36 Orchard Road

 

The land on which this house stands was part of the John Woods farm (for whom Woodsdale is named).  Woods (1808-1888) was the son of Archibald and Anna Woods.  Following his death, the land was owned by his widow, Ruth Hurst Woods (1823-1919). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The property was sold in 1901 to Sally Zane Hildreth Brady (1856-1915), wife of William Sobieski Brady (1853-1923).  William Brady inherited the property when his wife died. His obituary states that he was “one of the most prominent retired glass manufacturers in the country, among the most progressive business men in West Virginia and prominently identified with the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company for many years.”  A graduate of Linsly Institute, he began business as a bookkeeper for a local daily newspaper, then became bookkeeper for Hobbs-Brockunier & Company, at that time “the largest and best known manufacturer of high grade ware in the United States.”  He joined with other Hobbs-Brockunier employees in organizing Fostoria Glass Company.  After resigning from that company, he organized the Republic Glass Company which later became Atlas Glass & Metal Company and then later merged with Hazel Glass to become Hazel-Atlas Glass.  He served as vice president, then president, and finally chairman of the board of Hazel-Atlas Glass until he retired to a farm in Charlottesville, Virginia.  His obituary also states that before moving from Wheeling, he “lived for many years in one of the most attractive residences in the beautiful Woodsdale section.” 

 

Brady sold the property in 1919 to Charles H. and LaRue E. Blumenauer.  Blumenauer is listed in the Wheeling City Directory of 1923-24 as “glass manufacturer.”

 

Wilbur E. Stone, president of Stone and Thomas and Security Trust, purchased the land in 1923 and lived in the house next door, 34 Orchard Road.  Stone (1863-1938) was a well-known Wheeling philanthropist who, among other gifts, contributed a $100,000 challenge grant toward the city’s purchase of Wheeling Park.  He was also influential in the establishment of the Wheeling Park Commission and contributed towards the Linsly Building at Thedah Place, the West Virginia Home for Aged Women, and the YMCA.  Hailed “Wheeling’s First Citizen” by Oglebay Institute in 1936 “in appreciation of a long life of generous devotion to our industry, social and civic work,” he was later named a member of the Wheeling Hall of Fame.  His will stipulated that $50,000 be given to the Wheeling Landscape Commission to beautify Chapline Street Extension and National Road.  Most of the rest of his assets were left to his nephew, James Sumner Jones, the son of Stone’s sister Anna P. (Mrs. Henry F.) Jones. 

 

County deed records show that James Sumner Jones and his wife Marguerite (“Aunt Peggy”) Westinghouse Sands Jones owned the property as of December 28, 1926.  It is believed that they built the house and lived there as early as 1928.  Known as “J. Sumner,” Jones (1881-1940) was a graduate of Linsly Institute and the United States Military Academy at West Point.  During his first military career, he served in the Philippine Islands, among other places, and later acted as assistant to the Commandant at West Point.  He resigned from the army in 1913 to enter business with his uncle, Wilbur E. Stone in the management of Stone and Thomas department store.  When the United States entered World War I, he volunteered for service and was appointed assistant to the Adjutant General on the staff of General John J. Pershing.  He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal of the United States, the French Legion of Honor, and the Italian Order of the Crown.  Upon his second retirement from service, he was given the rank of Brigadier General.  In 1919 he again became associated with Stone and Thomas and became its president and general manager following the death of his uncle in 1938.  He was also president of the Security Trust company and served on the board of directors of Sterling Products, Hazel-Atlas Glass, the United States Stamping company, Ohio Valley Drug, and M. Marsh and Sons before his unexpected death while vacationing in Florida in 1940.

 

The next owner was Lillian M. Scott, widow of Henry D. Scott, beginning in 1941.  Henry Scott was vice president of Wheeling Steel Corporation.  Realtor Carroll W. Reed and his wife Helen V. Reed, next owned the home, beginning in 1949.  Charles M. Swart and his wife Jean S. Swart purchased the property in 1957.  Swart was executive vice president of Mail Pouch Tobacco at the time. Alfred Briese owned the home from about 1966 to 1968.  Wheeling Clinic physician Hugh R. Holtrop and his wife Nancy L. Holtrop purchased the property in 1968.  Robert J. and Dolores L. Burke purchased it in 1972.  Burke was president of Warwood Tool.  Current owners Dennis and Dorothy Powell moved into the home in March 2005.

 

Prepared by Jeanne Finstein, August/September 2005

• References:

• Greenwood Cemetery records for William S. and Sally Z. Brady.

• Jones, Bill.  Conversation on September 7, 2005

• Obituary of John Woods, Wheeling News Register, September 10, 1888

• Obituary of  Wilbur E. Stone, Wheeling News Register, January 27, 1938

• Obituary of William S. Brady, Wheeling Register, November 25, 1923

• Ohio County Census Records: 1870 and 1880

• Ohio County Tax Records

• Tribute to General J. Sumner Jones, Wheeling News Register, August 21, 1940

• Tribute to Wilbur E. Stone, Wheeling News Register, January 29, 1938

• Wheeling City Directories: 1896, 1900, 1901-02, 1903-04, 1905-06, 1907-09, 1911-12, 1917-18, 1919, 1923-24, 1928, 1938, 1948, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, and 1974

• Wheeling/Ohio County Death Records

• Wilbur E. Stone: http://wheeling.weirton.lob.wv.us/people/hallfame/1984ston.htm

• Will of Wilbur E. Stone, Will Book 20, Page 325

• Young, Elaine.  Conversation on September 8, 2005