U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Garner, Winfield Scott (b. 1848) --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 663-666, WINFIELD SCOTT GARNER. Winfield Scott Garner of Tunnelton, the dean of Preston county journalism and the first native of the county to occupy the editorial tripod within her borders, was born in what is now Grant district, January 16, 1848. His primary instruction was received in the public schools, and he later attended the Brandonville academy and the old Kingwood academy. Entering life with a thirst for knowledge, but surrounded by no fortuitous circumstances and compelled to rely on his own unaided efforts in securing an education, he has remained a close student of the world for sixty years — gathering facts at first hand and thinking them out to their ultimate conclusions. With contemporary history he has interwoven the past experience of mankind, as recorded by the writers of ail ages, and sums up the result of his study by saying the world is yet in the morning twilight of its civilization; that mankind is still half savage; that much of what men think they know is non-existent, and much of what actually exists is still unknown. He believes that the institutions under which we live are man-made and can be un- made or re-made whenever human intelligence reaches the high plane necessary to re- create or improve them. But while inclined to historic and philosophic studies, Mr. Garner has not been merely a dreamer. His life has rather been filled with active, hard work. Immediately after leaving school at Kingwood he entered the store of J. P. Jones & Co., at St. George, Tucker county, where he became postmaster and remained until the fall of 1869. He then purchased a third interest in "The Journal" at Kingwood, and, beginning at the bottom, he thoroughly learned the printing business. In 1871 he went to Grafton and bought a half-interest in the "Grafton Sentinel," which he practically edited for three years, winning considerable reputation as a writer. When that paper was sold to Charles M. Shinn of Fairmont, Mr. Garner started the "Grafton Times," and while publishing that journal he issued the first daily paper ever printed in Grafton. In 1877 he went to Chicago, where for five years he was connected with the press of that city — one year with the Lakeside Publishing Co., one year with Culver, Page, Hoyne & Co., and three years with David C. Cook, the Sunday school and temperance publisher. He was also foreman for a time on the "Young Folks' Rural," and editor of "The Mirror of Fashions." He likewise published several pamphlets in his own name, including a volume of poems for Mrs. Sherlie Woodman, the speech delivered by Zach. Chandler in Chicago the night before his sudden death, and several lectures by Robert Ingersoll. Returning to West Virginia in 1882, Mr. Garner purchased a small interest in the mercantile firm of L. F. Miller & Co. at Hazelton, which town he named, issued the "Hazelton Herald," and secured the establishment of a post office at that place. He conducted the store one year, and in 1883 engaged with Hon. W. M. O. Dawson and B. M. Squires in the printing and publication of S. T. Wiley's History of Monongalia County, part of which he also wrote. The following year he read proof and superintended the printing of Hu Maxwell's History of Tucker County. In the fall of 1891 Mr. Garner was offered the position of managing editor in the office of the Gresham Publishing Co., at Richmond, Indiana, and for three years had charge of all the publications of that large firm. Chief among these was a series of Historical and Biographical Cyclopedias of the leading counties in New York and Pennsylvania. Samuel T. Wiley, the well-known historian, did the historical work on these massive octavo volumes, while Mr. Garner edited them, wrote the biographical sketches which comprised nearly half of each book, and saw them through the press and bindery. After his return to Preston he projected a similar work for this county, but for lack of means was compelled to abandon it. Early in 1886 he started a literary paper at Tunnelton, under the name of "Garner's Gleaner," which he conducted for five years, only suspending it to accept the offer of the Gresham Co. Other papers with which he has been connected as local editor or publisher were: "The Preston County Herald," "The Preston Leader," "Clarksburg People's Press," "The Grafton News," "The Terra Alta Republican," "Mountain State Telephone" and "Webster Springs Republican." Altogether he spent over a quarter of a century as a country newspaper publisher, and was a devotee of the "art preservative of arts" for forty years, but retired permanently in 191 2. In 1903 he published an eighty-page booklet entitled "Industrial and Commercial Growth of Tunnelton, W. Va.," and the following year a small volume of his own poems under the title of "Rustic Rhymes." He also wrote and printed for gratuitous distribution "The Press of Preston," a short history of the various early newspaper enterprises in this county. Brief biographies of Mr. Garner have already appeared in two works of national circulation, "Men of 1912," and "Poets of America," the latter accompanied by two selections from his "Rustic Rhymes." In early life he taught several terms in the public schools, spent one summer as a book canvasser, and one year as a fruit tree agent. Politically, Mr. Garner has always been somewhat independent, earnestly cherishing the ideal of a pure democracy, but realizing that its day has not yet dawned. While editor of "The Grafton Times" he was a candidate for the legislature from Taylor county; in 1910 for the state senate from the Fourteenth district, and in 1912 for Congress from the Second district, on the Socialist ticket. He is not a member of any secret order. Believing devoutly in the brotherhood of man, no smaller brotherhood has ever attracted him. When asked to define his creed, he replied: "I believe in an all-wise, all-powerful and just God — and who by searching can find out anything more about Him? So firm is my faith in His wisdom and justice that I am not worrying about what He will do in this world or in any other world. I love Jesus, the carpenter, and the great principles He taught, and believe they will yet rule the whole' earth, despite the misconception and misrepresentation from which they have suffered. Love, faith and knowledge is the greatest trinity on earth. I love love, have profound faith in faith, but believe that knowledge is the power that propels the car of human progress." While in Chicago, May 24, 1881, Mr. Garner was married to Miss Mary E. Kay of Niles, Michigan. To them were born five sons and two daughters: Robert Kay, married Miss Mattie Brown, taught several terms in the public schools, and for nearly six years has been mail carrier on rural route No. 2 of Tunnelton, where he resides; George Gordon, married Miss Helen Spencer, and is now shipping clerk in a glass factory at Wellsburg, W. Va.; Edward Earnest; Joseph Harold, now of Reedsville; Ralph Leslie, died at the age of three; Grace, now the wife of Victor Raymond Hoffman of Tunnelton; and Gertrude, at home with her parents on Walnut Hill farm, near Tunnelton, where the family has resided for more than thirty years. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------