U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Beerbower, Charles W. (b. 1872) --------------------------------------------------------------------- A History of Preston County West Virginia Biographical Department, Supplied by J. R. Cole Kingwood, W. Va., The Journal Publishing Company, 1914 by H. S. Whetsell Pages 645-647 The history of the Beerbower family in America dates to the year 1752, so far as we have been able to trace the lineage. September 26, 1752, a ship, "William and Mary," set sail from Rotterdam, Holland; master, John Moore. It was one of a fleet conveying German and Dutch Hollanders to the then new world, America. On ship were two brothers Casper and Philip Bierbauer, with a younger sister, who died on the voyage and was buried at sea. Casper Bierbauer settled in York county, Pa., where he took out naturalization papers in 1777. Among his descendants are some very notable characters. Possibly the best known was the late Vincent Beerbower, member of the State Legislature of Nebraska, and later Lieutenant Governor of Idaho. The late Austin Bierbower, LL. D., lawyer, author and philosopher, whose name you will find in "Who's Who in America," was also a descendant of this brother. Philip, Sr., settled on the Conewago Creek, York county, Pa., and was the father of seven children: Philip, Jr., Peter, Frederick, John, Jacob, Susan and Sarah. Of these only Philip, Jr., remained in Virginia, the others emigrating to Ohio, Indiana and other western states. Philip, Jr., is the ancestor of all the families bearing the name Beerbower in West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. He was born in 1799 and died April 18, 1872. The Beerbower homestead at Glade Farms, West Virginia, was near the site of old Fort Morris. The subject of this sketch, Charles W. Beerbower, was born June 29, 1872. His father, George Stough, the oldest of the family of Philip, Jr., born November 22, 1820, died July 19, 1879, leaving a widow and five children: Martha, Mary, Charles W., Emma and Lloyd George. It was largely due to the good management of the mother, and the oldest sister, Martha, and some help from the late Rev. W. D. Beerbower, then a student at Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia, that the family were kept together and that true home spirit was developed that ever afterwards was a characteristic of the children, and especially of the subject of this sketch. Charles W. left home at the age of nine years, and from that time on was carving his own way in the world, spending his boyhood days on Muddy Creek and then at Glade Farms until he was nineteen years old, — working on farms, and attending the public schools in the winter time. At the age of nineteen he left the familiar scenes of his boyhood days, and the recollections of the stories told him of old Fort Morris and the settlement of his great-grandfather, and took up the life of a colporteur and lecturer on "Pilgrim's Progress." After spending one summer with the Bunyan's Pilgrim Band in the famous Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, he returned to Preston and took a term in the Terra Alta Summer Normal and secured a teacher's certificate, teaching his first term at the Falkenstine School, Grant district. Following lecturing and colporteur work in the summer months and teaching in the winter season gave him a varied experience. In 1893 he was one of a party of four who were sent to the Columbian Exposition, Chicago, Ill., by John C. Winston Co. of Philadelphia. After teaching a term in the public school at Bruceton, West Virginia, he again joined the Pilgrim Band in Washington, D. C, and traveled with Prof. McGrew until he organized "The Pilgrim Travelers" at Boonesboro, Md., August 27, 1895. He was lecturer, Prof. Martell Morrison, vocalist, and W. H. Thornton, manager. In this capacity he traveled all over southern Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, giving in all over 300 lectures. Attending the seminary at Buckhannon, W. Va., in the spring term, 1899, and teaching a term at Masontown, W. Va., he abandoned the lecture work and entered the role of clerk in the mercantile firm of Lakin & Offut, Rowlesburg. W. Va. September 19, 1900, he married Della S. Thomas, daughter of William and Martha Thomas of Elliottsville, Pa., whose ancestors go back to the Brandenburgs of Germany. Locating at Terra Alta and teaching one term in the public schools of Kingwood, he then accepted a position with the Union Supply Co. as clerk, but was soon promoted to manager, and which position he now holds at Monarch store, one of the best of the chain of 63 stores of the Steel Corporation. He is a member of the Leiseuring Presbyterian church and of Gen. Worth Lodge, I. O. O. F., Connellsville, Pa. His family consists of his wife, Della, and two daughters, Evangeline Lucile and Eleanor Beatrice. He is interested in all matters pertaining to the betterment of the laboring classes and is a firm believer in the abolition of the liquor traffic as the greatest benefit that we can bestow upon the American people to help them to a better plane of living. He is now engaged with James Bierbower of Lampasas, Texas, in compiling a book entitled "The House of Bierbower," being a history of all the different families bearing the name. He conceived the idea of the Bierbower reunions, of which the first was held at Glade Farms, August 24, 1912, and at which over 500 people were present. --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Preston County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/preston/bios.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------