OHIO COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA 
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Tina Hursh 
frog158@juno.com
September 29, 2000
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.
Chicago and New York, Volume 111
Pg. 367

Harold R. Markell is the president of the Packard Motor Company of Wheeling.  
He was born in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, by the beautiful St. Lawrence River, 
on June 21, 1887.  Mr. Markell completed his schooling at Morrisburg Collegiate 
Institute and started his business career with the Metropolitan Bank of Canada. 
He later went to the far West and for six years managed several different 
branches of the Northern Crown Bank in the provinces of Manitoba and 
Saskatchewan.  During the latter period of his sojourn in Saskatchewan he 
gained his initial experience in the selling of automobiles, and in 1914 became 
associated with the Packard Motor Company at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  In July,
1915, his company decided to open a branch at Wheeling, West Virginia, and he 
was chosen as manager of the new branch.  Packard's business at Wheeling has 
enjoyed a steady expansion until in the spring of 1922 Mr. Markell formed a new 
$100,000 corporation, of which he is now president and Mr. George Row is 
secretary and treasurer.  The new Packard Company is, at the time of going to 
press, erecting at pleasant Valley, Wheeling, and automobile sales and service 
station which will be second to none in the Ohio Valley.  The building is to 
have a frontage of 135 feet and a depth of 200 feet.  It will require an 
average working force of about twenty-five employes.

In 1917 Mr. Markell married Elizabeth Cassell Stamm, daughter of Frank H. Stamm 
and granddaughter of Peter Cassell, and so is closely related to two of 
Wheeling's oldest and most influential families.  Mr. and Mrs. Markell have two 
children, Betty Jane and Virginia.

During the past several years Mr. Markell has taken a considerable interest in 
club life and is now a member of the Fort Henry and Country Clubs, is a 
Scottish Rite Mason, a Kiwanian and director of the Motors Trading 
Corporation.