USA > Kentucky > Memorial record of western Kentucky, Volume II > Part 13
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LeoG. Эhompron
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Grundy homestead, situated between Milburn and Lovelaceville, on the Milburn and Lovelaceville road, five miles from the former and eight miles from the latter town, and seven miles from Blandville. Here she continued to reside till she passed away in death in 1867, aged fifty- one years. She was twice married. Her second husband was Fielding Bland, whom she married in 1857. By her first marriage she became the mother of five children, of whom George C. is the only survivor. One of these children was the late Dr. J. W. Thompson, of Paducah, who for many years ranked among the most skillful and successful phy- sicians of western Kentucky.
George C. Thompson was educated at Blandville, Columbus and under a private tutor at home on the Joe Grundy farm, above men- tioned; and at the Christian Brothers College at St. Louis, where he spent two and a half years. Hle then took up the profession of teach- ing. In the year 1866, he went to Paducah, and for three years there- after taught in the public schools of this city. During the last two years of that period he was principal of the schools. Mr. Thompson then took up the study of law under Judge J. D. White and Q. Q. Quigley, the latter still of Paducah and the former now of Frankfort. At the carly age of twenty-one Mr. Thompson began the practice of law. Six months later he and his former instructor in law, Mr. Quigley, formed a partnership, which continued about three years and was then closed in consequence of Mr. Thompson giving up the practice of law to assume the duties of cashier of the American-German National Bank, of which bank he is now president, and has been such official since 1890.
In the discharge of his duties, both as cashier and president of this institution, Mr. Thompson has given evidence of unusual financial ability. Under his management and that of his associates this has
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become one of the most successful banks in western Kentucky. This bank has a capital stock of $230,000 and a surplus and undivided profits of $90,000. For two terms Mr. Thompson was president of the Ken- tucky State Banking Association, which fact indicates his prominence among Kentucky bankers and financiers. He has long since been closely identified with industrial and business enterprises in Paduah. He was an organizer, in 1886, of the company which first operated a street railway in the city of Paducah, and was president of that company. Several changes in the ownership of the Paducah city railway have occurred, but of all companies that have controlled this system of street railway he has been president. The present owners and operators of the system comprise the Paducah City Railway Company and he is presi- dent of the company.
While Mr. Thompson has always manifested considerable interest in political affairs, he has never sought political preferment, preferring the life of a strictly business man. He has always been a Democrat in politics, but in 1896, believing the measures of his party to be unwise, he gave his support to Palmer and Buckner, who were the presidential and vice presidential candidates respectively of the "gold Democrats." Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a demitted Master Mason.
In November, 1883, Mr. Thompson married Miss Mamie Taylor. Mrs. Thompson is a native of Union county, Kentucky. Her parents are now residents of Kansas City, Missouri. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson has been blessed by the birth of three children, namely, Susie, George C., Jr., and Juliett. The family are among the most popular people of Paducah, their home being celebrated for its gener- ous hospitality.
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NICHOLAS L. GALLOWAY.
Of an old southern family that was founded in Kentucky many years ago, Nicholas L. Galloway is a worthy representative. He was born in the county which is still his home, on the 9th of April, 1855, being a son of Samuel S. and Adaline (Gillerland) Galloway, natives, respectively, of Murray county, Tennessee, and Alabama. The paternal grandfather of Nicholas L. was John Galloway, also a native of Murray county and of Irish descent, while the maternal grandfather, William Gillerland, was born in. Alabama, and he, too, was a representative of Irish ancestors. Samuel S. Galloway made his home in Graves county from his boyhood days, and he devoted his entire business career to the pursuit of agriculture. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, while his religious affiliations were with the Missionary Baptist church. His death occurred in 1891, when he had reached the sixty-sixth mile- stone on the journey of life, and his labors were well and usefully directed. His widow still survives, and is seventy-five years of age. The following children were born to this worthy couple: John, who died in infancy ; Nannie; Nicholas L. ; William T .; Thomas L., deceased ; Bedford T .; and Lucy.
Nicholas L. Galloway was born, reared and educated in Graves county, having attended the public schools of the neighborhood. Upon arriving at manhood's estate he embarked in the pursuit of agriculture, in which he has ever since successfully continued. Starting out in life a poor man, he has gradually worked his way to success alone and unaided, and is now the owner of a fertile and well improved farm of ninety-two acres, all of which is well improved. In. politics he also casts his vote in favor of Democracy, but the honors or emoluments of
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office have had no attraction for him. In his religious affiliations he is a member of the Missionary Baptist church.
In 1881 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Galloway and Miss Maggie Finney, she being a native daughter of Graves county, and in its public schools received her education. Four children have been born of this union, as follows: Lunford L., Jefferson (who died in infancy ), Dotha and Boocie. Mr. and Mrs. Galloway are well and favorably known throughout the county in which their entire lives have been passed, where they also have many warm friends, and are worthy repre- sentatives of the farming interests of Graves county.
WILLIS ALVIN BERRY.
Willis Alvin Berry, attorney-at-law and a successful citizen of Paducah, Kentucky, was born in Uniontown, Kentucky, January 17, 1870, and is a son of William Franklin and Anne ( Berry ) Berry both natives of Union county, Kentucky. The paternal grandfather, Martin M. Berry, was also a native of Union county, Kentucky, and a lawyer of some prominence. The father of Martin was born in Virginia, where he was well known and very successful. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was also Berry, and she was a daughter of Philander Berry, who was a native of Kentucky and an early settler of Uniontown, where he engaged in farming.
William Franklin Berry, father of Willis A. Berry, was born May 24, 1828, and was educated in the common schools of his native county, later preparing for the practice of law, in which he was engaged for about thirty-five years. He died February 14, 1893. In politics he was a Democrat and twice represented his party in the state legislature,
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in 1880 serving in the lower house and from 1886 to 1891 was in the state senate, being sent from Union and Henderson counties. As a lawyer he was a good advocate and pleader, an able attorney and com- manded a large clientage. He was noted for his eloquence and upright- ness both as a lawyer and as a citizen. In religious profession he was a stanch Presbyterian, and always gave liberally toward the support of the church. His widow resides in Uniontown, honored and respected by all who know her. Five sons were born to these worthy people, as follows: Henry E., a merchant of Uniontown; Willis Alvin; Phil- ander, of Kansas City, Missouri; John J., editor of the Uniontown Tele- gram; and Noel A., a merchant of Uniontown.
Willis Alvin Berry was educated in the common schools of his native county, and after finishing his literary course, studied law with his father, being admitted to the bar August 24, 1890. For the follow- ing three years he continued with his father in the practice of law and became quite prominent in the ranks of the Democratic party, but in 1898 he removed to Paducah, where he is now associated with Wil- liam M. Reed under the firm style of Reed & Berry. This firm con- ducts one of the largest law practices in the county, and Mr. Berry is recognized as one of the leading representatives of the bar in this locality.
In 1896 Mr. Berry was married to Miss Pearl Baker, of Paducah, and four children have blessed their union. Both Mr. and Mrs. Berry are consistent members of the Christian church, and take an active part in its good work. Fraternally Mr. Berry is a member of the Order of Elks and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Intelligent, able and eloquent, Mr. Berry has already attained an enviable distinction in his profession and has very brilliant prospects for the future.
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YOUNG TAYLOR.
Some men succeed in a certain chosen avenue of life by reason of most favorable circumstances and environments afforded them in the early portion of their career, in the way of affluence, given or inherited capital or established business. An individual of such splendid oppor- tunity and auspicious entry upon a business or professional life of course deserves praise for improvement of opportunity and for suc- cessful achievement, but he who began the battle of life for himself under unfavorable circumstances and attains success is surely entitled to much more credit. Such a man is frequently styled a self-made man. Young Taylor, whose name introduces this biographical sketch, is a type of the self-made man. Born of humble yet respectable parentage, he had not the advantages of schooling and capital in early life to equip him for attaining the gratifying success which has, nevertheless, at- tended his career.
Mr. Taylor was born October 6, 1857, in the town of Smithland, at the mouth 'of the Cumberland, in Livingston . county, Kentucky. His father was a farmer and ship carpenter, giving less attention to farming than to his trade. The son as one of a family of thirteen chil- dren was reared on the farm which adjoined the village of Smithland, and was past twenty-one years of age when he abandoned farm life. His parents were William C. and Mary A. (Dilwood) Taylor, the for- mer a native of Illinois and the latter of Missouri. They were married in Polk county, Illinois, and resided there for a short time after their marriage, and then lived for a time in Paducah, which was then not much more than a wood yard and river landing. Then they removed to Smithland, where they spent the rest of their days, the father dying
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in 1877, aged about fifty-seven years. The greater part of his life was devoted to ship carpentering at Smithland, in those days a thriving town, where one of the most important steamboat-building and repair concerns on the Ohio river was located.
Perhaps the father's trade had an influence in determining that of the son, for in 1879, with a young wife and child, in poor circum- stances, the latter left the farm, and, purchasing at Smithland a small open flat-boat, ten by thirty feet, transferred down the river to Padu- cah his scant household effects. He and his family landed in that city with but thirty-five cents. Finally he found employment, and eventually engaged in ship carpentering. Later he embarked in boat and barge construction on his own account, and in 1898, upon the organization and incorporation of the Paducah Dry Docks Company, Mr. Taylor secured stock in the company and has since then been its vice president and general manager. This company has the largest dry docks on the Ohio and its tributaries, and does a vast amount of business, construct- ing steamboats and other river crafts and repairing the same under Mr. Taylor's management, and already the company has experienced a steady growth and increase of business and profits.
Mr. Taylor gained only a limited common school education in life, but he has applied himself industriously to his work and what- ever business was on hand, and as mechanic and business man in his line he has gained a wide-spread reputation. Among his fellow citizens he is popular, as was shown in November, 1902, when he was elected city alderman on the Democratic ticket by the largest majority ever given a candidate for a like office in the city of Paducah. Fraternally he is a Master Mason, and is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and several fraternal insurance orders.
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When twenty-one years of age Mr. Taylor married Miss Laura St. John, who was born in Smithland, Kentucky, October 7, 1857, and is but a day younger than he. Their parental homes were adjoining. With the exception of eight years spent with her parents in Evansville, Indiana, when a girl, Mrs. Taylor has lived in Kentucky all her life. She has borne her husband seven children as follows: Iva, William, Allice, Young, Myrtle, Henry and Annic.
VERNON BLYTHE, M. D.
In the young physician whose name heads this sketch the medical profession of Paducah, Kentucky, has a member well equipped for the life work upon which he has entered. Dr. Vernon Blythe was born in Murray, Calloway county, Kentucky, July 13, 1876, son of William and Martha ( Wright ) Blythe. William Blythe was a son of Zacariah and Nancy G. ( Drake) Blythe, both natives of Virginia and representa- tives of early families of that state. It was in Suffolk county, Virginia, that William Blythe was born. Some time in the forties the family left the Old Dominion and came west to Kentucky, locating in Calloway county, William being then a miere child. Here Zacariah and Nancy G. Blythe passed the rest of their lives. William Blythe grew to man- hood and married in Calloway county, and here he, as also his father, had various business interests. He died in the prime of life, at the age of thirty-seven years. Martha (Wright) Blythe, Dr. Blythe's mother, was a native of Tennessee, her people having removed from North Carolina to that state, thence to Kentucky. She died at about the age of thirty-six years, leaving five children, of whom one is deceased.
Vernon Blythe is the youngest member of his father's family. He
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was reared in Murray and educated at Central University, Danville, Kentucky, where he graduated with the class of 1896. That year he went to New York and entered the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, where he took the regular four years' course, and received his diploma in 1900. Immediately after his graduation he went west to Colorado, and in Colorado Springs began the practice of his profession. He re- mained in Colorado, however, only a short time, returning to Kentucky in 1901 and locating in Paducah, where he has since practiced.
Dr. Blythe is a member of the Kentucky State Medical Associa- tion, the Southwestern Kentucky Medical Association and the Ameri- can Medical Association. He is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South.
ZELOTES CLINTON GRAHAM.
Zelotes Clinton Graham, one of the best known citizens of Mc- Cracken county, was born in Bloomington, Indiana, February 6, 1847, a son of William and Margaret ( Purdy ) Graham, the father a native of Indiana and the mother of Virginia. The paternal grandfather, Robert Graham, was born in Louisville, Kentucky, a son of John Gra- ham, a native of Scotland. To William and Margaret Graham there were born the following children: Phoebe, widow, resides at Graham- ville; Zelotes C .; Robert, of Grahamville: William, of Missouri; John, of Grahamville; Julia, of Illinois; Emily, of Illinois; Ettie, deceased ; and Minnie, of Grahamville.
William Graham was a farmer, and from Indiana he moved to lowa when our subject was four years old. When the child was twelve
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years old he moved to Marshall county, Kentucky, and eight years later to McCracken county, and here died more than thirty years ago, aged forty-four years. The mother died at Grahamville in 1903, aged seventy-six years. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church as well as was her husband.
Zelotes C. Graham received a common school education and began the struggle of life for himself at the age of seventeen years, when he was thrown upon his own resources. He was employed in various ways until he was thirty years old, when he opened a country store where Grahamville now stands. He was the founder of the town, which was named in honor of him. Here he resided carrying on his store and conducting a tobacco warehouse for twenty years, and still maintains business interests there, but in 1898 he changed his place of residence to Paducah, while he also established a tobacco warehouse in this city, and is now carrying on a large commission business. He began life a poor boy, but has met with great success. Fraternally he is Master Mason and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In religious affiliations he is a Methodist, and in politics he is a Democrat.
In 1874 he married Rachel Rateliff, a native of MeCracken county, and seven children have been born to them, namely: Charles E., county clerk of McCracken county; Maud, who is married; Luther A., a tobacconist; Maggie, who is married; Gertrude, who is married; Lizzie, who was drowned in 1901, when the steamer Golconda sank in the Ohio during a fierce storm ; and Z. C., Jr.
Mr. Graham is a man very widely known and highly respected by a large circle of friends. His business ability and integrity are un- questioned, and he possesses the power to win men and retain their
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friendship. He has borne an important part in the development of the county, and will be long remembered as one of its most representa- tive men.
J. ANDY BAUER.
J. Andy Bauer, one of the successful business men of Paducah, Kentucky, where he owns and operates the largest pottery plant in that locality, was born in Jeffersonville, Clark county, Indiana, Novem- ber 11, 1856, and is a son of J. Andy and Julia (Slosser ) Bauer, both of whom were natives of Germany, where they were married. Prior to coming to America J. Andy Bauer was engaged in farming, but after coming to this country in 1852 and settling in Jeffersonville, Indiana, he followed the trade of a plasterer, in which line he con- tinued until a short time before his death. At that time the parents of our subject went to Louisville, Kentucky, and soon after. in 1897, the mother died, and in 1899 the father followed her.
J. Andy Bauer obtained a fair education in the public schools of Jeffersonville, and his first labor was in the Howard ship yards. For six years he continued to work as a laborer, but in 1875 went to Louis- ville and engaged with his brother in a large pottery, remaining there until 1886, when he located in Paducah, and established a pottery on his own responsibility, purchasing a small plant from Frank Parham. Mr. Bauer has steadily increased his facilities and appliances until he now owns the finest pottery in western Kentucky, giving employment to seventy-five men and turning out a high grade of work which meets with a ready sale all over the country. His fields of operation have so enlarged that several traveling men are kept busy on the road, and Mr. Bauer himself visits some of his customers.
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In 1884 Mr. Bauer was united in marriage with Emma Dargel, a native of Louisville, and they became the parents of eight children, three of whom are deceased. In politics he is a Democrat, and has served his party on the school board for six years to the entire satis- faction of all parties concerned. Fraternally Mr. Bauer is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has taken two degrees in the Masonic lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Bauer are consistent members of the German Evangelical Lutheran church, in which body they are highly esteemed. Mr. Bauer is a genial, public-spirited man, and one who makes and retains many friends. He is well and favorably known throughout a wide territory, and the success which has attended his efforts is well merited.
THOMAS HERNDON.
There are few families in the south of more honored name, and whose members have been more prominently identified with the civic life and progress of their respective communities, than. the Herndons. Their history in America begins with an Englishman who settled at Fredericksburg, Virginia, many generations ago, and his descendants have ramified in the south and west, and made an honorable place in business and professional lines. William Herndon, the great-grand- father of Thomas Herndon, was a member of the famous "Lighthorse Harry" Lee's troopers in the Revolutionary war; his son William was a native of North Carolina, and in this state was also born Chesley Herndon, in 1800, who lived the life of a farmer in his native common- wealth, and died there in 1876. His wife was Tempest Rigsby, of the Rigsby and Picket families, both old and highly respected in North
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Carolina, and of English descent ; she died at the age of forty-five, after having become the mother of ten children.
Thomas Herndon, the only survivor of this large family, was born in Orange county, near Durham, North Carolina. His early life was passed on a farm, and, as the system of public schools was then little known in that state, his advantages were few. At the age of six- teen he left home to begin life for himself, and, after working for some time in Tennessee, found himself possessed of the means and the desire to gain further education. He entered Oak Grove Academy, near Clarksville, Tennessee. Among his instructors was Professor Edward Hewitt, and when the Civil war came on, the teacher and pupil organ- ized Company L, Fourteenth Tennessee Infantry, of the Confederate army, the former becoming captain, and the latter orderly sergeant. The term of enlistment was for twelve months, and at the expiration of that time, while at Yorktown, Virginia, under the command of General Joseph E. Johnston, the company re-enlisted for three years, or the end of the war, and at the reorganization, Captain Mallory succeeded Captain Hewitt, and Mr. Herndon became second lieutenant. The regiment went into northwest Virginia, to General Lee's immediate command, and to Stonewall Jackson in Virginia and Maryland, thence back to Yorktown to General Johnston. It participated in the battles of West Point, Seven Pines, seven days under General Lee around Richmond, and under Jackson fought at Cedar Mountain, and in the second engagement at Bull Run Mr. Herndon was severely wounded. He was away from his company while it was in Maryland, in the battles at Harper's Ferry and Antietam, but rejoined the command at Fredericksburg, and was present at Chancellorsville. He was detailed as special adjutant, and acted as such at the battle of Gettysburg. In
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this world-famous struggle, owing to the disability of the other officers of Company K, Fourteenth Tennessee, he took command and opened fire July 1, 1863, thus opening the battle. He and Brigadier General Archer were captured here, and were not exchanged (though trans- ferred) until after the surrender of General Lee, when he was paroled at Augusta, Georgia, to which point he had been sent.
After the surrender of General Johnston, and the close of the war, Mr. Herndon returned to Jordan Springs, Tennessee, and resumed civil life as a merchant ; he later purchased a farm and was engaged in con- ducting that, also. Ile made a success in his venture, and in 1868 sold out and went to Clarksville, Tennessee, where he engaged in the tobacco trade, for the next twenty-five years conducting the most ex- tensive warehouse business in that line south of the Ohio river. His prosperity was uninterrupted until the panic of 1893, and three years later he sold out his interests, and removed to Paducah, Kentucky, which is still his home. In company with others, he established in Paducah the Enterprise Warehouse, but this was discontinued after three years, and since then the firm of Thomas Herndon & Company has been engaged in the handling of tobacco as warehouse merchants. Mr. Herndon is looked upon as one of the stanch and reliable business men of the south, and has a most excellent reputation as a man of integrity and fair deal- ing in this section of Kentucky .
Mr. Herndon has been twice married. In 1866 he became the hus- band of Miss Sallie Dinwiddie, who died in 1880, leaving four children. The oldest, Jefferson Davis Herndon, after giving promise of becoming a most successful business man, being a young man of noble traits of character and highly esteemed, died in 1809, at the age of thirty-two years ; he left a widow, whose maiden name was Minnie Wilhelm, and
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