U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Kercheval Family ------------------------------------------------------------------- History of Ritchie County by Minnie Kendall Lowther Wheeling News Litho. Co., Wheeling W.Va., 1911 Page 482-484 Robert Kercheval. — The name Kercheval, too, has had a long connection here. Robert C. Kercheval having come to this town and opened a law office in June 1854. He was born and educated at Winchester, Virginia, and after reaching his majority, went to Romney where he studied law under his brother, Samuel Kercheval, and became associated with him in the practice of law. He married Miss Indith Singleton, who was, also, a native of Winchester, and with her, returned to Romney where he practiced his profession in the Courts of Frederick, Berkeley, Hampshire and Hardy counties until he removed to Harrisville. He was twice elected to the office of Prosecuting Attorney, of this county, and was at one time a candidate for Judge of the Circuit court with a fair prospect for success; but, withdrawing from this race, he offered himself for Judge of the Supreme Court of the State, and was defeated. He spent the remainder of his life here, passing away at his old homestead near town, on October 18, 1874, at the age of sixty-eight years. His wife and daughter, Miss Frances, preceded him to the grave, and his son, Robert, has since been laid by them on the old homestead. Mrs. Susan C. Phelps rests at Denver, Colorado; Mrs. Anna Harkness resides near Waverly; and W. M. Kercheval, and Misses Mary and Lucy are all of Harrisville. The Kerchevals are of French descent, the original name having been De Kercheval. Louis Kercheval and his brother left France shortly after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in the year 1685, and went to England where the brother died unmarried. Louis emigrated to the Western world and settled in Gloucester county, Virginia, and from him the American branch of the family come. Samuel Kercheval who was a lineal descendant of Louis, was born at Berryville, Virginia; and there on September 28, 1787, he was married to Miss Susana Chinn, great-grand-daughter of Raleigh Chinn, whose wife was Esther Ball, half-sister of Mrs. Mary Washington. The Chinns were in some way connected to Sir Walter Raleigh, hence the name "Raleigh." Samuel Kercheval was the author of the "History of the Valley of Virginia," the first and most authentic history of the Shenandoah and the South Branch Valleys; and one that is still in demand though out of print. And he was once High Sheriff of Frederick county. He was the father of eleven children, the five sons being as follows: Samuel, junior, Richard, Algernon S., Robert C., and William, all of whom he gave good educations. Three were lawyers, one a physician, and the other a miller. Samuel Kercheval junior, located at Romney where he rose to distinction as a jurist. And his son, Andrew Woodrow Kercheval, also figured prominently in public affairs in that section of the state, he having played an important part in securing, for Romney the charitable institution for the Deaf and the Blind. Robert C. Kercheval, as above stated, married Miss Indith Singleton, and came to this county. His wife was a member of a distinguished family, she being the daughter of General James W. and Mrs. Indith Ball Singleton, and a descendant of the same family as Mary Ball Washington. Her father was a general in the war of 1812, and her brother, Gen. James W. Singleton, junior, distinguished himself in the Mormon war, and thus won his title. After leaving his native state, he (Gen. Singleton, junior,) went west and settled at Springfield, Illinois, where he engaged in the practice of law; and where he became closely associated with Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglass, of whom he had many pleasing reminiscences to tell. And the last official document, perhaps, that was ever penned by the hand of President Lincoln is in the possession of General Singleton's family in New York. This priceless treasure is in the form of a pass, which was written for the late Gen. Singleton, junior, who had been called from his Western home to be the bearer of a message of peace to the Southern people, and it read thus: "Allow Gen. Singleton to pass to Richmond and return. "A. Lincoln. "April 13, 1865." On April 11, that ever memorable day in the history of our country, after General Singleton had received his final instructions, and had taken leave of the President, he went out in company with the Secretary of the Interior, going a little later in the evening to join Governor Yates of Illinois and some other friends at an appointed supper; but when he reached his destination, he was greeted at the threshold with flying rumors of the assassination of the President at Ford's Theater. The General recognizing the value of the memento in the form of the pass which he never used, ordered a case of gold, and under a glass in one compartment is this pass with its significant date. ------------------------------------------------------------------- (son of Robert Kercheval & Judith Singleton) From Death Certificate, Ritchie County, WV #46 FULL-NAME: William Meade Kercheval BIRTH-DATE: December 17, 1852 BIRTH-PLACE: W.Va. DEATH-DATE: June 30, 1919 (at age 66y-6m-13d) DEATH-PLACE: Union District, Ritchie County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: married OCCUPATION: formerly farmer FATHER: Robert C. Kercheval (born in Va.) MOTHER: Judith Singleton (born in Va.) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Brights disease, diabetis INFORMANT: Geo. M. Cokeley (of Harrisville, W.Va.) BURIAL: Harrisville William's tombstone is in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Harrisville, WV W. M. Kercheval 1854-1919 And there is a shared tombstone for William's sisters: Mary S. Kercheval (1835-1916) Lucy B. Kercheval (1834-1920) ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Ritchie County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/ritchie/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------