Source: Men of West Virginia, Volume I
Author: George Richmond, Pres.; C. R. Arnold, Sec'y and Treas.
Biographical Publishing Company; Chicago, Illinois; 1903
Pages 265-267
Cessena Hershel Ice, M. D., a well known physician of Mannington, Marion County, and financially connected with the Mannington Oil & Gas Company, was born in Mannington district, Marion County, Virginia, now West Virginia, in 1854, and is a son of Henry M. and Annara F. (Dent) Ice. Died March 21, 1920.
His paternal ancestry was of Dutch origin: the great-great-grandfather, Frederick Ice (which is an abridgement of the original Eisler), emigrated from Amsterdam, Holland, in the early part of the 18th century, and settled near the mouth of Cheat River, in what is now Monongalia County, West Virginia; his oldest son, Adam Ice, our subject's great-grandfather, was the first white person born west of the Alleghany Mountains; his eldest son, Rawley Ice, grandfather of the Doctor, was one of the pioneer settlers of the western part
of Marion County, where he resided for over 50 years, and where he died in 1875. Henry M. Ice, the father of our subject, was the third son of Rawley Ice.
Our subject's maternal ancestry was of English origin: the great-great-grandfather, Capt. John Dent, was an officer in the Revolutionary War, serving throughout the entire period. He lost a leg at the siege of Yorktown, but survived and lived several years thereafter. The grandfather, Dudley Dent, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and fought in the battle of New Orleans; he was also a soldier in the Mexican War.
Henry M. Ice was born in Mannington district, Marion County, and died in August, 1892, at the age of 66 years. He was one of the survivors of the Civil War. In 1862 he enlisted in the 14th Reg., West Virginia Vol. Inf., as a private in Company H, but was immediately chosen captain, and served for two years and eight months. His term was cut short on account of serious wounds received in the vicinity of Winchester. He participated in the battles of Cloyd Mountain,
Fisher's Hill, Carter's Farm, Winchester and others. His vocation was farming. In politics he was a Republican and in 1867 he served most efficiently as sheriff of Marion County.
The mother of Dr. Ice was born in Elizabeth, Wirt County, Virginia, now West Virginia. And now resides at Brown's Mills, Harrison County, West Virginia, at the age of 72 years. She is a devout member of the Baptist Church. The 12 children born to the parents of Dr. Ice were: Pliny W., Ulysses B., Cassena Herschel, Alva B., Deramus C., Palmyra Jane (Mrs. Perry Hall), Harlin M., Sidney Averill, Otis Hampden, Richard L., James Wirt, and Lena M. (Mrs. James Cunningham).
After completing his education in the common and high schools of his native locality, Dr. Ice engaged in teaching for seven years and then for 10 years was occupied in building and contracting. He began to read medicine with Dr. Garrett of Grangeville, Marion County, whose death for a time interrupted our subject's medical studies, which he resumed with Dr. G. L. Mclntirn of Grangeville, in 1884. In 1886 he entered the medical department of Wooster (Ohio) University and in the same year took the State examination in West Virginia and received a license to practice. He followed his profession in Tyler County, then in Grangeville and then went to Farmington, where he continued for 10 years. In 1890 he entered the University of Maryland at Baltimore, where he was graduated in medicine and surgery in 1891. In June, 1898, he removed from Farmington to Mannington, since which time he has very fairly divided practice with his brother physicians. Dr. Ice is a member of the West Virginia Medical Association and for seven years was a member of the pension examining board. In business
life, outside his profession, he is an oil producer of the Mannington Oil & Gas Company, which is operating in Ohio.
On August 29, 1878, Dr. Ice was married to Serena Hildreth, who was born in Mannington district, Marion County, West Virginia, in 1863, and is a daughter of Elias and Jane Hildreth. The four children born to this union are: Lester Garfield, James Emmett, Nanie B. and Elias Clark. Mrs. Ice is a member of the Methodist Church. The Doctor is identified with the Republican party.
