USA > Kentucky > Biographical cyclopedia of the commonwealth of Kentucky > Part 42
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The second marriage of Judge Brown was with Maria, daughter of William Poage. She was born November 6, 1829. The children by this mar- riage are: James Henry, born May 13, 1859, died January 16, 1861; Colbert Cecil, born Octo- ber 25, 1861, died March 27, 1864; Lucy Mur- ray, born April 16, 1863, educated at Staunton, Virginia; George Newman, born August 25, 16
1865, an attorney, who, upon beginning of his profession, died July 12, 1892; Sarah Elizabeth, born September 28, 1867, educated at Staunton, Virginia; Edgar, born October 16, 1872, died November 9, 1872; Benjamin Bernard, born No- vember 24, 1873, educated at Catlettsburg, and studied law with his father and brother.
George Newman Brown was the eldest son and seventh child of Richard and Frances Brown; educated in the schools of the neighborhood, at Marshall Academy, Virginia, and Augusta Col- lege, Kentucky. After returning from college in the fall of 1840, he soon began the study of law in the office of Judge James M. Rice of Louisa, and was admitted to the bar in October, 1844. He practiced law in Pike and adjacent counties for sixteen years, during which time he was county attorney for four terms, and represented the coun- ties of Floyd, Pike and Johnson in the Legisla- ture of Kentucky in 1849-50.
In 1860 he removed to Catlettsburg and en- tered into partnership with Judge Rice. In the Civil war he was a non-combatant, but his syn- pathies were with the Southern people.
In 1880 he was elected by the people judge of the Circuit Court and served six years on the bench, when he returned to his law practice with his son, Thomas R. Brown, a brief sketch of whom has already been given. During his residence in Catlettsburg he served repeatedly on the Board of Trustees of the city; took an active part in every enterprise for promoting the public weal of county and city, and in the conduct and man- agement of his business, mercantile, agricultural and professional. In Ely's History of Sandy Val- ley it is said he, Judge Brown, "was for thirty years one of the foremost men of business in the Sandy basin." In 1884, in a warm and close con- test for the judgeship between him and W. C. Ireland, the latter was elected.
As judge on the bench Mr. Brown was courte- ous, patient and impartial to hear both sides and counsel fully, then firm and fearless to decide and enforce the mandates of the law. On the bench he won the reputation of being one of the ablest, purest of Kentucky.
As a man of business he has proved a success ; as a farmer and patron of husbandry an example
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worthy of imitation in the improvement of his lands and varied systems of agriculture. Gener- ous and liberal to the needy.
He was appointed by the Legislature of Ken- tucky one of the commissioners to expend $75,000 appropriated to Sandy River in improving the navigation thereof, a work of great importance to the prosperity of the people of that section.
C LAUDE CHINN, the efficient County Clerk of Fayette County, was born in the City of Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, August 14, 1842, and is the son of the late Dr. Joseph G. Chinn and Barbara (Graves) Chinn.
Dr. Chinn practiced medicine in Jessamine County in 1835-6, removing to Lexington in the latter year, where he was a successful practitioner for many years. He was a good and honored citi- zen and did more charity practice than probably any other physician in Lexington. He was a kind-hearted man and a spirit of meekness seemed to rule his conduct. In his daily life he was sensi- bly alive to every claim of his fellow-citizens and his voice in behalf of benevolence was emphatic and strong. The results of his efforts, as a true Christian gentleman, although limited as they were, in his old age, were appreciated by the peo- ple of Lexington, who will not soon forget him. He was born in Virginia and his father was one of the pioneer settlers of Harrison County. Dr. Chinn was a soldier in the War of 1812 in the capacity of assistant surgeon. He made a special- ty of the diseases of women in the latter part of his life, but became almost blind and was retired for several years previous to his death, which oc- curred in Lexington in 1893, at the remarkable age of ninety-three. He was three times married: His second wife was Mrs. Shepherd and his third wife Mrs. Katherine Lawson of Lexington; his last wife died in 1892, at the still more remarkable age of one hundred and four. She was ninety-six years of age when she married Dr. Chinn; she was a refined lady and was particularly well versed in the principles of Christianity. It is supposed that they were the oldest couple ever married in Lex- ington. Dr. Chinn was mayor of Lexington many years and a stanch Democrat and was a lifelong member of the Christian Church. He built a
church in Missouri, the cost of which he paid out of his private funds. He was an elder and ex- horter in the church and a well known writer for the religious papers of his denomination, and no member was more highly respected by his breth- ren than Dr. Chinn. The Chinns are of Scotch ancestry.
Claude Chinn was reared in the City of Lex- ington and was principally educated at the old Transylvania University, and after leaving that institution he removed to Missouri, where he be- came deputy sheriff of Lafayette County under his brother-in-law, Colonel John P. Bowman, where he remained until the time of the breaking out of the war between the States.
Mr. Chinn was not long in entering the Confed- erate army, enlisting in a Missouri battery and served as a private until the close of the war. With the exception of one year he was with Gen- eral John Morgan. He was slightly wounded at the battle of Blue Mills, Missouri, and at the close of the war returned home to Lexington and was engaged in farming in Fayette County for four years. At the expiration of that time he went to Arkansas, where he operated a plantation on the Mississippi River, raising cotton, and remained there for a year and then returned to Lexington and was agent there for the omnibus lines for some ten years. In 1894 Mr. Chinn received the Democratic nomination for County Clerk of Fay- ette County, defeating Theodore Lewis in the primary convention. He was then endorsed by all the political parties and elected without any opposition.
In 1866 he was united in marriage to Nannie Petett, daughter of William B. Petett of Fayette County. Mr. and Mrs. Chinn have four daugh- ters and one son: Dixey, who married Colby Young; Nannie, wife of William Anderson of Bell County; Joseph W. and Edward. Mr. Chinn is a member of the Confederate Veteran Asso- ciation and one of the leading Democrats of Fay- ette County.
R ICHARD H. GRAY, Attorney-at-Law, Cov- ington, son of Andrew J. and Catherine (Galbaugh) Gray, was born in Covington Febru- ary 22, 1853. His father is a native of Covington
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also, and has resided in Covington and in the County of Kenton all his life, being at present a resident of Milldale, near Covington. He was a large tobacco manufacturer until 1873, when he removed to his farm in the county, where he lived until 1893. He then retired and took up his resi- dence in Milldale. He is now in his sixty-sixth year.
John Gray (grandfather) was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, who removed to Covington when a young man and resided there until the time of his death. His ancestors were from Scotland.
Catherine Galbaugh Gray (mother) was a na- tive of Covington, where she resided all her life, and died in 1865.
John Galbaugh (grandfather) was a native of Harrisburg, Pa., but removed to Covington when he was a young man.
Richard H. Gray is a graduate of the public schools of Covington, and for a time attended the University of Virginia. He read law with John N. Furber of Covington and was admitted to the bar in 1875, since which time he has been suc- cessfully engaged in the practice of law in Cov- ington. In 1884 he formed a partnership with James M. Tisdale and at this time the law firm of Tisdale & Gray is one of the oldest and most pop- ular firms in the city.
Mr. Gray takes a lively interest in politics from a Democratic standpoint without seeking the honors of his party. He belongs to a number of benevolent orders, including the Masons, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. He was mar- ried in 1877 to Cora B., daughter of John and Mary Dye of Cold Spring, Campbell County. Their residence is in Milldale, a suburb of Cov- ington. -
H ON. LOUIS P. FRYER, Attorney-at-Law, Falmouth, Kentucky, is the son of John H. and Frances A. (Norris) Fryer of Butler, Pen- dleton County. His father is also a native of But- ler, where he still resides, and is now in the sixty- third year of his age, and is still actively engaged in the practice of law. He is a Republican in politics, although not active, and is a faithful and zealous member of the Methodist Church.
Walter Fryer (grandfather) was a native of
Scotland, who came to the United States when he was a young man and became one of the earliest settlers of Pendleton County. He was a farmer, and one of the best citizens of the county.
Frances A. Norris Fryer (mother) was a native of Pendleton County. She died in 1889.
William Norris (grandfather) was a native of Maryland and was one of the earliest settlers of Pendleton County.
Judge Louis P. Fryer was born in Butler, Janu- ary 10, 1864. After leaving school he read law with his father and was admitted to the bar in 1886 and at once located in Falmouth, where he has been engaged in the practice of his profes- sion with unusual success. He was police judge of Falmouth from 1886 to 1888; was city attor- ney in 1888 and 1889 and was county attorney for two years-1893 and 1894. Unlike his father, he is a Democrat and takes a lively interest in political affairs, having served as a delegate to several state conventions, and otherwise aiding in the party organization.
Judge Fryer and Mattie B. Barton, daughter of T. M. Barton of Butler, were married in 1888, and have one daughter, Mabel L.
R IVERS McNEILL, son of Thomas Henry and grandson of Malcolm McNeill, was born November 12, 1858, in Christian County, Ken- tucky, near LaFayette, and lived there until 1876, when he left for Emory and Henry College in Virginia. He graduated in 1879 and then studied medicine, but not being able to finish the course he desired, he abandoned the study of medicine and turned his attention to commercial life. He went to work in Chicago for a general mercantile house, and after being with them a short time was promoted to the management of one of the departments, afterward accepting a position as auditor for one of the largest publish- ing houses in the West.
He married Miss Stella Elizabeth Corby of Chicago, and has three living children: Malcolm Rivers, Cherrill and Dorothy Mesha. His oldest child, a daughter, died in infancy.
Stella Corby is a descendant, on her mother's side, of John Hampden, and on her father's side of the Banning family, early settlers of New York.
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In 1885, Rivers McNeill and his brother, Thomas Henry, engaged in the real estate busi- ness and took charge of the estate left them by their grandfather, Malcolm McNeill, improving and looking after it in a general way. He has built several large modern houses in Chicago and is known as a reliable and competent business man. He has been identified with the reform movements and advanced ideas; has been suc- cessful in business and has established a good name among the business men of Chicago. He attributes his success to hard work and atten- tiveness to business, and to the strictest honesty in all transactions. He has never solicited any public office, but takes a great interest in the wel- fare and politics of his country. He is a mem- ber of several charitable institutions and of the Iroquois and Waubansee clubs. Retiring and re- served in disposition, he cares little for society and devotes most of his spare time to his home and family.
E LI H. BROWN, Corporation Attorney and prominent citizen of Owensboro, was born in Brandenburg, Meade County, Kentucky, No- vember 13, 1843. He received his primary educa- tion from private teachers in Hawesville, and attended the high schools of Lewisport, then taught by Professors Gregg and Trimble, and graduated in June, 1863. He studied law for two and a half years in the office of Judge George Williams, and was licensed to practice law by the judge of the Circuit Court. He located in Hawesville and practiced alone until 1878, when he became associated with Judge Williams, a partnership which continued until October 1, 1878, when he removed to Louisville and was a prominent member of the bar in that city for nearly ten years. During a part of that time he was in partnership with D. M. Rodman. He ac- quired a lucrative business and was one of the most energetic and prominent lawyers at the Louisville bar. In March, 1891, he removed to Owensboro, where he has been steadily and suc- cessfully engaged in the practice of his profes- sion, and is now one of the leading attorneys of that city, which is so distinguished for legal talent.
During his residence in Hawesville Mr. Brown
was prosecuting attorney for two terms, and has frequently served as special judge of the Circuit Court, but has never sought political preferment. He was presidential elector for his district in 1872 on the Democratic ticket and made a spirited can- vass, but has not turned aside at any time from strictly professional work. During the past fifteen years he has devoted himself almost exclusively to the legal work of various corporations, and is at present the attorney for the Glenmore Distil- lery Company, the Eagle Distillery Company, the Daviess County Distillery Company, and the Owensboro Woolen Mills Company.
One of the most important cases in which he has been engaged was that of a railroad company against the taxpayers of Muhlenberg County, in which he won the suit for the railroad company. In 1868 bonds were voted by Muhlenberg County to the amount of four hundred thousand dollars to secure railroad facilities in the county. The taxpayers refused to pay their assessments and in order to prevent the collection of the tax all of the magistrates in the county were induced to re- sign. The railroad people employed some of the most prominent legal lights in the state to prose- cute their claim, but they gave it up as a bad job. Finally Mr. Brown undertook the case for the railroad company and secured judgment for the tax with interest at seven per cent for five years. The case was decided in the United States Circuit Court by Judge Lurton, who issued an order to Marshal Blackburn to go into the county with an armed force and collect the tax from the people at the point of the bayonet if necessary. The amount of the bonds, with interest, was collected. This case attracted universal attention, especially among the lawyers of the state, as it was of ex- ceptional interest.
Mr. Brown has been signally successful as a corporation attorney, being greatly devoted to his profession and always faithful to the interests of his clients. He is a man of fine personal bear- ing, dignified in appearance, but genial and cor- dial in his intercourse with others, and is an ex- ceedingly popular citizen. He is a Mason of high degree and a most excellent member of the Chris- tian Church.
Mr. Brown was married February 3, 1870, to
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Nancy W. Dorsey of Nelson County, daughter of Dr. Washington Dorsey, a native of Kentucky, and a very celebrated physician, who lived for many years at Yazoo, Mississippi. Mrs. Brown was born October 31, 1847, and died in Louis- ville, December 6, 1885, leaving four children: Horace Stone, born June 21, 1871, died March 6, 1894; Eli Houston, born May 3, 1875, graduated at the Kentucky University in the class of 1895; Washington Dorsey, born January 3, 1877, now in the senior class of the Kentucky University; and Sarah Ellen, born December 7, 1879, now studying under a governess in Nelson County.
At the time of his death Horace Stone Brown, eldest son, was city editor of the Louisville Daily Commercial, and the members of the press of that city paid a beautiful tribute to his worth and popularity.
Eli H. Brown is a son of John McClarty and Minerva (Murray) Brown. His father was born in Nelson County, May 7, 1799, and was educated in Bardstown. He was engaged in merchandising in Hardinsburg, in partnership with two of his uncles, Samuel and James McClarty, until 1823, when he married Minerva Murray and removed to Brandenburg and was the first merchant in that place. He was also interested in the tobacco business at Cloverport, Hawesville, and Leitch- field during the time of his stay in Brandenburg. In 1851 he removed to Hawesville and was secre- tary and treasurer of the Trabue Coal Mining Company until 1857. He was county judge of Hancock County for two terms, ending August 3, 1865. He was a man of splendid literary attain- ments, and was one of the best and most highly respected citizens of his county, a prominent Ma- son, and a leading member of the Presbyterian Church.
Robert J. Brown (grandfather), a native of Maryland, was one of the earliest settlers of Nel- son County, where he was a farmer and trader. He married a Miss McClarty, and died when his son, John McClarty Brown (father), was an in- fant. His widow married a Mr. Hughes, and died in 1852. The Browns are of Irish descent, but have been in this country a long time.
Minerva J. Murray Brown (mother) was born in Breckinridge County, November 23, 1807, and
was educated at Hardinsburg. She was a mem- ber of the Methodist Church and a woman of the most noble traits of character, whose death in 187I was mourned by a host of loving and devoted friends.
John Murray (grandfather) was a native of Washington County, where he was a merchant for a great many years. He subsequently removed to Rumsey, McLean County, and continued in active business until 1864, when he returned and spent the remainder of his useful life with his daughter, Mrs. (Brown) Hughes. He was quite a figure in politics and was known as a "Consti- tutional Union" man during the war and in the days of reconstruction. His wife's name was Pat- sey Walker, who was a native of Washington County. She died, and Mr. Murray survived her until 1869, when he died in McLean County.
W ILLIAM S. CASON, Lawyer, of Cyn- thiana, was born in Harrison County, No- vember 23, 1856. His father, Benjamin C. Cason, was also born in Harrison County, in 1824, and has been a farmer and a resident of the county all his life.
Nelson Cason (grandfather) was a native of Spottsylvania County, Virginia, and was one of the pioneer farmers of Harrison County. He belonged to an old Virginia family of Scotch descent.
Mrs. Rochiel Elker Cason (mother) is a native of Harrison County, and is a prominent member of the Baptist Church. Her father, Samuel Elker, was born in Maryland, in 1792. He removed to Harrison County when quite young; lived in Cynthiana for some years, but devoted the latter part of his life to agricultural pursuits. He died in 1865, aged seventy-three years. His father was a native of Germany.
William S. Cason improved all of his oppor- tunities in the way of country schools while as- sisting his father on the farm. He also attended the public schools of Cynthiana, graduating in 1876. He then went to Lafayette College, Eas- ton, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1880 with the degree of A. B., and three years later received the degree of A. M. from the same college. He attended the law department of the University of
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Louisville, graduating in 1882. He began the practice of law in Cynthiana in August, 1882, and has acquired a large practice, to which he de- votes his entire attention. He is not in politics but votes the Democratic ticket.
He was principal of the city schools of Cyn- thiana in 1885-86, having been elected to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Professor Mar- shall. He was county superintendent of schools from 1886 to 1890.
Mr. Cason married Ella N. Bowman, daughter of Jacob Bowman of Harrison County, in 1880, and has two sons: Hervey M. and Edgar B. Cason.
IRVINE BLANTON, attorney-at-law, of J. Cynthiana, was born in Boyle County April 21, 1860. He is a son of Lindsay H. and Elizabeth (Irvine) Blanton. His father is a native of Cumberland County, Virginia. He came to Kentucky in 1856, and attended the Danville The- ological Seminary. After entering the ministry, his first charge was the First Presbyterian Church of Versailles. In 1866 he moved to Paris, Ken- tucky, and built the Second Presbyterian Church in that city, and continued as pastor until 1879, when he went to Richmond and assumed charge of Central University, of which he is now cha .. cellor. He was with General John C. Breckin- ridge in his campaigns through Virginia and Kentucky.
Joseph Blanton (grandfather) was a native of Cumberland County, Virginia, and was an exten- sive farmer of that county. He died in 1882 in the eightieth year of his age. He was a leading member of the Presbyterian Church. He be- longed to a well-known Virginia family who orig- inally came from England.
Elizabeth Irvine Blanton (mother) is a native of Boyle County; a devoted member of the Pres- byterian Church, and a lady of unusual intelli- gence and great force of character. Her father, Abner Irvine, was a native of Fayette County, who removed to Boyle County, where he was a large land owner and prosperous farmer up to the time of his death in 1868. The Irvines are of Scotch-Irish descent and came to America with
the McDowells and Lyles, well-known Virginia families.
J. Irvine Blanton spent his boyhood in Paris and Richmond and graduated from Central University in 1880. He taught in the preparatory department for one year, and then studied law in Central University, law department, graduating in December, 1883. He located in Cynthiana the same year and formed a partnership with Judge John Quincy Ward, the firm name being Ward & Blanton. In 1886 his distinguished partner was elected judge of the Superior Court and the business relation was necessarily dissolved. Mr. Blanton continued to practice alone until 1893, when he became the partner of Baily D. Berry, under the firm name of Blanton & Berry, who are at this time associated in a general practice with a large clientele. No law firm in this section of the state stands higher or enjoys a more lucra- tive practice.
Mr. Blanton was married in October, 1886, to Sallie McDowell, daughter of Judge William C. and Bettie (Breck) McDowell of Richmond. Mrs. Blanton's grandfather was General Joseph McDowell of Hillsboro, Ohio.
They have one son and two daughters: Eliza- beth, Lindsay H., Jr., and Mary Irvine Blanton. Mr. and Mrs. Blanton are members of the Pres- byterian Church.
D R. ALEXANDER P. CAMPBELL, den- tist, of Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky, was born in that city May 9, 1865. His father, Dr. Alexander P. Campbell, Sr., was a native of Todd County, Kentucky, and was born February II, 1826, and educated in the common schools of that county. He was a farmer until thirty-two years of age, when he removed to Hopkinsville, where he practiced dentistry un- til the time of his death, February 10, 1886. He was a graduate of the Baltimore Dental College.
Dr. Alexander P. Campbell was a student in the schools of Hopkinsville until eighteen years of age and obtained a good, practical knowledge of dentistry in his father's office before entering Vanderbilt University at Nashville, where he spent three years, and was graduated in the class
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of 1886. He was assistant demonstrator of den- tistry in that institution for five months, when he resigned and began the practice of dentistry in Hopkinsville, where he has made a reputation as one of the best dentists in the state, and has secured the patronage of many of the best people in the city and county.
He was married December 7, 1886, to Jennie A. Mills, and they have two children: Fletcher Mills and Fay Ellis. Mrs. Campbell is a niece of Senator Roger Q. Mills of Texas.
H ENRY STITES BARKER, city attorney of Louisville, was born in Christian County, July 23, 1850. His father, Richard H. Barker, was a native of Todd County, who practiced law in Clarksville, Tenn., for a number of years. His death, at the age of about thirty-six years, was caused by yellow fever which he contracted on a steamboat, on his way home from New Orleans in 1853. His ancestors belonged to an old Vir- ginia family, some of whom came to Kentucky from Virginia soon after the Revolutionary war, and were of English extraction. Mr. Barker's mother, Caroline M. (Sharp) Barker, is a native of Christian County, now residing at Crescent Hill, near Louisville. Her father, Dr. Maxwell Sharp, was a native of Virginia, of Scotch-Irish descent, who came to Logan County, near Rus- sellville, in the early settlement of that section, where he practiced medicine. He afterward re- moved to Christian County, Kentucky, where he owned and operated a large farm. He died in 1864, aged eighty-nine years.
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