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KANAWHA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: MAYER, Frank
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
SSpradling@aol.com
September 21, 1999
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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative
Citizens
W.S. Laidley
Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL.
1911
p. 376
FRANK MAYER, farmer in Elk District, Kanawlia County, W. Va., was born in
Beaver County, Pa., Novemher 20, i86o, and is a son of Felix and Dorothy
(Ryder) Mayer.
Felix Mayer was born in Wurtemberg, Germany. and came to the United States
when a young man and foun(l work at his trade, that of a painter. at
Cincinnati, Ohio. From there lie went to Economy, Pa., and there married
Dorothy Ryder, who had also been born in Germany and had been brought to
America by her parents when she was five years old. In 1871, Felix Mayer
with his family moved to what is now called Mink Shoal, Elk District, and was
one of the earliest settlers. The country at that time was wild and
uncleared, but he possessed the industry, energy and thrift that enabled him
to clear his land and develop it into one of the most productive farms of
this section. He died May 30, 1892, at the age of sixty-four years. His widow
survives and lives with her son Frank. Eleven children were born to Felix
Mayer and wife and Frank is the eldest of the nine survivors, the others
being:
Minnie, wife of W. Broadhag, of Charleston; Ldtiisa, wife of John Alman, of
Seattle, Wash.; Bertha, wife of M. Gatewood, of Charleston William, a farmer
in Elk District; Anna and Clara, both at home; Ida, widow of I. Wil-hams; and
Lottie, wife of Edward Lory, of Charleston.
After his school days were over, Frank Mayer assisted his father and soon
became manager of the farm, and after the father's death he bought the
interests of the other heirs and now owns the whole estate. He carries on
general farming and stock raising and is one of the most prosperous
agriculturists of this district. He is a charter member of the Lutheran
church at Charleston. In politics he is a Democrat but has never been willing
to accept office.
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