It was an obituary in the Fairmont Times about a former Rivesville resident, Frances S. Malcolm, 94, who passed away Friday, June 15 that didn’t ring a bell with me.

Until the names of her parents caught my attention: Winfield Scott Meredith and Frances Dent Meredith. 

Naturally, I contacted Bill Meredith, Class of 1957, who lives in Sarasota, Florida and Buckeye Lake, Ohio, to see if there was any connection.

Bill’s reply:

“John, 

“My daughter looked it up and found that Frances Malcolm’s father, Winfield Scott 

Meredith, was my great uncle. He was my maternal grandfather’s brother. 

“I really did not know any of their family. As you say, there were a lot of Merediths in 

the Marion County area. Judge J. Harper Meredith, whose name is on the County 

Building, also was part of our family. 

“Bill M.”

Winfield Scott Meredith was the son of silversmith Thomas Meredith, who left South Wales in 1800 and came to America with his 3-year-old son, William Meredith. After living in Hagerstown, Maryland, then on farms in the Paw Paw District of Marion County and in Monongalia County, Winfield went to Canada, where he passed away.

Winfield’s son, William Meredith, farmed near Smithtown on the Monongahela River before moving to another farm on Pickett’s Creek until he passed at the age of 72. He once was Marion County Court president.

His son, yet another William Meredith, was a wagonmaker who plied his trade in Harrison and Ritchie counties. He died at the age of 86. He built The Meredith House, 1312 Pennsylvania Avenue, Fairmont, and was the first mayor of Barnesville, later renamed Belleview.

This William Meredith’s son was another Winfield Scott Meredith, an 1879 Fairmont Normal graduate who became a prosecuting attorney, Peoples National Bank of Fairmont director and a state senator in West Virginia. His third wife, Frances Dent, gave birth to Winfield Scott, Jr. (that’s three Winfield Scott Merediths, if you’re counting). 

The third Winfield Scott Meredith and Frances Dent Meredith were Frances Meredith Malcolm’s parents. And Winfield #3 was Bill Meredith’s great-uncle. Bill was christened Charles William Meredith after his birth to Jane Meredith and Charlie Meredith.

Bill’s siblings are Patricia Meredith Wills, Class of 1950; Jack Meredith, Class of 1943, Howard Joe Meredith, Class of 1945, Bonnie Meredith, Marion Jean Meredith Riddle, Class of 1945, and Marjorie Delores Meredith Holt, Class of 1947. All but Patty are deceased.iHH

Frances’ son, Scott Malcolm, and daughter, Debbie Malcolm Salgo, live in Fairmont, where Frances was born. Another daughter, Jennie Malcolm, lives in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Frances donated her body to the West Virginia Human Gift Registry.

Domico Funeral Home handled her arrangements.