Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Volume V, Part 69

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

USA > Virginia > Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Volume V > Part 69

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

He married, April 6, 1852, Lucilla Stanley Steger (mentioned above). Children: Jane Gaines, deceased ; Nannie Winston, unmar- ried ; John Steger, deceased; William W., married Mary Langhorne Nowlin; Sallie Hardaway, married John S. Wright, born October 1I, 1861, died November 22, 1906; Mary Meade, married Lewis E. Mason ; Peter Guerraut, married Julia Bedford ; George Harris, married Mary Berkley ; Worthington Dorsey, deceased.

(The Garlick Line).

Samuel Garlick (of England) made his will July 14, 1765, in which he devised a large estate to "my beloved wife Mary," "my three sons, John, Samuel and Camm ;" names "my mother Hannah Garlick, late of the city of Bristol," and left moneys to "my four daughters, Hannah, wife of Rob- ert Hill, Mary Garlick, S. Garlick and Eliza- beth Garlick." He also named "my father- in-law. Mr. John Camm." This will was offered for probate at a court held for King William county, October 16, 1772. Samuel and Camm Garlick were minors at the time the will was made; the lands devised to the sons all lay in Louisa county, Virginia, al- though the testator gives his residence as county of King William. Samuel Garlick married Mary Camm and lived at Mount Pleasant, King William county, Virginia. They had three sons and four daughters, among whom were: I. John, who married Nancy Pollard, and had issue: Mary, mar- ried Humphrey Hill; Nancy, married Ed-

ward Hill; Betsey, married E. Lawrence; Hannah, married L. Rawlings; Edward, married (first) F. Walker, (second) Polly Gwathney ; Camm, married Polly Talia- ferro; Sally, married Gregory Tunstall; Robert, died single; James, lost at sea. 2. Camm, of whom further.

Camm Garlick, youngest son of Samuel Garlick, the immigrant, and Mary (Camm) Garlick, married Mary Pierce, and by her had: Sam ; Sally, married Benjamin Gaines (see Gaines line).

John Francis Marshall. John Francis Mar- shall represents a South Carolina family which is distinct from the Marshall family which includes the celebrated chief justice in President Washington's administration. His ancestors are of English origin, begin- ning with John Francis Marshall, born 1791, in England, who settled in Charleston, South Carolina. His wife, Caroline (Drowley) Marshall, was born in 1795 in county Kent, England. He engaged in mercantile busi- ness at Charleston, and there resided until his death. He reared a large family. Ed- ward West Marshall, one of the sons, was born January 13, 1821, in Charleston, and died in 1888. He engaged in the dry goods business, and was a successful merchant of his time. He married Elizabeth Warring Glass, born 1822, died 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall were the parents of eleven children. One of these, John Francis (2) Marshall, born December 5. 1843, in Charleston, moved to Waco, Texas, and married, in 1869, Jo- sephine Downs, born 1846. Children: Ed- ward West, married Lucille Grider; John Francis, mentioned below ; Alice Henrietta, married Gilbert Hay, and has sons : Marshall D. and Gilbert; Wesley Downs, married Martha Adams, and had children; Sarah, Samuel A., Alice; Percy Madden, married Emily White.

John Francis (3) Marshall enlisted in a South Carolina regiment of the Confederate army, and served through the four years of the Civil war. Returning to Charleston, he remained there until 1868, when he removed to Waco, Texas. He married and among his children was John Francis, mentioned below.

John Francis (4) Marshall, son of the pre- ceding, was born in Waco, Texas. In 1891 he entered the United States Naval Acad- emy at Annapolis, Maryland. He continued

934

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

in the naval service until 1907, when he re- signed. He was on Dewey's flagship "Olympia" as assistant engineer, with the rank of ensign, at the battle of Manila Bay. On leaving the navy, he went to Norfolk, Virginia, where he has since lived. He mar- ried, September 23, 1903, Bessie Reid Grandy, daughter of Albert Horace Grandy, born 1843, died 1903, and his wife, Annie W. (Reid) Grandy, daughter of George C. and Bessie (Williams) Reid, of Norfolk (see Reid). Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Grandy, who were married in 1879, had three chil- dren: Bessie Reid, mentioned above as the wife of John Francis Marshall ; Gladys, mar- ried, in 1907, Leonard Rundlet Sargent, a lieutenant in the United States navy, and has one son, Leonard Rundlet Sargent, Jr., born December 30, 1912; George Cornelius Reid, married Dorothy Mccutcheon. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall have two children: Elizabeth Grandy, born April 18, 1907, and John Francis (5), September 20, 19II.

Louis Herman. A quarter of a century ago a young man, twenty-seven years of age, Louis Herman, came to Danville, Vir- ginia, and in a quiet, modest way began business. Today, located in his own build- ing on Main street, he owns and operates "Danville's Best Store," the largest of its kind in Southern Virginia, employing sixty clerks in its several departments.

Louis Herman was born in Baltimore, Maryland, May 30, 1859, and was educated in the public schools of that city. He early entered mercantile life and as clerk, travel- ing salesman, and proprietor has been en- gaged in merchandising all his life. He first entered the employ of Philip Gehrman Com- pany, Baltimore, as clerk. Later repre- sented the same firm "on the road" four years, locating in Danville, Virginia, in 1886. He began business there in partner- ship with a Mr. Benheim, but after one year dissolved and began business under his own name, L. Herman. His first store was the present site of the Bijou Theatre, thence moved to Main and Wall streets, thence to Williamson place, thence to the Herman Building, 515-517 Main street, a handsome four-story building, which he erected. He has prospered abundantly and by energy, industry and good business methods has built up a large and prosperous business in ready-to-wear garments, millinery, dress goods, silks and kindred lines. Mr. Her-

man is also president of the Danville Knit- ting Mills Company, and a director of the National Bank of Danville. He is a thirty- second degree Mason of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite; a charter member and director of the Tuscarora Club, and a member of Beth Sholem Synagogue. In political faith he is a Democrat.

Mr. Herman married, in Baltimore, Mary- land, March 25, 1885, Kate Heller, born in Baltimore, daughter of Henry and Rose (Reiss) Heller, both born in Munich, Bavaria. Children of Louis and Kate Her- man: 1. Jacob Allan, born December 6, 1885; graduated from Danville Military In- stitute, class of 1902; graduated from Vir- ginia Military Institute, class of 1905; he then became associated with his father in business and so continues. He is a member of the Masonic order, the Tuscarora Club and the Orinoco Club, and a Democrat in politics. 2. Moses Milton, born May 17, 1887 ; graduated from Danville Military In- stitute, 1903; Washington and Lee Univer- sity, A. B., 1906; Law School of Columbia University, LL. B., 1906; now a practicing lawyer of Danville. 3. Henrietta Rena, born October 5, 1889; graduated from Teacher's College, Columbia University, now residing at home. 4. Gertrude, born October 13, 1891 ; graduated from Randolph-Macon Col- lege ; now at home. 5. William Henry, born July 27, 1893, died September 10, 1904. 6. Rose Lucille, born September 14, 1895 ; now a student at Randolph-Macon College. 7. Solomon Stanley, born December 19, 1907; now a student at Danville School for Boys.

Edwin Clarke Hathaway, born in South- boro, Massachusetts. His father was born in Wilton, Maine. All of his immediate family reside out of Wilton, Maine, Farm- ington, Maine, or in and around New Bed- ford and Fall River, Massachusetts. His mother's people, named Barney, all are from New Hampshire, Washington county. Ed- win C. Hathaway was educated in public schools of Massachusetts. Employed by Boston & Hingham Steamboat Company, Boston & Albany Railroad in freight depart- ment, Highland Street Railway Company, Chesapeake Gas Company of Baltimore, Maryland, C. C. C. C. Company, of Char- lotte, North Carolina, and for the past six- teen years with the Williams Syndicate operating different electric railway proper- ties in the south.

EgFord

935

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

Edwin Ivanhoe Ford. Edwin Ivanhoe Ford, is a scion of an old Virginia family, located for many generations in Goochland county. The name of Ford appears very frequently in the early colonial records of the Old Dominion. In 1633 John Ford was residing in Accomac county, and in 1687 Joseph Ford was a member of a company of horse in Surry county. In 1730 William Ford, in association with Michael Holland, received a grant of four hundred acres in Goochland county. The will of John Ford, probated in Richmond county, March 6, 1699, mentions wife Patience and son John. John Ford, a planter of Goochland county, proba- bly the John (2) above mentioned, sold land, May 12, 1729. He had a wife Mary and chil- dren : John, Elizabeth and Mary. The revo- lutionary records show that several mem- bers of the Ford family were soldiers of that struggle, and received land bounties under the king's proclamation of 1763. After the battle of Great Meadows, in 1754, Colonel Washington's list of wounded soldiers in his service included James Ford, a member of Captain Hogg's company. Members of this family received grants of land at Wil- liamsburg, in Augusta county and Amelia county. William Ford was a sergeant from the latter county in the colonial forces in September, 1758. William Ford, undoubt- edly a descendant of John and Mary Ford, of Goochland county, previously mentioned. was a native of that county, and a prosper- our farmer. The records of Orange county show that William Ford married there, De- cember 12, 1775, Ann Moore. Rev. Reuben Ford, born 1776, son of William Ford, was a farmer in Goochland county, and organ- ized the First Baptist Church in Virginia. He was very energetic and traveled exten- sively over the state, preaching the Gospel. He resided in Hanover county, where was born to him Augustus Royal Ford, who was a planter in Powhatan county, where he be- came wealthy. He was a large land holder, owned many slaves, and was county engi- neer. He married Caroline Woolridge, and they were the parents of James Edward Ford, born 1827, in Goochland county, died 1908, and was an extensive planter. He volunteered for service in the war between the states, and after spending some time in Camp Lee returned to his home in Gooch- land, without getting into active service. Subsequently he was captain of the Home

Guards. In religion he was a Baptist, in politics a Democrat. He married, January 25, 1855, Ann Bedford Taylor, daughter of Samuel Truman and Martha Haines (Wood- fin) Taylor, the last named a daughter of Rev. Samuel Woodfin, a Baptist clergy- man of Powhatan county. Children: I. James Chesley, born 1855. 2. Mary Carrie, born 1859; married in 1883, Captain Thomas Dunn Adams, born 1837, died 1911, a direct descendant of the Adams family of Massa- chusetts; Mrs. Adams is now hostess of the house of representatives and a member and active worker in the Woman's National Democratic League of Washington, D. C. 3. Virginia Courtney, born 1862; married, in 1888, Thomas Mears, who died in 1890, leaving a son, Bedford Mears, born 1889. 4. Minnie Stuart, born 1865; married James Withers, and has children, James E. and Lucy. 5. Mattie Truman. born 1867; mar- ried, in 1892, Norris J. Krone, and has sons, Julian E. and Norris J. (2). 6. Josephine Gertrude, born 1868, is the wife of Stephen Johnson, and the mother of Aubrey Nelson, Stephen, Fred Read and Edwin Ivanhoe Ford. 7. Edwin Ivanhoe, of further men- tion. 8. Julian Harrison. born 1874; mar- ried, in 1899. Juliet Litchford, and has a daughter, Juliet Litchford Ford.

Edwin Ivanhoe Ford. second son of James Edward and Ann B. (Taylor) Ford, was born April 18, 1871, in Goochland county, Virginia. He attended the public schools until fifteen years old, at which age he en- tered the service of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company at Newport News, as water boy. In the following year he was made messenger and a year later flagman. In 1888-90 he was a switchman, and from 1890 to 1893 yard clerk. For four years following this he served as assistant yard- master, and was general vardmaster for six years, 1897 to 1903. From 1905 to 1908 he was trainmaster, and for five years there- after terminal superintendent. In 1913 he removed to Richmond. but two years later returned to Newport News, as superin- tendent of terminals. The steady rise achieved by Mr. Ford testifies to his faith- fulness, ability and integrity, and he is to- day recognized as one of the leading citi- zens of his home city, in all of whose in- terests he is much interested. He is a past master of Bremond Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, a member of St. John's

936

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Hampton Commandery, Knights Templar, and Acca Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias, Heptasophs and Wood- men of the World. For sixteen years he served as a member of the city council ; has been president of the city school board; was alternate delegate to the Democratic national convention in 1904, and a delegate in 1908. In 1909 he represented Virginia in the notification committee, which apprised John W. Kerr, vice-president, of his nomi- nation at Indianapolis, Indiana. In relig- ious affiliation Mr. Ford is a supporter of the Baptist church.

He married, October 24, 1893, Stella East- man, born August 18, 1872, at West Pitts- ton, Pennsylvania, direct descendant of the Eastman family of Connecticut (see East- man Biography of Connecticut), daughter of Miles J. and Mary A. Eastman, and they have children: Ruth Ivanhoe, born 1895; Charles Edwin, 1896; Fitz Hugh Lee, 1898; George A. Schmelz, 1899, died May 7, 1900; Stella, 1901 ; Mary Eastman, 1903; Gladys Elizabeth, 1905.

John Pritchett Swanson. Sven Gander- son emigrated with his family from Sweden to America about the year 1635. He died intestate, his three sons, Sven, Ole and An- dries, dividing his estate equally among them. They assumed for a surname the father's Christian name, Svensons, or the sons of Sven, which later became Swenson and Swanson. Sven Svenson married but left no male issue. By his will dated July 21, 1696, he devised to the Swedes congre- gation the land upon which the church now stands, the residue of his estate to his widow and daughters. Ole Svenson, by will dated November, 1692, devised one hundred acres in Gloucester county, New Jersey, to his son John, the balance of his estate to sons, Peter and Swan, and to his daughters. An- dries Svenson, by will dated January 8, 1678, devised to his widow one-third of his estate, and to his eldest son, Gunner, fifty acres of the northermost part of his estate joining upon Philadelphia. The balance of the land he owned to sons, Christopher and Andrew, with provision for his daughters. The family name is perpetuated in Philadel- phia by Swanson street north and south. One of the male descendants of the Swedish

founder of the family went South and there founded the family of which John Pritchett Swanson, of Danville, Virginia, is represen- tative.

William Swanson of his line owned a homestead on Pig river. His son, John Swanson, was born on the Pig river farm and died at Swansonville, in 1880, aged eighty-three years. He married Julia Cook, who bore hin twelve children, of whom hut one is now living (1914), John Muse, of whom further.

John Muse Swanson was born on the Swanson homestead owned by his father, John Swanson, on Pig river near Swanson- ville, Virginia, in 1829, and still resides on his farm, in fairly good health although in his eighty-fifth year. He was engaged in the manufacture of tobacco until 1876, and since has been a farmer, the quiet and peace interrupted only by the war that waged be- tween the states, 1861-65, in which he served as a cavalryman under the famous Confederate leader, General Fitz Hugh Lee. He married Catherine Rebecca Pritchett, born on her father's plantation on Sandy river, near Brosville, Virginia. She died in 1872, aged thirty-nine years, leaving seven children, all yet living, namely: William G. ; Claudius Augustus, born March 30, 1862, ex-governor of Virginia and now United States senator from Virginia ; John Pritchett, of further mention ; Annie Blanche, now re- siding on the old homestead, her father's home ; Sallie Hill, resides at the homestead ; Julia Benson, also residing at the home- stead with her sisters, all unmarried ; Henry Clay, a resident of Danville, connected with the Holland warehouse. Catherine Rebecca (Pritchett) Swanson, the mother of these children, was a daughter of Major John Pritchett, who served in the Mexican war. He was born in Brunswick county, Vir- ginia ; married Sallie Hill Dance, of the same county. Their twelve children are all de- ceased.

John Pritchett Swanson, third son of John M. and Catherine Rebecca (Pritchett) Swan- son, was born at Swansonville, Pittsylvania county, Virginia, September 7. 1863. He attended the public schools, and assisted his father in farm labor and in his tobacco factory until he was eighteen years of age, then began teaching school. He taught for two years, then located in Danville, Vir- ginia, where for a term of four years he

937

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

was a clerk in the employ of Overbey & Acree. In 1886 Mr. Acree retired from the firm, Mr. Swanson succeeding him as partner, the reorganized firm trading as Overbey, Swanson & Company. In 1890 William G. Swanson was admitted, and un- til 1904 the business was conducted under the firm name of Overbey & Swanson Brothers. In the latter year the business passed to the sole ownership of J. P. and W. G. Swanson and has since that date been operated as the Swanson Supply Com- pany, grocers and dealers in farmers' sup- plies. The business is a very large and im- portant one and under the particular atten- tion of J. P. Swanson, who is also president of Swanson Brothers Company, wholesale grocers. This company is also an out- growth of the firm of Overbey & Acree, es- tablished in 1880. In 1886 the firm became Overbey & Swanson, later Overbey & Swanson Brothers and in 1910 was incor- porated as The Swanson Brothers Company, J. P. Swanson, president, W. G. Swanson, secretary, treasurer and general manager. The Swanson Brothers Company are gen- eral wholesale grocers, jobbers and manu- facturers agents, covering Virginia and North Carolina territory, both companies well managed and prosperous.

John P. Swanson is also president of the Park Place Mercantile Company, located at Schoolfield, two miles from Danville: is president of the South Atlantic Lumber Company of Greensboro, North Carolina, wholesale lumber manufacturers ; director of the Arctic Ice Company; director of the Commercial Bank of Danville and inter- Ested in other Danville activities. He is a Democrat in politics, a member of the Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church, the Tuscarora Club and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a man of ability and energy, highly regarded and popular in his community.

Mr. Swanson married, March 11, 1891, Annie, daughter of Morris Kent Estes, of Livingston. Nelson county, Virginia, a for- mer sheriff of Nelson county, now deceased, and his wife, Dora (Kidd) Estes, also de- ceased.

William G. Swanson. Among all the de- scendants of the Swedish emigrant, Sven Ganderson, who settled in Philadelphia in 1635, from whom sprang the Swansons of

Virginia, none has more capably filled his station in life than William G. Swanson, of Danville, Virginia, born at Swansonville, Pittsylvania county, Virginia, September 7, 1860.

He was educated in the public schools of Swansonville, a village named in honor of John Swanson, the early settler. This school, the educational home of all the Swanson boys, was then conducted by Celestia S. Parrish, the noted educator. After finishing the course of study there he entered the Uni- versity of Alabama, where he completed his studies in 1880. He began business life as a clerk in the dry goods store of Turner Brothers in Danville, later spending three years in business for himself at Swanson- ville as a merchant. He then accepted a government position as chief clerk at White Rock, Indian reservation in Utah, remaining there four years. He then located in Dan- ville, and entered the wholesale grocery and retail farmers supply business of the Swan- son Supply Company, the latter dealing with farmers principally and under the manage- ment of John P. Swanson. The Swanson Brothers Company, a strictly wholesale business, is under the management of Wil- liam G. Swanson, secretary, treasurer and general manager, although the brothers are mutually interested and harmonious in the management of both companies. Both are prosperous companies, ably managed and fill important places in Danville's com- mercial life. William G. Swanson is also secretary of the Park Place Mercantile Com- pany, of which he and his brother, John P., are the virtual owners, is largely interested in the South Atlantic Lumber Company, of Greensboro, North Carolina, and in the Dudley and Clement Lumber Company, of Greensboro.

A Democrat in politics, Mr. Swanson, during President Cleveland's second admin- istration, accepted the appointment of In- dian agent, at the White Rock agency in Utah, but retained all his commercial in- terests in Danville. He continued in charge of the agency for six months, then resigned and returned to Danville. He is a member of the Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church, the Knights of Pythias, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Danville Country, Merriewold Country and Tusca- rora clubs. He is unmarried.

938

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

John Addison Willett. John Addison Wil- lett, cashier of the First National Bank of Newport News, is descended from a very old American family, which was located for sev- eral generations in the state of New York. Rev. Thomas Willet, first known ancestor of the American family, born 1510, died 1598, was rector of Barley, sub-almoner to Ed- ward VI., prepender of Ely in the reign of May I., married, in 1560, Elizabeth, whose surname is unknown. She was probably his second wife. They were the parents of Rev. Andrew Willet, D. D., who entered Cam- bridge College at the age of fourteen years, and pursued his studies for a period of eighteen years. He was rector of Barley, county Leicester, England, for twenty-three years, and the author of over forty treatises. He was called "the walking library." One of his descendants, Ralph Willet, of Merley Hall, was founder of the celebrated Merley Library. One of his sons, Colonel Thomas Willet, born 1605, was a dissenter, and lived for some time at Leyden, Holland, whence he came, in the spring of 1630, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, and was magis- trate there from 1651 to 1664. He was a very extensive trader, and had privileges in Maine, traded with New Amsterdam and with Europe, and became very wealthy for his time. The Indians reposed great con- fidence in him, and he had much influence in restraining them from attacks upon the settlers. He died August 4, 1674, before the beginning of King Philip's war. Through his commercial relations with New Amster- dam, he was intimately acquainted with the people of that town, and was popular with them. Upon the approach of the English fleet, bound to capture New Amsterdam in 1664, he joined it at Boston, and was made first mayor of New York under that title by Colonel Nichol, the English governor, to whom the town was surrendered in Sep- tember, 1664. In 1673 he removed to Bar- rington, Rhode Island, where he died. An- other son, Richard Willet, born 1620, mar- ried Mary Washburn, who accompanied him to America, and after tarrying a short time at Boston and at New London, Con- necticut, settled on Long Island, among the first in what was known as Jericho, in the present town of Oyster Bay. His name ap- pears among the records of fifty proprietors of land in the early settlement of the town of Hempstead, which was founded in 1643.

He was a tax payer at Jericho in 1657, and appears of record, April 18, 1658, as one of the assistants to the magistrate of Hemp- stead court. He was surveyor of highways in 1659, a townsman in 1662, and died at Jericho about 1665. His wife Mary was a daughter of William and Jane Washburn, who were among the early settlers of Hemp- stead. She was born in 1629, probably in England, and died in 1713, aged about eighty-five years. Early in the history of the Quaker movement in Long Island she became identified with that society, was a minister, and held meetings at her own house in Jericho as early as 1678. They were the parents of Hope Willets, born July, 1652, who married Mary Langdon. Their son, Joseph Willet, married Deborah Seaman, and they were the parents of John Willett, born 1718, who married Rachel Hughes. Cornelius, son of John Willett, was born January 15, 1756, and died April 9, 1843, in Argyle, Washington county, New York. Tradition says that he was a revolutionary soldier, and received land in Argyle from the state as a reward for this service. His name does not appear on the printed muster rolls of New York Soldiers of the Revolution. He was affiliated with the Presbyterian church, and married, in 1780, Nancy Whalen, born June 16, 1761, died April 19, 1843, surviving her husband ten days. They had children: Hannah, born October 30, 1781 ; Elizabeth, October 12, 1783; James W., February 15, 1786; Wil- liam, January 30, 1788; John, mentioned be- low ; Samuel, January 5, 1792; Sarah, Octo- ber 10, 1793; Cornelius S., November 21, 1795 ; Nancy, November -19, 1798; Henry S., September II, 1801; Reuben W., October 27, 1804.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Volume V, Part 69

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