U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Carfer, William H. (1854-1932) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Men of West Virginia, Volume II Biographical Publishing Company George Richmond, Pres.: C. R. Arnold, Sec'y and Treas. Chicago, Illinois, 1903 Pages 617-618 WILLIAM H. CARFER, one of the two incumbents of the office of justice of the peace, in the Parkersburg district. Wood County, to which honorable position he was elected by the Republicans, in 1900, was born in 1854 in Marshall County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and is a son of Stephen and Sophia (Roberts) Carfer. The paternal grandparents of our subject came from Holland in the early days of the last century, and settled in Marshall County, Virginia, now West Virginia. There Stephen Carfer was born in 1817. He married Sophia Roberts, who was also a native of Marshall County. She died in 1875. In 1855 Stephen Carfer and wife removed to Wood County, locating near Limestone Hill, 17 miles from Parkersburg, which place continued to be the family home. In the spring of 1864 he enlisted for service in the Civil War, in Company K, 15th Reg., West Virginia Vol. Inf., and four months later, in July, was killed at the battle of Snicker's Gap, aged 47 years. In politics he always took a deep interest and was a Whig, Know- Nothing and later a Republican. Of the family of 12 children born to Stephen and Sophia (Roberts) Carfer, seven are deceased, three dying in infancy. The surviving members are: Sophronia Elizabeth, wife of Ithamer Brown, a veteran of the Civil War, who is now a farmer of Wirt County, West Virginia; Sarah Catherine, wife of William Brown, a farmer of Calhoun County, West Virginia; and our subject and his two brothers, J. M. and S. M., who are well known contractors and builders at Parkersburg. William H. Carfer had but limited educational opportunities and began active life at the age of 13 years. Being reared on the farm, he followed that vocation in Wood County until he was 36 years old, being also occupied for five years in a sawmill business. In 1890 he moved to Parkersburg and in 1 89 1 began work in the railroad shops of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company as a carpenter. In 1893 he accepted a position on the city police force and in July, 1896, was made lieutenant of police. In the succeeding August he was nominated for constable of the Parkersburg district and was elected in the following November, serving most efficiently for four years, or until his election to his present position. In 1880 Mr. Carfer married Violet Adalaide Owings, daughter of William and Mary A. Owings. William Owings followed the trade of tobacco packer and farmer in Wood County. Mrs. Carfer died in 1898; one daughter, Mary Estella, is also deceased; and William Clayton, the eldest son, died in June, 1902. Two surviving sons, Archie Boyd and John Franklin, reside with their father in the pleasant family home at No. 1021 Avery street, Parkersburg. Mr. Carfer has always been identified with the Republican party. For the past 25 years he has been a member of the Methodist Church. Fraternally he is a past chancellor in the Knights of Pythias, being a member of Hope Lodge, No. 10. He is also a member of the Senior and Junior Orders of United American Mechanics; and has represented the Seniors at State meetings four different years. ------------------------------------------------------------------- DEATH CERTIFICATE, Wood County WV, #15657 FULL-NAME: William Henry Carfer BIRTH-DATE: March 8, 1854 BIRTH-PLACE: Marshal Co., W.Va. DEATH-DATE: November 4, 1932 AGE-AT-DEATH: 78y-7m-27d DEATH-PLACE: 1017 Avery St., Parkersburg Ward 2, Wood County, WV USUAL-RESIDENCE: 1017 Avery St., Parkersburg Ward 2, Wood Co., WV MARITAL-STATUS: Married (Sarah J. Satterfield) OCCUPATION: Retired / Ex-Sheriff FATHER: Stephen Carfer CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Arteriosclerosis INFORMANT: Mrs. Sarah Carfer (of 1017 Avery St., City) BURIAL: I.O.O.F. Cemetery ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Wood County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/wood/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------