| By Bob Weaver
Gladys Weaver Stump told of the Citizen's Phone Company being located on a second floor near the old Terminal Restaurant. The single telephone operator had a pretty good view toward Main Street and could glance up High Street if need be at the Stump's who had a service station and auto repair shop, the family living upstairs.
She said her son Charles Albert called home from the Navy at the end of World War II. The operator said "There's no need to ring her because the lights out. She went down to the A & P to get some things before she goes to choir practice." The long distance operator on the other end said "Well, OK!"
Telephone companies in Calhoun sprung up early after Bell's invention in 1876, at least for a rural area like Calhoun. A photo of Main Street Grantsville shows phone or telegraph lines in the 1880's and accounts say a telephone line ran into Calhoun in 1882, a system operated by a Pittsburgh company. The first telephone in Grantsville was placed in the J. W. Pell Store.
Grantsville and all the independent companies were originally one-wire, crank phone systems. The Grantsville system updated to a two-wire system which did not carry a noisy hum, known well to rural phone subscribers.
A few oil, gas and railroad companies operated private telegraph systems in the county. An early telegraph post was operated at Freed by W. Hall in 1890 and others were maintained at Chloe, Millstone and Letherbark.
The Auditor's Office of the State of West Virginia wrote County Clerk S. W. McClung in 1906 requesting the names and addresses of the parties hooked to the following phone systems: Arnoldsburg and Doddrell Telephone Company, Staten and Doddrell Telephone Company, George Griffin, Jr. Telephone Company, S. J. Wayne Telephone Company, Dr. Lowe and Ralph Bennett Telephone Company and Farmer's Telephone Company.
The Hur Company operated from about 1900 to about 1963, and was the largest exchange beside Grantsville. Wires were strung to Richardson, Egypt Ridge (Roane Co.), Rocksdale, Altizer, Barnes Run, Rowels Run, Cremo, Creston, Joker and Annamoriah.
The entire county went to dial service about 1963, mostly to ten-party lines, unless you could afford a private line, which was rather costly.
Here is the complete Grantsville Citizen's Phone Company list from 1957. Independent phone companies were still in existence that year at Arnoldsburg, Hur and Big Springs.
See if you can find some of your family members or neighbors:
Allen, Teddy
American Legion Hall
Arthur, Charles
Atkinson, Nancy
Ayers, Arlie
Ayers, B. H.
Ayers, Mrs. Russell
Ayers, Walter B.
Ball, John
Ball, L. L.
Baptist Parsonage
Barr, A. S.
Barr, Grace
Barr, Mrs. Paul
Barnes, Pauline
Ball and Bower Store
Beck, Calvin C.
Beckner, Grant
Bee, S. R.
Bell, Camden
Bell, Norman
Bennett, Mrs. Everett
Bennett, Ira
Bennett, Manda
Bennett, O. G.
Betts, Ola
Bickerstaff, Jasper
Blake, Lennie
Blosser, Carl
Boggs, Raymond
Boggs Restaurant
Boggs, Wyatt
Boling Clinic
Bollinger, Raymond
Booher, Leonard
Bowers, C. O.
Bowers, James H.
Bridge Service Station
Bull, James R.
Burch, A. G. (Ted)
Burch Chevrolet
Burns, A.G. Mrs.
Burns, Everett Mrs.
Burns, Harper Mrs.
Burns, Robert
Burroughs, Fred
Burrows, Hayward
Burrows, James
Busch, E.R.
Busch, William H.
Bush, Donald
Cabot, Godfrey L. ofc.
Cabot Warehouse
Cain, Leonard
Cain, Thomas
Calhoun Chronicle
Calhoun County Bank
Calhoun County High School
Calhoun Co. Bd. of Ed. Bus Garage
Calhoun Co. H.S. Vo - Ag. Dept.
Calhoun County Offices
Assessor's Office
Circuit Clerk's Office
County Clerk's office
County Extension Office
Dept. of Health
Dept. of Public Assistance
Prosecuting Atty's. Office
Co. Chapter American Red Cross
Sheriff's Office
Sheriff's Res.
Calhoun County Supt. of Schools
Calhoun Insurance Agency
Calhoun Super Service Inc.
Campbell, Ora C.
Campbell, Robert
Carroll, L.B.
Colfax, Raymond E., M.D.
Collins, Clay & Son Box & Lumber
Consolidated Supply Co.
Cook, John R. Res.
Cook's Drive-In Theatre
Copeland, Lynn
Cunningham, Gerald
Dalton's Store
Davidson, L.C. DD Ofc.
Davidson, L.C. Res.
Davis, Duane
Davis, H.C.
D'Orazio, Stanly ofc.
D'Orazio, Stanly Res.
Dotson, J.E.
Dotson, W.D.
Duffield, Scott
Elliott, Doyle
Elliott, Paul
Estep, Brent
Eureka, Brooksville Station
Eureka, Russett Station
Everson, Woodrow
Ferguson, Jack
Ferguson, John
Ferrell, Bernice
Ferrell, Clara
Ferrell, Harley J.
Fetty, Clarence
Flemming, Anna Mrs.
Floyd, Jesse Res.
Floyd Motor Co.
Fluharty, Chester
Foster, Clinton E.
Fowler, Dolph
Fowler, Frank
Fowler, Glen
Fowler, I.B.
Fowler, Leonard
Fowler, Loman
Fowler, Royce
Fox, Babb
Frame, Brent
Frame, Gerome
Francis, Clay
Francis Hardware
Francis, H.T.
Francis, J.A. Mrs.
Francis, J.L.
Furr's Auto Sales
Furr, Willard Res.
Gainer, Cleo
Gainer, Frank
Gainer, Laura Mrs.
Gainer, Lonnie
Gainer, Maude Mrs.
Gainer, Otho
Garretson, C.E.
Garretson, James
Garretson, Oscar
General Adj. Bureau Inc.
Gherke, Nellie Mrs.
Gibson, Ferrell
Gibson, Virginia
Gobson, W.B.
Gill, James H.
Godfrey, Roland
Grantsville Appliance Co.
Grantsville Cab
Grantsville, Dry Cleaners
Grantsville Graded School
Grantsville Hardware
Grantsville Printing & Binding Co.
Grantsville Sales & Service
Grantsville Tire Shop
Grantsville Water Plant
Grim, H.J.
Gunn, Clark C.
Gunn, Donald Store
Gunn's Grantsville Grocery
Gunn, P.P. Res.
Hamilton & Hamilton
Hamilton, Harold
Hamilton, Julia
Hamilton, L.C. Mrs.
Hamilton, Minnie B.
Hamilton, Victor Res.
Hannah, C.G.
Harden, James
Harden, Ruby
Hardman, Allie
Hardman, Frances M.
Hardman, Gona
Hardman, Hubert
Harold, Robert
Harris, A.B.
Harris, John
Harris, Lewis
Harris, N.P. Mrs.
Hartshorn, Boyd
Hartshorn, Everett
Hatfield, Russell
Hathaway, Audy
Hathaway, Curtis
Hathaway, Dock
Hathaway, Eloise
Hathaway, Eva Dye
Hathaway, Grace
Hathaway, Oral B.
Hathaway, Orvan
Hathaway, Oscar
Haught, W.H.
Hayhurst, Herbert
Haynes, Cpl. L.E. Res.
Hefner, Frank
Heiney Dairy, D.H. & Sons
Heiney Dairy, Forrest
Hensley, B.A. res.
Hickman, Orel
Holbert, A.R. Store
Holiday, Harry
Hope, District Office
Hope, Main Line Office
Hosey, Shirley
Hosey, Wade
Hoskins, Euell Jr.
Hotel, Owens
Hotel, Rainbow
Howard, Carl
Howard, O.C.
Howell, Harry
Howe's Dept. Store
Huffman, Hunter
Hupp, Charlie
Husk, Leno Buck
Jackson, Mildred Mrs.
Jarvis, Mildred Mrs.
Jarvis, Ruben
J. & B. Drug Store
Jett, W.H.
Johnson, Cecil
Johnson, Clark
Johnson, Clyde
Johnson, E.W.
Johnson, George
Johnson, Glen
Johnson, Karl
Johnson, Okey
Johnson, Ruby
Jones, Bill J.
Kanawha Loan Corp.
Kanawha Theatre
Kelley, Arldia
Kelley, Della
Kelley, Donald
Kelley, Ernest
Kelley, Hiram
Kelley, Orville
Kelley, Pearl's Store
Kelley, Richard
Kemper, Velma Mrs.
Kerby, George
Kerby, Roy
Kerby, Simon
Kerby, Willard
Kight, Dallas
Kight, Henry Jr.
Kight, Orville
Kingsbury, Cleo res.
Kipe, Arlene
Knotts, R.J. Jr.
Knotts, R.J. Sr.
Lambiotte, George
Lamp, J.H. Office
Lamp, J.H. res.
Lamp, Edward
Lancaster, Richard
Law, J.B.
Law, Rymer
Leach, Denzil
Leach, Orville
Leavering, Dale
Lowe, Bruce res.
Lynch, H.O.
Mahaney, W.A.
Malona, Charles
Malona, C.O.
Marks, Blaine
Marshall, Carl
Marshall, Harold
Marshall, Leonard
Marshall, Myrtle Mrs.
Marshall, Richard
Marteney, Dolly
Mathews, A.G. ofc.
Mathews, A.G. res.
Mathews & D'Orazio Office
Methodist Parsonage
Miller, Corley
Modern Beauty Salon
Mollohan, Elizabeth
Monongahela Power Co.
Moore, Everett E.
Moore, Tom
Moran, H.D. Mrs.
Morford, James res.
Morris, Donald
Morris, Edith Mrs.
Morrison, Paul Rev.
Morrison, Troea
Morrison, William
McCartney, Orlen
McCartney, Rex
McCartney, Rood
McCoy, F.F.
McCoy, James A.
McClain, Irvin
McDonald, Bernard
McDonald, Logan
McEndree, Mabel
McKee, Glendon Rev.
Nester, Holly
Nester, Suddie Mrs.
Nicholas, Hall
Nicholas, Hope
Nicholas, Ralph
Nichols, George
Nicholson, W.J.
Norman, Oak
Okmar Oil Co.
Oles, Lynn S.
Osborne, Claude
Owens, J.S.
Parsons, Donna
Parsons, Edna
Parsons, Jesse
Parsons, Jewelry Store
Payne, W.H.
Pearcy, M.H.
Pickering, Eula Mrs.
Pitts, Donald
Plant, Edward
Plant, Marshall
Poling, Aldine Mrs.
Poling Chess Mrs.
Poling, Coral
Poling, Ernst
Poling, French
Poling, Hanning
Poling, Lillie
Price, Coy
Probation & Parole Board
Proudfoot, leason
Proudfoot, lucille Mrs.
Proudfoot Thurl
Quality Shop
Radabaugh, Ben
Reed's Furniture Store
Reip, Ethel Mrs.
Rhodes, W.D.
Richards Eli Mrs.
Richards, Leafie A. Mrs.
Riddel, B.F.
Riddel Dale W. & Co.
Riddel, S.W. Mrs.
Roberts, Charles
Roberts, James
Robinson, Coy Mrs.
Robinson, Fred
Robinson, Harold
Robinson, Homer
Robinson, Kenneth
Rubber Fabricators, Inc.
Sampson, Lovell
Schurr, Robert
Sears, Hansford
Selmon, Russell
Shaffer, Charter
Shock, Fred
Sidwell, Ermal
Sidwell, Homer
Siers, E.R.
Sinnett, Eula
Slider, Paul
Smith's Auto Repair
Smith & Barker Oil & Gas Co.
Smith, Charlie M.
Smith, Ernest
Smith, Lewis E.
Smith, Mont
Smith, Oral
Smith, Robert B.
Smith, Shirley
Smith, Walter E.
Snider, Mary Mrs.
Snyder, L.H.
South Penn Office
Spencer, David
Stafford, Oak
Stalnaker Body Shop
Stalnaker, Golden
Stalnaker Service Station
Stalnaker, William
Starcher, C.C. office
Starcher, C.C. res.
Starcher, Victor B.
State Police Office
State Road Commission
Stevens, Elza
Stevens, Eula
Stevens, Harry
Stevens, John
Stevens, Russell
Stevens, S.S.
Stevens, Tillie
Stewart, Verle Mrs.
Stiers, Ray
Stone, Ernest B.
Stout, Clara B.
Stout, Edward
Stump, Alfred
Stump's, Auto Service
Stump, Baxter
Stump, Cintilla Mrs.
Stump, Cora E. Mrs.
Stump, Edwin
Stump, Etta
Stump Funeral Home
Stump, Gladie
Stump, Garland res.
Stump, Garland Store
Stump, Gerald
Stump, Harry
Stump, Hatzel
Stump, Hoy
Stump, Ira Charles
Stump, Jessie Mrs.
Stump, J. Russell
Stump, L.T. Mrs.
Stump, M.W.
Stump,Roy J.
Stump, Ruby
Stump, Walter
Sturm, Dennis
Sturm, Henry L.
Sturm, Lennie
Sturm, Otho
Sturm, Roy Jr.
Sturms, Clay Jr.
Stutler, Cousby
Stutler, Shirley
Tingler, Otha
Toepher, H.C. Dr. Office
Toepher, H.C. res.
Tucker, Robert
Tucker, Virginia Mrs.
Umstead, Lillian
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
Agr. Stab. & Soil Cons.
Soil Conservation Service
U.S. Government Post Office
U.S. Government Selective Service
Van Camp, J.P.
Vance, L.E.
Vannoy, Ellis
Vannoy, Emanuel
Van Scoy, Shelby
Vaughan, Lloyd
Waldo, Vanna
Ward, Rex
Ward, Ursel
Ward, Walter
Wease, Alice Mrs.
Wease, Claude
Weaver, A.E.
Weaver, Ethel
Weaver, Oral D.
Weber, Delbert
Westfall, Hays
Whipkey, Kenneth
White, Ola O.
White, Royal
Whytsell, Ed
Williams, H.O.
Williams, Mary Mrs.
Wilson, Dock Mrs.
Wilson, Elwin B.
Wilson, Hugh
Wilson, E. Nute
Wilt, Ernest
Witt, Don
Witt, Emma
Witt, C.A. res
Wolfe, A.R.
Wolfe, Ernest
Wright, John
Wyers, A.E.
Yoak, Charley Mrs.
Yoak, Elias
Yoak, Fannie
Yoak, Florence
Yoak, G.W. Mrs.
Yoak, John
Yoak, Will
Yoke, Leon
Yoke, Orval
Zannoni, Peter
Among the Yellow Page advertising ads in 1957:
Calhoun Super Service - Ford cars and trucks
Burch Chevrolet - Chevy Dealer
Floyd Motor Company - Chrysler-Plymouth dealer
Smith's Auto Repair - Still in business
Heiney Dairy - Grade A raw milk
Grantsville Dry Cleaners and Laundry
Dalton's Department Store - Shoes and clothing
Howe's Department Store - Ball Band footwear
J & B Rexall Drug
Grantsville Appliance, GE appliances
Ben Franklin 5 & 10 - C. C. Kingsbury
Garland's Grocery - Southside Grantsville
Francis Hardware Store, Philco and Speed Queen
Rainbow Hotel - "Modern and Moderate"
Calhoun Insurance Agency - F. F. and James McCoy
State Farm Insurance - Glen Fowler
Stump Funeral Home - Day and night ambulance service
Harvey Stout's Barber Shop
Parson's Jewelry - Elgin and Bulova watches
Kanawha Loan Company - P. A. Price, manager
Rubber Fabricators
Grantsville News
Calhoun Chronicle
Bogg's Resturant
Bridge Service Station - ESSO products
Stalnaker Service Station - Gulf oil
Stalnaker Body Shop - Wrecker service
Grantsville Tire Shop - Okey and E. W. Johnson
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