CORK:
Jacob Frank Cork, lawyer and business man of Charleston, West Virginia, now, was the first and only of this family,name in Roane County; was born in Clarksburg, W. Va., April 2, 1857, son of Captain John James Cork and Rebecca Lupton Campbell. (See Campbell, ante). Captain John James Cork was born in Lewiston, Va., November 9, 1831, died December 2, 1864. Rebecca Lupton Campbell was born 1830, in Franklin County, Virginia, daughter of John C. and _________ Camp bell, died in Charleston, West Virginia, 1922. Rebecca L. and her son, J. Frank's residence in the Town of Spencer, commenced when John C. Campbell and his family became residents here. On June 9, 1882, Rebecca L. Cork and Captain Martin W. Kidd, of Spencer, were united in marriage, and made their residence here until the death of Captain Kidd.
The "Kidd" memorial window in the Spencer Presbyterian Church was donated to the church by Rebecca L. and her son, Jacob Frank Cork at the time of erection of that church, of which church they had long been members. Though residents of Charleston at the time, their religious sentiments were still with the village church; the bodies of Captain and Rebecca Kidd lie buried in the Spencer cemetery, Rebecca having died in November, 1922.
Jacob Frank Cork, of above paragraphs, graduated from Glenville Normal School, 1874; taught school in Roane County; attended Fairmont Normal; entered West Virginia University 1879; had its B. A. degree 1883, LL.B. 1884, M. A. degree 1884, admitted to the bar at Spencer 1884, where he first practiced law; chief clerk of State Department of Free Schools with B. S. Morgan, superintendent, appointed to the post by Governor Flemming; did much in construction of the then infant free-school system. Miss Harriett Adelaid Chevalier became the wife of Jacob Franklin Cork in the year 1880; she was born April 25, 1857, daughter of Major Arthur H. and Susan V. Chev~ier, residents of Parkersburg at the time of the daughter's marriage with Mr. Cork. They took up their residence in Charleston when Mr. Cork became part of the State's Free Scho~ force; where they have lived ever since, Mr. Cork resuming practice of the law after his term of office as school man expired. He is reputed to have prospered as such a city pioneer should, and is one of Charleston's wealthiest men at time of this writing.
To Jacob Frank and Harriett A. (Chevalier) Cork, have been born and by them brought up three sons and two daughters: John Rolfe April or August 6, 1882; Virginia Chevalier, May 19, 1886; Helen W. and Donald Lupton (twins), September 12, 1891, and Edward Chevalier, March 21,1896.
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 484-485
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999
