From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and  
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 
 
Typed by E. J. Heinemann 
 
p. 683 
 
GOTTLIEB BAYHA enjoys the distinction of being the oldest living baker  
in the city of Wheeling, West Virginia.  He carries on a prosperous  
business at his stand, No. 1161 Market street, where he has been sole  
proprietor since 1870.  He is a son of B. F. and Rosanna (Fuchs) Bayha,  
and was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, October 5, 1821. 
     B. F. Bayha with his wife and family came to the United States in 
1832, arriving safely after a voyage of sixty-three days, during which 
time the weather was quite stormy.  They landed in New York, where they  
remained for a year and a half, and then came to Wheeling, where Lewis  
Bayha, a double cousin, who is deceased, resided at the time.  Mr.  
Bayha embarked in the bakery business, which he had carried on to some  
extent in Germany; he commenced on a very small scale, gradually  
increasing and enlarging the business as his sons grew older.  He did  
not live long after coming to this country, however, and died at the  
age of fifty-four years.  His widow survived him for a number of years,  
and lived to the age of seventy-six years, both were members of the  
Lutheran Evangelical church. 
     The subject of this sketch was one of a family of many children, 
the names of some of whom follow: Virginia; Lewis; Frederick; Jacob; 
John; David; and Anna B.   Virginia married C. F. Hetzel, and is 
deceased. Lewis was twice married, and was engaged in the bakery 
business. Frederick died in Davenport, Iowa, and Jacob, who was a 
partner in the business with Gottlieb for many years, died in 1898: 
John is a tinner by trade and is a resident of Wheeling.  David is 
deceased.  Anna B. married Henry Ditmore, and is a resident of the 
Island, in Wheeling. Several children died in the old country. 
     The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears on a foregoing 
page, was nine years of age when his parents brought him to Wheeling, 
and he attended school as best he could, and assisted his father when 
needed. His teacher was Rev. William McKay, who will be remembered by 
many of the older residents of the city. In 1852, with his brother 
Jacob, Mr. Bayha started in business for himself, with a location on 
Water street, near the wharf, under the firm name of J. & G. Bayha.  
This firm continued profitably until the early "seventies", when the 
partnership was dissolved, and Gottlieb Bayha has continued alone until 
the present time, enjoying the best of trade.  These two brothers built 
the entire block in which the bakery business is carried on.  Jacob 
also had his grocery store in it until his death.  Besides this 
property Mr. Bayha owns much real estate in the city.  He has no taste 
for office, but was at one time member of the city council. 
     He was united in marriage with Elizabeth Hainer, a native of  
Washington, Pennsylvania, who died in 1896. They had six children, four  
of whom are still living, namely: Clara; Emma; Theophilus; and  
Elizabeth.  Clara is still a member of the household.  Emma married  
Rev. George Paul, lives at St. Paul, Minnesota, and has four children,  
namely: George G.; Albert; William; and Elizabeth, Theophilus is  
manager of his father's business.  Elizabeth married Charles D. Ritter,  
of Wheeling, and has two children, Carl H. and Clara W. they are  
members of the Evangelical Lutheran church, of which Mr. Bayha is an  
official.  He is well known in this part of the state.  His business  
career has been all that could be desired, and gives him a leading  
place among the most enterprising and successful men of the city and  
county.