Bio-Mayle, HiramJohnston

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Hiram Mayle
(1889- ? )

Hiram Mayle was born in 1889, most likely in Doddridge County, WV, the son of Richard Z. and Mary (Minard) Mayle. His parents and older siblings had come to Doddridge in 1884 from Barbour County.

Hiram is thought to have married 18-year-old Pearl Johnston (1898- ? ) of Smithfield, WV. Their nuptials were performed in West Union, Doddridge County, on July 29, 1915, led by Rev. John T. Hickman of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

They had at least six children -- Robert Mayle, Glenn Mayle, Lavonne Mayle, Betty Bode, Vance Mayle and Roy Vance Maylee.

Circa 1928, when son Roy was born, the family lived in north-central Wisconsin, in Medford, Taylor County. What would have drawn them to Medford is not yet known. They later returned to West Virginia, and took up residence in Harrison County.

Circa 1937, the family resided "as tenants on the Englewood Country club property two miles from Bridgeport on the Grasselli road," reported the Clarksburg Sunday Exponent-Telegram.

Clarksburg Sunday Exponent-Telegram headline about the tragic deaths of Robert and Glen Mayle

Tragedy struck the family in the dead of winter 1937, when Robert was 22, and Glenn 18, and both were employed as lumbermen for the West Virginia State and Lumber Company of Bridgeport. On Jan. 16, 1937, while riding in together in their mother's 1930 blue Chevrolet sedan, on the "newly constructed Philippi pike into Elk creek at Nutterdale," they failed to "take a curve in the road, [and] the auto plunged straight ahead over a six-foot embankment." While passengers Ralph Freshour and John Barnes escaped, and swam to shore, Robert and Glenn could not escape their submerged vehicle, and drowned. The accident generated top headlines in the Clarksburg newspaper, which spelled their names "Maylee." The brothers were laid to rest in the Stanley Cemetery after a double funeral at the Victory Baptist Church.

Hiram resided in Bristol, Harrison County, WV circa 1950. His and Pearl's fates are not yet known.

~ Son Roy Vance Maylee ~

Son Roy Vance Maylee (1928-1993) was born on April 18, 1928 in Medford, WI. He married Glenda Huffman and had two daughters, Brenda Miller and Cathy White. Roy was an "employee of Weirton Steel Corp.'s coke plant when he retired after 42 years of service and a U.S. Navy veteran," said a newspaper. "He was a member of Masonic Lodge 171, where he was past master; 25-Year-Club of WSX; and Cove United Presbyterian Church, where he was an elder." In retirement, he owned and operated Maylee Electric Company in Weirton for a decade. He died at the age of 65 in Ohio Valley Hospital on Aug. 18, 1993.