James "Stack" Hoge was born in January 1880 in Wheeling, Ohio County, WV, the son of Theudas and Agnes (Hanshaw) Hoge. 

In early age, Stack and his brother Raymond clerked for their father in the family hardware business in Wheeling.

Circa 1906, when he was about 26 years of age, Stack was united in the bonds of wedlock with 20-year-old Edna H. Jones (Sept. 3, 1885-1965), daughter of Thomas M. and Elizabeth (Ferrell) Jones of Wheeling.

The couple bore one known daughter, Agnes "Elizabeth" Henderson.

Circa 1908, the Hoges resided in St. Clairsville, Belmont County, OH. That year, at the death of his uncle Dr. Guy R. Hanshaw, Stack became entitled to a 1/16 share of the estate, which included lucrative oil and gas wells. He received an immediate payout from the estate of $115.63 in 1909. In 1910, when Stack's aunt Julia (Hanshaw) Fawcett passed away, he received a bequeath of $100 as "my beloved nephew, ... by reason of him having aided me materially at divers times." 

Center of St. Clairsville's Main Street, looking east

The federal census enumeration of 1910 shows the family now living across the Ohio River in Wheeling, Ohio County, WV. At that time, Stack clerked at a hardware store, likely his father's.

Wheeling Register, 1912

Tragically, Stack suffered from an incurable case of tuberculosis, and decided to leave the heavily industrial Ohio River Valley with its never-ending air pollution. He and Edna then moved to Saranac Lake in the Adirondack Mountains of Franklin County, NY. The area was world renowned as a leading treatment center for pulmonary TB. In fact, having been gassed during World War I fighting, baseball hall of fame pitcher Christy Mathewson also was treated at Saranac Lake in the 1920s, but sadly succumbed to his illness..

Knowing his time on Earth was drawing short, Stack penned a will on Sept. 7, 1912. Under the terms of the will, he left all of his estate to Edna. "I have expressly omitted to make herein any provision for my daughter, Agnes E. Hoge," he wrote, "for the reason that I have full confidence that my wife will make better provision for her in every way than I can do by any provision herein." 

Just three days after writing his will, Stack died, on Sept. 10, 1912, at the age of 33. His remains were returned to Wheeling for burial in the Hoge family plot in the city's prestigious Greenwood Cemetery. The Wheeling Register noted that Rev. G.W. Way conducted the funeral ceremony, following a funeral at the home of Stack's aged father at Echo Point.

As a widow, Edna then began receiving the royalty payments. She continued to receive them until her death in about 1942. The high point was in 1918, when she received $49.08. In total, the Hoges received $534.35 in inheritance.

Deceptively peaceful Saranac Lake, where many tuberculosis patients, including Stack Hoge, unsuccessfully sought cures for their suffering.

Edna remained a widow in Wheeling for about a dozen years. Then at the age of 39, on Nov. 2, 1925, she entered into marriage with 49-year-old widower Harry Elberty (1876-1950), a native of Pittsburgh who was now living in Martins Ferry, OH. Rev. William H. Fields led the wedding ceremony, held in Wheeling. Harry was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Pepping) Eberty.

Harry "worked for 52 years in steel mills in Pennsylvania and Maryland," reported the Frederick (MD) News. Circa 1936, the couple resided in or near Baltimore. Then in about 1944, the moved to Union Bridge near Frederick, MD.

The Elbertys established their home on a farm about one-and-a-half miles northwest of Uniontown, Carroll County, MD, along the road leading from Taneytown and Westminster Highway to the Fairview School.

Sadly, Harry endured a long illness and in early July 1950 appears to have known he was dying. The couple advertised in the Hanover (PA) Evening Sun that they had sold their farn and now needed to dispose of their household goods. An auction was scheduled for July 22, 1950, a Saturday.

But death came quickly for Harry. He passed away at home at the age of 74, the day before the auction, on July 21, 1950. Rev. Robert B. Nimon presided over the funeral service. Burial of the remains was in Uniontown Methodist Cemetery in Carroll County, MD. Obituaries appeared in the News and the Evening Sun.

As a widow, Edna moved to the Wilkinsburg section of Pittsburgh, PA and dwelled in the United Presbyterian Home at 306 Penn Avenue. Her aunt Ida M. Neese also lived at the home, and when the aunt died at the age of 99 in January 1961, Edna was named in the obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

In mid-August 1965, Edna suffered a serious heart attack. After a week of suffering, she died at home at the age of 79 on Aug. 24, 1965. Interment of the remains was in Homewood Cemetery in Pittsburgh, in a special section for "aged people of the United Presbyterian Church."

~ Daughter Agnes Elizabeth (Hoge) Henderson ~

Daughter Agnes "Elizabeth" Hoge (1909- ? ) was born in 1909 in Wheeling, Ohio County, WV. She was only four years old when her father died.

She grew up in Wheeling and in the mid-1930s dwelled at 210 South Penn Street.

On Aug. 1, 1936, when she was 27 years of age, Elizabeth was united in wedlock with 31-year-old salesman Charles Henderson Jr. (1906- ? ), son of Charles and Clara (Murray) Henderson Sr. of Bellaire, Belmont County, OH. Their wedding license was filed in Washington County, PA.

Charles had lived in Bellaire in 1935, and by 1940 joined his bride in Wheeling in establishing their life together. He earned a living in 1940 as a pattern maker in a Wheeling-area steel foundry, and Elizabeth as a bank clerk.

In 1942, at the age of 33, Elizabeth received the final payment from the Hanshaw estate.

The pair made their residence circa 1950 in Ravenna, Portage County, OH.

Nothing more about the Hendersons is known.

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