From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902.

Typed by Carol Taylor Lanza.

Page 773

S. M. NOYES, a rising young attorney-at-law of Wheeling, West Virginia, 
a recent portrait of whom is herewith shown, has been associated with 
the law firm of Howard & Handlan since 1897, and is regarded as one of 
the most successful young lawyers of Ohio County.  He has been 
identified with many prominent cases since his admission to the bar.  
Besides being good in chancery suits, he makes a fine counsellor in 
criminal cases, which many lawyers refuse to touch. In addition, Mr. 
Noyes is an excellent corporation lawyer, and his law partner, Mr. 
Howard, is professionally connected with the Fairmont & Clarksburg 
Electric Railroad.  The law office of these gentlemen is located in the 
new building of the Natural Gas Company of West Virginia, at No. 1226 
Chapline Street. 

Mr. Noyes was born in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1872, where he was 
also reared and principally educated.  His father was a successful 
merchant of that vicinity.  After leaving school at Charleston, Mr. 
Noyes attended the University of Virginia, at Charlottesville, and was 
graduated from the law department of that institution in 1897.  Later 
he passed his examination at Morgantown, being one of the initial 
candidates to be examined under the new law of West Virginia.  He was 
admitted to the bar of Ohio County in August, 1897, and the following 
month began practice in Wheeling, as above mentioned. 

Previous to entering upon the study of law Mr. Noyes was a civil 
engineer of some prominence, and served for nine years as city engineer 
of Charleston.  He learned this profession by being mainly associated 
with W. A. Hogue, who had previously filled the same position for a 
period of fifteen years.  Mr. Noyes was instrumental in founding the 
Aetna Construction Company, of which he is the present secretary and 
treasurer, and also the attorney.  This company was organized by 
Wheeling capital, and carries on a business the magnitude of which is 
unquestioned.  Besides a general manager, the company employs three 
superintendents, various clerks and 150 workmen.  It has a $200,000 
contract for the erection of dam No. 4 across the Ohio River, 18 miles 
south of Pittsburg.

Mr. Noyes is also interested in many other enterprises in Wheeling, 
where he is a social favorite.  He is unmarried, and in his religious 
views favors the First Presbyterian Church, which the family attend.  
For the past three years, as professor of the legal department of the 
Wheeling Business College, he has delivered on lecture each week.  
Since reaching the age of fourteen years he has made his own way in the 
world, and by his individual efforts alone has made himself what he is 
today, an honor to his profession.  His success is well deserved.