Fourth Generation
136. Calvin
Smith VANDALE was born on 13 Aug 1863 in , Roane, West Virginia.
He died on 12 Jan 1925 in , Roane, West Virginia. He was buried
about 15 Jan 1925 in , Roane, West Virginia. !From notes of Roma
T. Arnott in Vandal Newsletter, October 1993.
Calvin Smith Vandal was also a former sheriff of Roane County. Upon his death
in 1925, he left one of the largest estates recorded in Roane County at that
time. Mr. Vandal was a large land owner in Spencer and Reedy Districts and
was known for his famous "byword" of "By Jabers".
Historically it is interesting to note that Smith Vandal was responsible for
adding the "E" to Vandal which is the present spelling of the name.
Mr.
Vandal felt that he didi not desire his name spelled the same as that of
thugs, theifs, and crooks.
Smith Vandal was a classmate at West Point with General John Joesph Pershing
who commanded the American Expiditionary Forces in Europe in World War I.
They were close friends at West Point and the Vandale family have a few old
letters written by Pershing to Mr. Vandal address "Dear Smith".
After leaving West Point in 1884, Mr. Vandale returned to his native heath
where he became one of the most outstanding men ever produced in the county.
He became one of the largest land owners in the county, was president of the
Roane County bank from 1906 to 1923, he served 17 years as deputy sheriff, he
assisted in organizing the Spencer Grocery Company and the Spencer Water &
Ice
Company, and in addition owned stock in practically every business in the
county. He pioneered in the development of the city. He was also leader of
the Democratic party in the county, although never being elected to public
office.
His appointment to West Point is distinctive, in that he was the only native
Roane countian ever to receive such an appointment. He died at the home of
his only son, F.E. Vandale, at the age of 62 soon after retiring from business.
!BURIAL: Wright Cemetery, Roane County, West Virginia.
BIOGRAPHY: !From the "Rootsweb" file as submitted by Don Norman.
Calvin Smith Vandale, the son of Andrew Vandal, changed his name from "Vandal"
to "Vandale" while attending West Point Military Academy. He was a
room mate
of future General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing at West Point. Calvin
Smith VANDALE and Leota HARDMAN were married on 13 Sep 1887 in , Roane, West
Virginia.25 Leota
HARDMAN (daughter of Casset Charles HARDMAN and Isabelle BURDETT) was born
about 1868 in , , West Virginia. She died about 1959.
!BURIAL: Wright Cemetery, Roane County, West Virginia. Calvin Smith VANDALE
and Leota HARDMAN had the following children:
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