A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 58

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 860

USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III > Part 58

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"Dr. McMurry is the first secretary of the Board of Church Extension ever asked to make this trip and his expenses will be borne by the two boards, the Missions Board having appropriated one-half of the amount necessary. Dr. McMurry probably will leave on June I, going direct to New York, where he will sail for London. From London he will sail for Rio de Janeiro and at that point the tour of in- spection will begin. While in Brazil Dr. Mc- Murry will attend the two conferences of the church located in Brazil.

"The Brazil missionary conference will be held at San Paolo on July 28, while the South-

ern Brazil Conference will begin on June 7. Dr. McMurry will address these bodies and make suggestions as to the proper course to be pursued in building churches so that the greatest number of converts may be accommo- dated. In this way Dr. McMurry will be act- ing purely as an expert, and it will be on his suggestions that the money will be apportioned for erecting the churches. He expects to be away almost three months, and on his return will immediately begin securing specifications and bids for the work."

At St. Joseph, Missouri, October 9, 1888, Dr. McMurry married Frances Byrd Davis, a native of Missouri, the daughter of the late Rev. J. J. C. Davis, member of the Missouri conference. Her mother was a Clay of the Kentucky family of that name. From this union three children have been born: Mary Claudia ; William Fletcher Jr .; and Frances.

Dr. McMurry is a member of the Masonic fraternity, being a Knight Templar and an honorary member of the Louisville Commer- cial Club. He is an earnest and devoted ad- herent to his faith and has labored all his life in the Master's vineyard. His life has been an exemplification of his doctrines. In his city there was no worthy charity or society to assist the poor or the unfortunate which did not find in him its most liberal friend; his re- ligion need not be sought with a lantern and doubted when found, for the man of iron judg- ment and unbending will, of powerful percep- tions and resolute purposes, uncovered his head and went obedient to every mandate. He planted here and planted there, and re- joiced in the time of harvest. He believed in the inscription on the high priest's miter and sought to send the light of holiness and peace into all the corners of the earth.

CHARLES BRYAN .- Many of the ablest men in America are ardent devotees of the great basic industry of agriculture, and it is well that this is so because the various professions are rapidly becoming so crowded with in- efficient practitioners that in a few years it will be practically impossible for any but the exceptionally talented man to make good or even to gain a competent living therein. The independent farmer who, in addition to tilling the soil, cultivates his mind and retains his health is a man much to be envied in these days of strenuous bustle and nervous energy. He lives his life as he chooses and is always safe from financial ravages and other troub- les of the so-called "cliff dweller." An able and representative agriculturist who has done much to advance progress and conserve pros- perity in Jefferson county, Kentucky, is Charles Bryan, who owns a splendid estate

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of eighty acres, eligibly located two miles dis- sympathy so much in demand by the success- tant from Jeffersontown.

Charles Bryan was born in Jefferson county, this state, on the 28th of August, 1849, and he is a son of William Bryan, born in Halifax county, Virginia, on the 30th of November, 1791. William Bryan was a child of but four years of age at the time of his parents' removal to Kentucky, his father having been a farmer in Adair county during the remainder of his life. After attaining to years of maturity William Bryan became interested in the medi- cal profession and in due time began to read the same under the able preceptorship of Dr. Merrifield, at Bloomfield. After being ad- mitted to practice he opened an office at Bloomfield, Nelson county, and subsequently removed to Jefferson county, where the death of his first wife occurred. In 1835 he married Miss Anna Eliza Hikes, a daughter of Jacob and Julia Hikes, both of whom were born and reared in York county, Pennsylvania. Four Hikes brothers,-Jacob, John, Andrew and George, came to the old Blue Grass common- wealth about the year 1805, and they are the ancestors of all the representatives of that name in Jefferson county to-day. Anna Eliza was twenty-five years of age at the time of her marriage and she became the mother of five children. Dr. Bryan continued to devote considerable time to the practice of medicine during the remainder of his life, but in 1849 he removed to the farm where the subject of this review now maintains his home. He was summoned to the life eternal in September, 1871, at which time he was eighty years of age. His medical practice covered a wide range of territory and he was identified there- with for a period of fifty-two years. He was possessed of a wonderfully vigorous constitu- tion and even on the day of his death had been out horse-back riding. He was an eminently successful doctor and controlled a large and lucrative patronage, thereby gaining a compe- tency. In 1849 he purchased a tract of some five hundred acres of land and in that year built the fine brick mansion which stands ma- jestically amidst tall, fragrant pine trees. He was a typical southerner of the old school, ardently devoted to the cause of the Confed- eracy and to all matters affecting the welfare of the old Blue Grass commonwealth. Dur- ing the war he was arrested and spent one night in prison as the result of a joke played on a young Union soldier, whom he found drunk and persuaded to take an oath of alle- giance to the cause of the south. He was a genial, jovial man, fond of a practical joke, popular amongst all classes of people, and a man who was instilled with that kindly human

ful physician. At one time he made the race for the state legislature but in the ensuing election was defeated. He was a devout mem- ber of the Christian church and was an ardent worker in its behalf. Mrs. William Bryan was called to her reward in 1888, at which time she was seventy-eight years of age. Con- cerning the five children born to Dr. and Mrs. Bryan the following brief record is here in- serted,-John E. was a Jefferson county farmer during his life time and he died at Louisville in 1906; William F. passed his life on a part of the old homestead farm; Julia H., who married Rev. O. P. Miller, a minister of the Christian church, died at Louisville in 1907; Etta R. died, unmarried, at the age of fifty years, in 1900; and Charles is the imme- diate subject of this review.

After completing the curriculum of the pub- lic schools of his native place Charles Bryan was matriculated in Jefferson College, at Jef- fersontown, in which excellent institution he was a student for four years, at the expiration of which he entered Washington College, at Lexington, Virginia, now known as Washing- ton & Lee University. He attended the latter institution for one year, when he returned home and assumed charge of the home farm. He had expected to study for the medical pro- fession but as his mother was very much op- posed to this idea he gave it up. At the settle- ment of the estate after his father's death Mr. Bryan received the old homestead, including one hundred and twenty-five acres of land, and he has continued to give his undivided attention to agricultural pursuits during the long intervening years to the present time. This estate is located two miles west of Jef- fersontown on the Southern Railroad, but seven miles from the city limits by wagon road.

In the year 1872 was recorded the marriage of Mr. Bryan to Miss Lizzie McKay, who was born at Bardstown, Kentucky, and who is a daughter of Ludwell Mckay. She was sum- moned to the life eternal in 1900, after a happy married life of twenty-eight years. To this union were born seven children,-Will- iam, who is a public accountant at Louisville, Kentucky ; Ludwell M., who is engaged in the rural free delivery mail service in Jefferson county ; Charles G., who is a civil engineer on the Illinois Central Railroad at Louisville ; Anna E., who remains at home and keeps house for her father; Florence M., who is the wife of John K. Higgins, of Chicago; Elizabeth M., who remains at home; Aileen L., who is a trained nurse in the city of Chicago, Illi- nois.

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In his political adherency Mr. Bryan is a staunch advocate of the principles and poli- cies advanced by the Democratic party and while he has never manifested aught of de- sire for the honors or emoluments of public office of any description he is loyal and pub- lic-spirited in his civic attitude and contrib- utes in generous measure to all matters pro- jected for the good of the community. In his religious faith he is a devout member of the Christian church, and during her life time his wife attended the Baptist church, in whose faith she was reared. Mr. Bryan has led a most exemplary life and he has ever been honorable and straightforward in all his business dealings. He is a man of unusual mental capacity and his many kind deeds are actuated by that broad sympathy which is characteristic of the large-hearted South- erner. His deep and sincere interest in pub- lic affairs has been prolific of much good for the county and state and in all the relations of life he has so conducted himself as to com- mand the high regard of his fellow citizens.

WILL D. JESSE .- Engaged in the practice of his profession in the city of Versailles, Mr. Jesse is numbered among the representative members of the bar of Woodford county and is a member of a family whose name has been identified with the history of this county for many years. Mr. Jesse was born on the old homestead farm near Versailles on the 11th of September, 1879, and is a son of Hon. John H. and Sallie E. (Stevenson) Jesse. Hon. John H. Jesse was born on a farm near Ver- sailles, Woodford county, in the year 1842, and was a son of Reuben and Jane (Steele) Jesse, who settled in this county in the early days and who here continued to reside until their death. John H. Jesse was reared to manhood on the old homestead farm and was afforded the advantages of the common schools of the locality and period and of Henry Academy. He never severed his allegiance to the great basic industry of agriculture and eventually became the owner of the old homestead on which he was born, a few miles east of Ver- sailles, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in 1885. In 1883 he was elected to represent his native county in the lower house of the state legislature and he was renominated in 1885 but died prior to taking his seat after election. His widow still resides on the old homestead. He was a man of fine mental equipment and maintained high ideals in all the relations of life, so that he ever commanded and merited the unqualified esteem so uniformly accorded him. He was

a staunch advocate of the principles of the Democratic party.

In the year 1866 was solemnized the mar- riage of Hon. John H. Jesse to Miss Sallie E. Stevenson, a daughter of James R. and Caro- line (Elliot) Stevenson, both of whom passed their entire lives in Kentucky. The Steven- son family were numbered among the early settlers in Pisgah, Woodford county, where they established their home as soon as the In- dians were driven from the settlement and it had become safe to live outside of the prim- itive fort. John H. and Sallie E. Jesse became the parents of four children, who survive their honored father, namely,-Caroline, Henry, Joseph and Will D.

Will D. Jesse is indebted to the public schools of his native county for his early edu- cational discipline, which included a course in Henry Academy at Versailles, and later he continued his studies for three years in the University of Kentucky, at Lexington. After leaving this institution he entered the law de- partment of the University of Louisville, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1902, and from which he received his well earned degree of Bachelor of Laws. Immediately after his graduation Mr. Jesse opened an office at Versailles, where he has' since been successfully established in the gen- eral practice of his profession and where his success has been co-ordinate with his well rec- ognized professional ability. In 1905 he was elected county attorney and his administration as prosecutor has been characterized by marked discrimination and resourcefulness. The popular estimate placed upon his services in this capacity was shown when he was elected as his own successor in 1909. His present term will expire January 1, 1915. Mr. Jesse is well fortified in his political opinions and has been an active and effective worker in be- half of the Democratic party. His devotion to his profession and his sterling attributes of character augur well for his continuous ad- vancement in his chosen field of endeavor.

WALLACE RUTHERFORD HARRIS, President of the Harris Engineering Company, head- quarters in the Paul Jones Building, Louis- ville, a prominent man among the ener- getic, far-seeing and successful business men of this city, is the subject of this review. His life history most happily illustrates what may be attained by faithful and continued effort in carrying out a defined purpose. His activity and energy have been the crowning points of his success, and his establishment and control of an important industrial in-

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terest has been of decided advantage to the city and section in which he lives, promoting its material welfare in no uncertain manner through the employment of a large force of workmen.

Mr. Harris was born in Louisville, June 8, 1876, the son of Charles H. and Mary J. Bailey Harris. The father was born in Lou- isville, in 1839, the son of Alfred Wallace Rutherford Harris, who was also born in Louisville, while the great-grandfather, Ed- ward Harris was a native of Mason county, Kentucky, where his parents were pioneers. The Harris family is of English origin and came to America in Colonial days, settling in Massachusetts, thence going to Virginia and from there coming into Kentucky. Alfred Wallace Rutherford Harris served as City Assessor of Louisville for several years and was a well known early citizen. Charles H. Harris, the father of our subject, was for many years engaged in the drug business in Louisville, but is now retired. Mary J. Bailey Harris, the mother, was a native of Virginia and died in Decatur, Alabama, in 1887, aged forty years.

Mr. Harris received his education in the Ward Schools and Louisville Manual Train- ing High School, Louisville, Kentucky. In June, 1895, he left the Manual Training High School, two weeks before graduation, to stand competitive examination for West Point Military Academy. There were seven entries. Mr. Harris came third in line but did not receive the appointment. After leav- ing school he entered the machine shop of B. F. Avery & Sons, Louisville, and left there June, 1896. He then accepted a posi- tion as draftsman for Snead, Van Alstine, Meldrum's Architectural Iron Works, the work consisting of detailing, estimating and some designing. He left this position in May, 1897, to accept a position with the Ohio Valley Telephone Company, which was suc- ceeded by one with the Cumberland Tele- phone & Telegraph Company. He remained with them as inspector, stock keeper, drafts- man and civil engineer until March 19, 1902. As stockkeeper Mr. Harris had general charge of all construction materials. As draftsman he had charge of all map work, etc. On the Ist of January, 1898, he was made engineer in charge of conduit and cable construction and had charge of all map work, records, etc., as well as design and construc- tion of underground conduit and cable sys- tem. The value of the work done under Mr. Harris' charge by the Cumberland Telephone & Telegraph Company was about $300,000. This work was principally done in Louis-

ville, Kentucky, New Albany, Indiana, and Jeffersonville, Indiana. He also had charge of the preliminary design and supervision of construction of the New Albany Exchange Bldg.

From March 20, 1902, to January 31, 1904, Mr. Harris was engineer and division super- intendent for G. M. Gest, contractor, at Cin- cinnati, Ohio. Had charge as engineer and as division superintendent of Division I of work for Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co., em- braced the construction of their underground conduit system for arc lights, work approxi- mating over one million feet and about forty- five miles of trench, the value being about $322,000. While in Cincinnati he designed reinforced concrete retaining wall and a fence 32 feet high.

From February 2, 1904, to June 30, 1904, Mr. Harris was with the Wheeler Construc- tion Company in the Cumberland Mountains on railroad construction. From July 5, 1904, to May 4, 1908, he was with E. H. Abadie & Co., and the E. H. Abadie Co., as office man- ager and engineer. He had charge of the engineering and construction work embraced in construction of central heating system for state of Missouri at Jefferson City, Missouri. He had charge as chief engineer and general superintendent of engineering work and con- struction work for above company in connec- tion with contracts with the Louisville Light- ing Company, Kentucky Electric Company, George G. Fetter Lighting & Heating Com- pany, and the Louisville Railway Company, for construction of underground conduit sys- tems in Louisville. (All the above new and original work was done in obedience to the first underground ordinance.) The value of this work was about $300,000. On the 5th of May, 1908, was organized the partnership firm of Harris, Craven & von Borries, Harris Engineering Company, Incorporated, succes- sors, doing a general engineering and con- struction business.

He is a member of the American Society of Engineers and Contractors (having been elected president of this society for the year 19II), the Architect Club, the Commercial Club and a director in the Builder's Ex- change. Mr, Harris is a member of the Ma- sonic Order and belongs to Occidental Lodge, No. 163, A. F. & A. M. St. Louis, Missouri, Hiram Chapter No. 129, R. A. M., Hiram Council No. 10, S. & S. E. M., Grand Con- sistory of Kentucky, A. A. S. R., Kosiar Tem- ple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and Kosair Patrol.

Mr. Harris married Phoebe L. Pierce, who was born in Maysville, Mason county, Ken-

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tucky, the daughter of James Pierce, that family coming from Massachusetts to Ken- tucky at an early date settling in Mason county.

Mr. Harris was a member of the Louisville Legion from 1892 to 1895, and was Captain and Regimental Adjutant of the First Regi- ment Kentucky National Guards in 1910, until regimental organization was discontin- ned. He has pleasant social and club rela- tions, but his time and energies are practi- cally absorbed in business and his life demonstrates the possibilities that lie before a young man, energetic, industrious and clear headed. His record shows that one of the necessities for an important place in the busi- ness world is not necessarily age and years of methodical preparation, but rather a genius for devising and executing the right thing at the right time, joined to every day common sense. He is energetic, prompt and notably reliable and his course excites the respect of his business associates and the admiration of all who know aught of his history.

MAJOR OTIS SETH TENNEY .- For upwards of three-score years actively engaged in the practice of law in the state of Kentucky, Major Otis Seth Tenney is now living retired from professional duties in the city of Lexington, an honored and respected citizen. The descen- dant of a New England family of note, he was born December 4, 1822, in the town of Hanover, New Hampshire. He is a lineal descendant in the eighth generation from the emigrant ancestor, John (1) Tenney, and his wife Ann.

The line was continued through Deacon John (2) Tenney and his wife Mary ( Parrott) Tenney ; Deacon Samuel (3) Tenney and his wife Sarah (Boynton) Tenney; Joseph (4) Tenney, who married Abigail Wood; John (5) Tenney, who married Olive Armstrong ; David (6) Tenney, Captain Seth (7) Tenney, and Major Otis Seth (8) Tenney. A more ex- tended account of the earlier ancestors of Major Tenney may be found in the History of the Tenney Family, the first two genera- tions of which was completed by Rev. Caleb Jewett Tenney, who was graduated from Dart- mouth College in 1801, with the class of which Daniel Webster was a member. . This history was later added to by Professor Jonathan Tenney, who, it is said, worked upon it un- tiringly for forty years, and it has since been revised by Miss M. J. Tenney, of Haverill, Massachusetts.

David (6) Tenney was born in Norwich, Connecticut, May 15, 1759. In 1770 he ac- companied his parents to their new home in lIanover, New Hampshire, making the re-

moval with teams, the only means of trans- portation in those days. He was there brought up on the farm which his father purchased, on an elevation that became known as "Ten- ney's Hill." Inspired by the patriotism char- acteristic of the New Englanders, he served as a private in the Revolutionary war, in the regiment commanded by Colonel Jonathan Chase, marching to Ticonderoga in response to the alarm of June 27, 1777, and of July 4, 1777. Afterward, with the same regiment, he joined the army at Saratoga, and served under General Gates. Returning to the pa- rental roof-tree, he subsequently inherited a part of the home farm, and continued as a farmer on Tenney's Hill until his death, at a good old age. He was twice married, his sec- ond wife, whose maiden name was Anna Jacobs, having been the mother of his son Seth.

The birth of Captain Seth (7) Tenney oc- curred on the home farm in Hanover, New Hampshire, October 8, 1792. Following the occupation of his ancestors, he became suc- cessful an an agriculturist and spent his en- tire life in his native town, passing away Octo- ber 16, 1869. He inherited the military spirit of his father and during the War of 1812 served as captain of a company of brave New Hampshire soldier boys. He married Esther Miller, who was born in Lyme, Grafton county, New Hampshire, November 17, 1794, a daugh- ter of Benjamin and Hannah (Tyler ) Miller. Of their union seven children were born, as follows: Benjamin M., Otis Seth, Samuel Claflin, Esther Angeline, Mary Marinda, Charles Carroll and David Culver.

Preparing for college at the Norwich Insti- tute, in Norwich, Vermont, Otis Seth (8) Tenney was graduated from the Norwich Uni- versity, in Northfield, Vermont, with the class of 1845. He has twice been honored by his alma mater, which in 1847 conferred upon him the degree of A. M., and in 1881 the degree of LL. D. After his graduation Mr. Tenney taught for a short time in a military school at Wilmington, Delaware. Coming from there to Kentucky in 1847, he established a military school at Fort Mason, in Mount Sterling, and there, in 1847, he began the study of law with Colonel Walter Chiles. Being admitted to the bar in 1849, he continued in the practice of law in Mount Sterling until 1862, when he entered the Confederate service as a private. He was soon promoted to major of the Second Kentucky Cavalry, under General Morgan, with whom he was in consultation the very night before the General was killed. Return- ing to Mount Sterling at the close of the war. Mr. Tenney resumed his professional labors,

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remaining there until 1882. Locating in that year in Lexington, Kentucky, he continued in active practice here until 1909, when, after a successful legal career of three-score and more years, he retired from the bar and is now spending his closing years in a pleasant leisure, free from active cares.

On May 18, 1848, Mr. Tenney was united in married with Junia M. Warner. She was born in Wilmington, Deleware, September 29, 1820, a daughter of Dr. James and Maria (Hillyard) Warner. She died December 28, 1906, after a happy wedded life of sixty years. Two chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Tenney, namely : Lillian and Anna M. Anna M., the younger daughter, who married W. W. Hamil- ton, of Mount Sterling, Kentucky, died Decem- ber 6, 1907. Lillian Tenney married Joseph B. Russell, of Cambridge, Massachusetts a well- known banker of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Russell are the parents of five children, namely: Charles Theodore, Sarah E., Joseph B., Junia and Otis Tenney. Charles Theodore Russell married and has two children, Charles T. and Henry Drummond. Sarah E. Russell married Robert H. Nelson and has one child, Lillian Hillyard. Joseph B. Russell, who mar- ried Jacquelyn Kelley, daughter of Admiral Kelley, of the U. S. Navy, now retired, has one daughter, Frances. Junia married Harold F. Mason, of Boston.

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A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 58

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 860

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 860