USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia and representative citizens, V.2 > Part 36
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her. He considered that he owed allegiance first to his State. He received an appointment as constructor in the Confederate States Navy, and was ordered to remain on duty in the Gosport Navy Yard.
. Then the thought of his Pittsburg iron-clad recurred to him and he made a model. but so modified as to bring it within the limited build- ing facilities of the South. He took the model to Richmond on June 24, 1861, and submitted it to Secretary Mallory of the Confederate States Navy, who ordered a board to assemble the next day to consider it. The board was composed of Mr. Porter. Chief Engineer Will- iam P. Williamson and Lieutenant John M. Brooke. The board approved the model and decided to recommend that a boat be built after it, but the necessary delay that would be occasioned in building machinery for her sug- gested to Mr. Porter that he could adapt his plan to the "Merrimac." and utilize the ma- chinery in her. He so stated to the board. and his suggestion was adopted. He returned to the Gosport Navy Yard to draw his plans, and Chief Engineer Williamson went there to sup- erintend her machinery. Mr. Porter completed the plans on July roth. returned to Richmond with them, submitted them to Secretary Mal- lory and that official approved them and sent the following order to Commodore Forrest. commanding the Navy Yard :
NAVY DEPARTMENT. RICHMOND, VA., July 11, 1861. 5 1
FLAG-OFFICER F. FORREST:
SIR-You will proceed with all practicable dispatch to make the changes in the Merrimac, and to build, equip and fit her in all respects, according to the plans and designs of the Constructor and Engineer, Messrs. Porter and Williamson. As time is of the utmost im- portance in this matter, you will see that the work pro- gresses without delay to completion.
S. R. MALLORY, Secretary, Confederate States Navy.
. This order set the ball in motion and Mr. Porter had full sway .. Work on the vessel was pushed as rapidly as possible, and, on the Sth of March, 1862, she made her debut. The re- sult is a matter of general history. The whole
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system of naval architecture was revolution- ized and the nations of the old world realized the fact that the days of their wooden ships were numbered. The difference in the plans of Mr. Porter and those of Federal naval . architects was that in his boats the resisting surface was on a slant while in theirs it was perpendicular.
In the summer of 1861 before the ports of the Confederate States had been closed by blockade. Mr. Porter advised Secretary Mal- lory to import from Europe iron-plating and steam-engines for gunboats so as to keep the enemy out, but the Secretary thought the war would be over in six months and it was useless to go to so much expense. Had the advice been taken the result of the war might pos- sibly have been different. Certainly the "Louisiana" and "Mississippi" at New Or- leans would have been finished in time to have saved that city from capture and the vessels which were supporting Mcclellan's army on the Virginia Peninsula would have been driven away. The South was rich in timber with which to build the gunboats, but had no ma- chinery or iron-plating for them.
Mr. Porter was made chief constructor in the Confederate States Navy, a position corre- sponding with that of chief of the Bureau of Construction, and served in that capacity con- tinuously until the close of the war. He de- signed most of the iron-clads built in the South, and also several seagoing iron-clads, which the Confederate government contracted to have built in England and France, but which were stopped by those governments. After the war he went to Baltimore, and was for a time superintendent of Abrams & Sons ship- yard. He had charge of the ship-building de- partment of the Atlantic Iron Works in Nor- folk until that company discontinued business. He was superintendent of Baker's shipyard in Berkley until 1883. when he was appointed superintendent of the Norfolk County Ferries, serving some five years until he retired. When
Portsmouth was first incorporated, he was elected president of the first City Council.
John L. Porter married Susan N. Buxton, who was born in Nansemond County in ISI7. and still resides at Portsmouth. Their chil- dreu were as follows: George P .. of Ports- mouth; Mary Susan, wife of Prof. John S. Moore, of Oxford, Georgia; Alice F., who married George H. Ellison, both deceased, of Mobile, Alabama: John W. H. : Martha B .. who married Prof. Frank P. Brent, now of Richmond ; and James B., of the Norfolk busi- ness firm of Porter. McNeal & Company.
John W. H. Porter attended the public schools, and later the Virginia Collegiate In- stitute in Portsmouth. and was pursuing an academic course at the University of Virginia at the outbreak of the Civil War. He was in one of the companies of university students that assisted in the taking of Harper's Ferry by the Virginia troops in April, 1861, after which he returned to Portsmouth, and at once entered .the Confederate service as a member of Company K, 9th Regiment, Virginia In- fantry, known as the "Old Dominion Guard." He was subsequently transferred to the Signal Corps. and again in the infantry, where he was promoted to lieutenant in 1864. serving as such until the war closed. He was 19 years old at the time of enlistment. After the war he studied law in the office of Godwin & Crocker. and was admitted to the bar in 1866, at once beginning practice. In 1872 he was elected city attorney and served as such for a period of seven years. He then retired from practice to devote attention to newspaper work, conduct- ing the Portsmouth Daily Enterprise, of which he was editor and publisher. until 1889, when he sold the paper and resumed the practice of law. In 1883 he was elected to the Virginia Legislature, serving two successive terins. Hc has served as councilman from the Second Ward, and as a member of the joint ferry com- mittee managing the Norfolk County Ferries. His office for the past two years has been in
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the Rosenbaum Building. The members of the Porter family have been prominent in the administration of the affairs of the county of Norfolk and city of Portsmouth since the early days when John Porter, Jr .. first located there. John W. H. Porter was joined in marriage in January, 1869, with a daughter of Owen D. Ball, of Baltimore, who was superintendent of the Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad and resided some years at Portsmouth. She is a direct de- scendant of Caleb and Priscilla Dorsey. of Elk Ridge. Maryland. Two children were born of this union: J. Ridgely, bookkeeper at the Bank of Portsmouth; and Hunter Ball, who is now obtaining his intellectual training. Mr. Porter is a member of the Monumental Meth- odist Episcopal Church, South, and is a mem- ber of the board of trustees of that church.
A RCHIBALD OGG, of the firm of Ogs & Walker, contractors for all kinds of stone work. who is located at Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Vir- ginia, was born in Richmond. Vir- ginia. in 1875. His father, George Ogg, whose death oceurred in 1896, was a carver.
Archibald Ogg was reared and schooled in Richmond, and served a portion of his appren- ticeship under his father, who had learned his trade and art in his native country, Scotland. His partner in business. Mr. Walker. is a na- tive of Aberdeen. Scotland. These gentlemen opened their business in Portsmouth. in 1896, with general offices at Nos. 818-820 Glasgow street. and their maible and monument yard is located at the corner of Chestnut and London streets. They have also another large yard where the stone-cutting is carried on. Since removing to Portsmouth, this firm has handled practically all of the large contracts in stone work in the city and vieinitv. At the present writing. they are constructing two large build- ings, which will be a credit to themselves and to the community,-the Court Street Baptist
Church and the Central Methodist Episcopal Church, South. They employ on an average 25 men the year round, and during the busiest seasons often have from 50 to 75 men. Among the many fine buildings they have erected are the Merchants' & Farmers' Bank at Ports- mouth a fine bank at Suffolk, and several large buildings in Norfolk. They have also built the E. M. Tulley monument, the Samuel Bland momiment at Berkley, and a large monument for Mr. Griffin. This firm has by far the larg- est business of the kind in Norfolk County, and has established a reputation throughout this section of Virginia.
Mr. Ogg married Mary E. Castine of Nor- folk, her parents being residents of Norfolk County. Two children have blessed this un- ion, namely: Isabel and George. Mr. Ogg has a home on the boulevard in Park View. the charming suburb of Portsmouth. In poli- tics, he favors the Democratic party. He be- longs to the Woodmen of the World. He is deply interested in the welfare of Portsmouth. and is one of that city's most prominent citi- zens.
WILLIAM H. STOKES, an old and highly esteemed resident of Ports- mouth, Virginia, is principal of the Portsmouth Academy, a well-pat- ronized institution, which he es- tablished in 1868. He was born in Baltimore. Maryland. in 1845, and is a son of Isaiah and Jane (Morton) Stokes.
Isaiah Stokes was a pattern-maker by trade. and followed that occupation in the Navy Yard until his retirement five years before his death in 1875, at the age of 70 years. He was born in Ireland and served in the Confederate Army during the Intersectional War. He married, in America, Jane Morton, a native of Ireland. William H. Stokes has one sister ; and a brother, Edward S., who joined the Porthmouth National Grays. of which his father was a sergeant, served during the war
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and died October 4, 1864. in Chimborazo Ios- pital at Richmond, about two weeks after be- coming of age.
William H. Stokes was an infant when his parents located in Portsmouth, Virginia, and he first attended public school in the basement of the Court Street Baptist Church. He then attended the Virginia Collegiate Institute, un- der Prof. N. B. Webster, until the outbreak of the Confederate War. At the close of the war be became a bookkeeper in the naval store- keeper's office in the Navy Yord, and served this until the office was abolished, in July, 1867. He then began teaching, having estab- lished the Portsmouth Academy, on County street, between Court and Dinwiddie streets. It began with an attendance of 15 pupils, about 10 of whom were in the primary depart- ment, of which his sister, Miss E. J. Stokes, has had charge since the start. In 1873, the school was removed to Court street, opposite the site of the old St. John's Church, where it. remained for 15 years. In the meantime the attendance had greatly inereased. It was then moved, in 1887, to No. 401 Crawford street, where . it has since been located. A night school was established which convenes three nights a week, its object being to prepare boys for examination in the Navy Yard. This eourse includes bookkeeping, mathematics and penmanship. Many prominent business men received their start in this institution, and a few girls also attend, most of them being in the primary department. The night-school ses- sion continues for eight months, and the day- sekool session, for two months longer. The reeent enrollment is 85 students. There are two large school rooms, and above them is the home of Professor Stokes. He edited the Portsmouth Times from 1880 to 1885. until the failure of Bain & Brother, and at different times sinee has been editor of the Portsmouth Record. At one time. he was associate editor of the Portsmouth Enterprise, with John W. H. Porter.
Mr. Stokes was united in marriage with
Josie E. Clemm of Baltimore, October II, 1877, and five children were born to them, namely : Annie; Josie Clemm; William Reese; Emily Anerson; and Ralph Morton. . Annie married J. Harlan Winslow of Shelby, North Carolina, who is identified with the Seaboard Air Line Railway. They have two daughters. Annie Marie and Madge Stokes. Josic Clemm died at the age of five years, and William Reese died at about the age of two years. Emily Anerson is 15 years old, and lives at home. Ralph Morton, who was born in 1890. also lives at home. In politics, Mr. Stokes is a Democrat, and he has frequently been urged to run for mayor. Socially he is a member of the Knights of Honor. In religious belief. he is a Presbyterian, as was his father. He has been an elder in the First Presbyterian Church at Portsmouth since 1869, and is also superintendent of the Sabbath-school.
R E. CRUMP, secretary and treasurer of the Portsmouth Cotton Manufae- turing Company, was born in Rich- mond, Henrico County, Virginia, in 1859. He has been a resident of Portsmouth for the past 32 years, and is one of that city's most influential citizens.
Mr. Crump. has been associated with the Portsmouth Cotton Manufacturing Company sinee 1898. The board of directors' first meet- ing was held January 2. 1893, to arrange for the ereetion of a eotton factory in Portsmouth. The directors were as follows: W. G. Parker; Franklin D. Gill; T. W. Whisnant; Joseph F. Weaver; Joseph A. Parker; John I .. Thomas; James A. Mulvey: A. J. Phillips; E. W. Owens: John L. Watson: John T. King : S. P. Oast; L. II. Pearson: John IT. Hume: V. G. Culpepper : and Robert Bolilken. Mr. Whisnant was elected president of the con- pany: W. G. Parker, vice-president : James . 1. Mulvey, secretary; and Alexander B. Butt. treasurer. W. G. Parker was made president
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of the company. May 22, 1895, and on July 8, 1896, E. N. Wilcox became secretary, suc- ceeding Mr. Mulvey. July 7. 1898. Mr. Crump was elected secretary to succeed Mr. Wilcox. and on January 9. 1931, he was made secretary and treasurer, at which time the two offices were merged into one. The capital stock of the Portsmouth Cotton Manufacturing Com- pany is very valuable, and the company is pay- ing large dividends.
Mr. Crump is a man of splendid business ability, and he is interested in several of the
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Stephen Bowers was reared in Portsmouth. He served an apprenticeship as a brick-mason leading enterprises of Portsmouth. For the , with William B. Cullens, who is deceased. He past 19 years, he has been associated with the , was with that gentleman from 1843 until Greenleaf-Johnson Lumber Company, acting ; 1848, and then entered into business for him- in the capacity of secretary. He is chairman self. He is now engaged in government con- tracting, and has erected all of the Seaboard Air Line Railway buildings in Portsmouth. of the finance committee of the City Council of Portsmouth, and is considered one of the most progressive business men of that city. Mr. Bowers married Mary Jane Denby. who was born in New Orleans, March 24. 1831. She is a daughter of William B. Denby. an early resident of Portsmouth. Her mother was Jane Veale, a descendant from Crawford Veale, one of the original settlers of Ports- mouth. Mrs. Bowers' uncle, Dr. Dempsey Veale, practiced medicine at Deep Creck for many years. One sister. Adelia D. Denby, is deceased ; she married William Virnelson, and at her death, left two children,-Clifford, who is assistant gunner in the United States Navy. and is now located near Philadelphia; and Mamie, the wfe of Clarence T. Peed, a clerk in the Seaboard Air Line Railway offices, who lives in Portsmouth, and has three children, viz. : Clarence ; Ralph D .; and Adelia A. He is deeply interested in the welfare of Ports- mouth. and always gives his assistance when any worthy movement is undertaken to im- prove the city. Mr. Crump has an elegant home at No. 109 Court street. Mr. Crump was joined in marriage, in 1889, to Eugenia T. Schroeder, a daughter of Charles Schroeder. of Portsmouth. Virginia, who was. prior to the war between the States, in the United States Navy. But at the beginning of that war, he enlisted and rendered valuable service in the Confederate States Navy. Mrs. Schroeder. the mother of Mrs. R. E. Crump. was born in Portsmouth and was descended from one of the early families of Virginia. Mrs. Crump is president of Portsmouth Chapter. United Daughters of the Confederacy.
TEPHEN BOWERS. an extensive brick contractor of Portsmouth. Nor- folk County. Virginia, was born on the Western Branch of the Elizabeth River, Norfolk County. August 22, 1820. He is a son of Jeremiah Bowers, who was born in Norfolk County. His grandia- ther was also a Virginian.
Jeremiah Bowers was a wheelwright and blacksmith by trade, and worked for many years in Norfolk. He also farmed somewhat in the county. He married Mahala NicPher- son, who was born in Perquimans County, North Carolina. She removed with her par- ents to Portsmouth, where she was married and where she died in 1855. She left three sons,-Samuel and Thomas, who are deceased ; and Stephen, the subject of this sketch.
Mr. and Mrs. Bowers have had eight chil- dren, two of whom are deceased. Their names are: Alice Dale, deceased; Sallie, the wife of James C. Curlin ; Will D .: Blanche : Josephine : Delia, deceased : May, the wife of Paul Whitehurst; and Eva, the wife of Ed- ward M. Dashiell.
Mr. Bowers and his son, Will D., are now erecting two large magazine buildings at the United States Arsenal in Norfolk County. ; They have done much work for the govern-
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ment and the Seaboard Air Line Railway. They also erected the Chamberlin Hotel at Old Point, the Post Office at Norfolk, and many other large and important structures in the city and vicinity. Will D. Bowers has also done a large amount of work in New York City. This firm is one of the best known of the kind in Virginia, and their workmanship is of the highest order. They have done much to as- sist in the general progress of Norfolk Coun- ty, and stand among the foremost business men of Portsmouth.
R S. WILSON, master machinist. out- side. in the United States Navy Yard at Portsmouth, Norfolk Coun- ty, Virginia, was born in that city in 1862. He is a son of James R. Wil- son, who was connected with the Navy Yard for many years.
James R. Wilson was born in Maryland. on Chesapeake Bay. He was a ship-joiner in the Navy Yard for many years, and died in 1892. Besides R. S., another son, James H .. lives in Portsmouth. James R. Wilson's fam- ily were all natives of Baltimore, Maryland.
R. S. Wilson attended the public schools of Portsmouth. and also Prof. N. B. Web- ster's school in Norfolk. Since entering upon his business career, he has continued his studies both by correspondence and in schools. in the summer of 1878, at the age of 16 years, he en- tered the Navy Yard as an apprentice. In 1899, he was given his present position. that of master machinist on the outside. He has charge of all repair work on all machinery afloat. and placed the machinery in the "Ra- leigh." He was connected with the work on the "Texas" and many others among the prin- cipal vessels of the navy. Mr. Wilson is what may be termed a self-made man. He has al- ways sought to improve his mind and gain additional knowledge of his profession, and he . is possessed or more than ordinary ability.
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Mr. Wilson married Alice E. Wilson, a daughter of Willis Wilson, who was a Con- federate soldier. He was a member of Grimes' Battery, Artillery, and died soon after the war closed. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have four daughters and two sons, namely: Herbert I .. , who is learning draughting in the engineer- ing department in the Navy Yard; Georgia Elizabeth, who attends school in Portsmouth ; Mary Maupin and Dora, also at school; Hazel; and Robert.
Politically, Mr. Wilson is a Republican. Socially, he is a member of the Ocean Council, No. 1.063. Royal Arcanum; and National Union. He also belongs to the B. P. O. E. ; Atlantic Lodge, No. 24. Knights of Pythias; and the Independent Fire Company. The Wil- son family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
TYSANDER HENRY KINGMAN, deceased, for many years a well- known resident of Norfolk County, Virginia, was born in Amherst. Mas- sachusetts, in 1803. He came to Norfolk County. Virginia, when a young man and engaged in teaching school.
Mr. Kingman was united in marriage with Elizabeth Carney, who died in 1837. His sec- ond marriage was contracted with Mrs. Tay- lor. nce Grimes. He was again married. wed- ding Mrs. Wilder, who died in 1863. In 1865 he married Mrs. Joseph M. Wise, who was born in Elizabeth City. North Carolina, November 19, 1824. and is a daughter of Dr. John M. Krozer. Dr. Krozer was a graduate of the Imperial College of Vienna : upon com- ing to the United States he located at Phila- delphia. Pennsylvania, where he married Fran- ces Mayer, a native of Germany. Their chil- dren were: Dr. John J. R. : and Mrs. King- man. Mrs. Kingman was first married in 1839, to Andrew J. Wise, who died in 1862. at the age of 44 years.
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Mr. Kingman was a teacher. lawyer and farmer, and stood high among his fellow men. He served as a justice of Norfolk County be- fore and during the Confederate War. He was a Baptist in his religious attachment, while in political belief he was a strong Whig. At the time of his death he was residing on the farm of 120 acres, which is now owned by his widow, and is under the management of Henry Duke. Mrs. Kingman is one of the grand old ladies, for which the South is noted. Especially is she kind to the young, and al- though she has never had any children of her own, she has reared many homeless ones:
A portrait of Lysander Henry Kingman accompanies this mention.
URDON K. BAKER, deceased, who came of a prominent old family of Virginia, was engaged in pile driv- ing, dredging and wharf building, his residence being at the corner of
Main and Virginia streets. in Berkley. He was born in Norfolk County, Virginia. Feb- ruary 5, 1850, and was a son of Capt. Joseph and Rachel (Moody) Baker, and grandson of Barnabas Baker, who was a sea-captain.
ยท Joseph Baker was born in West Dennis, Massachusetts, and received his mental train- ing in that State, his mother and sister, Nabby Taylor, being school teachers. He was mas- ter of a vessel when fourteen years old, and took a vessel filled with corn to Ireland, during the famine there in 1846. In that year. he and his brother Barnabas came south and lo- cated first at Portsmouth, where they remained until the winter of 1856-57. when they moved to Berkley, Virginia. They were the first wreckers in the bay and became the most extensive operators in that line in the United States. They were the most daring as well as the most successful, wreckers of their day, and were always on hand, day or night, when informned. of trouble. They sent a steamer
named the B. & J. Baker on a wrecking expedi- tion to Africa, but this did not result success- fully. At another time they went to Cape Horn for a similar purpose. They raised the "Merrimac" for the Confederates. They also raised the "Germantown," which was sunk in 1861. They worked on the government man- of-war which was lost off the coast of North Carolina, and assisted in carrying down crews, some of which were lost. In 1877, while sav- ing a Norwegian bark, loaded with barrels of petroleum, Barnabas Baker fell into the hold, and liis death resulted an hour later, at the age of 72 years. He was a brave and daring man, and performed many heroic services dur- ing his life. At one time when their vessel was in a storm, he lashed those on board up in the rigging and then proceeded to fasten him- self likewise. The vessel sank to such a depth that only the mast was above water. They . were rescued by a friendly vessel, and only two of the number died. their deaths resulting from the extreme cold. The company owned one of the first steamers of the harbor of Norfolk, the "Bladen," and also were possessed of steamers and sailing vessels of all kinds. In 1861, they sent down a tug called "Young America," after a vessel in distress, which had on board a cargo of sugar and molasses. The tug went to Hampton Roads, and was taken by the Federals and confiscated, although she was going on a peaceful mission, before Nor- folk Harbor was blockaded. After the death of Barnabas Baker, Capt. Joseph Baker as- sumed charge of the business and carried it on for a number of years, when the Baker Sal- vage Company was formed in Norfolk and Berkley. He continued with the company un- til it sold out, when he undertook dredging and wharf building, which he followed until his death. He was born October 23. 1813. and died March 6, 1893. In 1835, he was united in marriage with Rachel Moody, who was born June 30, 1813. and died January I, 1874. Both were devout members of the Pres- byterian Church. Seven children blessed their
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union, of whom three died before coming to Virginia, namely: Albert A. and Lydia, who died the same week, of scarlet fever; and Thankful, who died in 1846, aged one year. Those who grew to maturity were,-Joseph A., a record of whose life appears clsewhere in this work; Mercy B., wife of Capt. J. J. Cole, who was identified with the wrecking business; Gurdon K .. whose name heads this sketch ; and Ann L .. wife of William H. Kirby.
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