History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 147

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his family in 1892 and established his home in the 1 end of the village a district now in the center of progressive city which has here been developed in the tervening period. His father, Colonel Brown, was a p perous planter and slave-owner in Virginia prior to Civil war, in which he served as a gallant officer of Confederate Army. Like many other representative ( zens of the South, Colonel Brown met with heavy finan reverses as a result of the war between the states of North and the South. Mrs. Mary Elizabeth (Cash) Br passed to the life eternal in December, 1918, at the age sixty-nine years, and she is survived by two sons, of wh the subject of this review is the younger. The elder f William, resides at Bluefield and is assistant weighmas in the service of the Norfolk & Western Railroad Compa

James E. Brown was three years old at the time family home was established at Bluefield, and here hs ceived the advantages of the public schools. As a lad twelve years he suffered a serious illness, and during period of convalescence, mainly as a pastime, he devo: himself to the study of music, one of his early teach having been Miss Gertrude Walls, who gave him instr tion in piano work. At fifteen years of age he was o ciating as a church organist, and he has been a ch director since he was twenty years of age. At the prese time he is the leader of the excellent choir of the Bla Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

At the age of seventeen years Mr. Brown went wi Blinn Owen to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he : mained three years, and continued the intensive study music under the effective direction of Mr. Owen, besid which he became assistant to Mr. Owen in the teaching younger music students. His love for and appreciati of musical art have caused him to continue his study dt ing the intervening years, and he is a pianist of exce tional ability, besides having marked technical skill in t handling of the modern pipe organ and being proficient thorough base and harmony. Mr. Brown has given instru tion to hundreds of music students, and is one of the lea ing teachers of music at Bluefield, with studio in the cla room of the Bland Street Methodist Church, in whi church he has been the choir leader since 1909. He is leader in musical circles in this section of the state ar has been instrumental in securing to Bluefield the appea ance of many celebrated artists, besides having been or of the most prominent figures in the Bluefield Music: Festival Society. He has trained the local chorus for man of the fine entertainments given under the auspices of th organization, and his admirable musical taste and discrin ination have been shown in the special programs he ha prepared for Easter, Christmas and other observances i the church in which he is choir leader. While residing a Greensboro, North Carolina, he served as organist of th Methodist Protestant Church in that city. He is secretar and publicity manager of the Bluefield Music Teacher Association, and was chairman of the Music Committe in connection with the "Billy" Sunday evangelistic cam paign at Bluefield, since which he has continued to super vise the musical affairs of the Billy Sunday Club of thi city. As a musician he has assisted in local entertain ments given by the Elks and the American Legion, and i also vice president of the Foland Printing Company 0 Bluefield. Mr. Brown is a past master of the local Lodg of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, past high priest o the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and an active membe of the Bluefield Commandery of Knights Templars.

In 1914 Mr. Brown wedded Miss Mary Shelton Stephen! who prior to her marriage had been a popular teacher i the public schools of Bluefield. Mrs. Brown was born i Virginia and is a daughter of Rev. H. I. Stephens, wh is a member of the Baltimore, Maryland, conference of th Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. and Mrs. Brow. have two children: Mary Virginia and James Elmer, Ji

HARRY CHARLTON is vice president and general manage of the Amicon Fruit Company, which has its headquarter in the City of Bluefield, Mercer County, and which main tains branch establishments at various places in the cos

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st:ts of this part of the state. John Amicon, presi- mof the company, is a resident of Columbus, Ohio, as 00 H. N. Smith, the secretary. It is interesting to «1 that John Amicon began his business career by al's fruit from a cart on the streets of Columbus, Ohio, achat he has become one of the most successful repre- mtives of the fruit business beth in Ohio and West unia. The Amicon Fruit Company at Bluefield was lished in May, 1906, and here the company is now ering to erect for its use a modern six-story building :luefield Avenue, to connect with the present large ap The storage capacity of the plant at the present mis 150 cars of fruit and provisions, and when the new ding is completed the capacity will be amplified to 500 urloads. The most modern sanitary provisions mark e lant, and here are handled all kinds of fruit and pro- Bis, the wholesale and retail business of the company d- of large volume and marked prosperity. The con- r has been influential in furthering the success of fruit- rcers in this section of the state, and from the Bluefield se quarters the trade of the company has been extended ve a radius of 100 miles from this distributing point, Ht seven representatives constantly on the road in the tests of the house. As general manager of this im- ount enterprise Mr. Charlton is essentially one of the presentative business men of Bluefield.

r. Charlton was born at Pearisburg, Virginia, January 11874, and is a son of E. W. and Newtonia (Hale) hilton, the former of whom died in 1917, at the age of maty-two years, and the latter of whom resides at Bluff i, near Pearisburg, she being sixty-two years of age, 921. The father was a gallant soldier of the Con- racy in the Civil war, took part in many engagements, ding that of Appomattox, and was once wounded. (was for many years a prosperous merchant at Pearis- :, and thereafter was engaged in farm enterprise near place. He served as deputy sheriff of his county and for a number of years postmaster at Pearisburg. er the close of the Civil war he became one of the first e men in his district to vote the republican ticket. was a representative of one of the old and honored ilies of that section of Virginia. He served as super- odent of the Sunday school of the Methodist Episcopal reb. South, and his widow likewise is an earnest mem- of this church. They became the parents of six sons three daughters, and of the eight now living the sub- of this sketch is the eldest.

larry Charlton received his youthful education in the ols of his native town, and as a lad of ten years he an to assist in his father's store. He finally became owner of a store of his own at Pearisbnrg, and in this nection he early began to specialize in the buying of visions from local producers. He gradually developed prosperous business in selling provisions through the districts of Virginia and West Virginia, and the direct come of his activities in this line was the establishing the progressive company of which he is now vice presi- t and general manager. He is an authority in the it trade and has proved himself a resourceful business of much initiative and executive ability. He is a nber of the Bluefield Chamber of Commerce, the local ntry Club, the United Commercial Travelers and the ependent Order of Odd Fellows. He and his wife are lous members of the Presbyterian Church in their home

n 1897 Mr. Charlton married Miss Lelia Woolwine, ghter of J. P. Woolwine, of Pearisburg, Virginia, and two children of this union are Harry, Jr., and Russelle. Ty, Jr., was a member of the Officers Training Corps the University of West Virginia in the closing period the World war, and he is now (1921) a student in the ical department of that institution. Russelle is the of Douglas E. Leckie, of Bluefield.

IENRY A. LILLY has proved himself one of the most gressive and resourceful business men of the City of efield, Mercer County, where he has been prominently tified with mercantile enterprise aince August, 1895.

Mr. Lilly was born in the village of Dunos, this county, on the 14th of April, 1877, and is a son of John S. and Elizabeth (Meador) Lilly, who atill maintain their home at Dunns, the former being sixty-nine and the latter sev- enty years of age (1921). John S. Dunn is a son of Wash- ington and Mary Polly Lilly, the former of whom was born October 31, 1815, and died October 10, 1895, the latter having been born March 10, 1815, and her death having occurred July 22, 1892. Washington Lilly came to Mercer County from Fairfax, Virginia, in 184], and established his residence on the site of the present village of Dunna, where he built the first mill and was one of the founders of the Baptist Church in that community. He was led to establish his home here largely by reason of the excellent game-hunting attractions of the locality, he having had special delight in hunting expeditions. He and Russell French were the first men to cast republican votes at Dunns, and he was one of the sterling and hon- ored citizens of the county until the close of his long and useful life. He reared a fine family of ten children, and it is worthy of special record that in the immediate family circle there was not a death until the youngest of the chil- dren was fifty-four years of age. Joseph, a brother of Washington Lilly, likewise settled at Dunns in the year 1841, and the family name has been one of prominence in connection with civic and material progress in Mercer County. Washington Lilly represented this county aa a valiant soldier of the Union in the Civil war. The wife of John S. Lilly was born and reared in Mercer County and was a daughter of Josiah and Elizabeth Meador.

John S. Lilly was not only identified with farm enter- prise but was also a prosperous merchant at Dunns for many years. There also he operated a grist mill, and at the same time did more or less work as a cabinetmaker until 1890, he having manufactured coffins and caskets of the best workmanship and his services in this line having been enlisted throughout a wide radius of country in this section of the state. He is a staunch republican and he and his wife hold membership in the Baptist Church. They became the parents of seven sons, of whom the eldest, Wilbur J., is associated with his brother Henry A., of this sketch, as a partner in the Royal Grocery Company at Bluefield, he being individually mentioned on other pages of this work; Dr. Donzie Lilly, the next younger son, is engaged in the practice of dentistry at Athens, Mercer County; Hobart M. is in the railway mail service, with residence at Charleston, West Virginia; Carl, who was born in 1882, died in 1903, at Bluefield; Vernon, born in 1884, died in 1919; and a son was born in 1898 and died in 1901.

Henry A. Lilly gained his youthful education in the public schools of his native village and the State Normal School at Athens. After two years of successful service as a teacher in the schools of his home county he was for four years engaged in the mercantile business at Dunns. He then took a place as delivery boy for the Bluefield Mercantile Company, in which he was advanced in turn to salesman and manager, he having continued in the em- ploy of this company ten years. He then effected the organization of the firm of H. A. Lilly & Company, which now conducts two well equipped department storea at Blue- field and a branch store at Dunns, the concern being one of the foremost in the retail mercantile business at the county seat. Aa before noted, Mr. Lilly is likewise asso- ciated with his brother Wilbur J. in the Royal Grocery Company, of Bluefield, and he is also president of the Home Insurance Agency at this time.

Mr. Lilly was president of the Mutual Loan & Savings Company of Bluefield at the time when its business was merged into the Bluefield National Bank, of which he served for some time as vice president and of which he still continues a director. He became president of the Summit Shoe Company and retained this office until 1917. In 1915 he served as president of the Bluefield Board of Education, and he is now serving as a member of the Municipal Board of Directors of Bluefield under the new system of city government, he having received in the last election the largest number of votes cast for any candi-

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date for municipal office in this city. He was tendered nomination for the office of mayor, but refused the honor, as he felt that his varied business interests would not per- mit his giving the requisite time to such official service. He is a member of the directorate of the Chamber of Com- merce, is a loyal member of the Rotary Club, and he is affiliated with the local Blue Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic fraternity. He and his wife are zealous mem- bers of Calvary Baptist Church, in which he is a deacon and also served as superintendent of the Sunday School for ten years. In connection with the establishing of the Baptist College at Bluefield Mr. Lilly is serving as a mem- her of the building, the finance and the general committees.

On the 14th of September, 1895, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Lilly to Miss Laura G. Akers, who like- wise was horn and reared in Mercer County. Of their two children the daughter, Eunice G., is now (1921) a student in the high school; the son, Orlando H., who died in 1919, at the age of nineteen years, had been admitted to the Officers Training School at Fort Union and was preparing for service in the World war at the time when the historic armistice brought the conflict to a close.

ERNEST HOGE GILBERT. Although yet a young man as counted in years, Ernest Hoge Gilbert, lawyer and railroad authority at Morgantown and president of the Gilbert-Davis Coal Company, operators in the Morgantown District, has become a financial power in the scope of his business achieve- ments and a man of great public usefulness in West Vir- ginia. That he has climbed from self-supporting boyhood to his present position of importance entirely through his own efforts adds interest to a story that carries its own sig- nificance to those who admire such sturdy American-born qualities that have marked Mr. Gilbert as boy and man.

Ernest Hoge Gilbert was born in Johnson County, North Carolina, October 22, 1884, a son of Charles Herbert and Amesia Matilda (Wilder) Gilbert, well-known family names in North Carolina since Colonial days. Charles Herbert Gilbert was born on the estate of his father, Charles David Gilbert, in the Old North State. For many years he was a railroad construction contractor. In 1898 he located at Norfolk, Virginia, where he died in 1919, at the age of sixty-six years. His widow still resides in the City of Norfolk.

After attending the public schools Mr. Gilbert took a commercial course in the Norfolk Business College and applied himself so diligently that he soon completed it and was but fourteen years old when he was accepted as a book- keeper for the Western Union Telegraph Company at Nor- folk, and during his leisure became proficient in the art of telegraphy. Thus when but fifteen years old he was master of two professions and, farther than that, had the self-confidence that led others to believe in his capacity. Probably he was one of the youngest station agents and telegraphers ever employed by the Seaboard Airline Rail- way in North Carolina. During the six following years he worked from coast to coast for different railroads, a close student of railway operations, and the observations he made during that interval later became the foundation of his -valuable hook of rules.

Mr. Gilbert came to Morgantown, West Virginia, in 1907 as chief train dispatcher of the Morgantown & Kingwood Railway, now a part of the Baltimore & Ohio system. He installed his hook of rules in the train dispatchers' depart- ment of that railroad and he sent the first telegraphic order ever sent over the Morgantown & Kingwood line. His railroad responsibilities interested and to a great degree engrossed him, but he was not entirely satisfied, having cherished an ambition for years to become a lawyer. This ambition he satisfied after coming to Morgantown, where he almost completed his law course by working his way through the West Virginia University. In 1915 Mr. Gilbert was admitted to the bar, and afterward practiced law in this city for one year while still railroading, and he is a member of the West Virginia Bar Association. It was about this time he first hecame interested in coal operations.

In 1916 Mr. Gilbert was one of the organizers of the Davis Coal Company, which began its operations by buying

and cleaning out abandoned mines which had been o by farmers in the Morgantown District. The firm o: bert & Davis purchased their first mine, known a Gilbert Mine, in Scott's Run, and later they became ested in the Anchor Mine, the first ever opened on S Run. Through Mr. Gilbert's acumen the business grown to vast proportions and the Gilbert-Davis Coal pany, Incorporated, now operate the following mines: bert No. 1 and No. 2, Gusten Run, Greenmont, 1 Pittsburgh and South Penn. The company is inter also in oil and gas properties to some extent. In all undertakings Mr. Gilbert's business vision and sound ment have been dependable factors, and undoubtedly great industries in which he is interested will still ther benefit by his ripened experience and business sag.

Mr. Gilbert married Miss Eleanor Mae Matthews, was horn at Cumberland, Maryland, and they have children, a son and two daughters: Ernest Hoge, Jr., Ele or Matilda and Bettie Jane. Mr. Gilbert and his family members of the Presbyterian Church and actively conced in furthering its many benevolent enterprises. To degree Mr. Gilbert is interested in politics, for he is prominent a man to entirely escape civic responsibil but in the main he has been too continuously immerse business to give a great deal of attention to public af He is one of the solid and influential members of the I- gantown Chamber of Commerce, and personally is aly ready to give encouragement to laudable business er prises that seek a home in this city. He is a member Morgantown Union Lodge No. 4, A. F. and A. M., Morgantown Chapter, R. A. M., and helongs also to je Odd Fellows and the Elks. He is vice president of Morgantown Kiwanis Club, and a charter member of Morgantown Country Club.

WALTON SUDDUTH was trained as a mechanical engin and since leaving college has had an extensive experi in the heavy construction work of railroad building other industrial developments in West Virginia, Kenti and Virginia. He is now head of the Walton Sudo Company of Bluefield and one of that city's most gressive business men and citizens.

Mr. Sudduth was born in Mercer County, West Virgi but near Falls Mills, on September 17, 1886, son of Ect Hugh and Jane Ansil (Crockett) Sudduth. His fa was born in Clark County, Virginia, in 1851, and is living at Falls Mills. Jane Ansil Crockett, daughter Dr. Henry Crockett, was born September 11, 1862, died August 1, 1900. She was married July 9, 1883, she left two children, Walton and Nannie Kate, the la the wife of H. D. Smith, of McComas, West Virgi By a later marriage E. H. Sudduth has a son Edwin H.,

Edwin H. Sudduth early took up railway construc work and came to Mercer County, West Virginia, as su intendent for Mr. Walton during the construction of Norfolk & Western Railway. The name of his honc employer he gave to his son. E. H. Sudduth located Welch in 1893, when that town was very young. Later became associated with E. L. Bailey in the manufact of lumber, and they owned extensive tracts of tim lands and also became prominent coal operators. W his associate E. H. Sudduth opened the Bailey Mine the Sudduth Mine on Pond Creek in Pike County, Kentu and they also organized the Williamson Coal & Coke C pany at Williamson, West Virginia. E. H. Sudduth owns the Samuel Walton farm at Falls Mills, where indulges his hobby in the breeding of fine cattle and she He was one of the first, if not the first, mayor of We He is an independent democrat and a man of religi principles, though not affiliated with any church.

Walton Sudduth acquired his early school training the Staunton Military Academy of Virginia, and in 1 graduated in the Mechanical Engineering course f Pennsylvania State College. He then became associa with the Samuel Walton Company at Falls Mills, and tinued active in that enterprise until the death of Walton in 1914. He then became a member of the poration Walton Construction Company, his associates

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ngL. J. Barber, Taylor Rogers and W. W. Cline. This wany took over the Samuel Walton equipment. In 9" Mr. Sudduth organized the Walton Sudduth Com- a, and has since been active head of this organization. hb has the facilities and equipment for handling all irs of heavy construction work and has perfermed many ar, contracts fer the Norfolk & Western and Chesa - we & Ohio Railroads in West Virginia, Virginia and "ecucky and for the Virginia Railread.

cember 19, 1914, Mr. Sudduth married Sallie Maddin fckins, daughter of Robert T. Hopkins, of Nashville, elessce. They have three sons, Walten, Jr., Edwin Mad- uand Robert Hopkins. Mrs. Sudduth is a member of br Presbyterian Church.

ILLIAM B. WOOLF is a graduate electrical engineer n Cornell University, was associated in a technical and uness capacity with some of the preminent coal interests fVest Virginia, but for the past ten years has been the x utive head of the Woolf Milling Company of Keyser. lis ene of the keen and resourceful young business men this section. He has to his credit a year and a half of ere service in France during the World war.

e was born at Keyser, January 19. 1883. 1lis grand- a er, Andrew Woolf, was a native of Fauquier County, irinia, and spent his life as a farmer. He was a South- rr in sympathy at the time ef the war, but was too 1 for army acrvice and his sons toe young. He was ery enthusiastic member of the Southern Methodist Irch, and his public speaking and other public work : largely in the interest of his church. Andrew Woolf .ried Miss Ann Dewl. Beth are buried at Middleburg, Erinia. Their children were: Mrs. Gertrude Love, whose ce waa at Hamilton, Virginia; Mrs. Lanra Kinzer, who 13 at Frent Royal, Virginia; Mrs. Themas Kincheloe, Rectortewn, Virginia; James A., who was a Baptist ister in Virginia; Mrs. Mary Fletcher, whe lives in quier County; and Rev. William E.

ev. William E. Woolf, father ef the Keyser business It, was a prominent minister of the Southern Methodist rch. He was born in Fauquier County in 1852, and a graduate of Randolph-Macon College. He took up ministry as a career early in life, and in that capacity icame to West Virginia in 1880. His last work as a ister was as pastor of the Church of Hernden, Vir- ia, where he died in 1919. His only fraternity was the lsenic Order. At Keyser Rev. William E. Woolf mar- Il Miss Mollie Buxton, daughter of Upten and Eliza ivis) Buxton. Eliza Davis, a native of Maryland. was a er of Hon. Henry Gassaway Davis and Col. Thomas Davis, of the distinguished West Virginia family of t name. The children of Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Woolf 'e: William Buxton; Harry G., associated with his ther in the milling business at Keyser; Andrew, in the omobile business at Harrisonburg, Virginia; Louise vis, of Keyser: Blanche, wife ef H. S. Pownall, of orefield, West Virginia.

Villiam B. Woolf, who has never married, received a mary education in the public schools, for two years ended Maryland Agricultural College, and from there it to Ithaca, New York, where he finished his prepara- v work in the Cascadilla Scheol, and then entered Cor- I University, taking four years in the electrical ineering course. On leaving Cornell Mr. Woolf began career in association with his kinsman, Col. Thomas Davis, as a mine superintendent in Taylor County. He tinued in his werk in that field until the death of onel Davia, and seme time later gave up the ceal indna- and returned to Keyser.

in the year 1913 he organized the Woolf Milling Com- ly, which was started with a capital of $50,000, with lliam B. Woolf, president, Harry G. Woolf, secretary I treasurer, and J. F. Cadden, manager. These officers still serving. This is a wholesale and retail plant, h a capacity of twenty-five barrels per day, and they alse jebbers of flour and feed and local distributors the Alpha Portland Cement Company.

fr. Weolf is alse a director of the Thompson Furniture

Company, a wholesale and retail concern in Keyser, la a director in the People's Bank ef Keyser and is a partner in the Mineral County Garage Company, the local agency for the Ferd cars. Mr. Weolf is a democrat, casting his first vote for William J. Bryan.

In conclusion should be presented hia interesting army recerd as a first class private. In order te get te the field ef actien without delay he went dircet te Paris, France, in October, 1917, and there enlisted, being assigned to duty with the United States Ambulance Cerps, attached te the French Army, with the Secend Dismounted French Cavalry. The first major engagement at which he was present was at Champaign, followed by the battle ef the Somme, the intense fighting in the Montdidier-Noyen ser- tion, the Marne defensive just before Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argoane offensive, and after the armistice he accompanied the Army ef Occupation to the Rhine. A part of the French Army to which he was at- tached held ground chiefly at Mayence and Worma. He remained in the army until the end of February, 1919, when his unit was ordered out, but he was stationed at different places in France before leaving the country, finally sailing from Brest in March, 1919, en the transpert Pueblo, beund for New York. The unit was then sent to Camp Dix, New Jersey, and discharged about April 1. Mr. Woelf was awarded the French croix de guerre. He helped organize the Bouce-Houser Post of the American Legien at Keyser, and was made its first commander.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 147

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