Henry Bell Gilkeson
Henry Bell Gilkeson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Moorefield, Virginia (now West Virginia), U.S. |
| Died | September 29, 1921 (aged 71) |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, politician, educational administrator, banker |
| Years active | 1877–1921 |
| Known for | Superintendent of Hampshire County Schools; Principal of West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind; West Virginia state senator and delegate; Mayor of Romney; President of Bank of Romney |
Henry Bell Gilkeson (June 6, 1850 – September 29, 1921) was a distinguished American attorney, politician, educational administrator, and banker operating primarily in West Virginia.
Originating from Moorefield, Virginia (present-day West Virginia), Gilkeson was the firstborn of a dry goods trader and was brought up in Romney. After completing his studies at Hampden–Sydney College, he embarked on a career as an educator and held the position of superintendent for the Hampshire County Schools district between 1877 and 1879. Subsequently, he pursued legal studies and launched a law practice in Romney. Upon the passing of John Collins Covell in 1887, Gilkeson assumed the role of principal at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind, serving until 1888.
His political journey included service as a state senator representing the 12th District in the West Virginia Legislature from 1890 to 1893, alongside two terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates during 1883–85 and again from 1909 to 1911. Additionally, he was elected mayor of Romney beginning in 1885 and was instrumental as the inaugural president of the Bank of Romney from 1888 through 1913.
Early life and education
Born on June 6, 1850, in Moorefield, then part of Virginia (now West Virginia), Henry Bell Gilkeson was the eldest son of Robert B. Gilkeson, a well-known dry goods merchant based in Romney, and Sarah E. Gilkeson. Both parents shared Scottish heritage. Gilkeson completed his undergraduate education at Hampden–Sydney College in 1872, where he became affiliated with the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He further enhanced his academic credentials by undertaking a specialized engineering program at Yale University and pursuing additional studies in Germany.
Academic career
Following graduation from Hampden–Sydney College, Gilkeson dedicated himself to teaching and held the superintendent position for Hampshire County Schools from 1877 until 1879. Prior to 1886, he also secured election to the Romney Literary Society.
West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind
Between 1876 and 1888, Gilkeson contributed as a member of the Board of Regents for the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind, gaining valuable familiarity with its educational initiatives. In 1887, after Principal John Collins Covell passed away, Gilkeson accepted an interim appointment as principal. Despite having a successful legal practice, he agreed to serve temporarily until a permanent replacement could be identified. However, following several weeks of effective leadership, the Board decided to confirm him permanently.
During his administration, Gilkeson managed both operational and financial responsibilities. Although he did not possess specialized training in deaf or blind education, his strong business skills facilitated proficient school governance, earning commendation from the Board. He strongly supported hiring administrators proficient in sign language, emphasizing that dependency on interpreters often led to unsatisfactory communication outcomes.
In 1888, Gilkeson participated in a national conference aimed at finding an appropriate successor. Upon returning to Romney, he recommended C. H. Hill from the Maryland School for the Deaf to the Board and subsequently resigned from his position. Hill was then appointed as principal.
Although encouraged by the Board to remain at the school, Gilkeson chose to return to his legal practice and political activities but continued advocating on behalf of these educational institutions. As a legislator, he actively held officials responsible for any mismanagement and resisted political appointments that placed unqualified individuals into critical roles within the school system.
Legal and Political Endeavors
Following his tenure as superintendent of Hampshire County Schools, Gilkeson pursued legal studies and went on to establish a well-regarded law practice in Romney, located on Main Street near the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind. He also served as the dean of the Hampshire County Bar Association.
Gilkeson was elected twice to represent Hampshire County in the West Virginia House of Delegates, serving during the 1883–85 and 1909–11 legislative sessions. At the 1884 Democratic Party State Convention held in Wheeling, he emerged as a prominent contender for the Speaker position; however, Robert White was ultimately chosen.
On August 13, 1890, the Twelfth Senatorial District Democratic Convention nominated Gilkeson to fill the vacant West Virginia State Senate seat left by Samuel Lightfoot Flournoy. He secured election later that year and served until 1893. During this period, his senatorial district encompassed Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, and Pendleton counties. In 1892, Gilkeson contributed to several significant committees including Judiciary, Public Buildings and Humane Institutions, and Federal Relations.
Additionally, Gilkeson held the mayoralty of Romney beginning in 1885.
Banking and Commercial Ventures
Gilkeson became the inaugural president of the Bank of Romney following its charter approval by the West Virginia Legislature on September 3, 1888; the bank commenced operations on December 20 of that year. Throughout his leadership, the bank was housed in two rooms on the first floor of the Wirgman Building, a location formerly occupied by the Bank of the Valley of Virginia prior to the Civil War. He remained at the helm until retiring in 1913, with John J. Cornwell—who later served as West Virginia’s 15th governor—succeeding him. In November 1906, Gilkeson co-established the Mill Mountain Orchard Company alongside R. W. Dailey Jr., P. J. Ruckman, and Joshua Soule Zimmerman; this enterprise managed orchards situated atop Mill Creek Mountain west of Romney.
Final Years and Passing
Gilkeson spent most of his life residing in Romney, where he actively engaged in numerous local organizations as a leader, officer, or shareholder. His son Henry Bell Gilkeson Jr. tragically passed away in 1901 due to an accident involving a sharp iron object. Gilkeson's wife, Mary Katherine, died in February 1910 following surgery performed in Cumberland, Maryland.
In his later years, Gilkeson experienced allergic rhinitis and declining health after the death of his son Robert William Gilkeson in October 1918 during World War I’s Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Robert William served as a second lieutenant with Company C of the 316 Engineers and was a 1907 graduate of Hampden–Sydney College; he is interred at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.
Due to worsening health conditions, Gilkeson spent the summer of 1921 recuperating at Mountain Lake Park, Maryland. Shortly before his death, he sustained multiple fractures after falling down steps at his vacation residence. He passed away on September 29, 1921; his funeral took place on October 2, coinciding with the anniversary of his son’s death. Gilkeson was laid to rest alongside his wife and son Henry Jr. at Indian Mound Cemetery in Romney.
At a professional gathering, Charles D. Seaton—a faculty member at West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind—commended Gilkeson's legal career and personal integrity.
In 1980, George Sloan Arnold—Gilkeson's son-in-law—donated a $1.5 million trust to Hampden–Sydney College, alma mater shared by both Gilkeson and Robert William Gilkeson; this gift honored the Gilkeson family legacy and represented the college’s second-largest donation at that time.
Religious activities
Gilkeson played an active role within the Presbyterian Church community in Hampshire County, serving as a trustee for the Presbytery of Winchester alongside Samuel Lightfoot Flournoy. In 1881, he and his fellow trustees acquired a residence and adjoining wooded property in Capon Bridge from Amos L. and Allie G. Pugh to establish a conveniently situated manse for Hampshire County. Gilkeson maintained his trusteeship from 1876 until his passing in 1921. Additionally, he acted as a commissioner representing the Presbytery of Winchester at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, attending the 1902 session held in Jackson, Mississippi.
Marriage and family
On November 19, 1884, Gilkeson wed Mary Katherine Paxton (1853–1910), daughter of Jordan J. and E. J. Paxton from Iron Gate, Virginia. The marriage ceremony was conducted by Reverend George W. Finley at the home of Mary Ann Lipscomb in Washington, D.C. Mary Katherine had previously taught at Waverly Seminary under Lipscomb's supervision. Following their nuptials, the couple embarked on a tour through the Northern United States. They were parents to three children:
- Laura Paxton Gilkeson Arnold (1885–1973), who became the wife of Romney attorney George Sloan Arnold
- Robert William Gilkeson (1887–1918)
- Henry Bell Gilkeson Jr. (1890–1901)