Biography of Robert A. Tabor - Mercer Co. WV

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II,
Pages 316-317

   ROBERT A. TABOR,  who conducts at 85 Bland Street one of the leading
retail grocery establishments in the City of Bluefield, Mercer County,
was born in Tazewell County, Virginia, September 11, 1888, and is a son
of Elgan and Octavia (Tiller) Tabor, who still reside on the fine old
homestead farm in Tazewell County, the father being seventy-five and the
mother sixty-eight years of age at the time of this writing, in 1921.
Elgan Tabor was a member of the local Home Guards in Tazewell County
during the later part of the Civil War.  He has long been one of the
representative exponents of farm industry in that county, and is a
citizen who commands high place in popular esteem.  His religious faith
is that of the Methodist Church and his wife is a member of the Baptist
Church.  Of the ten children all are living except one, and of the
number the subject of this sketch was the sixth in order of birth.
   Robert A. Tabor was reared to the sturdy discipline of the farm and
gained his early education in the public schools of his native county.
At the age of seventeen he entered the employ of the Pocahontas Fuel
Company, for which he assisted in the building of the power house at
Boisevain, Virginia.  Thereafter he was for a time associated with farm
enterprise, and he then became employed again by the Pocahontas Fuel
Company, at Switchback, Virginia, where he was identified with the
erection of dwelling houses for employees of the company.  He was thus
engaged nine months and later was employed in a restaurant at
Pocahontas, where still later he became associated with one of his
brothers in opening a general store.  Three years later he entered the
employ of the Elliott-Frazier Company, with which he continued his
connection four years, and with a son of Mr. Elliott, one of his
employers, he came to Bluefield, West Virginia, and they here opened a
grocery store.  The business was conducted one year under the firm name
of Tabor & Elliott, and finally Mr. Tabor purchased his partners
interest, since which time he has conducted the enterprise
independently, with a large and appreciative patronage that marks the
establishment as one of the most prosperous of its kind in the city.
The success which Mr. Tabor has gained in business is the more pleasing
to note by reason of the fact that when he initiated his independent
business career his capital consisted only of an excellent reputation,
with incidental good credit.  He is a member of the Bluefield Chamber of
Commerce, and he and his wife hold membership in the Baptist Church.
   In 1908 Mr. Tabor wedded Miss Lailia F. Reynolds, daughter of George
and Mahala Reynolds, of Tazewell County, Virginia.  Mr. and Mrs. Tabor
have five children:  Robert Harrison, Eula, Lonnie, Edwin and Harry.


Submitted by Susie Lloyd <eslloyd@impop.bellatlantic.net>

****************************************************************

USGENWEB NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in
any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material,
must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb
archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied
for personal use only.

****************************************************************