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Tyler
County
West Virginia Genealogy
Trails
A part of the
Genealogy Trails History Group
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Tyler County Biographies
"S" Surnames
The SHORE Family in Middlebourne
John Fleming Shore, of Middlebourne, West Virginia,
descends from English ancestry, the first one of the name to come to
the New World being Johnathan Shore. He was a passenger on one of
the small sailing vessels that infrequently plied between London and
America. He most probably landed at Jamestown, at that time the port
of entry into Virginia. Later he, or his son, moved to what is now
known as Petersburg, Virginia, and there established himself.
(1) Simeon Shore, a descendant of the emigrant,
Johnathan Shore, was for years a prosperous blacksmith in
Petersburg, Virginia. Seeing better opportunities in the western
part of the state he moved thence, to what is now Harrison county,
West Virginia. Among his children was Albert, of whom further.
(2) Albert, son of Simeon Shore, was born in Fairmont,
Virginia, now West Virginia. He was a blacksmith by trade, believing
with benjamin Franklin that "he who has a trade has an estate." He
was known for miles around for the thouroughness of his work and his
desire to please his patrons. He also combined farming with
blacksmithing. The dual occupation paying him handsomely. He was a
devout Christian and was one of the founders of the Methodist
Protestant church, and continued one of its staunch supporters until
the day of his death. He married the widow of John Patterson, and
the daughter of David Morris. Among his children was John Fleming,
of whom further.
(3) John Fleming, son of Albert and ______
(Morris-Paterson) Shore, was born in Shinnston, Harrison County, now
West Virginia, August 14, 1856. He was educated in the public school
in Shinnston, the Fairmont Normal, and Phillips Academy, Andover,
Massachussets. On leaving school he engaged in the book and
stationary business at Clarksburg, West Virginia for four years.
Disposing of his interest he moved to Arizona, where he entered the
mining business,remaining two years. At the expiration of that time
he returned to Clarksburg, an in 1891 was appointed deputy
postmaster at Clarksburg, which position he held for three years
when he resigned and went to Muncy, Indiana. Later he again returned
to Clarksburg, accepted the position as clerk in the Traders Hotell,
and was made manager of the same in a short time. In this position
he continued until he was offered that of general bookkeeper in the
traders Bank, which he held until 1901, when he came to Middlebourne
as cashier of the Middlebourne Bank. He remained with this
institution six years, and on resigning came once again to
Clarksburg. In 1909,he went to Middlebourne and became largely
interested in real estate. He was one of the promoters of the
Clarksburg & Northern railroad, and is one of its directors. He
is vice-president of the Bank of Middlebourne; president of the
Tyler Brick and Tile Company; was mayor and was instrumental in
getting the streets paved and sewers put in, and in building of the
water works. He is president of the Board of Trade and president of
the Tyler County Fair Association.
On July 19, 1893, he married (first) Cora Patterson,
now deceased, daughter of Wesley and Rebecca Paterson; he married
(second) the widow of I. C. Powell, and daughter of W. N. and Mary A
Jemison.
West Virginia and Its People, Volume 2 page 382, By
James Condit Miller, Hu Maxwell 1913, Submitted by Rodney
Henthron
SMITH, Gilbert D.
(Democrat)
, Address: St. Marys, West Va. Member of
the House of Delegates from Pleasants county. Born in Tyler
county, Virginia (now West Virginia), September 3, 1855; educated in
the common and academic schools; Prosecuting Attorney of Tyler county 1885-1886; Prosecuting Attorney
of Pleasants county from January 1, 1909, to January
1, 1913; Presidential Elector-at-Large for Wilson and Marshall, 1912; a lawyer
by profession; elected to the Legislature in 1916 and during
the 1917 session received and filled the following committee assignments; Judiciary,
Private Corporations and Joint Stock Companies and the Penitentiary.
Source: West Virginia Official Register, Compiled
and Edited by John T. Harris, Clerk of The Senate
1917
STOCKING, GEORGE WASHBURN
The subject of this sketch was born in the City of
Wheeling, W. Va., on the 26th day of November, 1834; came to
Sistersville with his father’s family in the year 1841; attended the
common schools of the village, receiving a limited education; spent
the summer of 1854 at the Marietta High School; assisted his father
in operating a saw and grist mill during the years 1855 and 1856. In
1857 attended Duff’s Mercantile College, of Pittsburg, Pa.; in 1858
was clerk on a steamboat on the Ohio river. From 1859 to 1864 he
operated a saw mill on a tract of timber in Tyler county. In the
year 1864 commenced drilling a well for oil, using the mill
machinery to drill the well. After several months of tedious work,
reached a depth of 525 feet, stuck the tools and abandoned the hole.
At the time the hole was drilled the price of oil was above $6.00
per barrel. Today a well within a few feet of this old hole, at 1000
feet, is a well producing oil and gas, with the market at 68 cents
per barrel.
Philo W. Stocking, father of G. W. Stocking, always
anticipated the finding of oil or other valuable minerals in this
county, and assisted in drilling the above mentioned well, and spent
considerable money in searching for coal, iron ore and other
minerals. In 1805 he sold a tract of land, excepting the oil and
mineral under said land; to-day his family are receiving the benefit
of his forethought and wisdom.
In the year 1807 Mr. G. W. Stocking married Miss
Harriet B. Gillespie, daughter of the late Dr. James L. Gillespie,
of Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, whose family was driven from the
valley for their union sentiments. The doctor served as assistant
surgeon of the Fourteenth West Virginia Infantry, and in the year
1866 as surgeon of Hancocks Vetern Corps, while stationed in the
City of Philadelphia. Two sons were the result of this marriage, one
of whom died in infancy; the other is at this time attending Duff’s
College of Pittsburg, Pa.
Twenty years of Mr. Stockings life was spent on a
farm, three miles from his present residence, which he still owns
and is producing oil. Mr. Stocking has built himself a comfortable
home in the oil metropolis of West Virginia, where he is enjoying
the fruits of his early industry, economy and good fortune.
George Washburn Stocking is one of Sistersville’s most
prominent and honored citizens. He is noted for his enterprising and
progressive spirit and has never been found wanting when the best
interest of the metropolis is at stake. His public spirit has been
demonstrated on more than one occasion, and to Mr. Stocking and
kindred spirits is due the high standing of Sistersville.
Source:
Submitted by Rodney
Henthorn
SWAN,
FRANK PERCY, general manager of the Swan Printing and
Stationery Company, the leading organization of its kind in West Virginia, is
one of Huntington's representative business men and foremost
citizens, closely identified as he is with all the best
interests of our city.
Albert Galbert Nicholson Swan, father of
Frank Percy Swan, was born May 11, 1835, at Middlebourne, where he
is now living, having retired from business. For many years, he held
the office of deputy sheriff. He married Nancy F., born May 17,
1840, at Miildlebourne, daughter of James Kramer, and they became
the parents of the following children: James Kramer, died in
infancy: Charles McClellan, born September 22, 1862, now of
Middlel»onnie; William Engle, born May 3, 1865, editor of the Wetzel
Republican, New Martinsville, West Virginia: Florence Edwin, born
November 9, 1867, died October 5, 1905; Frank Percy, mentioned
below; Ernest Albert, born May 13, 1874, died September 8, 1894; and
Daisy Ethel, born December 11, 1876, now Mrs. Herman Wheeler, of
Middlebourne. The parents of these children, on April 4, 1910,
celebrated the golden anniversary of their marriage.
Frank Percy, son of Albert Gallbert Nicholson and
Nancy E. (Kramer) Swan, was born October 22, 1871, at Middlebourne,
Tyler county, West Virginia, and received his education in the
public schools of his native place. After leaving school he began
work in the printing office of the Old West Virginia Echo, published
at Middlebourne and editedby J. D. Shaw, now of the Moundsville
Daily Echo, Moundsville, West Virginia. Mr. Swan worked two years in
the Middlebourne office, and when, at the end of that time, the
paper was removed to Moundsville, he went with it, remaining two
years longer. In 1891 he came to Huntington and entered the service
of the Baptist Manner, retaining his position until
the organization of the Swan Printing and Stationery Companv. This
was in 1903 and the founders were Mr. Swan and F. A. Kiger.
Their first place of business was on Third avenue, a small room ten
by fifteen feet, and containing but one press. Both the partners,
however, were practical printers and the business more than kept
pace with the growth of the city, and today it is the largest
establishment of its kind in West Virginia.
In 1904 the company was
incorporated under the name of Swan & Kiger, and in 1906
when Mr. Kiger retired, the Swan Printing and Stationery Company was incorporated, with a capital of
twenty thousand dollars. The directors are Mr, Swan, F. L. Whitaker,
C. C. Dusenberry, Frank Enslow, junior, Dennis McNeil, R. M. Baker
and Homer Klem. In 1911 the firm outgrew its quarters and contracted
for a new building at 1045-1047 Fourth avenue; this structure is
thirty feet wide by two hundred feet deep, of re-enforced concrete
and brick, being thus fire-proof. It contains over twenty thousand
square feet, and is used exclusively by the company, whose capital
has been increased to sixty thousand dollars, paid in full. The
company employs about twenty-five hands in the mechanical
department, and have three salesmen, one for the city and two for
the out-of-town trade. They are exclusive dealers in the
Globe-Wernicke bookcases and filing devices, the Monarch Visible
Typewriter and several office devices of merit, besides carrying at
all times about twenty-five thousand dollars' worth of oftice
supplies.
The quality of Mr. Swan's enterprise and
ability may be inferred from the fact that when he left the oftice
of the Baptist Banner he had risen through the respective positions
of "devil," foreman and business manager, to the office of editor.
In politics Mr. Swan is a Republican. He is eminent commander of
Huntington Commandery No. Q, Knights Templar, Huntington Lodge of
Perfection No. 14, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of
Freemasonry, and a member of Huntington Chapter, No. 6. Royal Arch
Masons, Huntington Lodge, No. 53, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons,
Benj. Kedem Temple, Shriners, and Huntington Council No. 53. United
Commercial Travelers. He belongs to the Chamber of Commerce, and is
a member of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church. Mr. Swan is a self-made
man. and in the great business establishment which he founded and
now directs has reared a magnificent monument to his boldness of
enterprise, soundness of judgment and sterling business
ability.
Mr. Swan married. September 23, 1896, in
Huntington, Fannie Beauchamp, a native of our city, daughter of
Granville Wells, who died in Huntington many years ago. Mr. and Mrs.
Swan are the parents of one daughter: Mary Ann, born May 26,
1902.
Source: West Virginia &
Its People, by Thomas Condit Miller & Hu Maxwell, 1913,
Transcribed by C.
Anthony
SWEENEY, John D. (Democrat) Address:
Williamstown, West Va. Born February 9, 1860, at Alma, Tyler county;
educated in the public schools and at the West Virginia
University, graduating in the class of 1885, with degrees of B. S.
and M. S.; eight years a member of State Board of
Examiners for teachers; assistant principal and for six years
principal of Concord State Normal; state senator 1887-1891; engaged
now in the oil business; elected to the House from Wood county
in 1916; committee assignments, 1917; Education (Chairman); Claims
and Grievances, Printing and Contingent Expenses, Counties,
Districts and Municipal Corporations.
Source:
West Virginia Official Register, Compiled and Edited by John
T. Harris, Clerk of The Senate 1917
Transcribed by C. Anthony
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