Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Volume V, Part 77

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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John King. Left fatherless when a boy, Mr. King was fortunate in having for a guardian Colonel John R. Copeland, presi- dent of the Farmer's Bank of Suffolk, Vir- ginia, whose interest in the lad extended far beyond a guardian's usual care, and to whom Mr. King from the heights of latter VIR-62

day success acknowledges his indebtedness for early and careful business training.

John King, of Suffolk, Virginia, head of the John King Peanut Company, one of the largest concerns of that principal center of the Virginia peanut industry, is of Nanse- mond county birth, son of Michael King, of Irish parentage, but born in Nansemond county, in 1809. Michael King was a farmer of his native county until his death in 1874. He married Mary Eliza Savage, born in Nansemond county in 1815, died in 1890.

John King, son of Michael and Mary Eliza (Savage) King, was born in Nanse- mond county, Virginia, June 8, 1865. He was nine years of age when his father died, Colonel John R. Copeland, of Suffolk, there- after, as guardian, caring for his education and training for the business life he was to follow. He was educated in the public schools and College Institute at Suffolk, fin- ishing his course at the latter institution and receiving his diploma. During the summer vacations Colonel Copeland, who was presi- dent of the Farmer's Bank, gave him all the advantages of practical banking by admit- ting him to the bank and assigning regular duties in the various departments. Thus while acquiring an academic education, he also secured valuable business instruction and was fitted to enter most any field. For the first three years after graduation, he was clerk in a mercantile house in Windsor, Vir- ginia, then established his own store and business, continuing until 1898. While in Windsor, he started a profitable peanut cleaning business and finally made that his exclusive line of activity. In 1898 he moved his interests to Suffolk, an important center of the Virginia peanut industry, organized the "Suffolk Peanut Company," after being in business for two years alone and was its first president. He continued the head of that company until 1910, when the present John King Peanut Company was incorpo- rated, with Mr. King as president. This company is one of the largest handlers of peanuts in Virginia, and anually purchases, cleans and markets many thousands of bush- els of this favorite nut now being used in so many ways. Mr. King has other inter- ests, landed and industrial, and is rated one of the progressive successful men of his day. He is a Democrat in politics, a member of the Christian church, and is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of

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Elks, Knights of Pythias and Woodmen of the World.

Mr. King married, in January, 1889, Mary Emma Crump, born at Herndon, North Car- olina, April 12, 1869, daughter of Osceola Claudius and Mattie Beaman (Lossiter) Crump. Mrs. King was educated at Suffolk College, and is a member of the Daughters of the Confederacy by virtue of her father's gallant service. Mr. and Mrs. King were the parents of two sons: John (2), born November 18, 1889, and Osceola, born in 1892. Both of these beautiful and attractive children died in 1898, their deaths occurring the same day, September 4.

General John Crafford Crump, grandfather of Mary Emma (Crump) King, was the eld- est son of Richard and Mary Crump. He was born January 22, 1788, died February 28, 1857. He was a man of prominence and influence, public-spirited and enterprising, and served in public office for the long period of thirty-four years. The General Assem- bly by joint vote of both Houses elected him Brigadier-General of the Eighth Brigade in Fourth Division Virginia Militia, the follow- ing being a copy of the commission :

In the Name of the Commonwealth of Virginia, To All who shall see these Presents, Greet- ings:

Know ye, that the General Assembly having by joint vote of both Houses elected John C. Crump a Brigadier General, I do hereby commission him, the said John C. Crump, a Brigadier General of the Eighth Brigade, in the Fourth Division, Virginia Militia. He is, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge the duties of Brigadier General, by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto be- longing. And I do strictly charge and require all officers and soldiers under his command to be obe- dient to his orders as Brigadier General. And he is to observe and follow such orders and directions from time to time, as he shall receive from the Governor of this Commonwealth, or the General, or any other superior officers set over him according to the rules and discipline of War, prescribed by the law.

In testimony whereof these our letters are sealed with the Seal of the Commonwealth and made patent.

Witness, John Floyd, our Governor, at Rich- mond this 14th day of December, 1831. JOHN FLOYD.

General Crump married (first) November 9. 1809, Mary Bancroft Wilson, who bore him two children: Albert Wilson and George Henry. He married (second) Eliza Emeline Hinson, November 17, 1818, who bore him six children: Richard Alfred,

Claudius Godwin, John Crafford, Collin Hinson, Mary Crafford, Osceola Claudius, of whom further.

Osceola Claudius Crump, father of Mary Emma (Crump) King, was born at beauti- ful Cherry Grove on the James river, Vir- ginia. He was a merchant, and. he was also a veteran of the war, 1861 to 1865, serving in the A Cavalry Company from Petersburg, Virginia. He was in the Confederate serv- ice four years, but near the close of the war he was taken prisoner and confined at Wash- ington, D. C., until peace opened his prison doors. He married Mattie Beaman Lossi- ter, daughter of Riddick and - (Beaman) Lossiter, and sister of William C. Lossiter, of the Fifth Regiment Virginia Infantry, of the Confederate States army.

William Tell Oppenhimer, M. D. In the days gone by in recognition of an act of bravery or a supreme service rendered. the great Napoleon, an Oppenhimer was deco- rated with the insignia of the Legion of Honor by his grateful emperor. This Op- penhimer was the grandfather of William Tell Oppenhimer, M. D., president of the board of health of the city of Richmond. Whatever was the service rendered Napo- leon or the state that was so richly rewarded it was slight when compared to the great service Dr. Oppenhimer has rendered his city in conserving the public health, since the day-now a quarter of a century past, he became chief guardian of city health as president of the board of health.

Dr. Oppenhimer is a son of A. Oppen- himer, born in Baden, Germany, in 1831, died in Richmond, Virginia. He came to the United States when young and engaged in wholesale merchandising. In Fluvanna county, Virginia, he married, in 1860, S. E., daughter of William E. and Martha Jones. He enlisted in 1861 in the Confederate army and served throughout the war in the Flu- vanna Artillery. In religion he was a Bap- tist. He is survived by his widow, born 1838, now residing in Fluvanna county. Children : William Tell, of further mention ; Roberta, born December 7, 1862; St. Julian, January 25, 1867; R. P., April 8, 1868; Mar- tha, August 30, 1870; A. C., September 10, 1872.

William Tell Oppenhimer, M. D., was born at Fork Union, Fluvanna county, Vir- ginia, March 7, 1861. After preparatory

W. T. Oppenheimer

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courses he entered Richmond College, com- pleting his classical education at Washing- ton and Lee University. He chose the pro- fession of medicine as his life work, was graduated Doctor of Medicine from the Medical College of Virginia, in 1881, receiv- ing the same degree in 1882 from the Uni- versity of the City of New York, after com- pleting a post-graduate course. He located in Richmond where he quickly established a reputation for skillful diagnosis and treat- ment of disease. He was and is an everlast- ing exponent of the gospel of "prevention" and was so persistent in his preachings and teachings that to him was entrusted, in 1888, the responsible duty of safeguarding the public health of the city. In that year he became president of the board of health and has so well performed the task alloted him that no change in that office has since been made. Volumes of eulogy could not express more forcibly the value of his service to the public health than the fact that for twen- ty-five years he has held his high and re- sponsible position. He is a member of many professional societies and organizations de- voted to municipal health and sanitation, both local, state and national. His private practice, both medical and surgical, is exten- sive and among his professional brethren he is highly esteemed and honored. He is a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and of the Commonwealth Club of Richmond.

Dr. Oppenhimer married, in St. James Church, Richmond, November 21, 1889, Sa- rah Sergeant Mayo, born in Richmond, No- vember 22, 1870, daughter of William Car- rington and Margaret Ellen (Wise) Mayo. (See forward). Children: Ellen Wise, born August 22. 1890, deceased ; W. T., born Feb- ruary 16, 1892 ; Sarah Sargeant, July 5, 1894; Henry A., June 16, 1896.

William Carrington Mayo was born in Richmond, Virginia, January 8, 1834, son of Edward Carrington Mayo (Yale, 1811) and Adeline (Marx) Mayo. After preparatory courses at Burlington, New Jersey, he en- tered Yale College, class of "52," the young- est man in his class. After a brilliant college career he was graduated with honor, and for a short time thereafter was engaged in en- gineering operations in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Following this he spent several years abroad, chiefly in Paris, where he acquired his wonderful command of many European languages. At the outbreak of the war be-

tween the states of the Union, he was con- fined to his bed by a broken leg, and for six months was kept there until the wounded limb was completely mended. He then took passage on a blockade runner and safely ran the gauntlet of the Federal vessels guarding the harbor at Charleston. He at once enlisted in the Confederate service as a private, joining the army of Northern Vir- ginia and fought gallantly in many of the important battles of the war. He gained honorable distinction and was offered an officer's commission but he refused all re- ward and remained a private until the end. He was wounded six times, receiving at Spottsylvania a shot that passed through his body. Bravely as he fought for his state and beloved South, he afterwards felt, as stated in a letter written in 1892, that the success of the Confederacy "would have been attended with the most deplorable re- sults."

After the war he engaged in business in Richmond for a time, but also was an exten- sive traveler, twice making the journey around the world. In 1888 he was appointed clerk and translator in the state department at Washington and a few months prior to his death was promoted to a position in the diplomatic corps. Mr. Mayo was a mar- velous linguist, reading and writing twelve languages and speaking those of Continental Europe with fluency. He was the only per- son in the state department able to translate the Russian language correctly, and it was through this knowledge that the govern- ment discovered the incorrectness of the first translation of the Russian dispatches submitted to the Behring Sea Tribunal of Arbitration at Paris. Mr. Mayo, discover- ing the mistakes made, the government with- drew them in time to avoid the humiliation of having the inaccurate translation discov- ered and pointed out by the Tribunal. In 1891, while fulfilling his duties in the state department, he began the study of law at Columbia University, and in 1894 was grad- uated LL. B. He pursued a post-graduate course, receiving the degree of Master of Laws, and was admitted to the bar in 1895. He also in that year received from Yale Uni- versity the honorary degree of Master of Arts. His contributions to literature were valuable, consisting of a compilation of a collection of German idioms for use in the schools, also one of French idioms for the

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same purpose; a History of the Society of the Cincinnati and numerous translations. Among the latter was a translation of "Black Beauty" into Spanish, for the American Humane Society, purely a labor of love. He died at Richmond, April 12, 1900, aged sixty- six years.

Mr. Mayo married, in 1870, Marguretta Ellen, daughter of Governor Henry A. Wise, of Virginia. Children: Sarah Ser- geant, married Dr. William Tell Oppe- himer; Mary Lyons, married Crea-

shaw ; Ellen Wise, married - Oppen- himer ; Henry Wise, graduated from the law department of Virginia, 1898; Ann, married Latimer.

Rev. Hugh C. Smith, D. D. An eminent minister of the gospel, the efficient secretary ot the Virginia Baptist Association for nearly a quarter of a century, an author and a popular and interesting lecturer, Dr. Smith has lived a life of great usefulness and has won the highest respect of his contempo- raries in church and fraternal orders. Nor has his usefulness ended, nor is it on the wane, for earnest, eloquent and practical, he is bringing to his work not only devo- tion and enthusiasm but scholarly attain- ment, long experience and thorough under- standing. He has served many pulpits of his church, several church edifices rear their spires heavenward as a result of his labors, while the spiritual values of his pastorate in these communities cannot be fully under- stood until the day of final reckoning. The literature of his college and church has been enriched by his pen and brain, while the general prosperity and usefulness of the church he serves has been greatly enhanced by his tireless, efficient work as secretary of the associated churches of his state, The Virginia Baptist Association.

Rev. Hugh C. Smith was born in Peters- burg, Virginia, February 16, 1854, son of James Edward and Louisa (Crowder) Smith. James Edward Smith was born in Petersburg, Virginia, in 1822, died in 1864. He was an architect and contractor, designer and builder of many of the cotton mills of the south. He married Louisa Crowder, born in Amelia county, Virginia, in 1823, died in 1883. Children: Georgianna, born in Petersburg in 1849, married Robert A. Watson, of Tarboro, North Carolina; Mar- garet Lena, born in Petersburg in 1852, mar-

ried Richard H. Elam; Hugh C., of further mention ; Oliver Mason, born in Petersburg in 1859, deceased; Goldson Lee, born in Petersburg in 1862, deceased.

Rev. Hugh C. Smith secured his prepara- tory education in Petersburg private schools and in 1871 entered Richmond College, where he pursued a course of classical study until his graduation. While at college he established and published the "Richmond College Messenger" and was prominent in the fraternity Phi Delta Kappa, also ranking high in his classes. He chose for his life work the holy calling of a minister and for two years pursued studies in divinity at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky. After graduation he was ordained a minister of the Baptist church. His first call was from the church at Emporia, Virginia, where he served most acceptably, erecting North Side Baptist church in 1880. In 1883 he accepted a call from the church at Boykins, Virginia, and after a successful pastorate of five years there became pastor of the church at Jar- rett, Virginia, continuing until 1892. He was then called to the church at Martins- ville, Virginia, where he spent ten fruitful years, followed by two years pastorate at Roanoke, Virginia, and three years at West Appomattox, Virginia. He was then again called to the Emporia church, spending four years in pleasant reunion with the church to which he first ministered as a novice in pastoral duty. In 1910 he accepted his pres- ent pastorate at Christiansburg, Virginia. In 1891, Dr. Smith was elected secretary of the Virginia Baptist Association and has served continually in that office until the present date, a period of twenty-three years, during which time he gave efficient service.

Dr. Smith is the author of the "History of the Appomattox Baptist Church," pub- lished in 1904, the "Blue Ridge Baptist Church," written while stationed at Martins- burg, and of many articles and essays pub- lished in newspapers and magazines. In I9II he was honored by his Alma Mater with the degree of Doctor of Divinity and has received many testimonials from his brethren in appreciation of his merit and devotion.

Dr. Smith was "made a mason" in Boy- kins Lodge, No. 64, Free and Accepted Ma- sons, and is now affiliated with McDaniels Lodge of Christiansburg; is chaplain of

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Euclid Chapter, No. 15, Royal Arch Masons, of Danville, Virginia ; and Danville Com- mandery, No. 7, Knights Templar. He has ever been active in the order and is highly regarded by his brethren. He is a well known and well appreciated lecturer before Masonic bodies, his most instructive and interesting discourses being "The Letter C" and "Olympia." He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Dr. Smith married, May 30, 1882, Vir- ginia Henry Ivery, born in Southampton county, Virginia, in 1859, daughter of John Cato Ivery and maternal granddaughter of Peter Quick Beekman, a descendant of the Dutch family early settled in the Hudson Valley. The Beekman line traces to Wil- helmus and Maria Beekman, Mrs. Smith descending from Wilhelmus Beekman "Van Zuphen," who was born April 28, 1623, at Hassell, in Oberyssel, Holland, son of Hend- rick Beekman, born at Keulen, September 14, 1585, and his second wife, Maria, daugh- ter of Rev. Wilhelmus Baudartius. This branch came to America in 1647. Dr. and Mrs. Smith have a daughter, Ivery Lucille, born at Boykins, Virginia, June 30, 1888, a graduate A. B. of Intermount Women's Col- lege, of Richard, Virginia. She married Will H. Daniels, of Asheville, North Caro- lina.

John Dudley George Brown. When this young but great republic, the leviathan of the "New World," was born through the travail of our courageous forefathers, there was given, a common possession to all parts of it, those republican institutions to which we have not tired of pointing with a just pride. That possession has continued com- mon to all those that dwell within our borders to the present time, but never has there been better illustrated the truth that true freedom resides not in any institution, but in the spirit of the people that make use of them, than in the different conditions which we can observe obtaining under them in the different quarters of the land. In some of our more highly developed indus- trial communities, indeed, so far as any real freedom is enjoyed by the average man, we might as well be living under a despotism ; where as, on the other hand there are broad realms where the primitive simplicity has survived and an actual democracy still ob- tains. Of the latter, speaking broadly, may

be classed the state of Virginia, with its strong feeling for state rights and its respect and affection for the splendid traditions of the past. Here, indeed, the distinction be- tween the classes is drawn, and firmly drawn, but there is no fear on the part of any class to mingle freely with the others, and the proudest of the community rub shoulders with the humblest, especially in the realm of politics, where it so important that enlightenment should prevail. So it is that the example of such men as Judge John Dudley George Brown, whose death Janu- ary 20, 1915, cast a gloom of the city of Newport News, is so valuable and so well worthy of imitation elsewhere.

Judge Brown springs from an old and most honorable Virginian family, his grand- father, who bore the same name as he, hav- ing been a large plantation owner in Han- over county, Virginia, and a very prominent figure in the life of the region. The elder John D. G. Brown was born in 1800 and died in 1877, passing all his years in his native community, where he was known as a great agriculturist and particularly as a grower of corn. He married Harriet Shep- pard, born in 1799, died November 29, 1880, one of their children being Joseph Booth Brown, the father of Judge Brown, whose name heads this sketch.

The lot of Joseph Booth Brown fell on troublous times, the great war which so grievously divided the country breaking out during his young manhood. Mr. Brown, Sr., was no laggard and he hastened to forces which his beloved state was putting into the field, enlisting as a private in the Hanover Dragoons, under the command of Captain William C. Wickham. The com- pany was assigned to the Fourth Cavalry Regiment in the brigade of General Fitz- hugh Lee. Captain Wickham was at once appointed colonel of this regiment which the promotion of Fitzhugh Lee to rank of brigadier left without a head. With this regiment Mr. Brown served throughout the war, seeing much active service and taking part in numerous great engagements and many daring cavalry raids under his gal- lant and intrepid commander. He was se- verely wounded also at the battle of Kelly's Ford, when he lost a portion of his right hand. He married, September, 1862, Fannie Lavinia Taylor, of Scotchtown, Hanover county, Virginia. To them were born three

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children, as follows: Lavinia Newton, died November 25, 1881 ; Harriet Sheppard, died May 6, 1885 ; John Dudley George, of whom further.

John Dudley George Brown, the youngest child of Joseph Booth and Fannie Lavinia (Taylor) Brown, was born June 16, 1868, in Hanover county, Virginia, and there passed the years of his childhood and early youth. He received a splendid education, attending the Oakland Academy at the town of that name in Virginia, and later the Uni- versity of Virginia, at Charlottesville in that state, from which he graduated with the class of 1892. In the year 1893 he left the parental roof and took up his abode in New- port News. His course at the University had been in law, and upon his admission to the Virginian bar he opened an office in Newport News and began at once upon the practice of his profession. For this career he was particularly well fitted, being pos- sessed of a strong yet mobile mind, great self-possession, and a very persuasive elo- quence. To these striking qualification he added that of being an indefatigable worker, so that he was always prepared with every detail of his cases. With such noteworthy abilities it is not astonishing that he quickly developed an excellent practice and became a leader of the bar in his district, and the more so as he was more than punctilious in his regard for all the interests entrusted to him. In short he established a most envi- able reputation, second to none in that part of the state. When Newport News was in- corporated as a city, he was chosen the first police justice, an office which he held up to the time of his death. Judge Brown was united in marriage, October 14, 1896, with Nellie Allen, of Bridgeton, New Jersey, daughter of Dr. O. M. and Harriet (North- rup) Allen, old and honored residents of that place. To them were born two chil- dren, Allen Dudley, August 9, 1897, and Malcolm Taylor, July 21, 1898.

Judge Brown was a young man at the time of his death and one whose career had scarcely passed its threshold to judge by the illusive promises held out by a future which was never to materialize. His powers were at their heighth, his popularity and reputa- tion were on the increase and the bright be- ginning seemed to point to a still more bril- liant denoument. But when all is said it was more as a man, than im virtue of any

position or honor that he had or might have achieved, that he made the impression that he did upon his community. He was typical of the old-fashioned, yet progressive South- ern gentleman, so typical, indeed, that it was he who was chosen by that clever come- dian, Walter Kelly, as the basis of his char- acter impersonation of a "Virginia Justice" in the sketch of the same name. Indeed it may be said that it was in this connection that Judge Brown's fame was blown the farthest, for if he was known pretty well throughout Virginia in his more formal ca- pacity, there is scarcely a country where English is spoken that he was not known as the figure about which so much of kindly and gracious humor was most appropriately centered. His character was one which awakened at once respect and affection and it is said of him that even in his capacity as judge, which it would seem impossible to hold without making enemies, that, as a fact, he hardly had one. Whole-souled and generous, loving and beloved in his home, with a genial comraderie with all men, Judge Brown went through life exerting a bene- ficent effect upon all with whom he came in contact and left at his death a gap which it will be alike difficult to forget or to fill.

William Duncan Judkins. The derivation of the surname Judkins is somewhat ob- scure. In some cases it is supposed to be derived like Judson from the personal name Judd or Jude, Judkin meaning little Jude 01 little Judd. Most of the Judson and Jud- kins families in England are said to trace their origin to the neighborhood of the town of Leeds, and the surname is said to be still common in the county of Yorkshire, and there is now a prominent family of the name of Judkins living in Heyford, Northampton, England. The arms of the Judkins are thus heraldically described: Argent two bars bules in chief three mullets of the second. According to the register of the University of Oxford, William Judkins, the first known ancestor of the family, was a fellow of All Souls in 1542-43. The name was early plant- ed in America, both in Virginia and New England.

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Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Volume V, Part 77

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