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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. 17-18
ALEXANDER B. SMALL is a successful and progressive
contractor and builder in his native city of Martinsburg,
Berkeley County, and in direct and collateral lines is a
representative of well known pioneer families of this county.
Mr. Small was born at Martinsburg, West Virginia, on
the 26th of September, 1887. and is a son of Wendell Seibert
Small and Margaret Ann (Burr) Small. Wendell Seibert
Small was born on a farm near Berkeley Station, this
county, in 1842, a son of John Carson Small, who was born
on a pioneer farm in Hedgeville District, this county, in
1801, it being virtually assured that the latter's father was
bora in Pennsylvania, of the stanch old "Pennsylvania
Dutch" stock, he having been the pioneer representative of
the family in what is now Berkeley County, West Virginia,
where he reclaimed a farm from the wilds and where he
passed the remainder of his life. John Carson Small here
engaged in farm enterprise on land which he inherited from
his father, and prior to the construction of railroads he used
to drive with team and wagon to Baltimore, Maryland,
to market his surplus farm products, several days having
been required to make the trips back and forth. On his old
homestead farm is now situated the production plant of the
Security Lime & Cement Company, one of the important
industrial concerns of this section of the state. John C.
Small remained on his farm until his death, at the venerable
age of eighty-nine years. He married Sarah Mong, who
was born on a farm about three miles west of Martinsburg,
in the year 1806, a daughter of John and Mary (Painter)
Mong, the latter's mother having been a Seibert. The
Small, Mong, Carson, Painter and Seibert families all figure
prominently in the pioneer history of Berkeley County. Mrs.
Sarah (Mong) Small died at the age of sixty-seven years.
The names of her children are here recorded: Mary Ellen,
Ann Rebecca, Lucinda Catherine, James Henry, Reuben
Wiser, John Mong, Susan Virginia, Wendell Seibert, Sarah
Jane, William Hunter and Emma Elizabeth. The religious
faith of the family has been that of the Lutheran Church.
James H., Reuben W. and John M. Small were loyal soldiers
of the Confederacy in the war between the states.
Wendell S. Small was reared on the old home farm, and
as a youth he learned the carpenter'a trade, at which he
became a skilled workman. After working for a number of
years as a journeyman he engaged in contracting and
building in an independent way, he having continued his
association with this line of business enterprise until his
death, in his sixty-eighth year. At Martinsburg, West Vir-
ginia, he was a member of Equality Lodge No. 44, A. F. and
A. M., and was affiliated also with the Royal Arcanum. He
was a devout communicant of the Lutheran Church while
his wife was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South. Mrs. Small was born about one mile east of Shen-
andoah Junction, Jefferson County, a daughter of William
and Mary Ann (Porterfleld) Burr and granddaughter of
James and Nancy (McGary) Burr. James Burr was a son
of Peter and Jane (Calhoun) Burr. On the maternal side
Mrs. Small was a granddaughter of William and Mary
(Williamson) Porterfield. Mrs. Small died at the age of
fifty-five years. Her children were five in number: Eugene
is a carpenter and builder at Martinsburg; Nan Burr is in
the Government employ at Washington, D. C.; Wendell S.
is a rural mail carrier in Berkeley County; May is the wife
of William H. Johnson; and Alexander R. is the immediate
subject of this sketch.
Alexander R. Small gained his youthful education in
the public schools of Martinsburg, and as a lad he began to
assist his father, under whose direction he learned the
carpenter's trade with much thoroughness. He continued
his association with his father until he established himself
independently in business as a contractor and builder, and
he is one of the successful representatives of this line of
enterprise in his native city. His basic Masonic affiliation is
with Equality Lodge No. 44, A. F. and A. M., and he is
affiliated also with the Lodge of Perfection, fourteenth de-
gree, and with Tuscarora Lodge, Independent Order of
Odd Fellows.
Submitted by: Valerie Crook <vfcrook@trellis.net>
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