Tyler County, WV Biographies - Genealogy Trails

Tyler County

West Virginia Genealogy Trails
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BIOGRAPHIES

CHARLES EDGAR KAHLE, M. D,, coroner of Tyler County, West Virginia, and a prominent physician and substantial citizen of Sistersville, was born in 1867, in Kahletown, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. He is a son of Frederick P. and Isabel (McCutcheon) Kahle.

The father of Dr. Kahle was born in Jefferson County of German ancestry 78 years ago and still lives, be ing an esteemed resident of Franklin, Pennsylvania. His father was one of the pioneers of Jefferson County. Fredeick P. Kahle was largely engaged in the oil and lumber business for a number of years, and also followed the profession of veterinary surgeon, in which connection he bought horses for the United States government during the Civil War. In religious belief he is a Methodist and he has long been active in both church and Sunday-school work. He is also a leader in the temperance movement. The mother of Dr. Kahle was born in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. Her parents were early settlers from Ireland and Scotland. She still lives, at the age of 71 years. The children born to Dr. Kahle's parents were: Benton T., Emanuel, Clarence. Dr. Albert W., Dr. Raymond, Frederick I., Dr. William A., Dr. Charles E., Francis U., Philip A., Harry V. and Alice A., wife of Dorn Henderson.

Dr. Charles E. Kahle was given excellent educational advantages. After completing the common school course at Plumer, Pennsylvania, he entered the Normal School at Rouseville, took a business course at Duff's Commercial College at Pittsburg in 1888 and then entered the drug business at Lima, Ohio. Later he entered the Normal School , at Ada, Ohio, and was graduated in pharmacy. He then re-entered the drug business and was so connected for eight years, at Lima, Ohio, and at Warren, Pennsylvania, He then traveled for one year in the interest of a drug house through Minnesota and Dakota. In 1894 he entered the medical department of the University of Indiana at Indianapolis, where he was graduated in 1897 in medicine and surgery. In April of the latter year he located in Sistersville, and entered into partnership—making the firm of Drs. Kahle & Kahle—with his brother, the late Dr. William A. Kahle, who was killed in the spring of 1899. in the Spanish-American War, at the age of 35, years, at the time being surgeon in the 2nd Regiment, New York Infantry, U. S. Volunteers.

In the spring of 1898 Dr. Kahle took a trip to Europe in order to take advantage of special study in surgery under the distinguished English specialist. Sir Frederick Treves, who later added to his fame by his successful treatment of King Edward VII. He was also under instruction from the almost equally noted surgeons, Sir Warren Tay and Tomas Openshaw. The spring of 1899 was spent in travel from the European center to another and he is also engaged in special work under Drs. Neiscer and Skoder atVienna, Austria; Before his return to Sistersville, he visited various other places of interest and attended clinics in Rome and Naples, Italy, and also visited North Africa. With all this added experience, Dr. Kahle resumed practice at his former home and continued until his enthusiasm for special study again induced him to go abroad. In April. 1901, he went to England and took up the study of the eye under Drs. Collins and Lang at Morfield's Hospital, and the nose and throat under Drs. Kick and Tilley at Golden Square, returning in the succeeding winter. Since that time he has diligently and most successfully engaged in practice, winning daily more laurels in his profession. In 1898 he was appointed coroner of Tyler County, which office he still retains. He is a member of the American Medical Association and in 1901 was elected a member of the International British Congress on Tuberculosis which met in London that year, having in the previous year taken special work at the Chicago Polyclinic Hospital. Politically he is like his father, identified with the Republican party. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of the Maccabees, and is surgeon of the First Battalion, Uniform Rank of theKnights of Pythias, of West Virginia. Dr. Kahle is one of the directors of the Farmers' & Producers' National Bank of Sistersville, one of the most prominent financial institutions of the State, and is also extensively interested in the oil business.

In 1899, Dr. Kahle was married to Elizabeth B. Hayes, who was born in 1875, in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, being a daughter of William G. and Anna (Hart) Hayes, and they have one child, Charles Edgar, Jr. Dr. Kahle and his wife belong to the Presbyterian Church.

Source: Men of West Virginia, Biographical Publishing Company, George Richmond, Pres.; C. R. Arnold, Secy. & Treas., 1903, transcribed by C. Anthony

JOHN KINKAID, secretary of the Tyler Traction Company of Sistersville, West Virginia, and for the last fifteen years a prominent man of affairs in that community, is a descendant of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and has displayed throughout his career the salient characteristics of the stock from which he sprang.

(I) Rev. Samuel P. Kinkaid was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, and from early manhood to the close of his life was a minister of the Presbyterian church. He passed away in 1873, leaving a record of earnest usefulness. He married and had a son, John, of whom further.

II) John, son of Samuel P. Kinkaid. was born July 13, 1869, in Butler county, Pennsylvania. He received his education in the schools
of Indiana. Pennsylvania, finishing at the State Normal School at that place. At the age of eighteen he began his business career in a general store in the city of Indiana, remaining ten years and gaining experience which proved of great value when his abilities procured him entrance into wider fields of endeavor. He removed thence to Blairsville, Pennsylvania, where he organized a company for the sale of gas and took charge of the business from its inception. In 1897 he came to Sistersville, and associated himself with the firm of Treat & Crawford, who were the largest oil producers at Elk Fork Pool. In 1993 he severed his connection with the company and was elected assistant cashier of the Farmers' and Producers' National Bank of Sistersville. In 1903 he was one of the organizers of the People's National Bank, and served as its assistant cashier until 1908, when he was promoted to the position of cashier. This office he resigned in 1910, and since that time has devoted himself to the furtherance of varied interests, notably the Tyler Traction Company. This is an electric road running from Sistersville to Middleboume, and is now nearly completed. In addition to holding the office of secretary Mr. Kinkaid serves as member of the board of directors. In 1911 Mr. Kinkaid was appointed by the county court to represent the district, which is bonded for two hundred thousand dollars, to adjust differences between the district and the road, and to see that the road fulfills its part of the contract. Mr. Kinkaid is then to deliver to the road a certain amount of the bonds, which are thirty-year bonds, and to receive in return stock for the district. In politics Mr. Kinkaid is an ardent Republican, and has always taken an active and influential part in the councils of his parly. Mr. Kinkaid is one of the men who, wherever they may reside, are always foremost in promoting the best interests of the community, keeping it by their tireless enterprise and indomitable perseverance ever in the van of progress and improvement.

Mr. Kinkaid married, June 23, 1900, Blanche, daughter of Captain Ephraim Wells, an outline of whose career is appended to this sketch, and they have one son, John Wells, born May 20, 1907. This, their only child, is a boy of such intelligence and promise as fully justifies the bright anticipations of his parents and grandparents.

Source: Men of West Virginia, Biographical Publishing Company, George Richmond, Pres.; C. R. Arnold, Secy. & Treas., 1903, transcribed by C. Anthony