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KANAHWA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: MASSEY, Robert Lee
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
SSpradling@aol.com
September 18, 1999
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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia, W.S. Laidley, 1911,
p. 446-447
This information may be freely copied and distributed to any genealogy site
or genalogical organization.
ROBERT LEE MASSEY, who is engaged in business at Big Chimney, Kanawha County,
W. Va., as a miller and wholesale feed merchant, was born in Ral-eigh County,
W. Va., September 5, 1879, and is a son of George W. and Lydia (Acord) Massey.
William Massey, the great-grandfather of Robert Lee Massey, was born in
Virginia and moved, during the Civil War, to Raleigh County, where he died in
1885, in advanced age. He reared a large family and his eldest son, Steel
Massey, was the grand-father of R. L. Massey, and he, like his father, spent
his life in the pursuits of agriculture. He married Caroline Cantley, a
native like himself, of Raleigh County and they had the following children
born to them: George W., Henry and Mary, Henry being the only survivor.
George W. Massey was born in Raleigh County, in 1851, spent his life in the
same neighborhood and there his death occurred in November, 1895. He was a
farmer and was the owner of considerable land which is still retained by his
family. He was quite prominent for many years in local politics and was noted
for his generous hospitality, keeping up many of the old customs which are
particularly southern in character. He married Miss Lydia Acord, a native of
Charleston, W. Va., and to them the following children were born: Romanza,
who is the wife of Louis H. Pettry, of Raleigh County; L. Christopher, who is
county clerk of Kanawha County; Robert L. and Mary J., twins, the latter of
whom is the wife of Robert A. Hopkins, of Summers County, W. Va.; Laura B.,
who is the wife of R. L. Williams, of Masseyville; Calvin W., who is
postmaster at Masseyville; Virginia A.,, who resides with her mother, at
Masseyville; and Ettie, who died in childhood. Mrs. Massey married for her
second husband, William G. Daniels, a member of one of the old and
substantial families of Raleigh County.
Robert Lee Massey attended school until he was fourteen years of age when he
fell a victim to an epidemic of typhoid fever that swept through this section
and caused the death of his father. His recovery was slow and he did not
return to school. His first work was done as a clerk for the Blackland Coal
Company, with which corporation he continued for four years, after which, for
one year, he was associated with his brother in the Cabin Creek Mercantile
Company, in Cabin Creek District, and then went back to Masseyville, where he
engaged in a gen-eral store business. Two years later his stock was
destroyed by fire and he then turned his attention in another direction, in
1910 coming to Big Chimney where, in partnership with Grant Copenhaven, he is
doing a large flour and feed business, under the firm name of Copenhaven &
Massey. They have a well equipped plant situated on the Elk River, and use
all kinds of modern machinery in producing their first class
products. Although the business is a comparatively new one, great progress
has been made and the future looks bright for the firm.
Mr. Massey was married first, on February i8, 1902, to Miss Lucy Snodgrass,
who died August 1,1906, aged twenty years, five months and twenty days. She
was a daughter of C. F. and Mary (George) Snodgrass, natives of Virginia, who
now reside near Charleston. Mr. Snodgrass was formerly a mine superintendent
and is now engaged in farming. One child was born to the above marriage,
Arizona, who is now six years old. Mrs. Massey was a lady of beautiful
character, a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was
beloved by all who knew her.
Mr. Massey was married secondly to Miss T.A. Pringle, who was born in West
Virginia, June 20, 1889, and is a daughter of F. E. and Mary (Puckett)
Pringle, the for-mer of whom, now deceased, was formerly a teacher of
penmanship at Ravenswood. Mrs. Massey was reared by her grandparents, John
and Sarah (Stainer) Puckett, the former of whom is an old Civil War veteran,
and has reached his ninety-third year. Mrs. Massey was carefully educated and
is a graduate of the Ripley School and prior to her marriage, taught one term
of sch~ in Marsh Fork District, Raleigh County. Mr. and Mrs. Massey have one
child, Chelya Vaughne. Politically he is an active worker in the Republican
party but has never de-sired office for himself. He is identified fraternally
with the Odd Fellows at Spring Hill, and the Red Men at Dungriff, W. Va. They
are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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