​Today in Wheeling History: March 20—David H. Greer, Episcopal bishop and advocate for peace, was born in Wheeling (1844).
 
David Hummell Greer was born on March 20, 1844, in Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), to Jacob Rickard Greer and Elisabeth Yellott Armstrong. He graduated from Washington College (now Washington & Jefferson College) in Pennsylvania in 1862 and later studied at the Protestant Episcopal Seminary in Gambier, Ohio, preparing for a prominent career in the Episcopal Church.
 
Ordained as a priest in 1868, Greer served in Kentucky, Rhode Island, and New York City. His impactful tenure at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City spanned 16 years, leading to his election as Bishop Coadjutor in 1903 and his succession as the 8th Bishop of New York in 1908. In 1913, Greer celebrated a service for the General Convention at St. John the Divine, where an extraordinary offering of $500,000 (millions today) was collected. The magnitude of the offering required three clergymen to carry it to the altar and all night for expert bank tellers to count. The service was followed by a reception for 5,000 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
 
Initially opposing U.S. involvement in World War I, Greer later supported it as a moral fight against tyranny. A staunch advocate for peace, he led the Church Peace Union in 1914. Greer passed away on May 19, 1919, in New York City and is buried with his wife, Caroline Augusta Keith.
 
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/35wfpazu), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/yxsxh67p)
 
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons, Find a Grave

​Today in Wheeling History: March 19--Edgar K. Day Jr., Wheeling inventor and Whitaker-Glessner Company employee, was granted U.S. Patent No. 1260154A for his innovative screw design (1918).
 
Edgar Kinsey Day Jr. was born on May 6, 1884, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Edgar Kinsey and Clara Happy Day. A lifelong resident of Wheeling, Day established himself as a prolific inventor with numerous patents to his name, particularly in the field of construction and metal working. One notable invention was a specialized screw designed specifically for attaching sheet metal plates.
 
Day's patented screw, granted on March 19, 1918, featured a unique tapered body with a spiral thread of specific design. The screw's innovative features included a neck of reduced diameter between the body and head, and a thread with one wall positioned radially to the body and another wall inclined toward the head. This design enabled the screw to puncture metal plates without requiring pre-drilling, securely fastening overlapped metal sheets together without loosening over time.
 
Day worked for the Whitaker-Glessner Company of Wheeling, which later became part of Wheeling Steel Corporation. Beyond this patent, Day held at least nine other patents, including designs for structural members, roofing plates, and conductor pipe hangers.
 
Day lived at 123 Columbia Avenue in the Elm Grove neighborhood. He was a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church and Bates Lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He died on March 28, 1966, at the age of 81, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling.
 
To learn more: Google Patents (https://tinyurl.com/2p97e5yz), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/44995h6t), Wheeling Sunday News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/3bu8aahs) (https://tinyurl.com/3v36exd5)
 
Photo credits: U.S. Patent Office, Wheeling Sunday News-Register, Google Maps

​Today in Wheeling History: March 18—The original Odd Fellows Hall in Wheeling was destroyed by fire (1950).
 
The Odd Fellows Hall, originally constructed in 1859, stood at the southwest corner of 12th and Chapline Streets in Wheeling, West Virginia. This three-story building was a hub for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization dedicated to community service and mutual aid. During the Civil War, from 1863 to 1870, the hall served as temporary quarters for the Linsly Military Institute cadets, as their building was being used as the state capitol of the newly formed West Virginia.
 
Tragically, on the night of March 18, 1950, a fire destroyed the original structure. The blaze endangered the lives of 60 women attending an event in the building, though they were safely evacuated. In 1951, a modern two-story building was constructed on the same site, continuing the legacy of the Odd Fellows Hall. Over the years, the site has housed various establishments, including Elby's Restaurant, Metropolitan Citi Grill, and Elle & Jack's.
 
The Odd Fellows Hall remains a symbol of Wheeling's rich history, reflecting the city's resilience and dedication to preserving its heritage.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/mssv69ef); Historical Marker Database (https://tinyurl.com/38nt4hes), The Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/mr9cv7z5)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Historical Marker Database, Google Maps

​Today in Wheeling History: March 17--George Jackson Rogers, prominent Wheeling attorney who later faced legal controversy, is born to James Patterson and Martha Jackson Rogers (1876).
 
George Jackson Rogers (March 17, 1876 - October 16, 1957) was a distinguished Wheeling attorney and member of a prominent Wheeling family. Born to James Patterson Rogers (1838-1904) and Martha Joanna Jackson Rogers (1850-1928), he grew up in Wheeling where his grandfather Alexander Rogers had settled after emigrating from County Armagh, Ireland around 1830. George received his early education at Linsly Military Institute in Wheeling, graduating in 1894 where he served as major of a battalion of cadets. He went on to earn his A.B. from the University of Virginia in 1897 and his LL.B. from Harvard Law School in 1901.
 
As manager of the Rogers estate, he oversaw the construction of the Rogers Hotel, which opened August 18, 1915. The six-story fireproof structure, designed by architect Edward Bates Franzheim, featured 75 rooms with private baths and was located on Fourteenth Street between Market and Chapline streets. Rogers practiced civil law in Wheeling for over 20 years, maintaining offices in the Wheeling Steel Corporation Building and serving as a vestryman at St. Luke's Episcopal Church. In 1912, he married Clara E. West of Bellefontaine, Ohio, a Wooster University graduate. They had five children: Elizabeth Johnston (1913-2001), John West (1914-2006), Lt. James Patterson (1916-1944, killed in WWII), Eleanor Johnson DeBolt (1920-2003), and Joanna Rogers Retzler (1923-2013). His legal career ended in controversy in the 1930s when he was disbarred for embezzling client funds and declared bankruptcy. He later worked as a household paper products salesman. Rogers died at Ohio Valley General Hospital and is buried in Wheeling's Greenwood Cemetery.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://shorturl.at/g8EEC) (https://shorturl.at/Yp6Gk) (https://shorturl.at/Fdprd) (https://shorturl.at/HtiHJ); Wheeling Intelligencer (https://shorturl.at/36g3o) (https://shorturl.at/PsRje), casetext (https://tinyurl.com/yc2wnbbt), edithlakewilkinson.com (https://tinyurl.com/4n8cvds7), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/yf3e623e), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/yrmfvswe)

Today in Wheeling History: March 17--Patrick J. Sullivan, a celebrated primitive painter of the 20th century who later made Wheeling his home, was born to Irish immigrant parents in Braddock, Pennsylvania (1894).
 
Patrick J. Sullivan, born on March 17, 1894, in Braddock, Pennsylvania, to Irish immigrant parents, is celebrated as one of the outstanding American primitive painters of the 20th century. After his father's death when he was two, Sullivan spent some years in an orphanage. At the age of 16, he and his mother moved to Wheeling, West Virginia. Sullivan's early life in Wheeling was marked by various jobs, including working in the mills, as a playground manager, and as a house painter. His passion for painting was evident from a young age, and he would paint on any surface he could find, including cardboard and window blinds. It wasn't until the Great Depression that Sullivan had the time to fully dedicate himself to his art. His first original canvas, titled "Man's Procrastinating Pastime," was painted in 1936 and gained the attention of Sidney Janis, a well-known art collector. Janis encouraged Sullivan to continue painting, and by the time of his death in 1967, Sullivan was recognized for his unique technique and personal symbolism. His works are represented in the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Britannica Encyclopedia of American Art. Sullivan's legacy lives on through his paintings, which continue to be celebrated for their emotional power and technical expertise.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives (https://tinyurl.com/3xbk5p8y) (https://tinyurl.com/2fbmxpxj), National Gallery of Art (https://tinyurl.com/t477d4tj), American Folk Art Museum (https://tinyurl.com/mucbbn73), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/yc8y5pda)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling, WV; National Gallery of Art

​Today in Wheeling History: March 16—Tim O'Brien, Grammy Award-winning bluegrass musician and founding member of Hot Rize, was born in Wheeling (1954).
 
Tim O'Brien, born March 16, 1954, in Wheeling, West Virginia, is an acclaimed bluegrass and country musician who began his musical journey in his hometown. As the youngest of five children, O'Brien developed an early interest in music after hearing Bob Dylan at age 12. During his high school years in Wheeling, he taught himself guitar, violin, and mandolin, and began performing folk music with his sister Mollie at local coffeehouses and church events.
 
After briefly attending Colby College, O'Brien left in 1973 to pursue music professionally, eventually settling in Boulder, Colorado, where he co-founded the innovative bluegrass band Hot Rize in 1978. The group, which also performed as their alter ego "Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers," won the International Bluegrass Music Association's first Entertainer of the Year award in 1990.
 
O'Brien's multifaceted career includes over 30 albums, Grammy recognition for "Fiddler's Green" (2005), IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year honors (1993, 2006), and songwriting credits for artists like Kathy Mattea and Garth Brooks. In 2006, he was inducted into the Wheeling Hall of Fame, and in 2013, entered the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.
 
Though left-handed by nature, O'Brien plays all instruments right-handed and is proficient on guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, and mandocello.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/bdh9f4at) (https://tinyurl.com/yrc3wkz7), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/268syjen)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons

Today in Wheeling History: March 15--Joseph M. Devine, 6th Governor of North Dakota, was born in Wheeling (1861).
 
Joseph McMurray Devine was born on March 15, 1861, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Hugh E. and Jane (McMurray) Devine. Growing up in Wheeling, Devine gained early business experience by delivering the Wheeling Daily Register and assisting his father in the landscape and florist business. He attended public schools in Wheeling and graduated from West Virginia University in 1881 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Devine moved to LaMoure County, Dakota Territory, in 1884, where he initially farmed before becoming an educator. He served as LaMoure County Superintendent of Schools and was elected president of the North Dakota State Education Association in 1889. Devine entered politics as Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota in 1897 and became the 6th Governor of North Dakota in 1898 following the death of Governor Frank A. Briggs. He continued to be active in educational issues, serving as the North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1901 to 1902. Devine later held positions as the executive head of the State Training School in Mandan and as State Immigration Commissioner. He passed away on August 31, 1938, in Mandan, North Dakota, and is interred in Mandan Union Cemetery.
 
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/2cjbz), Mandan History (https://shorturl.at/oUUVO), Griggs County Historical Society (https://shorturl.at/KfBpD)
 
Photo caption and credit: Joseph M. Devine (Beauregardbert, Wikimedia Commons)

Today in Wheeling History: March 15--Joan Corson Stamp, philanthropist and community leader, was born in Wheeling (1951).
 
Joan Corson Stamp, born on March 15, 1951, is a prominent figure in Wheeling, West Virginia, known for her extensive contributions to education, culture, and the arts. Born and raised in Wheeling, Joan married Judge Frederick P. Stamp Jr. in 1975, who is also a member of the Wheeling Hall of Fame. Joan's dedication to philanthropy was influenced by her parents and grandparents, who instilled in her a commitment to supporting the community. She has been actively involved in various organizations, including the West Virginia University (WVU) Foundation, where she served on the Board of Directors for 17 years. Joan's father, Louis D. Corson, composed the Alma Mater for WVU, further cementing her family's legacy in the state. Joan's contributions have been recognized through numerous awards and honors, including her induction into the Wheeling Hall of Fame in 2023. Her work has had a lasting impact on the community, and she continues to be a role model for future generations. Joan's story is a testament to the power of dedication and service to one's community.
 
To learn more: (https://shorturl.at/pWeoH) (https://shorturl.at/KkXa5) (https://shorturl.at/1z28A) (https://shorturl.at/TfAEL)
 
Photo credits: Weelunk

​Today in Wheeling History: March 14--Sam Moffet, Major League Baseball player and successful gold miner, was born in Wheeling (1857).
 
Samuel Robert "Sam" Moffet was born on March 14, 1857, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He grew up in Wheeling and developed a passion for baseball at a young age. Moffet played on amateur baseball teams as a teenager and quickly gained a reputation for his skills on the field. In 1882, he batted an impressive .404 for the Wheeling Standards. The following year, Moffet began his professional baseball career with the Toledo Blue Stockings of the Northwestern League, where he played as a pitcher and also covered first and third base. In 1884, Moffet made his Major League Baseball debut with the Cleveland Blues. During his time with the Blues, he played 42 games in the outfield and batted .184 in 256 at-bats. Moffet's pitching record was less stellar, with a 3-19 win-loss record. After a brief hiatus from professional baseball to pursue mining ventures in Montana, Moffet became a successful gold miner, earning approximately $50,000 from his mining endeavors. Adjusted for inflation, this amount would be equivalent to around $1.3 million in 2025. He later returned to the majors in 1887 with the Indianapolis Hoosiers. He played until mid-1888 before retiring from baseball. Moffet continued his mining endeavors in Montana, where he mined gold. He passed away on May 5, 1907, in Butte, Montana, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling, West Virginia.
 
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/3nfcyrez), Baseball Reference (https://tinyurl.com/4dwm254t), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/4v7kcenh)
 
Photo credits: Find a Grave, Baseball Reference

Today in Wheeling History: March 13—Johann Ludwig Stifel, founder of the J.L. Stifel & Sons calico works and a prominent figure in Wheeling's industrial history, was born (1807).
 
Johann Ludwig Stifel, born on March 13, 1807, in Neuffen, Württemberg, Germany, was a pioneering industrialist who significantly impacted Wheeling, West Virginia's textile industry. Stifel immigrated to the United States in 1833, initially settling in Baltimore, Maryland. He later moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he worked in a wool mill and learned the textile trade. In 1835, Stifel walked to Wheeling, where he established a small dyeing shop in a log cabin with just a $10 investment and a piece of cotton cloth. His business quickly grew, and he opened a larger calico shop on the southeast corner of 9th and Main Streets. Stifel's company, J.L. Stifel & Sons, became one of the nation's largest calico printing establishments, known for its indigo-dyed prints. The company played a crucial role during both World Wars, providing textiles for France and khaki for American soldiers. Stifel was also an active citizen, serving on the boards of various businesses, helping to found Wheeling's first German newspaper, and attending the second Wheeling Convention, which helped establish the state of West Virginia. Johann Ludwig Stifel passed away on December 1, 1881, in Wheeling and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery. His legacy as an industrial pioneer and community leader continues to be remembered in Wheeling.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling, WV (https://tinyurl.com/ytsc5h69); Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/y5cw29et), Archiving Wheeling  (https://tinyurl.com/3pvyzx2j)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling, WV; Find a Grave