U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Chorpenning, Millard Filmore --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 713-714, MILLARD FILMORE CHORPENNING. The old Forman homestead now consisting of 170 acres is owned by M. F. Chorpenning. The house was built by Isaac Forman in 1794, and has always been occupied. It was built by compass, and stands due East and West, and has had but little added since its erection 118 years ago. The north side has had only two roofs, but the south has been favored with three coverings. Laps and oak shingles were used, and are still in a good state of preservation. They were nailed on with hand-made nails out of the very best of charcoal iron. The house has six rooms, two down stairs, and four up. The frame part is made of hewed logs, and saddle-backed so substantially the structure still stands not yet one-half inch out of plumb, and it probably will stand yet another hundred years, if not removed for some special purpose. The barn was built soon after the house was put up, and the old orchard planted about that time also, is still bearing fruit, and from the first has never ceased to bring forth its kind after its kind, though its trees are now over one hundred years old. One old patriarch standing in the midst of the orchard, has not only brought forth its golden fruit from year to year from the time it first began to bear, but its yield has been about fifty bushels annually. The first newspaper in Preston county was issued from this house. The paper was began by Frank Alter and Joseph Miller. It was called into existence by the memorable presidential campaign of 1840. It was called The Mt. Pleasant Democrat or The Preston County Democrat. It was an ultra whig-journal, although from its name one would suppose it was a Democratic paper. It supported the election of General Harrison with great vehemence. There is no copy of the paper now to be found. The homestead never changed hands but once. F. M. Chorpenning got it from his father, Jonathan Chorpenning, who bought it of John C. Forman, son of Isaac Forman in 1850. It is probably one of the nicest farms in Preston county. Scientific farming and thrifty husbandry have preserved the fertility of its soil, and its capacity for yielding grain seems to be not one whit lessened since it was first cleared off. It is only seldom that such a clean, well kept, and well regulated farm like this one is found anywhere. Jonathan Chorpenning, son of Judge Henry Chorpenning, took possession of this old Forman homestead on April 1, 1850, and he lived there until he died on March 6, 1874. He was the son of Henry and Mary Shoaf Chorpenning, of Somerset county, Pennsylvania. Henry, the father, was a highly educated gentleman, and Judge of the Court for a number of years. His son, Jonathan, also had the advantages of a (fine education, and made good use of it as an agriculturist. He married Elizabeth Hay, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Hay of Somerset, Pennsylvania. They reared a family of fourteen children, five of whom died in infancy, and nine of them grew up to manhood and womanhood, and five of whom only are now living. They are as follows: Malinda, born January 3, 1833, died in 1904; Franklin, born in 1835; Clarissa, who married Henry Brown, now dead; Elizabeth, born in 1839. She married Cyrus Shader, and was drowned July 4, 1904. Henrietta, born in 1841, married William B. Marks. He was a soldier in the late war, and is now living in Westmoreland county, eighty-five years old. Hannah, born in 1843, died in 1909; Harrison, born in 1845, and lives in Fayette county, Pennsylvania; Simon Michael, born in 1847, now dead. Millard Filmore Chorpenning, born one year after his father settled here, has always lived on the old home place. Like his father before him, he is an educated man and has turned it all to the account of an agriculturalist. February 2, 1885, he was married to Nancy J. Waddell, from which union were born seven boys and one girl. Alonzo J., the eldest, was born June 24, 1885. He is married, and by his wife, Ettie Kissenger, became the father of two children: Mary, now dead, and Arthur Blaine. They live at Green Ridge, Maryland. (2) Charles W., born in 1887. He died in infancy. (3) Walter Elmo, born in 1889. He is an electrician at Connellsville, Pennsylvania. (4) Lloyd S., born in 1891, is now completing a course of study in the Normal College at Shepherdstown, West Virginia. He has taught school two terms. (5) Homer O., born in 1893, is a teacher in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. (6) Henry Ward, born in 1895, is a bricklayer in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. (7) Creed McKinley, born in 1897, is an electrician at Connellsville, Pennsylvania. (8) Lucy A., born March 30, 1900, now in school. Mr. Chorpenning was road-supervisor several terms, but his attentions are directed solely to farming and stock raising, at which he has been eminently successful. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------