Wilver Thurman Naragon (1871-1939)

From the Dayton Daily News, March 27, 1939.

  Featured on this site's Facebook page several days ago, Wilver Thurman Naragon's name was found via the archives of the Coshocton Tribune. The first "Wilver" this author has discovered, Naragon was in his day a leading manufacturer in Greene County, and was also politically active, serving four years as mayor of Osborn. He followed that post with his time as U.S. Postmaster at Osborn until his death in 1939. One of twelve children born to Irven and Chastina Elizabeth (Barnhouse) Naragon, Wilver Thurman Naragon was born in Harrison County, Ohio on May 5, 1871.

   Little is known of Naragon's early life or education, and on May 18, 1897, he married in Jefferson, Ohio to Eva Alverta Copeland (1873-1946). The couple's four-decade marriage produced eight children, Blanche Edith (1898-1977), Earl Keller (1899-1924), Paul Copeland (1902-1948), Dale Demarr (1903-1976), Orlou B. (1905-1993), Gladys Pearl (1906-1979), Wilver Irvin (1907-1958), Lloyd (1910-1956). In the early 1900s Naragon engaged in railroad work, being "manifest clerk at Steubenville" with the Pennsylvania railway. By 1910 he had advanced to chief clerk of that railway line in Newark, Ohio, and sometime later established himself in the hardware business in West Lafayette, Ohio.

  Following the purchase of his store in 1916 by the Gray Hardware Co., Naragon joined the West Lafayette Manufacturing Co. as a director and general secretary. This company later reformed into the Moore Enameling and Mfg Company, and during his West Lafayette residency Naragon served as a Sunday school superintendent for the Methodist Protestant church. In 1926 he entered politics with his candidacy for Democratic state representative from Coshocton County, filing his papers that June.

From the Coshocton Tribune, June 2, 1926.

  In the days following his announcement Naragon's candidacy was touted in the Coshocton Tribune, which described him as:

"A man of high conservative judgment, high Christian character and more than ordinary abilty that and will make the highest type of public official. His selection for this office will undoubtedly reflect credit upon our county and community and being a forceful and pleasing speaker, can render a real and distinctive service to his constituents. His friends bespeak for him the success due a loyal Democrat and true American citizen."

  Naragon would lose the August Democratic primary to  Coshocton school superintendent Emmett Guthrie (1892-1970), who went on to win the general election that November.  Following his defeat, Naragon removed with his family to Osborn in Greene County, Ohio. Here he would be a presiding elder in the local church and was elected as mayor of the village. He served two consecutive terms (1930-34), and in March 1934 was appointed as postmaster of Osborn. He served in that capacity until his death from a stroke on March 26, 1939, at age 67. Naragon was survived by his wife and children and was interred at the Fairfield Cemetery in West Lafayette. A decade following Naragon's death, the town of  Osborn ceased to exist, as it was merged with the neighboring village of Fairfield to form the town of Fairborn in 1950. This town, with a population of over 32,000 as per the 2010 census, is located near the famed Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. 

From the Dayton Daily News, April 17, 1932.

From the Coshocton Tribune, March 27, 1939.