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HANCOCK COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: MAYHEW, David E. (published 1923)
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Submitted by
Valerie Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
September 12, 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. 222-223
Hancock County
DAVID E. MAYHEW. The prosperous stockman and
farmer illustrates by his experience the ups and downs
of his vocation, its fascinating promises of fortune and its
equally abundant opportunities for failure. He has his
full measure of both, as a rule, but if he possesses the
qualities which make for success he emerges on the top
wave and achieves a permanent place among the substan-
tial men of his section. Among the agriculturists of
Hancock County who have been successful in their life
work, one who is well esteemed in his community as an
agriculturist and a citizen is David E. Mayhew of Pugh-
town.
Mr. Mayhew was born at Pughtown, June 21, 1856, a
son of James N. and Mary Jane (Crawford) Mayhew.
James N. Mayhew was born near Florence, Washington
County, Pennsylvania, in 1827, and was seven years of age
when he came to West Virginia with his parents, John and
Elizabeth (Jackson) Mayhew, the family settling in Han-
cock County, adjoining the Village of Fairview, now Pugh-
town. John Mayhew, a farmer with about 340 acres of
land, lived in a brick house which still forms a part of
the residence on the property. He died when past ninety-
three years of age, while his worthy wife passed away
when seventy-five years old. They were the parents of the
following children: Rebecca, who died as Mrs. Albaugh;
Eliza, who married a Mr. Buchanan and had a son, John
Buchanan, who was an attorney at Beaver, Pennsylvania;
James N.; David Simeon, who removed to Illinois; Nancy,
who married a Mr. Fulton and died at the age of ninety-
six years, being the mother of Rev. W. P. Fulton, a noted
Presbyterian divine of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; John
W., who died in Beaver County, Pennsylvania; William,
who was last heard from in California; Elizabeth, who
married a Mr. Travis; and Mary, who married Mr. Caster.
James N. Mayhew received a public school education and
as a youth engaged in agricultural pursuits, which he fol-
lowed throughout life, being one of the well-known and
highly-respected men of his community. He married in
Columbiana County, Ohio, Mary Jane Crawford, and they
became the parents of thirteen children, all of whom are
living at this writing, in 1922: Thomas C., a resident of
Nebraska; John H., of Chester; David E., the subject of
this sketch; William Lucas, a resident of Lisbon, Ohio;
Nancy Jane, widow of Wesley Herron, of Pughtown, who
has thirty-two grandchildren in 1922; James L. and Charles
C., twins, the former mayor of Chester, West Virginia,
and the latter a resident of California; Ella, the widow of
Howard Warren, of Cleveland; George, of Sebring, Ohio;
Ira, residing on the old farm home; Frank, of Salem, Ohio;
Elizabeth, now Mrs. Emanuel Thomas, of Salem, Ohio;
and Noah, of New Brighton, Pennsylvania. All of the
members of this remarkable family still survive, the young-
est being now in middle life.
David E. Mayhew has passed his entire career on the old
farm and at the village nearby. He received a country
school education and when given a choice of vocations de-
cided upon agriculture as his life work, and has had no
reason to repent of his decision. He is now the owner of
a property of sixty-seven acres, on which he has made
modern improvements and erected substantial buildings,
and his progressive methods, industry and good manage-
ment have served to gain him a worth-while and well-
deserved success. His standing in the community is that
of a man of integrity, and his good citizenship has never
been questioned. A democrat in politics, he follows the
family inclinations, as nearly all of the Mayhews have
been supporters of democratic principles and candidates.
In 1896 fourteen votes from this immediate family alone
were cast for the candidacy of William J. Bryan for presi-
dent, including father, sons and sons-in-law.
Mr. Mayhew married Miss Lida A. Sproule, daughter of
Hugh and Nancy (Donehoo) Sproule, and granddaughter
of Hugh Sproule, of Ireland. Both Hugh Sproule the
elder and younger were agriculturists all their lives and
were men of probity and integrity, both being elders in the
old Plats Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Mayhew's father
passed his entire life in Hancock County and died at the
age of seventy-five years. Her mother, Nancy Donehoo,
was a sister of Dr. R. S. Donehoo, the oldest physician in
Hancock County. Mrs. Mayhew was reared on the home
farm and educated in the public schools, and was eighteen
years of age at the time of her marriage. There were
two children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mayhew who died in
infancy, and they have a foster son, Hubert S. Mills, Mrs.
Mayhew's nephew, who was taken into their home and
hearts at the age of 2-1/2 years and has been given every
advantage. He has passed his life on the farm and is now
twenty-three years of age, and accounted one of the capable
and industrious young agriculturists of the community.
The family are members of the old Presbyterian Church,
although Mr. Mayhew was reared in the faith of the Metho-
dist Protestant Church, of which his parents were members.
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