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MONONGALIA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
PJSTON@aol.com
December 14, 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 II
pg 194
Bernard James McDermott, civil and mining engineer and coal operator, is one
of the progressive citizens and representative business men of Morgantown,
county seat of Monongalia County. He was born at Taunton, Massachusetts,
February 9, 1882, and is a son of Michael and Mary Ann (Lynch) McDermott, the
former of whom was born in County Leitrim, Ireland, and the latter at Cool
Springs, New York, both being now deceased.
The parochial and public schools of his native city afforded Bernard J.
McDermott his early education, and at the age of nineteen years he entered
the engineering department of the Shawmut Mining Company at Byrnedale, Elk
County, Pennsylvania, in the capacity of draftsman. His technical ability
and effective service led to his promotion to the position of division
engineer for the company of which he continued the incumbent four years. He
left Byrnedale in May, 1906, to assume the position of chief engineer of the
Elkins Coal & Coke Company at Morgantown, West Virginia. Here he received
appointment also to the post of chief engineer of the Morgantown & Kingwood
Railway Company, and of these two responsible offices he continued in tenure
eleven years-until August 3, 1917. Within this period Mr. McDermott had
charge of the designs and construction of five new mines of the Elkins Coal &
Coke Company and the reconstruction of two other mines of the company. He
became associated with Joseph Miller, of New York City, and built and placed
in operation mines No. 1 and No. 2 at Britz, West Virginia, and mill No. 3 at
Kingwood, of which properties he is now the chief operator, under the title
of chief engineer and general superintendent, with office headquarters in the
Price Building at Morgantown.
Mr. McDermott is affiliated with Morgantown Lodge No. 411, Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks; Branch No. 62, Knights of St. George; and the
Council of the Knights of Columbus at St. Mary's, Pennsylvania. He is an
active member of the Morgantown Country Club.
Mr. McDermott married Miss Angela De Lisle, and they have four children:
Susan Marie, Bernard Joseph, Louis Leo and Mary Ann.
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