History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 106

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COL. FORREST WASHINGTON BROWN has won distinguished vantage-plaee as one of the able and representative mem- bers of the bar of West Virginia, and has long controlled

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a large and important law business, with residence and professional headquarters at Charles Town, the historic judicial center of Jefferson County. He is a scion of one of the old and honored families of this section of the state and was born at Harewood, Jefferson County, on the 15th of October, 1855, a son of Thomas Augustus and Anne Steptoe Clemson (Washington) Brown, whose mar- riage was solemnized in St. Mark's Church, Protestant Episcopal, in the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the 17th of October, 1854, the nuptial ceremony baving been performed by Rev. John B. Clemson, rector of the church and an uncle of the bride.

Thomas Augustus Brown was born at Charles Town, Jefferson County, December 20, 1822. His father, William Brown, was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, a son of William Brown, Sr., whose wife, Margaret, was a daughter of Captain Templeman, of Whitehaven, Eng- land, a master mariner who commanded a vessel in the British merchant marine service. The first American rep- resentatives of this Brown family was Edwin or Edward Brown, who came from England and settled at Jamestown in Virginia in the early Colonial era of our national his- tory. His father, William Brown, was a charter member of the Virginia Colony, and although it is not known that he ever came to this county, it is known that his son, above mentioned, did represent the family here. William Brown, Sr., great-grandfather of Colonel Brown of this review, had two sons, William and Thomas, and the latter served as an aide-de-camp on the staff of General Hunger- ford in the War of 1812. He later removed to Florida and became the second governor of that state, besides which he was a distinguished figure in the Masonic frater- nity and an author of good repute.

In 1799 William Brown, grandfather of Col. Forrest W. Brown, removed from Alexandria, Virginia, to Charles Town, Jefferson County, where he became a leading business man and influential citizen, he having served several years as cashier of the historic old Bank of Charles Town. He died at this place in 1857. The maiden name of his second wife was Elizabeth Forrest, a daughter of Zachariah For- rest and supposedly a descendant of Thomas Forrest, who came to America with Captain John Smith, of historic fame.

Thomas A. Brown continued his residence in Jefferson Connty until 1857, when he removed with his family to Missouri and established his residence at Darkesville, Ran- dolph County. He there served as postmaster and also became a representative farmer of the county. That sec- tion was one marked by much disturbance by contending factions in the period of the war between the States, and in 1864 he removed with his family to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he remained two years. He then returned to Jefferson County, West Virginia, and resumed his active association with farm industry, he having been one of the venerable and revered citizens of this county at the time of his death, May 20, 1909. His wife, who likewise died in this county, was a daughter of Dr. Samuel Walter Washington and Louisa (Clemson) Washington, and was a lineal descendant of Col. Samuel Washington, a brother of Gen. George Washington. Col. Samuel Wash- ington was one of the pioneer settlers in what is now Jefferson County, West Virginia, and here he built the fine old mansion on his estate, known as "Harewood,"' a valuable property still retained in the possession of his descendants. It was at this stately old home that the marriage of President and Dolly Madison was solemnized.

Col. Forrest W. Brown received his early education in private schools in Missouri, Philadelphia and Charles Town, and in the last mentioned place he attended also the Charles Town Academy. Thereafter he read law in the office of White & Trapnell, and at the age of twenty-one years he was admitted to the bar of his native state. He has since been continuously engaged in the practice of his profession at Charles Town, and his law business extends into the various courts of the state, including the Supreme Court and the Federal courts. He is retained as counsel for a large number of important corporations, and he has long held high reputation as a resourceful trial lawyer

and well fortified counsellor. On the democratic ticket Colonel Brown was first elected prosecuting attorney of Jefferson County in 1885, and by successive re-elections he continued the incumbent of this office sixteen consecutive years-a record with few precedents in West Virginia During this period he had the record of never having ar indictment drawn by him in any case quashed by his court He has his military title through service as colonel or the staff of Governor William A. McCorkle. The Colone is a broad-gauged, loyal and progressive citizen, bas long been a leader in the local councils of the democratic party and he and his wife are communicants of Zion Church of the Protestant Episcopal parish of St. Andrew's. He is affiliated with Malta Lodge No. 80, A. F. and A. M. and is an influential member of the West Virginia Ba: Association, of which he served as president in 1895-6.

On the 15th of June, 1885, was solemnized the mai riage of Colonel Brown and Miss Emma Beverly Tucker a daughter of Dr. David and Elizabeth (Dallas) Tucker and of distinguished ancestry on both the paternal and maternal sides. Colonel and Mrs. Brown have one son Forrest A., who is associated with his father in the practice of law. Forrest A. Brown wedded Miss Lillian G. Har rison, who was born at Martinsburg, this state, a daughter of Peyton and Lillian (Gorham) Harrison, of whom men tion is made on other pages. The three children of thi union are Forrest Harrison, Forrest Washington II, am Peyton Randolph.

ALEXANDER C. LAWRENCE has had his home at Charles ton for the past thirty years, but his interests and activities. as an old operator connect him vitally with one of the big gest industries of the state. He is familiar figure ir nearly all of the important oil fields. He is a man inured by almost life long experience to work, both mental and physical, has carned his own way, and has commanded the respect of all good men by his earnestness as well a by his attainments.

Mr. Lawrence was born in Kanawha County, April 8 1875. He comes of one of the very substantial familien of this section of the state. The Lawrences in the dif ferent generations have been strong, sturdy, healthy, ar outdoor race of people, long-lived, and seldom any seriou! illness has appeared to afflict individuals of the name The first American branch of the Lawrence family settled in old Virginia about 1650. The grandfather of Alexander C. Lawrence, the late John Marshall Lawrence, was a pioneer settler in Kanawha County in the early forties locating at Fields Creek. He had a large farm or planta tion, and though a Virginian and reared in the traditiona Southern atmosphere he was an ardent Union man, strongly opposed to secession, and when the war came on advocated his convictions so vigorously that he influenced his fou: sons, James R., William, Ward M. and John W. Lawrence the latter then a youth of seventeen, to enter the Union Army, where they made their services effective for the flag of the Union until the close of hostilities. By inter marriage and otherwise the Lawrences are related to the Thompson and Townsend families, also of old Virginia stock and pioneers of Kanawha County. John W. Lawrence and his wife, America (Da Jernett) Lawrence, parent: of Alexander C., still live in Charleston.

Alexander C. Lawrence was born near Malden in Kan awla County, not far from his grandfather's old place at Fields Creek. While he came of a good family, hi: people being substantially represented among the tax payers of Kanawha County his independence and sell reliance caused him early to do for himself. He acquired some good school advantages. The first work he did fo: his self support was at the age of nine as a furnace boy in the coal mines, later did farming, and a number of years ago was elected and served as circuit clerk of Kan awha County. For seven years he was a popular landlord conducting several of the leading hotels in Charleston including the Hotel Kanawha, which he and E. W. Stauntor erected and opened April 11, 1904.

Since about 1914 Mr. Lawrence has engaged his energie: and time in business as an oil operator and producer il

a .. Taurina

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tł West Virginia fields. His success has been note- wthy in this industry, and his name stands in the front rak of prominent operators. llis oil interests are mostly inLincoln, Boone, Kanawha, Clay and Braxton counties. B ia active manager of the Lawrence Oil & Gas Com- my, Ring Oil Company, Little Oil Company and the Oil V.e Gasoline Company. Successful in business, he is tkroughly public spirited in his relationship to all mattera ou progress in Charleston.

Ir. Lawrence married Miss Ida Mae Phoff, now deceased, to this union was born a daughter, Marble Faun Byrence. In 1913 Mr. Lawrence married Miss Nellie Vrtin.

Ir. Lawrence is a member of the First Presbyterian harch of Charleston, and is especially active in church x' religious work. He is superintendent of the Union Mision, of which a more extended account is given else. we're in this work, and he is also one of the leadin a ubers of the Billy Sunday Men's Club of Charleston. 1 fraternal and social organizations he is a member of Fnawha Commandery, Knights Templar, a member of Charleston Lodge of Elks, and of the Kanawha Coun- Club.

ROBERT C. RISSLER, editor and publisher of the Farmers Avocate at Charles Town, judicial center of Jefferson Cinty, was born and reared in this county, as was also h father, Samuel L. Rissler, the date of whose nativity M: September 30, 1830. The latter's father, George L. Bsler, was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Janu- . 17, 1787, a son of Thomas Rissler, who settled near Vnchester, Virginia, in 1794. Thomas Rissler there owned a] operated a grist mill, and he passed the closing years of h' life near Terre Haute, Indiana. George L. Rissler krned the miller's trade under the direction of his father, al later operated mills in Frederick and Jefferson coun- ts, Virginia. In 1828 he purchased a farm near Kable- t.n, in the latter county, and here he continued his opera- tns as an agriculturist, partially with slave labor, until t. time of the Civil war, his death having here occurred (toher 6, 1865, and he thus having witnessed the creation e the new state of West Virginia. In 1817 George Rissler r rried Mary Roland, who was born April 14, 1789, of VIsh lineage, and whose death oeeurred October 14, 1848. e names of the children of this union are here recorded : .hn Gordon William, Mary Catherine, Thomas Gabriel, Jbecea E., George Lewis and Samuel L.

Samuel L. Rissler was reared on the old home farm in .fferson County, and to the land which he inherited here I added by purchase and became one of the most sub- untial farmers of Charles Town District. When the (vil war eame he was loyal to the state and institutions Ider the influence of which he had been reared, and as i soldier of the Confederacy he became a member of the unmand known as Botts Greys, in the Second Virginia fantry. At the battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 62, he was wounded, and after recuperating he was ansferred to the ambulance corps. In the fall of 1864 was captured, and thereafter he was held a prisoner war until the close of the great conflict between the ates of the North and the South. He resumed his farm- g operations and did well his part in retrieving the pros- ate industries of the South, he having been one of the nerable and honored citizens of Jefferson County at the ne of his death, September 5, 1905. He married Sarah huston, who was born at Kabletown, this county, in ugust, 1832, a daughter of David Johnston, a native of aryland, his father having been born in Ireland, ef coteh ancestry. The maiden name of the wife of David ohnston was Joanna McHenry. The death of Mrs. Rissler curred April 2, 1920, she having become the mother of n children: Margaret (Mrs. S. Lee Phillips), Samuel L., illiam B., George David (deceased), Charles, Robert C., nnie M. (Mrs. Charles H. Phillips), Frances (deceased), 'arren H. and Donna G.

Robert C. Rissler gained in the rural schools his pre- minary education, which was supplemented by his attend- g Charles Town Academy and also by instruction by a rivate tutor. At the age of nineteen years he became a

tencher in the Kabletown school, and later he taught at Pleasant Green, Missouri. After his return to his native county he was a popular teacher in the schools of Charles Town, and he continued his service in the pedagogie pro- fession until 1899, when he became a member of the edi- torial staff of the Evening Press at York, Pennsylvania. He there remained two and one-half years, and in Sep- tember, 1901, he purchased the plant and business of the Farmers Advocate, a weekly paper, at Charles Town, of which he has since continued the editor and publisher and which he has made an effective exponent of local interests and of the principles of the democratic party.

In 1903 Mr. Rissler married Miss Alice M. Kable, who was born in Macoupin County, Illinois, a daughter of Benjamin F. and Anna (Freeman) Kable, the former de- ceased and the latter still a resident of that county. Mr. Kable served as a Union soldier in the Civil war, in which he was a member of the Seventieth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry. Ile was with Sherman in the Atlanta campaign and the subsequent march to the sea, and served also with the command of General Thomas in Tennessee, where he was wounded at the battle of Franklin. He continued in service until the close of the war, and thereafter re. fused to accept a pension from the Government. Mr. and Mrs. Rissler have four children, Howard F., Anna Katherine, Mary Johnston and Margaret.

COL. ROGER PRESTON CHEW, who was one of the honored and representative citizens of Charles Town. Jefferson County, at the time of his death, gave distinguished service as a soldier and officer of the Confederacy in the war be- tween the states, and the same fine spirit of loyalty and high personal stewardship characterized all other phases of his life record.

Colonel Chew was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, April 9, 1843, a son of Roger Chew, who was born July 13. 1797, and who was a son of John Chew, born March 31, 1749. The most authentic data concerning the family is to the effeet that its American founder was John Chew, who, with three servants, came from England and settled at Jamestown, Virginia, in the early part of the second decade of the seventeenth century, he having become a man of prominence and influence in that historie colony. JJohn Chew, grandfather of the subject of this memoir, removed from Alexandria, Virginia, to Loudenn County, that state, where he became a prosperous farmer and where his death occurred May 22, 1838. The maiden name of his wife was Margaret Reed, and their children were fourteen in number. Their son Roger removed to Jefferson County, and here became a substantial exponent of farm industry, besides which he served as magistrate and as a member of the County Court. His death occurred in 1964. Roger Chew married Sarah West Aldridge, daughter of John and Harriet (West) Aldridge, of Loudoun County, and they reared six children: John Aldridge, eldest of the children, served under Colonel Moseby as a Confederate soldier in the war between the states; Roger P., of this memoir, was the second son; and the names of the other children were Robert, Aldridge, Harriet Virginia, and Mary Belle (wife of William O. Nerris, mentioned individually on other pages of this volume).

Col. Roger P. Chew was afforded the advantages of Charles Town Academy and also those of the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, where he completed his course of study in 1861. the discipline which he there re- ceived having proved of great benefit in his subsequent military career. He was forthwith appointed a drill master in preparing troops for the Confederate service, and wns given the rank of lieutenant. In September, 1861, in as- sociation with William Rouss, he raised n company for active service and was chosen its captain. This company became a part of Turner Ashby's brigade, and thus con- tinued until the death of Ashby, the commander, on the 6th of June, 1862. Thereafter it was attached to Gen- eral Stuart's battalion of horse artillery. In 1864 Captain Chew succeeded Major H. C. Beckham aa commander of the horse artillery, with the rank of major, and in the same year was effected a reerganization of the battalion,

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and he was assigned to the command of General Hampton, with which he served until the close of the war, his rank being that of lieutenant colonel. In 1888 Gen. Wade Hamp- ton wrote as follows concerning Colonel Chew: "I always regarded him as the best commander of the horse artillery, though that gallant body of men had been under the command of able and efficient officers." In a letter writ- ten by General Jackson to General Lee, in February, 1863, appears the following estimate of Colonel Chew, who was then a captain: "He has seen comparatively much artil- lery service in the Valley and is a remarkably fine artillery officer, and I recommend that he be promoted and as- signed."

After the close of the war Colonel Chew returned to the home farm in Jefferson County. In 1883 he was elected representative in the State Legislature, to which he was returned by re-election in 1885, 1887 and 1889. Later he engaged in the real estate business at Charles Town, in company with his brother-in-law, William O. Norris, and with this line of enterprise he continued his active con- nection until the close of his life.

At Blakeley, this state, was solemnized the marriage of Colonel Chew and Miss Louisa Fontaine Washington, daughter of John Augustin and Eleanor (Selden) Wash- ington, of whom specific record is given in the Willis sketch on other pages of this work. Mrs. Chew survives her honored husband and continues her residence at Charles Town. Colonel and Mrs. Chew became the parents of six children: Christine Washington, Roger, John Angustin, Virginia, Wilson Selden and Margaret Preston.

BEN H. HINER was born near the Virginia state line March 12, 1867. He attended the public schools of his home county, but with many interruptions. He began teaching in the same when seventeen years of age, and by saving the money that he acquired in this way entered the University of Virginia at Charlottesville in October, 1890, where he took the law course under the instruction of the great teacher, John B. Minor, completing the course in June, 1892. He located at Franklin, and was nominated and. elected prosecuting attorney of Pendleton County be- fore he had tried a case, and was re-elected for a second term without opposition. At the end of his second term he entered upon the general practice of the law, in which, along with farming and stock raising, he has been engaged ever since.

He descended from John Hiner, the pioneer, who located in Pendleton County in the year 1775, through the lines of Harmon, Benjamin and Harmon. His grandmother, Mary Seybert, was a direct descendant of Capt. Jacob Seybert, who, with sixteen other occupants of Fort Seybert, near the post office of the same name, was massacred by the Indian Chief Killbuck and his band in the last Indian raid of any note made into the county.

Harmon Hiner married Louisa Harrison, a native of Surry County, Virginia, and a daughter of Thomas C. Harrison, of the old Virginia family of that name, who, with his family, moved to Buckhannon, now in West Vir- ginia, and was on the first train to cross the bridge over the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry after the John Brown raid. To this union were born five children, all of whom are living, and of whom Ben. H. is the eldest. His father, Harmon Hiner, was born, reared, spent most of his life and died on the same farm in the southern part of the county. On the 8th day of May, 1861, he answered the call of the South through a summons to join his company, the Franklin Guards, at Franklin, which was to march across the Alleghanies to join General Porterfield at Graf- ton, and within a stone's throw of the same place he, forty-seven years later, answered the great summons and passed over the river, his wife having preceded him by two years.

On August 14, 1894, Ben H. Hiner married Miss Maude McClung, of Franklin, who was born November 12, 1870, and is the youngest of five children of David G. McClung, a merchant, banker and lawyer, and his wife, Sarah A., a daughter of Tyree Maupin, a distinguished leader and writer of the whig party in old Virginia. To this union

were born two children, Ralph McClung and Helen Har son. The latter is in her senior year in the Franklin Hi School. The former was educated at Randolph-Macon C lege and the University of West Virginia, and is m practicing law at Moorefield, West Virginia. He attain his majority on Christmas Day, 1917, while a student the first year law class at the university. Within a mor from that time he resigned from the university, volunteer. in the service of the United States, was assigned to t aviation service and sent to training camp, but the w ended before he got any practical training. He return to the State University, from which he was graduated the class of 1921.

Mr. Hiner has been a member of the Methodist Episcop Church, South, from boyhood, and an official in the sai for thirty years. In politics he is a democrat, thou classed as a conservative, always putting Americani, above partisanship, and as a result in the different ca paigns in which he was his party's standard bearer h always run ahead of the party vote. He has taken a mc or less active part in politics merely for the love of and the desire to advance those principles in which believes; he has given freely of his time in organizati and discussing those tenets of his party that lie deem for the country's good; has occupied various positic in the organization of the county, district and state; a in 1912 presided as permanent chairman over the Sta Convention in Huntington, which was the last nominati convention and probably one of the largest and most re resentative ones ever held in the state. He was thrice t nominee of the party for Congress, in 1908 and 1918 fre the Second District, and in 1912 from the state at lar In 1908 he reduced the majority of Judge Sturgiss more than 1,500 votes; in 1918 he went down with t; tidal wave; in 1912 he did not seek the nomination, b. it came to him under very flattering circumstances a at a time when it looked like it was equivalent to electic but as the campaign advanced the supporters of both Ta and Roosevelt lined up behind the republican state tich and it was all elected, though Mr. Wilson received ma more votes for President than either Taft or Rooseve In accepting this nomination he resigned the nominati for the House of Delegates from his home county; tl was with reluctance because his father, grandfather a great-grandfather had all been members of the old Virgin Legislature and he was desirous of following in the sai line.

During the war he gave practically all of his time its activities, and the different campaigns with which was connected made it necessary to neglect all of ] private affairs. He was appointed by Governor Cornw as chairman of the Council of Defense and a member the Legal Advisory Board for his county. Of all t Liberty Loan and War Savings Stamps campaigns and t philanthropic drives he was the chairman. Before the w not a single Government security was owned within t county and the majority of the people knew but lit of such investments, nor had they been accustomed supporting the various causes the times made necessal but by systematic work and thorough organization t county's contributions were brought up to the quota each campaign and drive. Mr. Hiner has not identifi himself with any fraternities or societies. He is a memh and official of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

HARRY STUART IRONS. The record of achievement whi Mr. Irons had made in his profession marks him as one the representative members of the bar of Cabell Count where he is engaged in active general practice in the City Huntington. He was born at Monitor, Monroe County, fl state, September 18, 1886, a son of William Young Irol and a grandson of John Irons, who was born in that coun in the year 1813, when this section of the old mother sta of Virginia was still on the frontier. John Irons pass his entire life in Monroe County, was a successful farm and was a venerable and honored citizen of Wolfcreek, th county, at the time of his death, in 1900. His wife, w was Suzanna Young, likewise passed her entire life

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 106

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