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BARBOUR COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
November 8, 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 293-294
Barbour
CHARLES KENNA SWITZER. A special aptitude for me-
chanics manifested in boyhood has been turned to the ac-
count of useful service in the world by Mr. Switzer through
his veteran relations with the grain milling industry. He
has operated mills in several sections of his native state,
and for many years has been one of the most active of
the group of citizens in the Philippi locality in the promo-
tion of local manufacturing and industry.
Mr. Switzer, who is manager of the Switzer Mill Com-
pany of Philippi, was born at Petersburg, Hardy County,
April 8, 1853, son of David Nicholas and Frances Switzer.
A more complete history of the Switzer family is given in
another article in this work under the name P. A. Switzer.
Charles K. Switzer spent his boyhood at Upper Tract in
Pendleton County, where he remained nntil he was about
eighteen years of age. He acquired his education in a
country district, and when he left home he went to Fort
Seybert and for five years operated the Jacob Cowger mill.
Then moving to Kline Cross Roads in the same county, he
took charge of and for some five or six years had the
responsibility of managing the J. H. Harmon mill. Thus
with a total of more than ten years in the milling industry
he came to Philippi and was for several years located at
the suburban town of Mansfield, where he was a member
of the mercantile and milling firm of Dyer and Switzer,
his partner being Mr. E. R. Dyer.
In 1902 Mr. Switzer resumed his active business as n
miller at Philippi, taking over the Haller Mill Company
property and becoming its manager. It was conducted
as the Philippi Mill Company until October 21, 1915, when
the business waa reorganized as the Switzer Mill Company,
with C. C. Boyles as a partner. This mill is an important
local industry and furnishes a market for the grain prod-
ucts raised in the county.
Mr. Switzer has carried a liberal share of community
work since coming to Philippi. His chief enthusiasm,
thought and study in a public way are devoted to educa-
tion. For several years he was a regular contributor to
the West Virginia Wesleyan College at Buckhannon, the
Methodist School there. He was also one of the citizens
of Philippi who joined their effort and money in securing
the location of Broaddus College here. In 1916 Mr. Switzer
became a member of the Philippi Board of Education,
and is still in service. This board has set a fine example
of progressiveness in the matter of securing thoroughly up-
to-date schools for Philippi. In 1922 was completed a
splendid new high school building at a cost of about
$120,000. This is one of the best school houses in Bar-
hour County. It is the culmination of a long and active
campaign carried on by the advocates of improved school
facilities, and it was only after three efforts had been
made that the people of the district secured an overwhelm-
ing majority for the bond issue required to put up the
building.
Mr. Switzer is a democrat; having cast his first vote for
Samuel J. Tilden, and only once has failed to vote for the
democratic presidential candidate. He was reared a Metho-
dist, is a member of the Official Board of the church of
Philippi and a trustee. Fraternally he is a member of
the Odd Fellows Lodge and the Maccabees.
At Port Seybert, Pendleton County, May 29, 1879, Mr.
Switzer married Miss Minnie M. Dyer. She is a daughter
of Mr. Alien Dyer and a sister of his former business
associate at Philippi, and the history of the Dyer family
is given elsewhere. Mrs. Switzer was born December 25,
1853. She and Mr. Switzer have three daughters: Ola,
wife of W. G. Riley, of Gary, Indiana, and the mother
of a daughter, named Jannis Irene; Fannie, who is the
wife of W. H. Carter, of Middlebourne, "West Virginia, and
their children are Kenwood, Mary Frances and. Ann; and
Miss Neva, a graduate of Broaddus College and a teacher
in the public schools of Fairmont.
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