Researching William Page

William Page became one of the leading managers and developers of West Virginia's rich bituminous coalfields in the late-19th and early-20th century, as well as being deeply involved in building the railroads and other infrastructure necessary to process and transport the mined coal. Page often worked as a manager for absentee owners, such as the British geological expert, Dr. David T. Ansted, and the New York City mayor, Abram S. Hewitt of the Cooper-Hewitt organization and other New York and Boston financiers, or as the "front man" in projects involving a silent partner, such as Henry H. Rogers. In the town of Ansted, for 28 years, the Page family lived in a large Victorian mansion built by carpenters of the Gauley Mountain Coal Company.

Most notable among Page's many accomplishments was a project to acquire land and construct a modest short-line railroad to tap new coal reserves in a rugged portion of southern West Virginia not yet reached by the bigger railroads. Connections planned to both the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) and the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) should have inspired competition among rival carriers to transport the coal the rest of the way to market. However, collusion by the leaders of the large railroads attempted to stop the project through agreeing to only offer Page unprofitable rates. Instead of giving up, working with Rogers discreetly providing the millions needed for financing, William Page and his associates expanded the "short line" all the way hundred of miles across the Virginias to a new coal pier built on Hampton Roads, creating the Virginian Railway. Completed in 1909, the VGN was built to be very efficient and during the first half of the 20th century, became widely known as the "Richest Little Railroad in the World."

William and Emma completed their lives in Washington D.C., where they moved in 1917 as he served as a mining expert before federal regulators. One of their younger sons, Randolph Gilham "Dizzy" Page, was an early pioneer of the U.S. air mail industry during this time until his death of a heart attack at 36. William and Emma died in 1932 and 1933 respectively, and were interred in Richmond, Virginia's Hollywood Cemetery.

Page was born in Caverswall, Staffordshire the son of Samuel Page, a platelayer, and his wife Phoebe. He was a boilermaker and in 1881 was widowed with two children. He first played for Derbyshire in the 1881 season in June against Lancashire opening in the first innings but being out for a duck. He moved down the batting order in the second innings and made 9 which was the second highest score in the innings. In the 1882 season he made 19 in a match against Marylebone Cricket Club which Derbyshire lost by a large margin. In his next and final match against Yorkshire he was out for a duck in the first innings but was joint-highest scorer in the second innings with 14 before being bowled by England Test cricketer Billy Bates. Page was a right-handed batsman who played 6 innings in 3 matches at an average of 8.33 and a top score of 19.

Page's cricketing career came to a premature end in 1882, when he lost his sight in one eye.

Page died in Rose Hill, Derby at the age of 57.