History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 87

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054

USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900 > Part 87

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age Company, and also of the Norfolk Cutlery Company.

Mr. Fentress was born in Princess Anne County, Virginia, May 29, 1863, and is a son of Richard Fentress-coming of a prominent old Virginia family. He attended the public schools and was reared on a farm. After two years spent in the retail grocery business he founded the commission business of C. W. Fentress & Company, wholesale dealers in but- ter and cheese. They built up a very large trade and exported the products of Virginia to a large extent. In 1898 a stock company was formed with Richard B. Fentress as president ; Charles Wesley Fentress, vice-president ; and B. Watkins Leigh, secretary and treasurer. In 1899 they purchased the premises from No. 24 to No. 26 Foster's lane, which were then occupied by a few old dwellings, and there caused to be erected one building, five stories high, and 95 by 125 feet, in dimensions ; one building, five stories high, and 50 by 80 feet in dimensions ; one building of three stories, 25 by 269 feet in dimensions ; and one, three stor- ies high, 25 by 80 feet in dimensions. The storage capacity is 500 cars and the buildings are complete in every detail of equipment. The capacity of the plant is being enlarged in order to meet the great increase in demand. The company now employs about 20 men. Mr. Fentress is president of the Norfolk Cutlery Company, which succeeded the old Bridgeport Silver Plate Company, in February, 1901, and manufactures all kinds of silver plated cutlery. This company employs about 100 men, and its officers are Richard B. Fentress, president, and S. Q. Collins, vice-president. Its directors are Richard B. Fentress, S. Q. Collins, W. T. Simco, A. E. Krise, B. Watkins Leigh and A. F. McFarland. An idea of the enormous bus- iness transacted may be gained from the fact that the weekly pay-roll is between $800 and $1,000. Mr. Fentress is one of the organizers of the Belt Line Stock Yards, of which he is secretary and treasurer. He is associated with the Wiltten Manufacturing Company, manu-

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facturers of tankage. Ile has submitted to the Council, and is about to be granted, a franchise for a hot-and-cold-air distributing plant. Hc has done considerable building in Norfolk, alone, as well as in association with others. He built two blocks of modern residences on Ham- ilton avenue and three residences on Mowbury Arch, where his own residence is also located. Although a man of great prominence in the community. he has never sought to turn his popularity to political advantage.

Mr. Fentress was united in marriage with Lottie L. Gunn, a native of North Caroline. and a daughter of W. H. Gunn, of Norfolk. They have three children: Charles Linwood; Milton A. : Mabel L.

Mr. Fentress has recently secured a fran- chise in Baltimore, Maryland, for a cold stor- age plant, the plans for which are being drawn. The plant will be constructed as soon as the plans are completed. at an estimated cost of $1.500,000.

ON. HARRY LEE MAYNARD, a gentleman who has done much toward the development of the city of Portsmouth, Virginia. is the Rep- resentative of this Congressional Dis- trict in the United States Congress. He was born June 8. 1861, at Portsmouth, and is a son of John W. Maynard. The latter was born in Virginia, resided in Norfolk County after the war and was engaged in truck farming until his death, in 1897. His widow, a daughter of John C. Neville. is now living. at the age of 62 years.

Harry Lee Maynard was educated in the public schools of Norfolk County, and the Vir- ginia Agricultural and Mechanical College. from which he was graduated in 1880. He then moved to Portsmouth, became a clerk in a wholesale house, and for many years was con- nected with a New York wholesale commis- sion house. He has always taken an active part in political affairs, and in 1890 was elected

a member of the House of Delegates. In 1894 he was elected to the State Senate and re-elected to that body in 1898. While serving in that capacity he was elected to Congress, in No- vember. 1900, and is proving one of the most able representatives this district has ever had. During the last 10 or 12 years he has been en- gaged in the real-estate business, with an office in the Commercial Building. He is an official in different enterprises, and is a director of the Portsmouth Dime Savings Bank. He is iden- tified with various land improvement com- panies and other enterprises tending to im- prove Portsmouth.

Mr. Maynard was united in marriage with a daughter of E. C. Brooks, and they have five sons and one daughter.

R. JOSEPH GRICE, who is engaged in the practice of medicine in Ports- mouth, is one of the most prominent of the young physicians of Norfolk County. Virginia. He is a native of that city, as was his father. Maj. George W. Grice.

The Grice family in America dates back to an early period in the eighteenth century, when an ancestor came from Wales and settled in Delaware. He married a daughter of Walter Martin, who came from England and pur- chased a farm in Pennsylvania. They had a son, Francis Grice, who was born March 29. 1732. He married Mary Brockenborough, whose parents were from England. and they had the following children : Francis and Charles, who settled in North Carolina: and Joseph, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch.

Francis Grice, son of Francis and Mary ( Brockenborough) Grice, enlisted in the Revo- lutionary War in the spring of 1776. at the age of 17 years, and served with credit in various capacities. He was taken prisoner by the British, and many were the hardships he

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endured. He was exchanged in January, 1780. His later life was mainly spent in building gov- ernment ships at his private shipyard at Phila- delphia. He married Mary Smith, December 12, 1780, and their children were,-Francis ; Samuel; Charles ; George; Joseph ; and another who died young.

Joseph Grice, the great-grandfather of Dr. Grice, moved from Philadelphia to Virginia some time between 1812 and 1818, and with his sons engaged in furnishing large supplies of timber to the government. His son, Joseph, grandfather of the Doctor, married Abby Cox, July 26, 1823. She was a descendant of some of the early settlers of New Jersey, her father having been a soldier in the Revolution. When Mr. Grice died he left a widow and three children, of whom the oldest was George WV.

Major George W. Grice was born at Ports- mouth, Virginia, May 16, 1824. His father died in 1831, and he was obliged to leave school at the age of 14 years, to support his widowed mother and his sisters. He soon won his way to the front, commanding the confidence and respect of all, and even as a young man, at- tained a high degree of success. He held many important public and municipal offices. In 1861, he was among the first to enlist in the cause of the South, being then chief magistrate of Portsmouth. By his plans and fine execu- tion he materially assisted in causing the panic among the Federals, which resulted in their burning and evacuating the Gosport Navy Yard in April, 1861. He was later appointed captain and acting quartermaster in the Con- federate service and assigned to duty as post quartermaster at Portsmouth. He was the rep- resentaive of the city who met the well-known 3rd Georgia Regiment and assigned it to quar- ters. When the brigade was ordered to evacu- ate Portsmouth in 1862, he marched with them as brigade quartermaster, and served in the battles about Richmond, ending at Malvern Hill. He was elected a member of the Senate of Virginia and served a number of terms. Af- ter his promotion on the staff of the army, Gen-

eral Taylor, in 1862 or 1863, asked for his transfer to the Trans-Mississippi Department, with plenary powers as assistant quartermas- ter general, but Major Grice declined the ser- vice. He was especially active in securing and promptly furnishing supplies to General Lee's army, and in this his services were invaluable to the cause. As chief of subsistence and transportation for the States of South Caro- lina, Georgia, and Florida, with headquarters at Columbia, South Carolina, he, by almost superhuman efforts, collected and forwarded to General Lee his sorely needed supplies. He continued to serve in that capacity until the close of the war. Upon receiving his parole hie bravely faced the situation and encouraged others. He returned to Virginia in the fall of 1865, and immediately set to work to repair his shattered fortune. He assisted in founding the Bank of Portsmouth in 1867, and served as its president until his death. In September, 1875, he was elected president of the Raleigh & Gaston Railway, also the Raleigh & Augusta Air Line Railway, both now being parts of the Seaboard Air Line. These positions he filled only one month before his death from apoplexy, November 12, 1875. Major Grice first mar- ried Margaret Nash Edwards, who died in 1864, without issue. November 29, 1866, he formed a second union, wedding Henrietta Harding, of Norfolk, Virginia, and they had three children-Nenie, who died in infancy ; George W., Jr., who died in childhood; and Joseph, the subject of this biography.

Dr. Joseph Grice was born September 29, 1869, and was primarily educated in the pri- vate schools of Portsmouth and Norfolk. In the fall of 1889, he entered the University of Virginia, where he took an academic course and a medical course, graduating June 14, 1893. He then went to New York and was on the staff of the City Hospital of New York City for a year and a half, in the meantime pursuing post-graduate work. In December, 1895, he entered upon his practice in Ports- mouth and success has crowned his efforts in

CORNELIUS MICHAEL CRUSER.

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the community. He has served as president of the Board of Health for two terms.

Fraternally, Dr. Grice is a member of the State Medical Society of Virginia; the Sea- board Medical Society of Virginia and North Carolina ; and the Norfolk Medical Society, of which he is vice-president. In June, 1900, he was elected to the City Council of Portsmouth from the First Ward. He is a trustee of the Portsmouth Orphan Asylum. Religiously, he is a member of St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church, of which he is a vestryman.

ORNELIUS MICHAEL CRUSER, a well-known resident of Norfolk County, Virginia, whose portrait ac- companies this sketch, comes of a very prominent family of this sec- tion. His earliest ancestors in America came from Germany in 1790, and settled near Port Richmond, on Staten Island, where at one time they owned a farm near the Sailors' Snug Har- bor, a place of retreat for disabled sailors. The name of the family was spelled Krutzer until changed to the present style by Capt. Cornelius Cruser about 1833.

Capt. Cornelius Cruser and his family re- moved from Staten Island, New York, to Gloucester County, Virginia, and located on the York River, 15 miles above Yorktown. He embarked in the oyster business, of which he was one of the pioneers. The water-front along the river was owned by a few persons, some individuals holding as much as five miles' frontage, all of which they wished to retain. Being unable to buy Captain Cruser was forced to lease land for a home. With his sons, he embarked in the oyster business, owning a 20-ton vessel in which to carry oysters to New York. The oysters at that time were assorted according to size, the largest ones being placed by hand in the vessel, with the deep shell down, so that they would keep for a month or more.

They were sold by the hundred. Their small boats made four trips to New York each sca- son. Captain Cornelius Cruser had four chil- dren: Washington C .; Cornelius Crocheron ; James Henry; and a daughter who was dorwned in York River by the capsizing of a boat.

Capt. Cornelius Cocheron Cruser, in 1853, moved from Gloucester County to Tanner's Creek, in Norfolk County, where he bought four acres of land from Michael Hendren and built the old homestead as it now stands. The house was framed on Staten Island. loaded on a vessel and brought to Tanner's Creek, where it was completed by a Northern contractor. The framing is of hemlock, the weather boards, of white pine, and the foundation, of New York pressed brick. He changed his business somewhat and began to plant oysters in Tan- ner's Creek. For many years he carried his own oysters to New York, but gave it up after moving to Tanner's Creek, disposing of his large vessels and using only small sloops, more suited to the place. Seeing the necessity of having labor he could control, he commenced to buy slaves and owned eight at the time of the outbreak between the North and the Sonth. He was a Union man but took no part in the war. At that time he owned five small sloops, Olle of which was confiscated in York River, and another in Petersburg: aside from this he lost most of the money he had in the bank. At this time he had a great many oysters planted, and as he was shut off from Northern markets, he could only peddle a few in the city and to the soldiers. After the declaration of peace, his oysters that had been growing four years brought a good price from Northern buyers. He then bought several small sloops, and in connection with the oyster business began rais- ing vegetables for Northern markets.

Capt. Cornelius C. Cruser was married, in 1845. to Margaret Ann Hendren, a daughter of Michael Hendren. The latter had a brother, Jeremiah Hendren, a Baptist preacher, who

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founded Salem Church, near the cross-roads on Sewell's Point. He also had a sister, Ann, who married a Frenchman, Mr. Jefroy, who died young, and was survived for many years by his widow. Michael Hendren was of Irish descent. He was a sailmaker by trade, and went to New York in early manhood and car- ried on business there. He married a Miss Kelly and soon after removed to Virginia, where, in 1833, he bought a tract of 96 acres in Norfolk County, from Samuel Smith, in consideration of $1.200. This tract was situ- ated where the Indian Pole Bridge now is; in fact, Mr. Hendren sold the right of way for the road and bridge through his farm. The In- dian Pole Bridge was built in 1843. and a Mr. Talbot was its keeper for a period of 14 years, until his death. Mr. Hendren's first wife, Sarah, died September 9, 1840, at the age of 31 years. He was again married, and his second wife, Sarah Frances, died Septem- ber 17. 1868, at the age of 66 years. Michael Hendren survived until June 16, 1871, when he died, at the age of 74 years. Eight chil- dren were born to Captain and Mrs. Cruser, five of whom are now living, as follows : Cor- nelius Michael. the subject of this biography ; William Samuel; James Henry, a record of whose life appears elsewhere in this volume ; Lola Ann ( Bunting) ; and Hansford Thornton.

William Samuel Cruser, the second son of Captain Cruser, was married in 1878, to Mary Virginia Simpson, of Norfolk, and to them were born six children, four of whom are now living, namely: Maude Lillian, who was mar- ried in 1898, to William Loughran, of Nor- folk: Mabel Lee: William Cecil; and Leroy Simpson.

Lola Ann Cruser was married March 2, 1886, to Robert L. Bunting, and of two daugh- ters born to them, one. Gladys, is now living.

Hansford Thornton Cruser was first mar- ried. in 1879. to Josie W. Ironmonger, who died in 1888, leaving two sons, Newton and

Hansford T., Jr. In 1889 he married Nannie Bell Powers, and six children were born to them, as follows: Arthur Loyd, Viva Arvilla, Edith Estelle, Audrey, Hazel Frances, and one who died young.

Ella Augusta, a daughter of Captain Cor- nelius C. Cruser, who died September 12, 1893. was married to George S. Bunting September II, 1880.

Captain Cornelius Crocheron Cruser, who was born on Staten Island, New York, in 1818, died in 1901. at the age of 83 years, while at the home of his son. William Samuel Cruser, near the old homestead. His two brothers. Washington and James Cruser, lived in Glou- cester County. Virginia ; for political offenses during the Confederate War they were im- prisoned for some time in Castle Thunder, a Southern prison at Richmond.

The three oldest sons of Captain Cruser continued in the oyster business many years, and now have some interest in the business.

Cornelius Michael Cruser started life un- der favorable circumstances, having a small capital and business, but was possibly too eager for quick riches. Embarking in a large business he bought a 70-ton schooner, but fate seemed to be against him. He was soon ship- wrecked and lost all he had. With willing hands and a cheery heart he made a new start. but was again overtaken by the loss of his ves- sel. He then engaged in mercantile pursuits, in which his industry and persevering efforts were crowned with success. He was married in Baltimore, Maryland, to Mary Eliza Dun- can, who is of Scotch descent, and two sons were born to them, namely: Clarence Milton. born September 30, 1867; and George Levi. born December 28. 1869, who is deceased. Clarence Milton Cruser was married, in 1895, to Emma U. Thomas, and they have had five children, as follows : Milton Hendren : Cor- nelius Clyde : Preston Delmar: and two who are deceased.

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H. CUTCHIN, who is clerk in the commandant's office in the Norfolk Navy Yard, was born at Ports- mouth in 1860, and is a son of Cap- tain Nathaniel Y. Cutchin.

Capt. Nathaniel Y. Cutchin was born in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, and was a seafaring man until his retirement, having met with many exciting adventures during the war. Two of his vessels were run ashore and set on fire to avoid capture, the crews escaping in small boats. He was twice made prisoner and was in command of the side-wheel steamer "West Point," when she ran the fire of the blockading fleet at the mouth of the James River. Captain Cutchin delivered her safely to the proper authorities at Richmond, Vir- ginia, where she was badly needed as a floating hospital for sick and wounded soldiers. The "West Point" was the last steamer to leave Norfolk flying the Confederate flag. Mr. Cutchin served in the City Council of Ports- mouth for two terms, and was a member of the School Board at the time of his death, which occurred March 11, 1894, at the age of 72 years. He married Virginia Crocker, a native of Brooklyn, New York, and a daughter of Edward Crocker. Her father was a boat- swain of the old navy and spent his last years in Portsmouth, dying at his home on South street. Virginia (Crocker) Cutchin passed away March 9. 1895, at the age of 62 years. Capt. Nathaniel Y. Cutchin and his wife reared six children, namely: N. E., who is chief en- gineer in the revenue cutter service and is sta- tioned at New Bedford, Massachusetts ; Hattie B., wife of Davis C. Bain of Portsmouth; W. H., the subject of this sketch; John: Aurelia, of Portsmouth ; and Agnes.

N. E. Cutchin, the oldest brother of the subject hereof, was born in 1857, and was among the first to be enrolled as a pupil in the public schools of Portsmouth, Virginia, at that disparagingly spoken of as "free schools," through a popular prejudice that yielded only to time. Many of the young men of Ports-

mouth were among the first scholars of the pub- lic schools in the old academy building, on Glasgow, near Middle street. In 1879, he grad- uated from the Nautical and Engineering Col- lege of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was commissioned a second assistant engineer in the United States Revenue Cutter Service, in 1883. He was promoted to be Ist assistant engineer in 1895, and in 1898 attained the rank of chief engineer. He served on vessels of the revenue cutter service in the Gulf of Mexico, and along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and was at times stationed in the Co- lumbia River and Puget Sound. During 1887. 1888 and 1889, he was one of the officers at- tached to the revenue cutter "Bear" (made famous as one of the vessels of the Greely Relief Expedition in 1884, under Commander, now Rear-Admiral, W. S. Schley), cruising in the North Pacific, Behring Sea and Arctic Ocean, and in 1887 took an active part in the rescue, on the coast of Russian Siberia. of James Vincent, the only survivor of 18 men who were part of the crew of the ill-fated American whaling bark "Napoleon," which was crushed in the ice in May. 1885. On the return to San Francisco, from the cruise of 1888, the "Bear" brought back to civilization 160 shipwrecked men, picked up on the barren strip of land known as Point Barren, Arctic Ocean, the northernmost point of land on our continent. Their vessels had been caught in the ice and abandoned. The annual cruise of the "Bear" to the "Land of the Midnight Sun," among a strange people and in a strange land, is often exciting as well as interesting. In May, 1900. Mr. Cutchin was one of the five officers of the "Hudson" to receive medals awarded by joint resolutions of Congress, for "intrepid and heroic gallantry" in the action at Cardenas, May 11, 1898.

W. H. Cutchin was one of the first scholars of W. H. Stoke's school. He studied naviga- tion and sailed with his father for 11 years. Ile returned to his home in Portsmouth in 1882. and purchased a farm on the outskirts

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of the city. He became quite active in politics tics, and was elected magistrate of Western Branch district. After serving in that office for two terms, he was defeated by the candidate on the fusion ticket. In 1893, he was ap- pointed to his present position as clerk in the commandant's office at the Norfolk Navy Yard. He is a trusted employe, and is highly esteemed by all for his splendid ability and faithfulness in the discharge of duty.

Mr. Cutchin married Laura F. Linn, who was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is a daughter of Charles B. Linn, who was a mer- chant of Portsmouth city for a number of years. Three children were born to this union, namely : Grace, John and Marion. They live on Prentis avenue, in Prentis Place. In politics, the subject of this sketch is a stanch Democrat. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and was at one time counsellor for the Senior Order of United American Mechanics. He is now a member of the annexation committee of Nor- folk County.

S. RUDD, who has been a promi- nent resident of Berkley, Norfolk County, Virginia, for many years, is serving in an official capacity as sergeant of the town, his head- quarters being in the Town Hall at the corner of Berkley avenue and Main street. He was born at Hampton, Virginia, June 19, 1844. and is a son of Edmund and Ann ( Stanworth) Rudd, both natives of Virginia.

Edmund Rudd was a Virginian pilot and followed that vocation during nearly his entire active life. During the war between the States he was for the most part in the Confederate service and was engaged in piloting vessels up the James River after the blockade was or- dered. He retired soon after the war. He was part owner of the pilot-boat "Hope," which was sunk in the James River by order of the Confederate government to help blockade the river. Mr. Rudd died at the age of 79 years.

He was an old-time Whig and a strong sup- porter of the Confederacy. He and his wife were active in church work. His wife died in 1848, having given birth to four children, namely: Thomas, who lost his left leg in the Confederate service, and is now in the Soldiers' Home at Richmond; Mary E., wife of Ham- met Sharpe, of Richmond, Virginia, born in 1840, and deceased in 1861; Edmund, · who served four years in the Confederate army, and is now following the trade of a boiler-maker at Berkley; and W. S., the subject of this sketch.

W. S. Rudd attended the public schools of Hampton, Virginia, and after his school days lived with his sister in Richmond. He came to Portsmouth with his father's family, and learned the trade of a baker, with James Reed of Norfolk, Virginia. He subsequently moved back to Hampton, and later, when Norfolk and Portsmouth were evacuated by the Confeder- ates, he was in the Union lines, working at his trade. While traversing his daily route on a bread wagon, he distributed most of the under- ground mail received through the lines for rela- tives of the Confederate soldiers, thus render- ing an invaluable service to the cause. He did not see his own relatives again until after Gen- eral Lee's surrender. He was married, in 1866, and was then engaged in the bakery business in Norfolk, on Church street, near Charlotte street, for seven years. In 1879 he removed his business to Berkley, where he conducted his bakery until 1890. In the meantime, he served seven years as special police officer under the appointment of the judge of the Norfolk County Court. In 1890 he was elected town sergeant, upon the incorporation of Berkley as a town. and served two years, after which he again conducted his bakery. He is now serv- ing his fourth year, in a second term, as town sergeant, an office which he has filled in a most creditable manner.

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History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 87

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1054

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054