The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-12-30
OBITUARY !
ADAM HESS
TAKEN BY DEATH
sUcCUnBED TO BRIEF ILLNESS OF
PARALYSIS AT 8 p. NJ
MONDAY,
was Prominently identified with City
Business, Industry and Charity.

John Adam Hess, one OF the city's
most prominent and influential business
men. died at hts late home, No. % Sew
enth street. Monday evening at $40
o'clock. Death resulted from a stroke or
paralysis. from which Mr.. Hess had been
critically i'll for about ten days. Not
w~ithstanding the fact that his condition
had been grave for several days. mem
hers OF his family were still hopeful Of
the outcome yesterday afternoon. and
the announcement of his death came as
a shock 10 the entire community. in
which the deceased was held in very
high esteem.
Funeral arrangements had not been
made last evening. but plans for the
erviceS and burial probably will be
completed early today.
John Adam Hess was 4 lifelong resi-
dent of Wheeling. He was 4 son of the
was born in the old Amtck property. cor
nor South and Main streets. September
~. 1851. and was in his S~iNty-nInth year
at the time OF his death. He received
his education in the old St. Vincent col
lcgc, an institution which Is well rCIncm-
bcrcd by the older residents Of Wheel
ing. More han tifty-eiEht years ago he
became associated with his father IN
business. which has since developed into
the splendid business of C. Hess II Sons.
with a modern store at l32l-23 Market
street, where the father erected the
present handsome quarters Of the firm
which bears that name in 1884. John
Adam Hess n his brother. Henry y.
Hess. in recent years have conducted the
business. and the story of the lifelong
association OF these brothers in their
partnership Is a pretty and impressive
one.
Mr.. Hess was married n littl" more
than three years ago to Miss Elizabeth
Kuglcn. He leave his widow. one
brother, Henry y. Hess. apd two sisters.
Mrs }. A. Glesenkamp Of Pittsburgh and
Miss Mary Agnes Hess of this city.
The deceased was a devout m"mbe
Of 81. Joscph's cathedral congregation.
He was an active member Of Carroll
Council Knights OF Columbus. No. 504;
Wheeling Lodge No. SS. Il. y. Q. Elks;
the University Club and the Country
Club. He was q director In the Citizens
Peoples Trust company. the Dollar Saw
ingS & Trust company. the wheeling
Fire Insurance company and III" Arion
society. He was also interested tinan-
ci1ly in practically every large INDUS
trial concern in the city as n stock
regarded as among the most successful
in this section OF the Ohio Valley.
Mr.. Hess was also closely pdcntificd
with the charitable institutions Of the
city and vicinity as a contributor. Civ
ing heavily zach year to the support OF
the y local hospitals, tho Home OF
the Good Shepherd. childrCn'S home and
every other worthy charitable inStitu-
ton which depends upon pubic Sehcr-
osity for support.
Recently Mr.. Hess purchased alu
able property near Wheeling Park. in
the out the pike. district. and n hand
some home - IN course Of construction
there which nc had intended to occupy
in a few months.
The Hess family was founded many
years ago by Christian Hess. one Of
the pioneers of the city. who CamC
from Germany. BY close devotion to
work and strict economy. The elder
Mr.. Hess was able To establish a model
tailoring business which grew year by
year until il became on" OF the leading
business concerns Of tho city. and has
continued to grow under the manage
ment of the sons. The elder Mr.. less
started in business on Sixteenth street
in lS4T. In 1s43 no moved to the
Amirk property at South and Main
streets. where J. Adam Hess was horn.
In 1855 he built the property at Main
and Fourteenth streets. \ little later
he built the property at ll09-l2 Market