User:West Virginian/David Shear (West Virginia politician)

David Shear (September 16, 1896 – December 6, 1968) was an American businessperson and politician in the U.S. state of West Virginia.

Early life and family
David Shear was born in Congress Poland, Russian Empire, on September 16, 1896. He was the son of Nathan Shear and his wife Lena Caplon Shear, and he was one of ten children—six daughters and four sons—born to the couple who survived to adulthood. Shear's father Nathan was born in 1859, and Shear and his family resided in the village of Alside before emigrating from Poland to the United States. Upon their arrival to the United States, Shear's father was a peddler. Shear's father settled Shear and his family in Romney, West Virginia, to live with Shear's father's cousin Michael I. Bennett, who operated Bennett's Men's Store on Main Street. When Shear and his family relocated to Romney, they resided with the Bennett family before relocating to a vacant schoolhouse, and then moving into a large house on Main Street. Shear's father opened a men's and women's clothing store in Romney and another store in Keyser, West Virginia, before dying in Baltimore in 1931. Shear's mother Lena later died in Washington, D.C., in 1950.

Business career
In 1920, Shear became the owner and manager of Shear's Department Store at 24 West Main Street in Romney.

Romney town council
In 1933, Shear was elected to a seat on Romney's town council, and on July 3 of that year, he participated in his first regular monthly council meeting and was appointed to the council's ordinance committee. On July 6, 1936, Shear was appointed to serve on the council's street, water, and ordinance committees. In total, Shear served on the Romney town council from 1933 to 1941.

Hampshire County Public Assistance Council
In 1942, Shear became a member of Hampshire County's Public Assistance Council, and he served as the council's chairperson from 1943 to 1957.

Mayor of Romney
Shear served as mayor of Romney from 1951 until his death in 1968.

In January 1958, Shear proclaimed the week of February 2, 1958, as Religious Emphasis Week for Romney citizens to engage in regular public worship at the church or synagogue of their faith, daily family prayer, and religious education of children. In May 1961, Shear endorsed and offered his municipal administration's support to the Romney Volunteer Fire Company proposal to construct a public swimming pool at School Street and West Rosemary Lane. That same month, he encouraged Romney and Hampshire County residents to participate in Governor Wally Barron's "Keep West Virginia Clean and Green" highway clean-up initiative, which was initiated in Hampshire County by a clean-up parade in Romney.

In March 1962, Shear officially opened the town's Easter Seals campaign by purchasing the first sheet of easter seals from the Hampshire County Society for Crippled Children and Adults and in his mayoral proclamation for this event, he stated, "By uniting in spirit and action through the Easter Seal Campaign, we help restore strength, hope, and financial independence to the handicapped."

Shear was mayor of Romney when the town celebrated its bicentennial anniversary in the summer of 1962, and he also served on the board of directors of Romney Bicentennial, Inc., which was a non-profit corporation created in 1961 to organize, direct, and conduct the bicentennial celebration. In his letter to mark the occasion in Romney Bicentennial, 1762 – 1862 – 1962, Shear wrote:

"To Our Friends and Guests:

It is my privilege as Mayor of the Town of Romney to extend the official welcome of the town to all our visitors and friends who will be with us on the occasion of the celebration of Romney's two hundredth birthday.

The people of Romney and Hampshire County have worked hard to make this celebration a memorable one. We are proud of our rich heritage and our present day accomplishments and we hope that you will enjoy them with us.

Very truly yours,

David Shear Mayor"

In 1968, under Shear's leadership, Romney completed improvements to its municipal water system and water plant, and the town received $125,000 in direct grants and $25,000 in supplementary grants from the United States Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration for the project. These improvements to the Romney municipal water system attracted the Kinney Shoe Company factory, and enabled expansions to the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind and Hampshire Memorial Hospital.

Selective Service System board
While serving as mayor, Shear also served as a member of the West Virginia Selective Service System's Local Board No. 56 for Hampshire County, beginning in 1952, and received a five-year certificate of appreciation for his service to the system in 1957. In May 1957, Shear announced his intention to seek reelection as mayor for a third term. He served on the board until 1958.

American Legion
Following his service in World War I, Shear became a founding member of Romney's American Legion Hampshire Post No. 91. In 1931, he was selected to serve on the American Legion's West Virginia Department foreign relations committee, representing the department's 10th district. In 1933, Shear served as the Hampshire County representative for the American Legion West Virginia Department initiative to compile a record of graves for veterans of all wars in Hampshire County. In 1944 and 1945, Shear served as the American Legion West Virginia Department's 10th district commander. Shear served as the commander of Romney's Hampshire Post No. 91 in 1948. In February 1958, Shear was appointed a general member of the American Legion's National Distinguished Guests Committee by National Commander John S. Gleason Jr.

Other community efforts
When Hampshire Memorial Hospital was built on Depot Street in 1957, Shear served as a member of its inaugural board of directors.

Personal life
In 1957, Shear stated that he was the only Jewish person residing in the town of Romney.

Death and legacy
Shear died on December 6, 1968, at Hampshire Memorial Hospital in Romney. He was interred on December 8, 1968, at Mikro Kodesh Beth Israel Cemetery on Bowleys Lane in Baltimore. Shear and his family were buried at this cemetery, and not in their community of Romney, in keeping with Jewish burial tradition.