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JACOB T. ROHRBOUGH, Company "E"


Submitted by Linda Fluharty.

     Jacob T. Rohrbough, a prominent lumber dealer, was born in what is now Upshur county, W. Va., March 2, 1843. His parents were Henry and Eliza (Walker) Rohrbough, the first mentioned of Switzerland, and the mother a Virginian by birth, her parents being of English and German lineage. When about grown, the father came with his parents to America, settling with the family in Hardy county, Va. He was a wagonmaker by trade and is reputed to have made the first vehicle of that kind that crossed the mountains on the old Seneca stage route. He came to the Ohio valley in a very early day and his first wife was Myram Post. Before he was five years of age, the subject of this sketch lost both of his parents by death, which event took place in 1847. There were three children but only Jacob T. survives. He was taken care of up to the age of eighteen by Anthony Rohrbough, a distant relative. After the age mentioned, he worked on a farm for a year and then enlisted in Company E, First West Virginia cavalry under Col. Annis Ansel. He served in that regiment for three years, dating from February 22, 1862. He took part in many battles in the valley of Virginia and the eastern part of the state, including the famous engagements at Cedar Mountain, Bull Run and Fredericksburg. Our subject took part with his regiment on the bloody field of Gettysburg where they lost their captain, W. M. Harris. While serving with the cavalry at Gettysburg, Mr. Rohrbough had a horse shot from under him. After the war he worked in a saw-mill for the Parkersburg Mill Co., where he remained four months and then took charge of a mill on the B. & O. R. R. He came to Wetzel county in 1869, which has since been his residence. At present he owns a mill in Marshall county and an interest in another mill, besides some real estate. December 3, 1867, he married Mrs. Sarah O'Brien, of Wood county, who has borne him nine children, viz: William T., Augusta, Charles (deceased), Ida M., Cassie A., Katie, Pemie, Luella and Sallie. Peter O'Brien, Mrs. Rohrbough's first husband, was a soldier in the Civil war and was killed instantly by a shot in the head, July 18, 1863, at Snicker's Ferry. He had three children: George (deceased), Mary and Hattie. Mrs. Rohrbough, then Mrs. O'Brien, accompanied her husband for ten months during his service in the army. She was engaged in cooking, washing and other work suitable to women. She became very popular with the soldiers during those trying times by furnishing them with food as they passed to their places of destination on the cars. She is a member of the Baptist church and a most excellent woman in every respect. Her present husband, Jacob Rohrbough, was a candidate for the legislature during the last campaign against the present incumbant, Aaron Morgan, the latter being the democratic candidate. As the last mentioned party has a majority of 800 in the county, Morgan was elected, though he was cut down 300 votes below the full party strength.

Source: History of the Upper Ohio Valley, Vol. II; Brant & Fuller, 1891; pgs. 40-41.

OBITUARY

T. ROHRBAUGH - Funeral services for Jacob Travis Rohrbaugh, 80 who died Friday, were held yesterday from his home in Kenova, Mr. Rohrbaugh was a Civil War veteran and a prominent lumberman of West Virginia. He was born near Buchannon, March 2, 1843. At 18, he enlisted in Company E, First West Virginia Cavalry and served throughout the war. In 1867 he married mrs. Sarah O'Brien who died five years ago. He had lived in Kenova since 1917. The following children survive: Mrs. J. H. O'Neil, of Ashland, Ky.; Mrs. W. T. Woolcox, of Logan, W. Va.; Mrs. Harry Kingston, of Akron, O.; Mrs. L. R. Hicks, of Bluff City, Tenn.; Mrs. William McCabe of Independence, Wash., and Miss Cassie Rohrbaugh of Kenova.

The Huntington Herald-Dispatch, Tuesday Morning, September 25, 1923


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