Cedar Grove
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Cedar Grove

Taken from History of Charleston and Kanawha County West Virginia and Representative Citizens, W.S. Laidley, Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, 1911.
Cedar Grove is located on the right bank of the Kanawha river on the line of the Kanawha and Michigan Railroad, at the mouth of Kelly's creek. The town was incorporated about 1902. The finest and oldest house in the place is the residence of the later H.P. Tompkins, which was erected by William Tompkins, father of the later H.P. Tompkins, about 1844. The house is constructed of brick and is near the mouth of Kelly's creek and is occupied by the family of Mr. Tompkins. H.P. Tompkins was the second mayor of Cedar Grove after its incorporation. The following is a list of those who have served as mayors of the town: Joseph Luther, H.P. Tompkins (second term), Benjamin Hope, whose term was finished by Herbert Harold, who was the sixth mayor. Mr. Harold was succeeded by Walter Campbell; he in turn by John Quick. The ninth mayor was Harold P. Tompkins, son of H.P. Tompkins, the second mayor; he was said to be the youngest mayor in the United States. The tenth mayor, the present incumbent, is Eli Dixon. The first mayor was appointed by the court until an election could be held.

There are eight stores in the place, viz: The Sunday Creek Co. store (a general store), W. C. Shannon's general store; H.A. McClung & Son, grocers; W.E. Lewis, general store; Calderwood Bros., general store; M.S. Miller, general store and millinery; James Estep, grocer; and G.H. Spruce, grocery. M.F. Spruce is a funeral director. There are two butcher shops and three coal companies which operate in the vicinity.

The Methodist Episcopal Church is the oldest church in Cedar Grove. The building is a brick structure located at the mouth of Kelly's creek. It was erected for the Methodists by William Tompkins. After a lapse of eight or ten years without services, the church was reorganized in 1910. In this year some improvements were made, among other things a new belfry was added. The church is in the Cedar Grove circuit. There are twenty members and Rev. J.E. Brown is the pastor.

There are three churches in the Cedar Grove circuit, one at Malden and one at Glen Ferris. The latter was organized in 1910 and has twenty-three members. The structure is a frame building which was erected in 1903. Rev. J.E. Brown is the pastor.

Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church has a membership numbering thirty. The congregation has no pastor. The last pastor was Rev. John Carpenter. The church, a frame structure, was erected in 1903, and was dedicated in June 1904.

The Baptist church of Cedar Grove, a frame building, was erected in 1903. Its highest membership is about sixty-five.

There is also a colored Baptist church in the town.

William Calderwood is postmaster of Cedar Grove.

The Kelly's Creek Railroad, a branch road and also a coal road, runs five miles from Cedar Grove to Mammoth; also Kelly's Creek South Western Railroad, two and a half miles long, running from Cedar Grove to Ward. This is also a coal road.

Kanawha Star Lodge No. 177, K. of P., with a membership of forty-five, has the following officers: Ernest Derring, chancellor commander; Charles Rutledge, master finance; C.H. Malcolm, master exchequer; and Charles Rutledge, secretary.

The town receives its chief support from the coal mines.

Cedar Grove School, 1904

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