History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 98

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 98

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stration, but resigned to accept a position as passenger agent on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, a position which he held for nine years. He resigned to accept a position with his brother, Warner L. Brooke, of the firm of W. L. Brooke & Company, which conducted a wholesale grocery for two years. Later Mr. Brooke accepted the position of delinquent tax collector, which he has since successfully filled.

On December 18, 1901, Mr. Brooke was united in marriage with Nellie Randolph Wise, a native of Norfolk, and a daughter of T. O. and Susan Wise. She is a member of St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church. The subject of this sketch is a Democrat. and lias always been interested in local politics.

€ LIAS E. GUY, one of Norfolk's sub- stantial business men and progress- ive citizens, conducts a large plumb- ing establishment in that city. He was born in Norfolk, and is a son of Elias and Nancy ( Spann) Guy.

Elias Guy was a son of Henry Guy, and was born in Norfolk. Virginia, as was his fa- ther. In his boyhood days he served an ap- prenticeship of eight years at rope-making, and at the age of 21 years had discharged all the financial obligations of his father. He served as chief of police of the city for 40 years. and was serving as such at the time of his death in 1868. at the age of 69 years. He was one of the original members of Washing- ton Lodge, No. 2. I. O. O. F .. of Norfolk. He married Nancy Spann, who was born in 1802, and died in 1874. Her mother, Keziah ( Llewellyn) Spann. was of Welsh descent. Ten children blessed this union, as follows : Elizabeth, Annie, Virginia, Margaret F., In- diana, Lavina and Anna, deceased; Henry Clay, of Portsmouth : Elias E., the subject of this biography : and James R., an engineer by vocation, who is now a merchant in Norfolk.

DR. FRANK S. HOPE.

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Elias E. Guy attended private schools at conducts an extensive establishment under the firm name of E. E. Guy & Sons. Norfolk, and then became an apprentice in the machine-shops at the Atlantic Iron Works. January 11, 1865, Mr. Guy formed a mat- rimonial alliance with Leluce Brown, who was born in Hampton. Virginia, in 1849, and is a daughter of John W. and Mary Ann Brown. They have had nine children, as fol- lows : Annie L., who married Harry Nichols, a wholesale grocer of Norfolk: Elias L., who is in business with his father: John McLean, who died in 1882: Lee Spaulding, who is a member of the firm of E. E. Guy & Sons; James R., who is a shipbuilder and hull draughtsman at Richmond, Virginia; Louis E., a dental student at Baltimore ; Cecil B., an apprentice to the Virginia Pilots' Association : Norman Leluce, who is attending school; and Mary Marguerite, who is also in school. The subject of this sketch and family are members of the Freemason Street Baptist Church. Fra- ternally, he is a member and past officer of At- lantic Lodge, No. 2, A. F. & A. M .: Norfolk United Chapter, No. I. R. A. M .: Grice Com- mandery, No. 16. K. T. ; and McDaniel Lodge of Perfection. His two sons, Elias L. and Lee Spaulding, are also past officers in the same bodies. James R. Guy is a member of At- lantic Lodge, No. 2, A. F. & A. M. Elias E. Guy is also a member of the Royal Arcanum ; Knights of Honor ; Home Circle ; and Pickett- Buchanan Camp. Confederate Veterans. He was twice a candidate for mayor on the Demo- cratic ticket, and served in the City Council until he resigned. He was at one time chair- man of the street, drain and sewer commission of Norfolk. Before completing his term of service the war broke out and he volunteered for service. He was then but 18 years old, and from the fact of his being under age his father had him re- leased and placed in the Gosport Navy Yard, which was then in the hands of the Confeder- ates. He worked on the "Merrimac," drilling holes for the plate and on the prow, and con- tinued in the Navy Yard until the yard was abandoned by the Confederates at the time of the evacuation of Norfolk. What was pre- served of the machinery of the yard was taken to Charlotte, North Carolina, where Mr. Guy followed and worked in the yard there until the close of the war. He assisted in putting machinery into the Confederate iron-clad "Hal- ifax." which was afterward blown up by Cap- tain Cushing. United States Army. and the "Neuse." which was built at Kingston. At Charlotte he saw the hanging of 23 "Buffa- loes," or Confederates, caught with arms fighting against the South. 13 of them being executed at one time. They were captured in one of Pickett's raids. At Charlotte he was detailed with the treasury department as a guard. In the party was Mrs. Jefferson Da- vis. They guarded the public money, which amounted to $800,000 in gold, silver and pen- nies, as far as Washington, Georgia, where they met President Davis, who then took charge of his wife and the treasury. After the war he returned to Norfolk, possessing at the time just $2.50, which had been paid him in liquidation of a loan of $400. He remained at home three days and then went to Balti- more, where he obtained work in Denmead's shipyard. in the machine department. There D R. FRANK S. HOPE, who is one of the most prominent physicians of Portsmouth, Norfolk County. Vir- ginia, and is also health officer of that city comes from one of the old and prominent families of Virginia. He was born he stayed a few weeks, and then returned to Norfolk and worked in the Navy Yard. Four years later he purchased an interest in a plumbing business, and in 1871 went into busi- ness for himself. He is now located on the in Portsmouth and is a son of William M. and corner of Bank and Plume streets, where he . Virginia F. (Owens) Hope.

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George Hope, the paternal great-grand- father, was a native of Whitehaven, England, and was born March 28, 1769. He was brought to America in that year and later in life learned the ship-building business. He first located in Norfolk, where he remained until his death, in 1818. He married Mrs. Rebecca Ballard, nee Meredith. His son, John Hope, was born at Hampton, Virginia, January 20, 1786, and he also learned his father's trade. John Hope married Ann Watkins, of Hampton, Virginia, and nine children were born to them, among whom was William M. Hope, the father of Frank S.

William M. Hope was born in Hampton, in 1812, and attended the Hampton Academy, which he left at the age of 16 years, to follow. his trade and business, that of ship-building. For two years he was a member of the City Council of Portsmouth. He held the position of master shipwright at the Norfolk Navy Yard under President Cleveland. In 1840 he married Catherine F. Nillis, of Hampton, Virginia. She and her infant child, died in 1841. Mr. Hope married, secondly, Virginia F. Owens, a daughter of James Owens, of Ports- mouth. Nine children were born to them, of whom five reached maturity, as follows: Rev. H. M., of Danville, Virginia; William O., of Portsmouth; Dr. Frank S .; Dr. James S., of Portsmouth; and Virginia Lee, deceased, who married D. L. Roper, of Brooklyn, New York. Mrs. Hope's uncle is Commodore James B. Owens, formerly of the United States Navy.

Dr. Frank S. Hope, who name heads these lines, received his education in Portsmouth, and at the University of Virginia, from which institution he was graduated in 1876. He spent one year in Illinois, after which he went to Philadelphia, where he took a special course in medicine. He returned to Portsmouth in 1879 and has practiced his profession there ever since. In 1885 he was elected health offi- cer of Portsmouth, a position he has continued to fill up to the present time, in a most able and satisfactory manners. He has a thorough

knowledge of the science of medicine, and much confidence is placed in his ability. By his genial and courteous manners he wins many friends, and he is ranked as one of the best physicians of Norfolk County.

Dr. Hope was married, in 1884, to Anna M. West, of Norfolk County, and they have one daughter, Mary. Dr. Hope has been the only physician to serve as quarantine officer of the port of Portsmouth. He is a member of the American Medical Society, and also of the Virginia State Medical Society. A portrait of Dr. Hope accompanies this sketch, being shown on a foregoing page.

GG OSEPH LAVILLE YOUNG, SR., a prominent journalist of Portsmouth, Virginia, was born November 11, 1834, near Richmond, on the James River, on an estate of his maternal great-grandparents. They bore the name of Pritchard, and came to America from Caernarvonshire, Wales, as a young married couple, about 1730, naming their new home "Warwick."

There is quite a romance connected with the lives of these early ancestors. Owing to some college escapade Richard Pritchard was for a time suspended from his school privi- leges, and decided to temporarily ostracise himself from his own immediate family, which was one of the best in Wales; so he accepted of the tendered hospitality of a nobleman by the name of Hewes. During his stay with him he was brought into daily contact with a beau- tiful daughter of the household, to whom he became deeply attached. His feelings being re- ciprocated, the inevitable-their betrothal- followed, much to the disapproval of the fa- ther. They were married, however, and, after a few years of life in Wales, removed to Vir- ginia, where they established their famous home. "Warwick on the James." Their domi- I cile was a hospitable one, and its halls fre-

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quently rang with the laughter of the distin- guished and fashionable throngs that graced it. It was burned during the Confederate War.

Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard became the par- ents of five children : Jane. Sidney (grand- mother of the subject of this biography) : Polly (or Mary), who married a Mr. Elliott and removed to Kentucky; Nancy; and Sallie ( Biggott).

The holocaust of the Richmond Theatre in 1814 came near resulting seriously to two members of this family, Jane and Nancy Pritchard, who were attending that night the play of "Raymond: or Agnes, the Bleeding

Jane Pritchard married Captain Rodbird. and went with him to live at his New England home at Bath, Maine.

Nancy Pritchard went to England to look up the estate of the family and to become ac- quainted with some of her Welsh kinsfolk. She returned bearing testimonials of their affection, and afterward became the wife of Christopher Roberts, then collector of cus- toms for the port of Richmond.

Sidney Pritchard, grandmother of our sub- ject, owned a large estate in Chesterfield County, Virginia, running through which was the Clover Hill coal-fields, famous in after years for their enormous yields of bituminous coal.

Paternally. Joseph La Ville Young is of French Huguenot stock. his great-grand- father coming from France to this country. The grandfather, who was born in Maryland, after growing to manhood went to Hanover County, Virginia, and engaged in the limber business. He there married a Miss Barker.

The father of the subject of this biography was John LaVille Young, who was born at the "Slashes," now known as Ashland, in Hanover County. Virginia. September I. 1805. and at an early age removed to Ches- terfield County. Virginia. On March 15. 1827. he married Mary Anne Shoemaker.

daughter of Mahlon Shoemaker and Sidney Pritchard, his wife (the latter of "Warwick on the James"). He engaged in school teach- ing until 1828. when he was called to the com- mand of one of the first steamers that ran on the James River. In 1831 he was captain and part owner of the steamer "Comet." plying on the Appomattox and James Rivers. He fol- lowed steamboating until his death in 1843. at the age of 38 years.

Of the children born to John La Ville Young and Mary Anne Shoemaker. his wife, were: William Sidney. John Mahlon, Joseph La Ville, George Shoemaker, Mary Anna and Charles Pritchard. The third child (Joseph La Ville). the subject of this sketch, at 13 years of age. entered the office of the Richmond En- quirer, then owned and edited by William F. and Thomas Ritchie, sons of the distinguished Thomas Ritchie, who launched this influential journal in 1804. Here Mr. Young remained until 1852, when his career as an all-round newspaper man began. In the 26 years of his journalistic life. he has served in every ca- pacity pertaining to the profession. from "printer's devil" through the composing and press rooms, the news department, reportorial chair. up to editor-in-chief. Then for many years he engaged in clerical work, and now holds the position of writer in the Norfolk Navy Yard. He came to Portsmouth April 29. 1865, just after the close of the Confed- erate War.

During the war between the States he was a member of Maj. Richard F. Walker's bat- talion, which formed a part of Colonel Evans' regiment of State troops. Although on de- tached duty as manager of the composing room of the Richmond Enquirer, which was the proclaimed organ of the Confederate States government. whenever the city was thought to be endangered or the services of his command needed. he was ever with it.

His graphic accounts of life at the Confed- erate Capital during the darkest days of the ( short-lived nation have attracted much atten-

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tion. Among these are a thrilling account of "the evacuation of Richmond." "Blockade running and its perils,, during the war. etc., which may yet be revised and given in book form to the public.

Mr. Young married Carrie Elethia. the only daughter of James Sivells and Jennette B. Richardson. Mr. Richardson was a prominent citizen of Norfolk County, and well known as one of the most successful men of his day. He was the Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad's first superintendent of construction and afterward a thrifty merchant, wharf builder and farmer. By this marriage eight children were born : Carrie E. (deceased). James LaVille (de- ceased), May Jennette, Irene Rodbird, Joseph La Ville, Linda Olive, Charles Pritchard and William Allegree.

EROME P. CARR, proprietor of the Pythian Castle Drug Store. which is by far the finest of any of its kind in the city of Portsmouth, Virginia. has been actively engaged in the drug business for a number of years, and by untir- ing energy and honest methods, together with his superior skill and care in correctly filling prescriptions, has built up a paying business and ranks among the substantial citizens of that prosperous city.

Mr. Carr is a native of the city which is still his home. having been born at the old fam- ily residence on the corner of County and Effingham streets, where the Carr family has continued to reside for more than half a century. He is a son of George and Laura A. ( Williams) Carr, and grandson of Jesse Carr, for whom the town of Carrsville, Vir- ginia, was named, and whose death occurred at that place.

George Carr was a native of Isle of Wight County. Virginia, which was also the home of his ancestors. He followed railroading for

gineer on the Seaboard Air Line Railway, with headquarters at Portsmouth, where he located in 1855, and made that city his home until cut off by death in 1875. He had one brother, Jesse L. H. Carr, who also located in the same city but has been deceased for many years.

The widow of George Carr is still living in Portsmouth. Her family consisted of five children, four of whom reached maturity, as follows : Mrs. Laura King, widow of J. Dan- forth King, of Portsmouth; Jerome P., the subject of this brief biography: Hope: and George H .. a prominent physician of Ports- mouth.

Jerome P. Carr attended the public schools until he attained the age of 15 years, and then entered the drug store of G. A. Krieger, with whom he remained for three years. During this time he studied diligently. and being an apt scholar learned much of the business. He attended the examination before the State Board of Pharmacy, which he suc- cessfully passed at the early age of 17 years, and became a registered pharmacist. The fol- lowing year he went into business for himself. establishing a drug store at the corner of Bart and Green streets. His business flourished and in a short time he built a more commodi- ous building on Green street. directly opposite his present place of business. and carried on a very successful business at that stand for five years. February 1, 1898, another drug store was opened by him in the Pythian Castle, where he conducted the only wholesale and re- tail drug store in the city. Both stores were operated for some time, but quite recently the old store was closed out, and Mr. Carr gives his whole time and attention to the business in the Pythian Castle. He carries a full line of drugs and such accessory articles as are to be found in well-appointed drug stores, and em- ploys three clerks and a porter.

Mr. Carr was united in marriage with Martha F. Womble, a daughter of J. G. Wom- many years, being a competent locomotive en- . ble, who was formerly of Raleigh, North Caro-

HARDY DUKE.

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lina, but who resided in Norfolk County for many years, being prominently identified with its progress. He was a retired hardware mer- chant, and was also president of the Norfolk National Bank, and a director in several other institutions of note. He served as a member of the City Council of Norfolk. Mr. Carr and his worthy wife attend the Methodist Episco- pal Church, South.

By industry and frugality the subject of this sketch has built up a large and exceed- ingly profitable business, and has shown a very enterprising spirit. He has at all times mani- fested a fitting interest in the welfare and ad- vancement of Portsmouth, and stands among her foremost citizens.

ARDY DUKE, conspicuous among the many truck farmers of Norfolk Coun- ty. Virginia, is a man of great energy and activity, and thoroughly awake to the interests of his business and the welfare of his county. The farms which he owns and oversees comprise 235 acres on the western branch of the Elizabeth River. the Grimes farm. the old Fox Hall farm and the Bridge farm. He employs quite a number of hands to assist him in the work of truck farming. In winter he has work for about 12 hands and in the summer season when work is much heavier. he employs from 20 to 100 hands, a force which in itself denotes the suc- cess of his business.

Mr. Duke is a native of Nansemond Coun- ty. Virginia, and was born March 28, 1832. He is a son of Whitman and Susan Duke, also na- tives of Nansemond County, and is one of II children born to them. He and his brother. Henry, are now the only survivors of the once large family. Whitman Duke was a large land- owner, possessing many fine farms, which were cultivated by his slaves.

Hardy Duke's early life was spent on one of his father's farms, but, in 1855. when he had arrived at the age of 21 years, he came to i and useful assistant on the home farm.

Norfolk County, where he soon became over- seer on the farm of Capt. John Wise. There he contracted yellow fever ; on recovering he returned to his home in Nansemond County, and remained a year. In 1859. however, he again came to Norfolk County, and in 1862. during the Confederate War. he went to Suf- folk. Virginia, and enlisted in the 13th Reg- ular Virginia Cavalry, and served faithfully and bravely until the end of the conflict. His was hard service: at Hanover, Pennsylvania. his horse was shot from under him. At the close of the war, he was held as a prisoner. but. was finally released and discharged at Suffolk. At that time he was sick and went immediately to his home, where he gradually recovered his usual good health.

Mr. Duke, after his recuperation, again set out for Norfolk County, and worked for one year under Richard Cox, the "Father of Truck- ers." He then became interested in the firm of Wise & Curran, with whom he assumed the duties of a position, and remained with them for three years. He rented one-half of the Love farm and found employment as a farmer for the following three years. Then he pur- chased 73 acres of his present large farm of 255 acres. Thus he made his beginning and from that time on his success has been apparent to all.

On December 26. 1867. Mr. Duke was united in marriage with Margaret Raby, who was born in Nansemond County, March 31, 1840, and is a daughter of Abram and Cather- ine Raby. Mrs. Raby is a native of Nanse- mond County, and she and her husband reared three children, namely: Robert, Margaret, and Richard L. The subject of this sketch and his worthy wife have had four children, namely : Charles L., who was born December 11. 1868. and whose death occurred September 22, 1872; Maggie R., born November 6, 1872; Harry R .. who was born November 21. 1877. and died May 4, 1878; and W. H., whose birth occurred September 26, 1878, and who is now a willing

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The family are members of the Churchland Baptist Church. Fraternally, Mr. Duke is prominent as a member of the Masonic organi- zation. Politically, he is an ardent Democrat, always ready to be of service to his party. His portrait accompanies this sketch.

0 SCAR VINCENT SMITH, deceased. was born May 1, 1843. in Gooch- land County. Virginia, and was a son of Capt. William C. and Martha Elizabeth (Courtney) Smith.

Capt. William C. Smith was born in Rich- mond, Virginia. At the close of the Confed- erate War, in which he participated, he became superintendent of the old Bay line of steam- ers and served in that capacity until his death. in 1880. He was united in marriage with Martha Elizabeth Courtney, who was born near Richmond, Virginia, in which city she now resides, at the advanced age of 83 years. She comes of a fine old Virginia family. Cap- tain and Mrs. Smith had six children,-four daughters and two sons. One daughter- Sarah Campbell Smith .- married Lieut .- Col. William Frederick Niemeyer, who was born at Portsmouth, and was attending the United States Military Academy at West Point when the Intersectional War broke out. He left within a month of graduation to join the Con- federate Army, and was killed in the battle of Spottsylvania, at the age of 21 years, having on that day been promoted to the rank of briga- dier-general. An account of his life may be found in Chapter XXVIII of this work. He had one son. John Frederick, who lives at Richmond, Virginia. Mrs. Niemeyer lived at Portsmouth. Virginia, for many years, but moved to Richmond, where she died in 1901.

Oscar Vincent Smith was educated at Richmond College, and in 1860 or 1861 took up railroading with the Seaboard Air Line Railway. Soon after the outbreak of the Con- federate War he joined the 3rd Richmond

Howitzers, Artillery, of which he was later an officer. He served through the entire war and was at the surrender at Appomattox Court House. He returned to Portsmouth in the fall of 1865, and resumed work with the Seaboard Air Line Railway. He was made assistant superintendent, and at the time of his death .- February 7, 1894,-was general traffic manager of the system. He was con- nected with many business enterprises of the city, in whose welfare he was always deeply interested. He was a strong Y. M. C. A. worker, and for 12 years was a member of the board of education, of which he was president for a period of four years. He was a mem- ber of Stonewall Camp, Confederate Veterans, the Royal Arcanum, and the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, and belonged to the Busi- ness Men's Association of Norfolk. He was well known in transportation circles, and was a prominent and respected citizen of Ports- mouth. He was an earnest Christian and a member of Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church, under which he is buried. A font to his memory was placed in the church by his widow. It was designed by Stent, of New York, and made in Italy, of Carrara marble, representing an angel gracefully bending on one knee, with uplifted hands, on which rests a shell-shaped basin, holding baptismal water. The whole figure is about seven feet high, and rests on a base of marble. 21/2 by 51/2 feet in size, with this simple inscription on the top: "To the memory of Oscar Vincent Smith. May I. 1843: February 7. 1894." Mr. Smith was very actively interested in securing the erection of the Confederate monument on Court street. near High street. Portsmouth.

January 10. 1867. Mr. Smith married An- nie Theodosia Cocke, who was born on June 16. 1847. in Norfolk County, on the family homestead called "Paradise." located on Para- dise Creek, five or six miles from Portsmouth ; the property now belongs to the Portsmouth Land Company. Mrs. Smith is a daughter of Charles Leonard and Ann Roe (Cowper)

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Cocke. Her paternal grandfather was Col. Richard Cocke. of Shoal Bay. James River. Charles Leonard Cocke was born at Shoal Bay. on the James River, but came to Ports- mouth as a young man, and was engaged in mercantile pursuits many years. He was post- master at the time of his death. in August. 1854. His wife died in August. 1855. at the age of 53 years. Mrs. Cocke was born at Hampton, Virginia, and was a daughter of Capt. John and Susan Barron Cowper. her fa- ther being in the United States Navy. Mr. and Mrs. Cocke had nine children. four of whom lived to maturity, and those now living. in addition to Mrs. Smith. are .- Mrs. John Emmerson and Judge Charles L. Cocke. re- siding in Sussex County. Virginia. Oscar Vincent Smith and his faithful wife became the parents of two children. namely: Eliza- beth Courtney. wife of Lieut. Kenneth Mc.Al- pine, of the United States Navy. now located at the Norfolk Navy Yard. who served on the battle-ship "Texas" during the Spanish- American War and was engaged in the battle of Santiago: and Oscar Emmerson, who mar- ried Martha Gatewood. of West Point. Vir- ginia. and lives in Portsmouth. Religiously. Mrs. Smith is an Episcopalian. as was her husband. The family home has been at No. 402 Court street for many years. Mrs. Smith is a woman of many fine traits and has numer- ous friends throughout this locality.

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History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 98

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