Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Volume V, Part 19

Author: Tyler, Lyon Gardiner, 1853-1935, ed. cn
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 848

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red (first) Matilda Craig Vaughan ; and (second) Elizabeth White. Children : James E., George V., William J., Joseph C., Sada I., and Philip H. 9. James Russell, born April 23, 1832. died May 26, 1900; married Amanda Jane Arey. Children : George A., William E., Olivia V., Louella A., Joseph ()., Nicholas K., Mary E., Martha V., James C. 10. Jacob Archibald, born November 9, 1834, died September 12, 1879. 1I. Philip Henry, born August 29, 1837. married Olivia Benson. Children : Philip. William, Catherine, Hugh Olivia Mary.

(V1) Sarah Jane Trout, daughter of Joseph and Sarah ( Whitesides ) Trout, was born April 30, 1826. She married October II, 1846, John Harper, mentioned above, father of John Harry Harper, mentioned below. Children: 1. William Joseph, born June 24. 1848, by occupation a farmer. 2. Wilson Chesley, March 24, 1850, at Port Republic. Virginia, unmarried, and also by occupation a farmer. 3. Samuel Nicholas, Port Republic, February 15. 1852, married Hannah Elizabeth Snapp. 4. Jennie Bell. Port Republic, November 27, 1853, unmar- ried. 5. Mary, Port Republic, July 16, 1856, died December 3. 1856. 6. Martha, Port Republic, July 16, 1856, died July 19, 1858 7. Charles Addison, Port Republic, October 20, 1858, died June 15. 1896. 8. Annie Archie. Port Republic, February 22, 1861, married Charles Edward Snapp, having children : William A., Edna, Ruby, Charles, and Ilarry. 9. Elizabeth Rebecca. Port Repub- lic. April 5. 1864. married William Stuart Nicholas, having children, Jennie and Eliza- beth. 10. Arrie Olivia, Port Republic. July 16, 1860, died December 29. 1869. 11. John Harry, mentioned below.

(VII) John Harry Harper, youngest son of John and Sarah Jane (Trout) Harper. was educated in the public schools and high school of Port Republic. Virginia, where he was born. He spent the greater part of his youth and young manhood in the place of his birth and rearing, and in IseI came to New York City, becoming connected with the wholesale firm of Charles Broadway Rouss, filling the position of manager of the clothing department. His whole business life since has been spent in New York City. and his connection with the firm has con- tinned. Mr. Harper is a member of the Astor Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons. No. 103, New York City, and also of the

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Southern Society of New York, and "The Virginians" of New York City. In politics he is a Democrat, and in regard to creed is affiliated with the Methodist church. He married, November 25, 1908, Katherine, daughter of Patrick Walsh, born in 1884. Mr. Walsh was a descendant of the ancient family of Walshes, who acquired the large possessions now known as the Walsh moun- tains, in the barony of Iverk, adjoining the principality of ancient Ossory, Ireland. Dif- ferent branches of the family bore many titles and dignitaries, the heads being Lords of Ballynecully, and chiefs of Kilgobbin, Sir Edward Walsh and Sir Nicholas Walsh, lord chief justice of common pleas, being members of this family. The possessions of the family were confiscated during the Cromwellian period and in the reign of Wil- liam III., of England, were divided among a number of immigrant Englishmen. After the confiscation of their property several members of the elder branch of the family migrated to France and Austria, and took military service in those countries, being received by the sovereigns of these countries with much consideration, and being ac- corded positions in the countries commen- surate with their rank in the country of their birth. In France the title of "Count Serrant" is still extant, having been confer- red on the representative of the elder branch of the Walsh family. Members of the cadet branch of the family emigrated in some cases to America, or remained at home, and became tillers of the soil, of which they were formerly the proprietors and the lords. To Mr. and Mrs. John Harry Harper have been born two children : Doro- thy Anna, New York City, October, 1909; and John Harry, Jr., New York City, Au- gust, 19II.

Joseph Franklin Biggs. That there has been a decided increase in the desire to artistically adorn and beautify the modern home is true, not only in Virginia, but all through the South. While the modern home, generally speaking, is not as artis- tically furnished as in ante-bellum days, some of the better homes of the present days are more beautiful from an artistic standpoint. The efforts of architects and artistic furnishers are bearing fruit, and in the many beautiful homes of today an ar- tistic regard for style, period and harmony

of color prevails that is fast restoring the fame of the once noted southern mansion. In this revival of artistic interest in the home, Richmond leads the other cities of the South and there the revival has been led and encouraged by Joseph F. Biggs, proprietor of the "Art Store." He has preached and illustrated the gospel of an artistic home so forcefully that no other store caters so completely to that particular feature, home adornment, as his, or has a patronage so large.

The influence of the "Art Store" has been felt not only in raising the artistic stand- ard of home adornment in Richmond, but throughout the state, until the resources of Mr. Biggs and his establishment are taxed to the utmost to meet the demands of the newly awakened. He encourages the re- turn to many of the decorative features of the Colonial period, specializing in the re- production of the furniture of that period, and the designing or working out of period schemes of decoration, furnishing an entire home with the furniture, hangings and dec- orations of a given period. As every gospel must have its high priest, so in the revival of interest in the artistic home, Richmond is its head center, the "Art Store" its temple, and its gifted proprietor, the chief apostle.

Joseph Franklin Biggs is an only son of Alden Bishop and Mary (Garland) Biggs, and grandson of James Biggs. James Biggs, son of Joseph Biggs, of English descent, married Bettie Alden.

Joseph Franklin Biggs attended public schools and academy, beginning business life as clerk in a general store. He early became interested in house furnishing and decorations, and spent some years solely in the fitting up of private yachts, and kindred work. In 1891 he located in Richmond as president of the Biggs Antique Company, Incorporated. This company has five great- stores in various cities of the South, and a large factory. The Richmond establishment, known as the "Art Store," is located at 318 East Franklin street. They have a large and prosperous business and one that has been of great benefit to the city and state, in creating. fostering and developing a desire to revive in an artistic modern home the glories of ante-bellum days. It is not alone in reproducing the furniture and decorations of the past that Mr. Biggs excels and leads,

J.J. Heath

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but in the restoration of old Colonial man- sions to their original condition, including furniture and decoration. Two such may be mentioned from their prominence in his- tory, "Westover" and the old "Coles Home." Mr. Biggs married Jennie Marie Brewster, daughter of Captain George W. Brewster. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Biggs: Lewis Harding, educated at Charlotte Hall, and Maryland Military Academy ; Norma Franklin, a student at Miss Elliott's School, Richmond.

Lewis Betts. A descendant of an old Delaware family and a resident of Wilming- ton in that state until his sixteenth year. Lewis Betts spent the remainder of his years, seventy-four, engaged in business in the state of Virginia. The quiet, even tenor of his life was broken by the war period, 1861-1865, and during those years he stood shoulder to shoulder with his Virginia neighbors in the battlefield of the Confed- eracy and did all that one man could do in support of the Southern canse. He was an able, capable business man and during the years of his active life conducted a large, successful contracting business in house painting and decorating. He served his church with fidelity and zeal, bore his full share of the responsibilities of good citizen- ship, reared and maintained a home and left to his posterity an honored name.

Lewis Betts was born in Wilmington, Delaware, January 17, 1826, died January 21, 1900, son of Charles and Hannah Betts, both of Delaware families. His father, a brass moulder, gave him the advantage of such public school education as the city at that date afforded, but at the age of sixteen years he began making his own way in the world. He located in Petersburg, Virginia, in 1842, a lad of sixteen years, and began his business life as painter's apprentice, his previous occupation having been farming. He finished his years of instruction in paint- ing and decorating and became a finished workman. He followed his trade until the outbreak of the war between the states, then enlisted in Company 11. Fifteenth Regi- ment Virginia Infantry. Confederate States army, and from 1861 until the surrender at Appomattox shared the varying fortunes of his regiment in camp and field, advance and retreat, victory and defeat. Ile escaped the many perils of war, and at the close of the

unhappy conflict returned to Richmond and resumed his trade. He became well known in the building trade and as a contractor was highly rated for honorable dealings. He was a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Lewis Betts married, December 15, 1853, Frances A. Wilson, who survives him, a resident of Richmond, Virginia, daughter of John and Sarah Wilson. Forty-seven years Mr. and Mrs. Betts passed in congenial married companionship ere the ties that bound were broken by the death of Mr. Betts. Children: Lewis L .; Mary M., wife of Thomas Hudspeth, deceased, of Rich- mond, Virginia, and Charles B., who was killed at the burning of the bridge at Pe- tersburg, Virginia.

Tarlton Fleming Heath, of Petersburg, president of The National Bank of that city. is a native of Goochland county, Virginia, born November 30, 1860. His grandfather. Hartwell Peebles Heath, was born in Prince George county, Virginia, was a mer- chant in Petersburg, where he died about 1845, less than forty years of age. He mar- ried Eliza Cureton Rives, a native of Sussex county. Virginia, and a sister of Francis E. Rives, a noted statesman of Virginia. They had children : Virginia. John Francis. Ros- coe Briggs, Jesse Hartwell, Anna Rives, all now deceased.

Jesse Hartwell Heath, third son of Hart- well Peebles and Eliza C. ( Rives) Heath. was born in 1832, in Petersburg, and was a planter in Goochland, where he died in Au- gust. 1866, at the age of thirty-four years. He served through the civil war. rising from private to captain, and was with Fitz- hugh Lee at Lynchburg, and in other severe engagements. in one of which he was wounded. He married Sarah Eleanor Flem- ing, born 1832, in Goochland county, and now living in Baltimore, Maryland. She is a daughter of Tarlton Fleming. a native of Goochland county, and a wealthy planter. who died there in 1860. llis wife. Rebecca (Coles ) Fleming, was a native of Albemarle county, Virginia, and they were the parents of four children: Thomas Mann. Elizabeth, William Randolph. and Sarah Eleanor. The last named is the only one of these now living. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Heath : Eliza Cureton, died unmarried at the age of twenty-five years ; Maunsell White, now

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deceased ; Jane Rives, living unmarried at Catonsville, Maryland ; Tarlton F., of fur- ther mention ; Eleanor Hartwell, died while the wife of Thomas Faulcon Parsons, of Petersburg ; one child, unnamed, died in in- fancy.

Tarlton Fleming Heath grew to the age of ten years on his father's plantation in Goochland county. Having lost his father by death, he went to Petersburg to live with his grandmother, and there he attended the public schools and McCabe School until thirteen years of age, when he started out to maintain himself. He began his business life as a clerk in a retail grocery, and in 1887 engaged in the grain business on his own account. At this time he had a partner, and the business was conducted under the style of Cabaniss & Company, which after- wards became T. F. Heath & Company. The business is now incorporated under that title, and his associate is his brother-in- law, Thomas F. Parsons. Mr. Heath is in. terested in various business enterprises, has been a director of the Petersburg Telephone Company since its organization, is a direc- tor of other institutions, and became presi- dent of the National Bank of Petersburg in 1914. With his family he is associated with the Protestant Episcopal church, and in matters relating to civil affairs he acts with the Democratic party. He married, Janu- ary 12, 1887, at Warrenton, North Carolina, Rosa Gilmore Arrington, a native of that town, daughter of the late Samuel P. Ar- rington, who was for many years a mer- chant of Petersburg, member of the firm of John Arrington & Sons. Her mother, Han- nah B. (White) Arrington, is now living in Warrenton. Mr. and Mrs. Heath are the parents of three children: 1. Rosa Arring- ton, wife of William Lunsford Long, resid- ing in Halifax county, North Carolina. 2. Jesse Hartwell, now engaged in business with his father ; married Emily Gordon Gil- liam, of Petersburg. 3. Tarlton Fleming, Jr., a student at Woodbury Forest.

John Hanckel Ellerson. Dr. John Hanckel Ellerson was born in Philadelphia, son of Andrew Ellerson, who came to this country from Christiania, Norway. He was highly educated for the medical profession, his studies in this calling being completed in the universities and hospitals of Paris, France. Returning to the United States he was for a

long time a resident of New Orleans, Louisi- ana, an eminent and successful physician. He married Laura Roy, of Gloucester county, Virginia, and had children: John Hanckel, of whom further; Andrew Roy ; William ; Mary ; James. Of these Andrew Roy and James are the sole survivors, the former a resident of Richmond, Virginia, the latter living in Washington, D. C.

John Hanckel (2) Ellerson, son of Dr. John Hanckel (1) and Laura (Roy) Eller- son, was born in Mathews county, Virginia, in the family home at Green Plains, July 27, 1835, and died May 28, 1891. He was the possessor of an excellent education ob- tained through study in the schools in the vicinity of his Virginia home, and had but started upon the business of life when loy- alty to the Confederate cause led him to forsake private enterprise and to enlist in the army of that government. He became a member of a regiment recruited in Rich- mond, and served throughout the four years of the war, for seven months of that time being held prisoner at Fort Delaware. At the fall of the Confederacy he returned to his home, in 1870 accepting the position that he held at the time of his death, the Virginia state agency for the Equitable Life Insurance Company, with business head- quarters in Richmond. He completed a thorough organization and was enjoying the fruits of a strong and vigorous business when death called him, at the age of fifty- six years. With absolute authority as the chief representative of his company in Vir- ginia he was given free rein to pursue what- ever methods he deemed most productive of results beneficial to his employers, and thus, independent of hampering restrictions, he laid out wide confining boundaries for the business of the Equitable Life Insur- ance Company in the state and widened the scope of the company's influence to these limits. He was a successful man of affairs, held high standing in his community, and owned many close friends. He was a Demo- crat in political conviction, and cast his vote with that party. Mr. Ellerson was a com- municant of the Second Presbyterian Church, of Richmond.

He married, in this city, October 17, 1872, Ida Watkins, born in Richmond, Virginia, October 16, 1846. Mr. and Mrs. Ellerson were the parents of two children: Laura Roy, now Mrs. Eugene Carter Massie;

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

Henry Watkins Ellerson, who married Mary Patteson ; all living in Richmond. Mrs. Ellerson was a daughter of Henry Clay Watkins, who was born in Powhatan county, Virginia, and died in Richmond, November 16, 1872. He was a tobacco broker all of his active years in Richmond, where he lived from the age of thirteen ycars until his death. He married Malvina Haskins Day, and had seven children, of whom the survivors are Ida, of previous mention, Ellen, Irvin, Mattie, and Henry Clay, Jr. Malvina Haskins Day was the daughter of John Henry and Martha Finney (Hlaskins) Day, both natives of Powhatan county, Virginia, she born at the Haskins homestead at Mount Laurel. John Henry Day was well educated, a college graduate, and in later life moved to Tennessee, there becoming a planter and owning land but two miles from the home of Andrew Jack- son, the two being close friends. One of the sons of John Henry Day, Edward Henry Day, received an appointment from Andrew Jackson to a first lieutenancy in the United States army, connected at his death in 1860, with the Third Artillery. Aaron and Mal- vina Haskins Day were the two children of John Henry Day who were born in Vir- ginia.

Mrs. Ida ( Watkins) Ellerson survives her husband, a resident of Richmond, her pres- ent home having been her abode for sixty- three years. She is a member of the Society of Colonial Dames.

John Chaffin Easley. Member of a Vir- ginia family of honorable record, John Chaf- fin Easley, vice-president and secretary of R. B. Chaffin & Company, Incorporated. of Richmond, Virginia, descends in a line con- nected with numerous other distinguished Virginia names. John S. Easley, grand- father of John Chaffin Easley, a native of Halifax county, Virginia, was a soldier in the American army in the second war with Great Britain, and died in West Virginia. aged seventy-eight years. John S. Easley married Agnes Clark White, born in Pitt- sylvania county, Virginia, and had seven children, two of whom are living at the present time, Isaac flowson, of West Vir- ginia, and Edwin Hamilton, of Brooklyn, New York.

(1]) Dr. William D. Easley, son of John S. and Agnes Clark ( White) Easley, was

born in Giles county, Virginia. December 10. 1831, died in West Virginia. Ile was educated for the medical profession and was engaged in practice throughout his active years, his death occurring while conducting such pursuits in West Virginia. He was a gentleman of loyal and patriotic nature, and the realization of war between the states found him enlisted for service in the Amelia County Volunteers. Dr. William D. Easley married Ann Elizabeth, born in Amelia county, Virginia, October 17. 1841, died May 20, 1907, danghter of John Booker and Susan Adeline ( Willson ) Chaffin. Her par- ents were natives of Amelia county, and there John Booker Chaffin was an exten- sive planter, owning more than one hundred slaves. John Booker and Susan Adeline Chaffin had three children who grew to ma- turity : Ann Elizabeth, of previous mention, married Dr. William D). Easley. Richard B., and Martha Giles. Of the eight children of Dr. William D. Easley, three died in in- fancy, and a fourth, Richard Booker, died June 24, 1904. The others are: John Chaf- fin, of whom further; Edwin llamilton, of Blue Field, West Virginia ; Agnes E., mar- ried Matthew Louden West, deceased, of Richmond, Virginia: Susie F., married Joseph Cary Eggleston, of Amelia Court Ilouse, Virginia.

(III) John Chaffin Easley, son of Dr. William D. and Ann Elizabeth (Chaffin ) Easley, was born in Amelia county, Vir- ginia, October 15, 1862, and when he was a lad of eleven years accompanied his parents to Brooklyn, New York. In this place his education, begun in Virginia, was con- tinued, and soon after his return to his native state, Richmond becoming the family home, he became associated with the firm in which he now holds high official position. R. B. Chaffin & Company. Remaining with the company through its period of continu- ous growth and expansion to its present vast dimensions, better preparation for the responsible duties that are his could not have been obtained. R. B. Chaffin & Com- pany, Incorporated, bearing the name of Mr. Easley's one maternal uncle, advertise as brokers and dealers in real estate, and in its line is one of the largest concerns in the state. The office of the company is at Main and Twelfth streets, Richmond, and here Mr. Easley can usually be found busily en- gaged in the direction of some of the details

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of the large business, upon which no one's grasp is more sure and comprehensive. As vice-president and secretary he plays an im- portant part in the formation of the policy and methods of the company, and gives of the best of his labors toward its successful continuance. Mr. Easley's able counsel has been frequently of value to the First Na- tional Bank of Richmond, which he serves as a director, and he holds the same position in connection with the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. His fraternal order is the Masonic, and in this society he is a member oi lodge, chapter, commandery and shrine. A life-long Democrat, he is a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church. His club is the Westmoreland.

Mr. Easley married, at Fincastle, Vir- ginia, February 3, 1892, Lucy Gilmer, born at Grove Hill, Botetourt county, Virginia. December 20, 1868, daughter of Colonel Cary and Virginia (Calwell) Breckenridge. Her mother was a native of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, formerly owned by the Calwell family, an old Southern line, and Colonel Cary Breckenridge was born at the family homestead, Grove Hill, in Bote- tourt county, Virginia, as were his father and grandfather. Colonel Breckenridge. now living, aged seventy-five years, was a colonel of cavalry in the Confederate army, serving through all four years of the war. Children of John Chaffin and Lucy Gilmer (Breckenridge) Easley: Cary Brecken- ridge, born June 13, 1893, a graduate of Vir- ginia Military Institute, class of 1914, now a student in engineering at Boston Tech- nical Institute; Richard Booker, born June 2, 1895, for two years attended Virginia Military Institute, now studying for the medical profession.

James Scales Irvin, M. D. Dr. Irvin's lines of descent, paternal and maternal, lead to the old Colonial families of North Caro- lina, Irvin, Dalton and Hunter. Captain James Hunter was a leader in North Caro- lina in the events preceding the revolution, and served in the Colonial army at the battle of King's Mountain. General Samuel Dal- ton, of Rockingham county, North Caro- lina, at one time was in command of North Carolina troops, and many of each of these families served their country well in war and peace.

Dr. James Scales Irvin, of Danville, Vir-

ginia, was born in Reidsville, North Caro- lina, June 9, 1867, son of James and Lucy Vincent (Dalton) Irvin, grandson of George Irvin, and of General Samuel Dalton, both of North Carolina. James Irvin was born in Rockingham county, North Carolina, in 1819, died in 1894. He was a planter, owning a large estate. He served on the staff of Governor Vance, of North Carolina, with the rank of colonel. He mar- ried Lucy Vincent Dalton, born in Rock- ingham county, North Carolina, in 1833, died in 1907. Children: Samuel D., de- ceased; George Lee, a resident of Reids- ville, North Carolina; Hunter, principal of a public school in Greensboro, North Caro- lina ; Robert E., a resident of Fayetteville, North Carolina; Frank D., a druggist of Dallas, Texas; Eugene, cashier of the Citi- zens Bank of Reidsville; James Scales, of further mention.

Dr. James Scales Irvin passed his boy- hood days in Reidsville, where he attended school until fifteen years of age. He then became clerk in a local drug store, and two years later at the age of seventeen became its proprietor. He continued in the drug business at Reidsville five years, in the meantime taking a course and graduating from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. At the age of twenty-two years he entered the medical department of the University of Virginia, whence he was graduated M. D. with the class of 1893. His pharmaceu- tical and medical studies had been continued since his first entering the drug business at the age of fifteen years, and to this he added practical experience as interne at the Char- ity Hospital and New York Maternity Hos- pital in New York City. In 1895 he located in Danville, Virginia, where he was suc- cessfully engaged in the practice of his pro- fession until his death. April 10, 1915. He always gave prominence in his practice to surgery and gynaecology, making these branches special objects of study and inves- tigation, although until 1909 his practice was general in character. On June 1, 1909, he issued an announcement that after that date he would confine his practice exclu- sively to surgery, gynaecology and consul- tations.

Dr. Irvin ranked high in his specialties, possessed the perfect confidence of his pro- fessional brethren, who sought him in con- sultation, and had a large private practice.

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Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Volume V, Part 19

Author: Tyler, Lyon Gardiner, 1853-1935, ed. cn Publication date: 1915 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 848

Author: Tyler, Lyon Gardiner, 1853-1935, ed. cn
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 848