthur Meredith Woore enlisted as a volunteer August 15, 1918, and was assigned to duty at the Univer- sity of West Virginia as a sergeant instructor in the Stu- dents Army Training Corps. He was honorably discharged December 15, 1919. He graduated from the Martinsburg High School in 1919, and is now a student of law in the University of Virginia. Frank Randolph Woore received his education in the Mar- tinsburg grade and high schools, and is now a clerk. ______________________________X-Message: #4 Date: Mon, 08 Nov 1999 22:12:34 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook <vfcrook@trellis.net> To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991108221234.00dab9a0@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: NOAH S. PARKS, Barbour 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. 296-297 Barbour NOAH S. PARKS. Probably no business man is better and more favorably known in the agricultural districts of a number of counties around Philippi than Noah S. Parks. His active association with the farms and their owners in this extensive territory has come from his business as a salesman of agricultural implements and machinery. All along he has carried on some farming of his own, the occupation to which he was reared and trained as a youth. His grandfather, whose name was also Noah S. Parks, came to this section of West Virginia more than a century ago and settled on Brushy Fork in Harrison County. He was one of five brothers who started west from old Virginia, and he was the only one to locate in West Virginia, the others going on into Ohio; Noah S. Parks was a man of God from boyhood, practiced his religion and contributed faithfully of the tenth of his income for the support of the Gospel. He was a man of good judgment as well, and left a good estate. When he settled on Brushy Fork he bought land at twenty-five cents an acre, and in subsequent years he gave each of his children a farm, on the condition that the property was to be held for the use and benefit of each child as long as he lived and at death it should be divided equally among the respective children. Noah S. Parks and wife spent their lives at their home on Brushy Fork. He was well read, especially in Bible and church literature. He voted as a republican. This pioneer died at the age of eighty-two. His wife, Rachel Willett, whom he married in Harrison County, died a number of years before him. Their children were: David, who died in Harrison County, leaving two daughters by his wife, Re- becca Lawson; Robert, who was a farmer in the home community, married Semantha Hickman, and left two daugh- ters and a son; Mary Jane, who died in the community where she was reared, the wife of Amos G. Marple; Gran- ville, the subjects' father; and Albert, who lived at the old homestead, married Ann Hart and is survived by one daughter and two sons. Granville Parks was born on Brushy Fork in Harrison County, May 12, 1841. There were practically no schools for him to attend, and he learned to read, but could scarcely write. His life was devoted to the farm, and with more than an average degree of success. After the Civil war he moved to Barbour County, and his home for fifty-six years was on the waters of Elk Creek, where he died Janu- ary 30, 1922. He was industrious, thrifty, accumulated property, and was very religious. He was reared in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, later was a member of the United Brethren Church on Brushy Fork, an institution he practically built, and in the last years of his life he was a communicant of Hall Church of the Methodist Episcopal, South, near Elk City. He was a sympathizer of the South during the war and a democratic voter. In early days he was a noted singer, and he taught singing school. He was a man of fine and rugged physique, six feet, four inches high and weighed about 200 pounds. In Harrison County Granville Parks married Barbara Susan Hardman, who was left an orphan when a child mid was reared in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rominn. She acquired a common school education, and has been an example of greatest loyalty to the duties and obligations of motherhood and of Christian conduct. Everyone loves and respects her for her splendid character. She is now eighty-two years of age. Her children were: Noah S. Parks; Mary Jane, wife of John Fridley, of Barbour County; Sidney L., of Tucker County; Homer Albert, a farmer near his father's old home; Jennie, who married Mordecai Reed, of Clarksburg; Martha, Mrs. Ira Wood- ford, of Philippi; Amos G., a farmer near the old home; Berthena, wife of William Nutter, of Clarksburg; John C., who has spent most of his life as a soldier in the Regular Army, was in the Spanish-American war, and dur- ing the World war was a drillmaster and did other work in the training of soldiers, and is still an officer in his regiment; Grover C., the youngest, a railroad man with the New York Central Lines in New York. Noah S. Parks was born at Brushy Fork, Harrison County, August 2, 1863, and two years later his parents moved to Barbour County, where he has had his home ever since. He acquired a country school education, and was the only one of the children to remain on the home farm until he reached his majority. After leaving home he worked as a farm hand at 50 cents a day, and put in long hours to earn this modest stipend. The first money he made for himself was filling a contract with a neighbor farmer to cut and split 1 000 rails at 50 cents a hundred. He did this work with his ax in five days' time. After two years as a wage earner he married and settled on a farm near Philippi, and soon bought a small place in that locality, and continued to give his personal attention to his farming for about three years. About the time he left the farm Mr. Parks entered business as a salesman of farm machinery. For four years he traveled for the International Harvester Company, and then joined the Feiser Manufacturing Company of Waynes- boro. Pennsylvania. For twenty-two years he sold the poods of this firm. Since January 1, 1922, he has been with A. B. Farquar of York, Pennsylvania, selling the heavy machinery made by this firm, including saw-mills, threshers, boilers, traction engines and similar goods. The territory in all these years has been in his own state. His immediate jurisdiction is fourteen counties, and he is prob- ably better informed as to agricultural conditions and has a larger personal acquaintance among farmers and farm owners there than any other man. Mr. Parks for many years has been interested more or less in the lumber business as a manufacturer. He has shipped out large quantities direct from the saw-mills in the woods, and is still interested in that line. He is a half-owner of the city garage at Philippi, and was one of the firm that put up the building in the spring of 1916. The City Garage is the authorized Ford Agency in Philippi. Mr. Parks is a democrat, having cast his vote regularly for the democratic candidates since the time of Grover Cleveland. In local affairs he is not particularly partisan, considering the man rather than the party. Mr. Parks has been a successful business man, he owns the old home- stead where he grew up, and some valuable nroperty in Philippi. He has filled the chairs in the Encampment degree of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is also a member of the Subordinate Lodge and the Grafton Lodge of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a member of the United Brethren Church, is liberal in his donations to other denominations, and the unfortunate and the afflicted have always had in him a generous helper and one ready to respond with his personal aid and his purse. January 29, 1889, Mr. Parks married Miss Mary Etta Zinn, daughter of John Riley and Amanda (Simon) Zinn. She was born in Barbour County, February 23, 1865, the third in a family of six children the others being: Ingaby, wife of Josiah Nutter; Margaret, who was the first wife of Josiah Nutter; Francis, a farmer in Barbour County; Jacob, who operates the old homestead; and Aldine, one of the very successful farmers of Barbour County. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Parks, Lulie, Opal, Rosa, Miss Von, Miss Zella and Lowell, were all liberally edu- cated in the public schools. The daughter Lulie is the wife of William Brown, of Akron, Ohio, and has a son, Blaine. Opal is the wife of George Hall, of Wheeling. Rosa married Fred Daddisman, of Philippi. ______________________________X-Message: #5 Date: Mon, 08 Nov 1999 22:15:08 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook <vfcrook@trellis.net> To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991108221508.00bc53a0@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: HARRY F. BRITTINGHAM, Barbour 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. 297 Barbour HARRY F. BRITTINGHAM is a veteran in the service of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and since 1914 has taken care of the company's business at Philippi as agent. Except for two years he has been with this railroad in West Virginia since 1902. He was born at Pocomoke City, Maryland, August 12, 1881. The family is of English origin, and his first Ameri- can ancestor settled on the eastern shore of Maryland. His grandfather, Capt. William P. Brittingham, was a boat captain on Chesapeake Bay and a native of Maryland. He and two of his brothers were Union soldiers in the Civil war. By his marriage to Mary Daugherty he had eleven children, and his sons were Edward, who spent his life in Philadel- phia; Harry, a resident of Jersey City, and George R. George R. Brittingham, father of the Philippi railroad man, was born at Poeomoke City, was reared and educated there, and for many years was engaged in the barber sup- ply business, his home being now in Baltimore. He mar- ried Laura B. Melvin, daughter of Josiah Melvin, of Wor- cester County, Maryland, and they had nine children, the seven survivors being Harry F.; George W., claim agent of the New York Central Railroad at Toledo, Ohio; Ray- mond M., yard master for the New York, New Haven and Hartford at Waterbury, Connecticut; Maurice, a hardware merchant at Baltimore; Russell, associated in business with his brother Maurice; Clarence and Lillian V., high school students at Baltimore. Harry F. Brittingham was reared at Poeomoke City, where he attended the public schools, and subsequently took a business course in Bryant and Stratton's College at Wil- mington, Delaware. Soon after completing this course he entered the service of the Norfolk and Western Railway Company as rate clerk at Bramwell, West Virginia, and was in that service five years. Then, in 1902, he be- came chief clerk in the freight office of the Baltimore and Ohio at Clarksburg, and was transferred from there to Grafton as car distributor. In -1907 he left the rail- road to become an instructor in the commercial depart- ment of Wesleyan College at Buckhannon, where he remained two years. Then returning to railroad work, he was appointed agent at Wilsonburg, and from there came to Philippi in 1914 as successor of J. L. Ernest, who removed to Belington. Mr. Brittingham has popular- ized himself and the railroad by his efficient work at Phil- ippi, and is deeply interested in community affairs. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club, and during the World war was a member of some of the relief committees. He is a past chancellor of Philippi Lodge No. 61, Knights of Pythias, and sat in the Grand Lodge at Parkersburg in 1918. He is also a Maccabee and is a member of the Offi- cial Board of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In Mercer County, West Virginia, November 22, 1909, Mr. Brittingham married Effie May Honaker, daughter of Rev. John H. and Sarah (Belcher) Honaker. Her father is a retired Methodist minister of Mont Calm, West Vir- ginia, and both he and his wife were born in this state, and their children are: Dr. George Honaker, of Chicago; Wil- liam B., a retired coal operator of Huntington; Jasper, a merchant at Mont Calm, West Virginia; Mrs Alice Neal, of Mercer County; Mrs. Sallie Necessary, of Huntington; and Mrs. Brittingham. Mr. and Mrs. Brittingham have one son, Clayton W., born December 22, 1911. Mr. Britting- ham and wife recently completed an attractive new home at Philippi, a two story cement block house conveniently situated to the Baltimore and Ohio Station. ______________________________X-Message: #6 Date: Mon, 08 Nov 1999 22:13:48 -0500 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook <vfcrook@trellis.net> To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19991108221348.00bc56c0@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: LUTHER CLEARFIELD STEVENS, Barbour 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. 297 Barbour LUTHER CLEARFIELD STEVENS. There has hardly been any time since he was ten years of age when Luther Clearfield Stevens has not been engaged in some work of practical usefulness to himself or others. For over twenty years he has been a resident of Philippi, and has built up a lead- ing service in Barbour County as an undertaker and funeral director. He was born not far from Grantsville in Calhoun County, West Virginia, June 4, 1871. His parents were David E. and Jane (Goff) Stevens, the former a native of Fleming- ton and the latter of Clemtown in Barbour County. David E. Stevens was a small boy when his father died, and he grew up an aid to his widowed mother and acquired only a common school education. He was the only child to survive his father's death. His step-father was Johnson Kelley, and he had a half-brother, Luther Kelley. David E. Stevens was a carpenter by trade, and in 1869, after his marriage, moved to Galhoun County, where he became a farmer. Later he returned to Flemington and resumed the work of his trade, and was employed about the mines until he retired. He is a veteran Union soldier, having served as a private in the Fourth West Virginia Cavalry. L. Clearfield Stevens spent the first five years of his life at his parents home on Sycamore Creek in Calhoun County. His parents then returned to Taylor County, and he grew to manhood at Flemington. He had only a com- mon school education, and about the time he entered his teens he left home and began earning his own way. For two years he worked for a farmer, earning about 50 cents a day, and for four years drove team for Dilworth & Poling, merchants. His next employment was in a saw-mill, and while his industrious habits gave him instant employment at this and other occupations he saved little from his wages. After about six years with the saw-mill he operated a threshing machine around Flemington for two years. He then worked as a housebuilder for a year at Mountain Lake Park. In 1896 Mr. Stevens acquired a saw-mill in Barbour County, and conducted this with a fair degree of profit until 1901, when he sold the mill and, having since 1898 been located at Philippi, he took up the livery business in the county seat. He was in the livery busi- ness four years, and since then has been an undertaker and funeral director. He was attracted as a young man to this profession, but the idea was usually discouraged by his friends. It was only after he was able to command some capital of his own that he put his long cherished purpose into practice, providing himself with some equip- ment and establishing an office on Main Street at Philippi in 1905. The first call for his services was made in March of that year. In May the State Board of Embalmers licensed him after a correspondence course and demonstra- tion work with H. S. F. Echols of Philadelphia. In the passing years Mr. Stevens has steadily added to his equip- ment until he has every facility of the modern funeral director, including motor hearse and office building pro- vided with funeral chapel. Mr. Stevens served for three years as deputy sheriff of Barbour County under Sheriff E. R. Dyer. He is a repub- lican, and is affiliated with the Lodge and Encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the D. O. K. K. and the Maccabees. At Philippi November 14, 1902, he married Miss Daisy Mann, who was born in Barbour County, in November, 1875, daughter of John C. and Sallie (Johnson) Mann. The other children of her parents were Willie, O. J., J. Rush, Basil and Mrs. Annie Stomp. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens have two sons, Edgar and Hayward Kemper. The latter is a student in Broaddus College.