BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 684-685.

WILLIAM B. WADDELL

William B. Waddell, a prominent farmer of Richland township, was born in 1820,
in Belmont county, the son of James and Sarah (Cash) Waddell. The father was
born in West Virginia in 1777, and was a son of Moses and Ellen (Carter)
Waddell, who were natives of the same state, and the former of whom was a
son of Alexander Waddell, who emigrated from Ireland. James Waddell was a
soldier in the war of 1812, in company of Capt. Daniel Connor, under Gen.
Harrison, and for several years, drew a pension for his services. He was a
baker by trade, and cooked while in the service. William B. was reared amid
the hardships of pioneer days, getting his schooling by walking two and a
half miles, to the little log school-house, with greased paper windows which
was their best academy of learning. His parents were poor and he had to labor
early and late to help them through. In 1847, he was married to Ellen Lucas,
and soon afterward, they removed to Guernsey county, where he began farming,
and by close economy, saved enough to buy a small farm, which subsequently
he sold, and bought a larger tract, and by so continuing, and engaging suc-
cessfully in the culture of tobacco, he was able in the spring of 1855, to
buy and settle on the farm where he now lives. He now owns 287 acres in
Richland township, well improved, and is reckoned among the substantial and
prosperous men of the county. Notwithstanding his life of toil, he is, at the
age of seventy years, still in excellent health. His wife, who was a daughter
of Elisha and Susan (Ault) Lucas, and was born in Smith township, in 1827, and
died April 7, 1883, leaving one son, Frank S. The latter was born in Kirkwood
township, May 30, 1852. After attending the Hopedale Normal school two years,
and the college at New Athens, eighteen months, he graduated from Iron City
Commercial college, and began teaching, at which he was engaged five years.
In the school year of 1873-4, he taught the grammar grade of the St. Clairs-
ville school. He was married in November, 1877, to Mary B. Parkinson, who was
born in 1859, daughter of William and Mary (Lynn) Parkinson, and he has five
children: Pearl, Mabel, William W., Paul and Wayne.