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MARION COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
April 11, 2000
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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. 381, 382
Bio: Elbert Willis Bush, Marion County
Elbert Willis Bush. Prominent among the public officials who are
contributing to the civic welfare and advancement of Huntington stands Elbert
Willis Bush, city commissioner of public utilities, public buildings and
grounds. He has held some city position regularly since 1915, during which
time he has established an excellent record for conscientious and constructive
work, and in addition to being well known in public life is a prominent figure
in fraternal circles, particularly in the Knights of Pythias.
Mr Bush was born February 15, 1878, at Sabina, Ohio, the only son and
child of Owen an Mary (Fenner) Bush.l His father was born in Clinton County,
Ohio, and resided near Sabina all his life, devoting himself without
interruption to the pursuits of agriculture, in which he achieved success.
He was a republican in his political views,and his religious faith was that
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he was an active worker. He died
at Sabina in 1915. Mr Bush married Miss Mary Fenner, who was born in 1857, in
Adams County, Ohio and died near Sabina in 1887.
Elbert Willis Bush was educated in the rural schools of Clinton County,
Ohio, and prepared for a business career by attendance at the Buckeye
Business College at Sidney, Ohio, in 1896 and 1897. For two years after
graduation he served as an instructor in this college, and in 1903 came to
Huntington, where he entered the employ of the Huntington Cold Storage and
Commission Company in the general
offices. Later he resigned this position to accept one with T. H. Clay, a
brokerage commission merchant, with whom he was employed in office work. In
1915 Mr Bush was appointed assistant city treasurer of Huntington by the city
board of commissioners, and filled that office for three years. Next he was
appointed city auditor, and held this office one year exactly. In the meanwhile
he was elected a city commissioner of Huntington, in May, 1919, for a term of
three years, his term of office expiring the second Monday in June 1922. He
is a commissioner of public utilities, public buildings and grounds, and as
before noted, has established an excellent record. All those having business
at Mr. Bush's office in City Hall, Eighth Street and Fifth Avenue, have found
him courteous, obliging and prompt, and he has succeeded in making and retaining
numerous friends in the regular course of his duties. He is a republican in
politics.
Mr. Bush has made a hobby of fraternal organizations, and is prominently
known in this connection, particularly the Knights of Pythias order. He was
knighted in Huntington Lodge No. 33, Knights of Pythias in June 1906, elected
chancellor commander in December of that year, received the Grand Lodge rank at
HUNTINGTON in 1907, and in December, 1907 was elected master of finance, with
which office he was connected until 1912, when he was elected keeper of
records and seal, a position he has held since. He is the only grand
chancellor to fill this officeduring his term, but the subordinate lodge would
not release him. He served as deputy grand chancellor in 1912-13, was a
representative to the Grand Lodge at the session held at Charleston in 1912,
was made chairman of the committee on reports by Grand Chancellor Sam R. Nuzum,
and elected grand outer guard in 1914, after which he advanced each year until
1918, when he was elected grand chancellor at Clarksburg.
Mr. Bush is a member of Shiraz Temple No. 29, Dramatic Order Knights of
Khorassan, of Charleston, having joined at a ceremonial held at Huntington in 1911.
He likewise holds membership in Lewis Temple No. 22, Pythian Sisters; Huntington
Lodge No. 313, B.P.O.E.; Mohawl Tribe No. 11, I.O.R.M.; Huntington Council
No. 190, J.O.U.A.M.;
Huntington Council No. 53, U.C.T., of which he served as secretary for
several years; Huntington No. 347, L.O.O.M., and Ivanhoe Castle No. 13,
K.G.E. He has other connections of a business, social and civic character,
and is a member of the Huntington Chamber of Commerce. His religious
connection is with the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church.
On January 9, 1918, at Covington, Kentucky, Mr. Bush was united in
marriage with Mrs. Mamie (Roberts) Hardwicke, daughter of Frank N. and Mary
Roberts, the latter now deceasedand the former a resident of Hamlin, Lincoln
County, West Virginia.
Mr. Roberts, who is now ninety years of age, is living in retirement after a
longand successful career as a merchant. To Mr. and Mrs. Bush there has come
one child, Mary Virginia, who was born at Huntington September 2, 1919.
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