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Note: ) HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, p. 252, and on Marie Hanway's geneological chart of Adam and Rebecca Bishop and their descendants. However, Charles's obituary gives his birthdate as 4 Jan 1829.
Education: According to THE WEST VIRGINIA HERITAGE ENCYCLOPEDIA, V. 2, P. 441, Charles went to school "in Hardy County and in Charles Town, then learned the trade of saddler working in his father's shop.
1850 VA Census, Preston County, 45th District, page 340, line 18: Charles M. Bishop, 22, saddler, born in Virginia, living with his parents.
16 July 1851: Charles married Margaret E. Morris, his first wife, according to Wiley's HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY, first published in 1882, P. 252, and Charles's obituary. Janice Cale Sisler of the Preston Co. WV Historical Society could not find a
marriage record for them in Preston County.
16 July 1854: Date of birth of son, John D. Bishop, to Charles M. Bisshop of Rowlsburg, merchant, the informant, and Margaret Bisshop, according to Roy L. Lockhart's PRESTON COUNTY WV (THEN VA) RECORDS 1853-1860 in his section on BIRTHS 1853-1859
(transcribed from microfilm of the original records in Richmond, VA) p. 11, line 409.
13 March 1858: Date of birth of daughter Mary Eugene [Eugenia] Bishop in Rowelsburg, Preston Co. to Charles Mortimer Bishop, informant, merchant, and Margaret Ellen Bishop, according to Lockhart, Ibid, p. 45, line 1887.
Abt Sep 1856: Estimated date of birth of daughter Grace Morris Bishop based upon her death record.
7 July 1859: Date of death due to scarlet fever of son John J. Bishop, at age 5, in Rowlesburg, registered by his mother, according to Lockhart, Ibid, p. 19, line 675.
26 Sep 1859: Date of death due to scarlet fever of daughter Grace Morris Bishop, at age 3, near Kingwood, according to Lockhart, Ibid, p. 19, line 676.
1860 WV, Preston County, Rowlsburg P.O., Census, HH 2171, Family 2174, P. 312: Charles M. Bishop, 33, b VA, merchant; Margareth E., 29, b VA; Mary E., 2, b VA.
After the Civil War: "Charles M. [Bishop] remained in Kingwood and built what is known as the 'Bishop Block' as well as a splendid mansion which in very deteriorated condition serves as the Bd. of Education office for the county" according to a
9/27/97 e-mail from Janice Cale Sisler, Preston County WV historian.
1870 VA, Preston Co, Reno Twp Census, HH 100, Family 97, p. 185. Charles M., 42, merchant, real estate $20,000, personal property $55,000; Margaret E., 37; Mollie, 12; Flora, 6, Charles Y., 2.
1870: According to THE WEST VIRGINIA HERITAGE ENCYCLOPEDIA, V. 2, P. 441, Charles was elected this year "as a Republican to the House of Delegates, serving until 1872..."
1870 VA, Preston Co, Reno Twp: Ward also found a Christian Bishop in this census.
1872: According to the same source above, Charles "moved his residence and [mercantile] business to Kingwood...[and] was chosen State Senator for the District composed of Preston and Monongalia Counties. He served on several committees in both houses
of the Legislature. He was also a Commissioner of Preston County."
1873 and 1875: C. M. Bishop is listed on p. 717 of Volume III: Discord, in Earl L. Core's 1979 series THE MONONGALIA STORY: A BICENTENNIAL HISTORY, as having served West Virginia both in the 1873 and 1875 biennial sessions of the WV Legislature.
This information is in the book's Appendix B: Monongalia County's Representation in the General Assembly of Virginia and Legislature of West Virginia said to be from Earl G. Swem and John W. Williams REGISTER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA,
1776-1918; and Wiley, pp. 272-74, 281, 282.
1880 WV, Preston Co, Kingwood District (037): Charles M. Bishop, 53, drygoods merchant; Margaret E., 50, wife, keeping house; Eugenia, 21, daughter, music teacher; Lula, 14, daughter; Charles Y., 12, son; and a domestic laborer, John Reedy, 25, b VA
to parents b VA. (Information from Jim Sypolt)
1882: S. T. Wiley's History of Preston County West Virginia has a picture of the Honorable Charles M. Bishop between pp. 252 and 255 upon which are written a biographical sketch which is as follows:
"The Honorable Charles Mortimer Bishop was born at Moorefield, Hardy County, Virginia, January 4th, 1827. His father's name was Adam, and his mother's maiden name was Rebecca C. Riley.
At the age of 7 years he began to attend school in his native town. The school was taught by a man named Peck, and he attended it three years and a half. He also went to schools taught by two masters named Pugh and Scott, and subsequently attended a
year at Charlestown, Jefferson County, after which he clerked six months for S. D. Brady, Esq., at Romney, Hampshire County.
In 1843, he came with his father to Kingwood, and attended school short time under the tuition of Nicholas Howell. Here he learned his father's trade, saddlery, and worked early and late, sometimes as high as sixteen hours a day.
On the 16th of July, 1851, he married Margaret E. Morris, sister to Mrs. Smith Crane and daughter of Reuben Morris, Esq.
In the following December, he engaged in merchandizing at Rowlesburg, and remained there, till August 16th, 1872, when he returned with his family to Kingwood.
While merchandizing at Rowlesburg he was also in partnership with Mr. D. Ridenour at West Union (now Aurora), and with Mr. F. M. Huffman at Fellowsville.
In 1870, receiving the Republican nomination, he was elected to the House of Delegates. And, in 1872, being the Republican nominee from the district composed of the counties of Preston and Monongalia, he was elected to the State Senate, by a large
popular majority - the highest compliments of a free people. In all, Mr. Bishop served six years in the legislature.
He was a member of the committee on finance, when in the House, and also during his 4 years in the Senate. He was a member of the Senate Committees on Education, and Humane Institutions; also on a special committee to reduce the taxes in the city of
Charleston. He favored the claims of Wheeling as the Capital city, and bravely helped to fight the question through when the man who stood up for Wheeling was denied the courtesy of social recognition even on the streets of Charleston.
In 1875, he began merchandizing in Kingwood with Captain Joseph M. Godwin, and the partnership lasted two years and a half. He then had erected a two-story frame store building, in 1877, on Price Street, opposite the postoffice and still carries on
business in the line of general merchandizing.
In the meantime he served as one of the managing directoss(sic)of the State asylum for the Insane, under appointment of Governor Mathews.
Mr. Bishop is one of the directors of the National Bank of Kingwood, operates several farms, and is greatly interested in the improvement of our live stock. He was converted in the winter of 1845, and has ever since been an active, zealous member of
his church, the Methodist Episcopal.
He has three children living, M. Eugenia, who graduated at the Wheeling Female College in 1878; Lulu E., who is now a student of the same institution of learning; and master Charles Y., a school boy at the home school in Kingwood.
Mr. Bishop is now in the prime of life and in the meridian of usefulness. Devoting his energies to his private affairs, he still takes a deep interest in the welvare of his fellow-men, in the material progress of the country, and in the mental, moral
and religious advancement of the age."
20 Aug 1897: Charles's first wife, Margaret Ellen Morris, died.
10 Nov 1899: Charles married again, this time Fanny Emma (Mitchell) Brown.
1900 Kingwood, Preston Co, WV Census, P. 4A: Charles M., Bishop, 71,banker, b Jan 1829, and his wife Fanny E. Bishop, 53, b April 1847 have living with them his son, Charles M. Bishop, 32, b Feb 1868, no occupation listed, a widower: their grandson, Ross Manown, 12, b Sep 1888 ; and two servant girls, Auda Hawley, 18, b Jan 1882, and Lyda Foreman, 15, b June 1884.
3 Feb 1902: Date of Charles's death according to his tombstone as recorded in Volume I of Janice Cale Sisler's IN REMEMBRANCE: TOMBSTONE READINGS OF PRESTON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, V. 1, p. 66.
4 Feb 1902: A shorter obituary was also zeroxed for me by John Pierson, who obtained it from Colson Hall, Ibid. It was in THE MORGANTOWN EVENING POST, MORGANTOWN, WV, 4 Feb 1902.
5 Feb 1902: Date of burial according to Charles's obituaries. I have copies of Charles's obituaries and a picture of his tombstone and his first wife, Margaret, on my MyFamily.com website about the couple and their family.
6 Feb 1902: One of Charles's lengthy obituaries is on microfilm at Colson Hall, WVU Library, Morgantown, WV. It was zeroxed for me by John Pierson, a researcher, and appears in THE PRESTON COUNTY JOURNAL, Kingwood, Preston Co, WV, V. 36, No. 22,
Thursday, 6 Feb 1902, p. 2, columns 5 & 6. It reads as follows:
"PROMINENT CITIZEN DEAD
Hon. C. M. Bishop Expires Monday Morning at 1 O'clock.
A STATESMAN AND POLITICIAN.
He Was Widely Known Throughout the State in Banking and Financial Circles.
Vice-President of the Bank of Kingwood - Retired Merchant - A Prominent Church Worker.
The entire community was surprised and shocked to learn on Monday morning that our venerable townsman, Charles M. Bishop had passed away at about 1 o'clock a.m. He had been ailing several days with a cold and because of the inclement weather had kept
to his house, but he was not known to be at all seriously ill, and the news of his sudden death came as an utter surprise. Medical aid was summoned at the first indication of a critical condition but even then it was too late. Heart failure or
paralysis appears to be the cause of his decease.
Charles Mortimer Bishop was born Jan. 4, 1829, and died Feb. 3, 1902, at the age of 73 years. On his father's side he was of Pennsylvania German ancestry, his grandfather having moved from the Keystone state to the Valley of Virginia, and at
Shepherdstown, Col. Adam Bishop, the father of the subject of our sketch was born.
Adam Bishop was engaged in the hotel and real estate business, but on his removal to Kingwood in 1843 he turned his attention to saddlery and harness making. He employed several men and made some money. Finally, he went to Fetterman, where he died at
the age of 72 years. His wife was Ann Rebecca Riley, a native of Winchester, Va., at which town they were married. The couple had six sons and one daughter, all of whom grew to maturity. Three brothers and one sister of C. M. Bishop survive him.
James R. is a retired Merchant and lives at Oakland, Md. Jacquis A. is a physician and broker of Buckhannon, and the sister Ann Rebecca, lives at Fellowsville, in this County. Ferdinand D. and Adam H. passed away before tfheir brother. The former
was a farmer and spent his last years in Texas.
The education of C. M. Bishop was of the common schools. He attended one year at Charlestown in the Valley of Virginia, after which he clerked six months for S. D. Brady of Romney. He was 15 years old when his father came to Kingwood. Here he
received some further schooling and then he learned the saddler's trade, sometimes working sixteen hours a day.
He was married July 16, 1851 to Margaret Ellen, daughter of Reuben and Margaret Morris. Soon after he bought a lot of horses, took them east and sold them there. In the same year he determined to embark on a commercial career. The Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad was then building through Preston county and as an immediate result of this circumstance, the town of Rowlesburg was springing into existence. He selected Rowlesburg as a location and went into business there with John Morris, his
brother-in-law. Mr. Morris was a civil engineer and laid out the Tunnelton and Ioes Ferry pike. The partnershipwas not of long duration, since Morris preferred a traveling career.
Reuben Morris, Mr. Bishop's father-in-law, bought a store for the young partners and put into it a stock of goods. For working capital, Mr. Bishop applied to David Albright, grandfather of our townsman, L. M. Albright and then the wealthiest man of
the county. Much to the surprise and without the propositions coming from himself, Mr. Albright loaned the young merchant a thousand dollars with no other security than his word. At the end of the year the merchant was prepared to pay both principal
and interest. But Mr. Albright asked if he would not like to have the money another year and on being told it would be quite convenient to use it again, the loan was renewed a second year. This act of confidence gave Mr. Bishop a new desire to prove
himself worthy of any trust that might be reposed in him and the object lesson was well deserved.
For 25 years Mr. Bishop continued in the merchandise business at Rowlesburg and he also carried on some operations in real estate. He grew up with the town and his operations rapidly widened. For a time Jas. Campbell was his partner. He also
conducted branch stores at Aurora and Fellowsville. To the very last his business interests in Rowlesburg remained very extensive and valuable. During the years of Civil War, the Baltimore and Ohio became a military railraod and vast numbers of
troops and large quantities of supplies were moved over it. This increase of activity contributed largely to the volume of Mr. Bishop's business.
In 1864, an oil excitement arose in the vicinity of Rowlesburg. In connection with Henry G. Davis and others, Mr. Bishop acted as an intermediary between the land owners and the oil men, and on the options he took he realized a considerable sum of
money. But although oil was not actually found, this circumstance does not reflect upon Mr. Bishop's integrity in the matter. The speculation was inspired by the oil operators themselves.
In 1876, Mr. Bishop returned to Kingwood where he has ever since continued to reside. He went into the merchandise business in the Murdock building with Capt. J. M. Goodwin as partner and the firm continued for two and a half years. In 1877, Mr.
Bishop erected a two story frame store building on the present site of the jewelry store of Mr. Cole. In December, 1885, he took in L. M. Albright as partner, but the latter retired a half year later because of his health. Shortly afterward the
building was destroyed by fire, and such goods as were saved were taken to Mr. Bishop's dwelling, and sold from there. But his regular business was soon resumed in the present Bishop block, where in August, 1869, James W. Flynn became his partner.
Two years later the business was sold to Beavers & Fawcett, and Mr. Bishop retired permanently from merchandising, thereafter giving his attention mainly to his banking interests and to his farm near Kingwood which he personally supervised.
When the National Bank of Kingwood was organized in 1865, Mr. Bishop was one of the stockholders, and on April 24, 1884, following the death of W. G. Brown, the then president, James C. McGrew succeeded to the presidency and Mr. Bishop became vice
president. This relation with the bank he continued to hold to the end of his life.
In politics, Mr. Bishop has been a zealous Republican ever since 1856. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1869 and served one term in the House of Delegates and two terms to the State Senate. In both houses he bore a fine record and served on
the finance and other committees, including the senate committee on education and humane institutions. His service in the State legislature extended over a period of 6 years. By appointment of Gov. Matthews, he was made a managing director of the
Hospital for the Insane at Weston. In his home county, Mr. Bishop filled several local offices, and from 1883 to 1889 he was president of the County court, which then consisted of but three members instead of eight as at present.
In 1856, while living at Rowlesburg, Mr. Bishop became an Odd Fellow and served through all the chairs. About the same time he became a member of the Sons of Temperance and took a very effective part in the work of that order.
He was converted in 1845 and joined the Methodist Episcopal church in which he became an active and efficient member. In the church at Kingwood he was class leader, exhorter and trustee, and for many years he was a steward.
His wife died several years ago. Their children were six - Harry, Patrick, Grace, Eugenia, Charles Y. and Lula. The first three died in infancy in early youth. Eugenia is the wife of John H. Brown, for many years a merchant of Kingfwood. Lula
married J. Frank Manown, cashier of the Tygart's Valley Bank of Phillippi. Charles Y. lives at Kingwood.
On Nov. 10, 1899, Mr. Bishop was married to Mrs. F. Emma Brown who survives him.
Mr. Bishop was of medium height and somewhat spare of figure. Even in his later years he was very erect in his bearing and bore his age well, continuing to conduct his own business affairs till the very last.
In matters of business, Mr. Bishop was accurate, pains-taking and methodical. His sterling integrity caused his word to be esteemed as highly as his bond, and the thrift which came with his sturdy German and Scotch-Irish ancestry caused him to be
eminently successful in financial matters and brought him into the possession of an ample competence, consisting largely of stock in banks at Oakland, Terra Alta, Phillippi and Buckhannon.
But while an exact man, Mr. Bishop was held in the highest esteem by his business associates, since they ever found him accomodating as well as just. He was a pronounced church member and whether in church or temperance work was a fluent and forcible
speaker. He was a public spirited man and an exemplary citizen. His personal character was above reproach and after a long, busy and useful life, he leaves a void in our community that does not seem easy to fill and he will be greatly missed.
The funeral was conducted Wednesday at 11 o'clock from the residence by his pastor, Rev. H. C. Howard, of the M. E. Church, assisted by Presiding Elder Cotton, of the Morgantown district of the M. E. Church, and Rev. R. M. Ramsey of the Presbyterian
Church.
A very large number of his friends gathered at the residence to show their high esteem of this excellent citizen and friend.
The funeral was in charge of H. C. Flythe the undertaker. The pallbearers were N. J. Fortney, G. J. Shaffer, J. E. Murdock, Geo. A. Walls, J. W. Flynn, W. A. Thomas and P. J. Crogan, of Kingwood and Dr. M. H. Proudfoot, of Rowlesburg, J. W. Watson of
Kingwood, and O. C. Crane, of Terra Alta, were the honorary pall bearers. The interment was made in the Kingwood cemetery. The floral tributes from his friends were many and beautiful. One, an anchor, given by the Bank of Kingwood, was the most
beautiful token of the very high esteem the officials of that institution held the deceased."
13 Feb 1902: A news article regarding Charles's estate appeared in THE WEST VIRGINIA ARGUS, Kingwood, WV. It appeared that surprisingly he left no will. His wife was made administrator of his estate and Wm G. Brown (probably her son by her first
marriage) and Charles Y. Bishop, Charles's son by his first marriage, were made sureties. The article said that "About one hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of Bank Stock, Government Bonds, Notes and cash was found in his safe at home and in the
Vault of the Bank here, but no will." and "There is much valuable real estate and a number of farms and coal and timber land in different parts of the county and quite a number of houses in Kingwood and Rowlesburg, that are all renting at good rates
and it is hard to estimate the total value of the estate until the appraisers go over it in detail, but it will aggregate several hundred thousand dollars."
1914: On p. 323, Morton's HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, V. 1, first published in 1914, refers to two of the sons of Adam Bishop: "Charles M. and C. McCurdy remained in Preston, the former as a merchant of Kingwood and Rowlesburg,
acquiring a large fortune." [I obtained Volumes 1 and 2 both from Amazon.com.]
1976: THE WEST VIRGINIA HERITAGE ENCYCLOPEDIA, edited and published by Jim Comstock, Richwood, WV in 1976, has on p. 441 in V. 2 the following: "BISHOP, Charles Mortimer (1827- ), a prominent nineteenth century legislator, was born in Hardy
County. He attended school there and in Charles Town, then learned the trade of saddler working in his father's shop. He later operated a mercantile business in Rowlesburg and in 1872 moved his residence and business to Kingwood. In 1870 he was
elected as a Republican to the House of delegates, serving until 1872, when he was chosen State Senator for the District composed of Preston and Monongalia Counties. He served on several committees in both houses of the Legislature. He was also a
Commissioner of Preston County."
1979: C. M. Bishop is listed on p. 717 of Volume III: DISCORD in Earl L. Core's 1979 series THE MONONGALIA STORY: A BICENTENNIAL HISTORY as having served West Virginia both in the 1873 and 1875 biennial sessions of the WV Legislature. This
information is in the book's Appendix B: Monongalia County's Representation in the General Assembly of Virginia and Legislature of West Virginia said to be from Earl G. Swem and John W. Williams's REGISTER OF THE GENERAL ASEMBLY OF VIRGINIA, 1776-1918;
and Wiley, Ibid, pp. 272-274, 281, 282.
Note: 4 Jan 1827: Birthdate on Charles's tombstone, as recorded in Janice Cale Sisler's Volume I, In Remembrance: Tombstone Readings of Preston County , West Virginia, p. 66. The date is confirmed in his biographical sketch in Samuel T. Wiley's (1882
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