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

Typed by Polly Oliver.

Pages 803-804


WILLIAM W. DUMAS, who is successfully engaged in the livery business at 
Wheeling, West Virginia, is a man of recognized business talents, and 
enjoys a good standing among the businessmen of the city where he is 
socially a person of importance. 

Mr. Dumas was born in Wheeling January 18, 1875.  He is a son of John 
and Catherine (Glass) Dumas.  The former, although a native of Italy is 
of French Extraction, and the latter was born at Wellsburg, West 
Virginia.  John Dumas came to the United States and located in New 
Orleans, in 1860.  He enlisted in the 10th Regiment Louisiana Cavalry, 
and severed until the battle of Gettysburg, where he was taken 
prisoner.  He was later released on parole, at Martinsburg, West 
Virginia, and was employed by the government in buying grain at 
Wheeling, until 1865: he was also engaged in the grocery business.  He 
was placed in charge if a government wagon train, with which he went to 
Kansas City in 1865, and was, discharged from future service, at Fort 
Leavenworth, Kansas.

Returning to Wheeling, the elder Mr. Dummas engaged in the livery 
business in this city in 1884, and thus continued until his retirement, 
in 1895; shortly afterward he moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he 
lived a retired life until 1901, when he retained pass the remainder of 
his years in Wheeling.  At one time, he was steward of Bethany and West 
Liberty Colleges.

Henry Glass, the maternal grandfather of William W. Dumas, was a 
prominent contractor of his day, who made the brick with which he built 
Bethany College, and other noted Buildings. 

William W. Dumnas is on of a family of five children, four of whom are 
still living.  He has three sisters, all residents of Wheeling, namely: 
Mary, wife of Eugene Bonini; Agnes, wife of John Hardy, a Plaster; and 
Elizabeth, wife of Benjamin Martin, shipping clerk in the plant of the 
Wheeling Pottery Company.

William W. Dumas attended the public schools of Wheeling, and later was 
a pupil in the Cathedral High School; he was afterward associated with 
his father in the livery business until 1895, when he accompanied his 
parents to Michigan.  While there he held an important position with 
the Detroit Gas Works, having charge of several departments.  In 
January 1901, he returned to Wheeling and embarked in business for 
himself purchasing at that time the S. D Hughes livery business, of 
which he is present proprietor.  He has two livery stables, on at No. 
1430 Market Street and the other at No. 44 Fourteenth Street.

In June 1899, Mr. Dumas was united in marriage with Matilda Koehler, a 
daughter of Fred and Caroline Koehler, respected citizens of Wheeling, 
where Mrs. Dumas was born January 20,1880.  She is a member of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church.  They have on child Mildred Louisa Marie, 
born April 1900.  Mr. Dumas belongs to the A.O. U. W. and Macabees, is 
independent in politics, and is a member of the Catholic Church.  The 
subject of this sketch is a man of intelligence, and takes a keen 
interest in local and general matters.  His portrait accompanies the 
sketch.