Asturianus in Spelter, West Virginia

[Bob]

My father, who lived in Spelter from his birth in 1917 until about 1926, remembers that there was a store called Knight Brothers. His first grade teacher was "Holy" Haley, and another teacher was Flora Floriana. As he tells it, the kids though that Floriana was quite young and wanted to know how old she was. She wouldn't tell them. One the day principal walked and and let slip that she was only 18.

The principal's name was Mr. Ash. He was called "Horseface" by the students because he had large teeth.

My father remembers a Herman Alvarez, the Quinones family, and Joe Menendez. Joe Menendez had trouble distinguishing M's from N's in his speech.

If you have memories to add, please share them.

Bob Martinez

[Ken Menendez]

Bob, my two uncles, Joe and Frank Menendez (ages 88 and 83), who live in Spelter remember the teachers, Haley and Floriana.

The principal's name was Columbus Ash. He was my principal when I attended Ziesing grade and junior high school (1947-1955).

Herman Alvarez was a very good friend of my father, Andrew "Pike" Menendez. Herman and his wife, Ruby, and my parents ran-around together. Herman and his wife left Spelter for Clarksburg in the early 1950's to open a Dairy Queen (actually at one time had three stores). I have a picture of my dad, Herman and my grandfather, Joe "Mike" Alvarez attending a DuPont banquet in the 1940's.

Remember the Quinones. Benny Quinones is the only one that survives in Spelter today.

We could not figure out the Joe Menendez with the M and N issue.

The Knight Brothers store was a two-story wood frame building (still standing). The business later became Standard Supply Company. Behind the Knight Brothers building was Fesler's (believe that is how you spell it) store and next to that store was a "boarding" house. The store and boarding house no longer exist. I have a picture from around 1917 of those structures. Across the street from Knight Brothers was the "doctor" office and next to that building was my grandfather's store that included a pool room, bowling alley, bar, grocery and I believe at the time he rented out space for a barber shop. The site of the doctor's office is now a house, and the building that housed my grandfather's business has been demolished, and the lot is vacant.

Also, tell your father the zinc smelter buildings have been torn down and the site being redeveloped by DuPont and others back to its original condition (as best as one can). Hopefully, grass and trees will grow on that site some day.