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Wheeling Biographies

People of Wheeling Icon
➤  WHEELING HISTORY  ➤  PEOPLE 

PEOPLE OF WHEELING

"When some people think of Wheeling, they picture the historic monuments, such as West Virginia Independence Hall and the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. Others may recall pivotal events, such as the Battle for Fort Henry or Sen. Joseph McCarthy's infamous speech about "secret communists." However, it is Wheeling's citizens who have shaped the monuments, fought the wars, and sung the arias."¹

¹Duffy, S., & Carney, B. (2013). Legendary locals of Wheeling, West Virginia. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
A  Arkle, Edward A. 1876 1946 Newspaper man
  Armstrong, Alexander 1775 1868 Early newspaper man, built Fulton paper mill
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
B Bachman, Wheeler H. 1870 1932 Dry goods jobber and financier and a portrait of Mr. Bachman
  Bagby, Sara Lucy 1833 1906 Last person returned to slavery under the Fugitive Slave Act
  Bates, Charles W. 1870 1927 Architect
  Beltz, John W. 1861 1932 Manufacturer of building materials and contractor
  Bennett, Louis, Jr. 1894 1918 WWI Flying Ace
  Berry, Charles H. 1825 1889 Rope and cordage manufacturer and merchant
  Berry, Chu 1908 1941 Jazz musician
  Bippus, Edward S. 1884 ? Physician
  Birch, John Mitchell 1851 1911 Linsly Headmaster, City Superintendent of Schools.
  Bleakmore, M. M. 1818 ? Lawyer
  Bloch, Jesse A. 1879 1951 Politician and Businessman
  Bloch, Samuel S. 1850 1937 Founder of Bloch Brothers Tobacco
  Boggs, Lydia 1766 1867 Frontier's Woman, Mistress of Shepard Hall (Monument Place)
  Brittingham, Jacob 1852 1926 Rector of St. Luke's church in early years of 20th century
  Brues, Hal 1872 1949 President of water board
  Bullard, Dr. Robert Hazlett 1853 1922 Physician
  Burdats, Dr. O. W. 1870 1957 Dentist 
  Burke, Walter 1841 1923 Street car worker since 1860s 
  Burkett, Jesse 1868 1953 Baseball Hall of Fame member
  Burrus, William     African American Postal Executive
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
C Caldabaugh, Harry E. 1879 1975 Engineer and businessman
  Carey, Dominick 1844 1892 Contractor: Terminal Railway bridge; killed building Main Street Bridge
  Carlin, Capt. John 1823 1887 Soldier in Mexican War and Civil War
  Carney, E. B. 1852 1927 Proprietor of the Windsor Hotel
  Carter, Mr. and Mrs. A. E. -- -- Celebrate their 49th wedding anniversary
  Clouse, Harry T. 1892 1956 Sheriff of Ohio County
  Coen, Alexander 1822 1887 Carpenter
  Colmar, Fred 1872 1929 Printer, newspaper man
  Connelley, Martin Luther 1842 1928 Insurance man
  Crockard, John 1847 1916 Wharf-master, Crockard & Booth proprietor
  Curtis, Hannah M. 1824 1904 Wife of Gen. William Baker Curtis of West Liberty
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
D Davis, Rebecca Harding 1831 1910 Author, pioneer in literary realism.
  Day, Elijah 1794 1887 Grocer, Public Official
  Dungan, Ellis 1909 2001 International Film Director
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
E Ebeling, Henry 1805 1887 Musician
  Elig, Charles (Chas.) J. 1863 1906 Carriage maker
  Eberts, George S. 1867 1921 Businessman involved in Richland school district
  Ellet, Charles, Jr. 1810   1862 Suspension Bridge engineer
  Ellingham, William 1837 1922 Pioneer in IOOF and wholesale grocery business
  Elliott, W. B. 1867 1957 Founder of Elliott School of Business
  Eoff, Beverly 1822 1887 Prominent business man
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
F Faris, Frederick 1870 1927 Architect
  Fluty, Beverly 1931 2009 Preservationist
  Franzheim, Charles W 1853 1912 Architect
  Franzheim, Edward Bates 1866 1942 Architect
  Freese, Gene 1934 2013 Professional baseball player
  Frew, John - - Newspaper Publisher
  Frissell, John, M.D. 1810 1893 Physician and Co-founder of Wheeling Hospital
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
G Garden, John B. 1860 1940 Wheeling Electric Company
  Gacioch, Rose 1915 2004 Professional baseball player
  Gee, Harry Walter 1880 1971 Gee Electric Company
  Gilchrist, George R. E. 1857 1940? Attorney
  Girty, Simon 1741 1818 Frontiersmen, renegade, subject of Zane Grey's frontier trilogy series, Betty Zane, Spirit of the Border and The Last Trail.
  Glasscock, Jack 1859 1947 Major league baseball player
  Good, L.S. 1855 1927 Department store founder 
  Goshorn, W. S. 1814 1891 Businessman, owner of last slave returned under the Fugitive Slave Act.
  Greer, Joseph 1792? ? Pioneer, soldier, boatman
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
H Hall, Granville Davisson 1837 1934 Second secretary of state of West Virginia (1865 to 1867), Wheeling Intelligencer editor, Author of Rending of Virginia (1902) and other books
  Hall, Van B. 1835 1887 Businessman
  Hamm, Harry 1923 1991 Journalist/City Editor
  Haskins, Dr. Thomas M. 1859 1938 Doctor, Hospital Director
  Hearne, Col. Julian G. 1904 1995 Lawyer/Army Officer/Songwriter
  Hearne, Dr. Lydia Cromwell
(Mrs. Julian Hearne)		 1874 1961 Physician and civic leader
  Hearne, William L. 1818 1895 Prominent manufacturer of Wheeling
  Henderson, Campbell 1881 1953 General manager of Wheeling Telegraph
  Hoge, Francis Lyell 1841 1901 City Engineer (Main St. Bridge)
  Holliday, Dr. Gail Hamilton 1872 1969 Teacher and naturalist
  Horkheimer, Morris 1849 1912 Businessman and civic leader
  Hubbard, Chester D. 1814 1891 Congressman, businessman, state founder 
  Hubbard, William P.
(Hubbard, Chester D., Hubbard, Dana)		 1843 1921 Statesman & legislator
  Hughes, Dr. Eliza 1817 1882 Physician
  Hugus, Wright 1890 1958 Lawyer and legislator
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
I Irvine, William B. 1866 1940 National Bank of West Virginia
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
J Jaeger, Otto 1853 1941 Founder of Fostoria, Seneca, and Bonita Art Glass
  Jones, Dr. Harriet B. 1846 1943 Physician, Legislator, Suffrage Leader
  Jones, J. McHenry 1858 1909 Educator, author, African American leader
  Jones, Wilbur S.  1909 1977 Stone & Thomas executive 
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
K Kelley, Benjamin F. 1807 1891 Civil War Brig. General
K Kirkpatrick, Frank C. 1873 ? Involved in oil development
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
L Lee, Everett 1916   Classical music conductor
  Leighton, William 1833 1911 Glass manufacturer and poet
  Lias, William G. 1900 1970 Racetrack Owner and entreprenuer
  Luikert, Fritz (Jacob Frederick) 1857 1940 Maker of Unzer-Fritz bacon and sausage
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
M McColloch, Samuel 1750/2? 1778 Of leap fame
  McLain, D. B. ? 1880 Pioneer printer and journalist (Evening Argus)
  McLure, John 1816 1893 Steamboat captain and boatbuilder
  McLure, John ? ? Merchant and hotel founder
  Markell, Harold R. 1887 1971 Businessman
  Miller, Wilbert S. 1883 1944 Real estate agent
  Moore, John A. 1870 1951 Warwood Tool Co.
  Moss, Joel E. 1887 ? Founder of J. E. Moss Iron Works
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
P Page, William ? 1879 Head engineer on the towboat Nail City
  Paull, Judge James 1818 1875 Judge
  Paull, Lee C. 1889 1958 Insurance Underwriter
  Paxton, James W. 1821 1896 Businessman, state founder
  Peppers, George H. 1830 1879 Riverman
  Peterson, William F. ? 1896 Business Man
  Pierpont, Francis 1814   1899 Father of West Virginia
  Pollack, Augustus 1830 1906 Wheeling Stogies
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
R Rainbow, J. S. 1858 1947 Prominent African-American resident
  Reilly, Michael 1808 1892 Wholesale grocer, businessman
  Reppetto, Harvey Bender 1886 1940 Associated with Wheeling Stove and Range Co.
  Reuther, Walter 1907 1970 Labor and Civil Rights leader
  Reymann, Anton 1837 1924 Brewer, Businessman
  Robertson, Richard 1845 1928 Printer, involved in newspaper development
  Rogers, Alexander 1802 1887 Merchant
  Rogers, George Jackson 1876 1957 Attorney
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
S Sands, Col. George H. 1856 1920 Retired Army officer
  Schmeichel, Frederick 1841 1892 Furniture maker, businessman
  Schmulbach, Henry 1844 1915 Brewer, businessman
  Schrader, Louis 1869 ? Court reporter
  Schwinn, Dr. Jacob ? ? Prominent physician
  Scott, John T. 1849 1923 Founder of Scott Lumber
  Scroggins, Frank R. ? ? Proprietor of White Swan Laundry
  Short, John M. ? ? Policeman, deputy U.S. Marshal
  Shriver, Gen. W. W. 1805 1880 Politician, businessman
  Simeral, Glenning D. ? ? Printer
  Smith, W. C. 1822? 1897 Civil engineer
  Sonneborn, Moses 1855 1929 Businessman
  Spears, William 1816 1904 Businessman, Axle Manufacturer
  Speidel, Joseph 1843 1918 Wholesale grocer
  Sprigg Family (Zachariah and Samuel)     Early Settlers
  Stamm, William ? ? Early Wheeling resident
  Steber, Eleanor 1914 1990 Opera Singer
  Steinmetz, Christian 1843 ? Box manufacture
  Stone, E.J. ? ? Co-founder of Stone & Thomas department stores
  Stone, E.J. (II) ? ? Stone & Thomas department stores
  Stroehmann, Baker Fred ? ? Stroehmann's Vienna Bakery
  Sweeney, A. J. 1827 1893 Founder of Wheeling Electric, Mayor of Wheeling
  Sweeney, Thomas 1827 1893 Colonel
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
T Thomas, Ann Prince 1938   First Black Registered Nurse
  Thomas, Clyde 1940 2006 First Black City Councilman and Wheeling Ironmen Football Player
  Thomas, Thomas P. 1827 1923 Grandson of Betty Zane
  Thompson, William P. ? 1896 Financier, connected with Standard Oil
  Tighe, M. F. ? ? Elected president of the Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assembly
  Todd, Dr. Archibald S. April 10, 1798 May 1, 1883 Physician
  Turner, William Alexander 1865 1928 Wheeling's first African American police officer
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
W Wagner, Edward  1856 1929 Wholesale Grocer
  Wemple, Charles E. ? ? Founder of American Stone Co., pulpstone manufacturer
  Wetzel, Lewis 1763 1808 Early Frontiersman
  Wetzel, Martin ? ? Brother of Lewis Wetzel
  Wilkinson, Nathan ? 1889 Businessman, Civil War commander
         
  NAME BIRTH  DEATH  SIGNIFICANCE
Y Yarnall, John Joliffe 1786  1815 Naval hero of Lake Erie, War of 1812
  Young, John "J.J."  1929 2004 Railroad photographer and educator
   
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NAME BIRTH DEATH SIGNIFICANCE
Z Zane, Betty 1765 1823 Heroine of Fort Henry
  Zane, Ebenezer 1747 1811 A Founding Father of Wheeling

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