West Virginia Biographies ********************************************************************** 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. ********************************************************************** Transcribed by (MRS GINA M REASONER), 1999 WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry The Lewis Publishing Company 1928 - Volume 5 - page 8 Walter A. Gilman, chief clerk of the Pure Oil Company at Cabin Creek Junction, and a veteran of the World war, is one of the live young business men at Kanawha County, and one whose abilities have won him the standing in his company and community to which he is entitled. he was born at Long Branch, New Jersey, September 2, 1895, a son of Fred and Julia (Hoyt) Gilman. Fred Gilman was born, reared and educated at Cincinnati, Ohio and his educational training was carried through the high school. During all of his active life he was connected with the Pullman Car Company, and for a number of years held the position of superintendent. Now seventy-nine years old he is living in comfortable retirement at Chicago, Illinois. His wife was born and reared at Long Branch, New Jersey, and its public schools educated her. For a few years prior to her marriage she was a school teacher, and an excellent one, and she never lost her interest in educational matters, but was a vital force in the cultural life of any community in which she resided, as well as in the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which she long was a member. For many years she was an honored member of the Hartwell Woman's Club. Her death occurred March 4, 1923, and she is buried at Long Branch, New Jersey. Three children were born to the parents, of whom Walter A. was the youngest, the others being: Georgie, who married Frank Armstrong, of Chicago, general manager of the Pratt & Whitney Tool Company, and has one son, William; and Hoyt Gilman, who resides at Long Branch, and is with the Chrysler Sales Company. He married and has one son. The public schools of Cincinnati, Ohio, furnished Walter A. Gilman with his educational training, and he was graduated from high school in 1916. Like so many of the young men of the country, Mr. Gilman felt the urge of patriotism when his country entered the World war, and he enlisted in its army and was sent to Camp Sheridan, Alabama, where he was assigned to the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Infantry. he went with his unit overseas to France, and, after some intensive training, saw service in the Argonne-Meuse offensive and other sectors. While in France he attended the Officers' Training School and was commissioned a second lieutenant, assigned to the Fifth Division, and still later was attached to the headquarters of General Castner. Returned to the United States, he was honorably discharged at Camp Sherman, Ohio, August 11, 1919. On August 25 of the same year Mr. Gilman entered the employ of the Pure Oil Company at Cabin Creek as clerk in its warehouse and held that position until 1920, when he was promoted to the position of shipping clerk. In 1925 he was made chief clerk, and still is serving in that capacity. His promotions have come to him by reason of his faithful performance of duty, and his ability to handle whatever is given him to do. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the American legion. In political faith he is a Republican, but he has never sought office. Since his youth he has been an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. On June 11, 1920, Mr. Gilman married at East Bank, West Virginia, Miss Alice Pryor, who was graduated from the high school of East Bank in 1917. She is a daughter of James and Mary Porter (Bricker) Pryor, of East Bank, where for many years he has been the leading undertaker, and a prominent citizen. The Pryor family is one of those that pioneered here in early days, and its members have always taken an active part in the development work of this region. Mrs. Gilman is a vital force in church and community work, and is a lady who has a host of friends both at Cabin Creek and in her old home. Mr. and Mrs. Gilman have on son, James Pryor Gilman. Mr. Gilman has great faith in the future of West Virginia, and is especially interested in that part of it that is now the scene of his endeavors. he believes that the state is entering an era of great prosperity, and that the development of its natural resources has barely commenced. ********************************************************************** WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry The Lewis Publishing Company, 1928 - Volume 5, pate 285-286 JAMES LEWIS CALDWELL. This is an honored name in two of the large communities of West Virginia. James Lewis Caldwell, Jr., is active head of the Chrisman Foundry Company at Morgantown. He is a son of the late James Lewis Caldwell, one of the most prominent bankers and industrial leaders of West Virginia whose home was at Huntington. James Lewis Caldwell, Sr., was born at Elizabeth, Wirt County, Virginia, May 20, 1846, and died at Huntington October 18, 1923, when seveny-seven years of age. His parents, John T. and Regina M. (Burns) Caldwell, were born in Ohio, and the former followed the occupation of farming. James Lewis Caldwell during his boyhood attended the rural schools in Meigs County, Ohio, and toward the end of 1862, before he was seventeen years old, enlisted in Company F of the Sixtieth Ohio Infantry. He saw some of the hardest fighting of the war, including the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and Appomattox. For a short time after the war he was in the insurance business at Wheeling and then removed to Guyandotte, identifying himself with the community which has since become the City of Huntington. After 1887 his home was in Huntington proper. For some years he was in the lumber business, but in 1884 was the leader in organizing the First National Bank of Hun tington, became its president, and had filled that office continuously nearly forty years before his death. He brought the bank to a point where it was the largest in the state in resources, having assets of over eight million dollars. As a financier he was associated with many of the important organizations in his section of the state. He organized in 1892 the Huntington Electric Light & Street Railway Company which built the pioneer electric railway line in the country. He organized and built the Guyandotte Valley Railway, now part of the Chesapeake & Ohio System; was president of the Consolidated Light & Railway Company at Republican, Illinois; president of the Dingess Run Coal Company, secretary and treasurer of the Logan Cannel Coal Company, a director and member of the executive committee of Huntington Land Company. He served as a delegate at large at the National Republican Convention of 1904, and for many years was an outstanding figure in the party. He was a member of the P resbyterian Church. James Lewis Caldwell, Sr., married in Kanawha County in 1871, Miss Mary O'Bannon Smith. More than a year before his death they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Throughout their married lives they had only two homes. Mrs. Caldwell was born at Louisville, Kentucky, and was reared and educated there. Her father, Nicholas Smith, was a wholesale merchant. Mrs. James Lewis Caldwell died October 3, 1927. James Lewis Caldwell, Jr., one of a family of seven children, was born at Huntington, September 1, 1889, and spent his youthful years in his native city. He was given most liberal education opportunities, and after the public schools at Huntington attended the Bingham School at Asheville, North Carolina, also Marshall College at Huntington, and was graduated in 1913 from the law department of West Virginia University. Mr. Caldwell practiced law for five years at Huntington, being associated during that time with the firm of Campbell, Brown & Davis, and also with Samuel Biern. In connection with his law practice he was also associated with his father in banking and business. Mr. Caldwell in 1918 removed to Morgantown to take an active part in the Chrisman Foundry Company, and has since been vice president of that corporation. This company has a large and well equipped plant, including a foundry and mining car shop, located on Long Street in the industrial suburb of Westover. Mr. Caldwell enlisted in 1917, and was sent for training to the Radio School of the Texas A. and M. College, and after completing the course was with a radio field signal battalion at Camp Logan, Houston, Texas, until honorably discharged in November, 1918. Mr. Caldwell is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Masonic fraternity, the Phi Kappa Psi and Theta Mu Epsilon fraternities, is a member of the Morgantown Country Club, a Republican and a Presbyterian. His home is at 130 Prairie Avenue, Morgantown. He married in March, 1914, Miss Mary Louise Chrisman, a daughter of Robert R. and Mary Elizabeth (McLane) Chrisman. A brief sketch of her father, founder of the Chrisman Foundry Company, is given in the preceding sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Caldwell have two children: James Lewis Caldwell III, born in 1915; and Robert Chrisman Caldwell, born in 1917. ********************************************************************** WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry The Lewis Publishing Company 1928 - Volume 5, page 40 Edward H. Russell. In a great center like Charleston the industrial interests are of paramount importance and the work of those successfully conducting them cannot be overestimated. Not only do the product of these great plants give prestige to a community, but the manufacturing of them gives employment to many skilled workman and their money spent with the stores of the city makes possible a great increase in the volume of commercial transactions, while the sturdy support of these good citizens insures safety and proper civic regulations. One of the prosperous manufacturers of Charleston worthy of more than passing mention is Edward H. Russell, manager of the Central Glass Company, one of the important industrial concerns of this part of the state. Edward H. Russell was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, July 17, 1888, a son of G.W. and Lena (Frisbe) Russell. G.W. Russell was born at Bear Falls, Pennsylvania, and there educated. When about twenty years old he left his native place for Portsmouth, Ohio, and there he went into the sheet-metal business, in which he continued until 1905, when he sold his interests and retired, and he is still residing at Portsmouth, where he is regarded as one of the city's most substantial citizens. His wife was born and reared at Portsmouth, and its public schools educated her. She has been all her life a zealous Catholic, and is active in parish work. Eight children were born to the parents, namely: Louis C., Catherine B., John W., Frank N., Anna B., George W., Edward H. and Cornelius W. The educational training of Edward H. Russell was secured in the parochial schools of Portsmouth, Ohio, and when he left school he went with the Summers Brothers Hardware Company of that city, remaining with that concern from 1903 to 1910, in the latter year going into the hardware business himself, and continuing at Portsmouth in this same line for three years. He then sold his business and formed a partnership with Alexander M. Glockner, which connection was maintained for five years, he being manager of their hardware company. In March, 1918, Mr. Russell formed his present connections and until 1924 was salesman for the Central Glass Company, but in the latter year was made manager of the branch plant at Charleston, West Virginia, and he is a stockholder in the company. Mr. Russell is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Columbus. In political faith he is a Democrat, but he does not seek public honors. He is a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. On November 11, 1911, Mr. Russell married at Portsmouth, Ohio, Miss Helen Marie Brushart, of that city. She attended the parochial schools and Saint Mary of the Springs Convent, Columbus, Ohio, and is a highly educated lady, active in church work and the Woman's Club. Mrs. Russell is a daughter of Jacob and Hettie Brushart, of Portsmouth, where he was for many years successfully engaged in business as a grocer and realty operator. Edward H. Russell and his wife have three sons: Robert E., John D. and Eugene D. While he has been a resident of Charleston for but a short period, Mr. Russell has already made a strong impression on its life and convinced the people of his reliability and sound business judgement. A conscientious churchman, he and his wife have already become important factors in their parish, and they can be depended upon to give a hearty and effective support to all movements of merit projected for the good of the community. ********************************************************************** WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry by The Lewis Publishing Company - 1928 Volume 5, page 5 & 6. Austin J. KING, has for many years been one of the outstanding coal operators of the West Virginia and Virginia fields. he has been identified with the coal industry since boyhood and there is scarcely a phase of coal mining which has escaped his practical working experience. Mr. King was born at Salineville, Columbiana County, Ohio, May 19, 1874. His father, Austin King, was born at Portobello, England, July 8, 1851, and in 1870 came to America and entered the coal mines at Salineville, Ohio. For several years he was state mine inspector in Ohio. From 1886 to 1890 he was a coal mining superintendent at Leisenring, Pennsylvania, in 1890 became a state inspector in Pennsylvania, and in 1892 became a mining superintendent for the H.C. Frick Coal & Coke Company. Except for three years as general manager of the Dominion Coal Company in Nova Scotia he was with the Frick Coal & Coke Company until his death in May, 1915, his last position with that corporation being chief mine inspector. Austin King married Mary Maloney, who was born in Lancashire, England, August 15, 1852, and died April 14, 1914. Austin J. King is the eldest of a family of eleven children, all of whom earned something more than commonplace positions in the world of affairs, some of them in the mining industry, others in the professions. Austin J. King acquired much of his early education in the intervals of actual experience in coal mines. For two years he studied engineering at Ohio State University. His first work in a coal mine, beginning at the age of twelve, was in Ohio. From the age of fifteen to seventeen he was in mines at Houtzdale, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. He was with the engineering corps of the H.C. Frick Coal & Coke Company from August 15, 1891, to September 1, 1893. Then, after his engineering course at Ohio State University, he returned to the Frick Coal & Coke Company. From March 1, 1900 , to July 1, 1900, he was division engineer of the Pittsburgh Coal Company. On July 1, 1900, he became assistant general superintendent of the Southwest Virginia Improvement Company, with headquarters at Pocahontas, Virginia. The name of this company was changed to the Pocahontas Collieries Company, and on December 1, 1901, he was made general superintendent. Subsequently he was general superintendent of the Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company, general superintendent of the James W. Ellsworth Company in Pennsylvania, in 1905 became chief engineer of the New River Smokeless Coal Company in West Virginia, and when this became the New River Collieries Company, under the ownership of the Guggenheims, Mr. King was made division superintendent. From July 1, 1909, to December 1, 1909, he was assistant to Mr. John Lang, chief of the department of mines, Charleston, West Virginia. For a second time he was general superintendent of the Pocahontas Collieries Company at Pocahontas, and since March 15, 1911, has been identified with properties and companies largely representing his individual enterprise as a coal operator. These eventually came to constitute several companies operating in the West Virginia fields. Mr. King has had his home at Huntington since May, 1917, and his business offices are in the Robson-Prichard Building, that city. He is a member of the Mining Institute of West Virginia, American Mining Congress, Coal Mining Institute of America, American Institute of Mining Engineers and American Association of Engineers. In politics he is a Republican, is a Catholic, and member of the Congressional Country Club, Washington, D.C. He married in November, 1895, Miss Catherine Carroll, daughter of William and Mary (Naylon) Carroll. She died at Charleston, West Virginia, February 8, 1914, mother of nine children: Mrs. H.R. Pinckard; Austin C., who graduated from Yale University in June, 1921, and became associated with his father's business; Mrs. Walter Sebring, a graduate nurse of Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh; William P.; Catherine, who died in infancy; Paul, Virginia, Margaret and Harriet. Mr. King on June 27, 1917, married, Miss Catherine A. Cavey, of Charleston. Their children are: James, born October 22, 1918, died may 1, 1925; John, born December 29, 1919; Anna, born August 19, 1921; Robert A., born December 4, 1923; and Therese, born April 30, 1925. ********************************************************************** WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry The Lewis Publishing Company 1928 - Volume 5, page 29-30 James B. Kennedy, an ex-service man, has spent most of his active career in commissary work for coal companies and is now manager of the commissary for the Kelleys Creek Coal Company at Cedar Grove, Kanawha County. He was born in Shrewsbury, West Virginia, April 12, 1889, son of James and Anna (Rogers) Kennedy. His father, a native of Ohio, came to West Virginia when about eighteen years of age, being superintendent of the Shrewsbury coal mines, also superintendent of the mine at Shrewsbury for the Sunday Creek Coal Company, and was superintendent of mines for the Winifrede Coal Company. He is now retired from business and a resident of Shrewsbury. His wife, Anna Rogers, was born in old Virginia and was brought to West Virginia when a girl. She attended public schools and was a devout Catholic. Her death occurred July 29, 1916, and she is buried at Coalburg. These parents had the following children: Thomas, Mary, Anna, Rose, James B., Lawrence, william, Edward, Raymond and Helen. James B. Kennedy attended public schools in Kanawha County. When he left school he went to work in the mines, and he knows practically all the work of an actual miner as well as the management of commissaries. About 1905 he became a clerk for Lane Brothers, merchants at Shrewsbury, and after a year became clerk in the commissary of the Ephraim Creek Coal Company. He returned to Shrewsbury as clerk in the commissary of the Sunday Creek Coal Company, and for a time was with the Coalburg Mining Company in their commissary. In 1915 he went with the Winifrede Coal Company, and remained there until he answered the call to the colors at the time of the World war. He enlisted in 1917 and was trained at Camp Lee with the Three Hundred and Fifteenth Field Artillery. A few months later he went overseas and was in France on the front line of duty during the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. In the Argonne Forest he was gassed, and spent some time at Chaumont, the general headquarters of the American Expeditionary forces. he returned with his outfit to Camp Lee, Virginia where he received his honorable discharge June 10, 1919. After the war Mr. Kennedy resumed work with the Winifrede Coal Company as assistant manager of the commissary, and after a few months was promoted to manager. In June, 1921, he became manager at Montgomery, West Virginia, for the Fayette-Kanawha Coal Company commissary. Since January 1, 1926, he has been located at Cedar Grove as manager of the commissary for the Kelley Creek Supply Company, the subsidiary of the Valley Camp Collieries Company. Mr. Kennedy is a Catholic, a member of the Knights of Columbus, and in politics is a Democrat. he married at Charleston, West Virginia, November 21, 1921, Miss Hartzell Barker, who grew up and attended school at St. Albans, graduating from high school there in 1917. She was an active part in the methodist Church at Cedar Grove. her father, Andrew J. Barker, was for a number of years a miner with the Winifrede Coal Company, and is now associated with a son in the mercantile business at St. Albans. Mrs. Kennedy's mother died a number of years ago and is buried at St. Albans. The one child of Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy is Alma June, born October 1, 1922. ********************************************************************** WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry The Lewis Publishing Company, 1928 - Volume 4, page 39-40 with photo Z. HARRY TROWBRIDGE, doctor of dental surgery, has in connection with his practice at St. Albans and Charleston during the past fifteen years exemplified also the natural genius of the Trowbridge family for business, and has been one of the successful real estate operators, and is also interested in the oil and gas development in West Virginia. Doctor Trowbridge was born at St. Albans, West Virginia, September 20, 1888. he is one of the numerous American descendants of Thomas Trowbridge, who came from Exeter, Devonshire, England, and settled at Dorchester, Massachusetts, as early as 1637, and later joined the colony at New Haven, Connecticut. The Trowbridge family ever since has been prominent in America. In 1854 Deacon Otis Trowbridge published a pamphlet of family records. In 1872 Thomas R. Trowbridge brought out his book on the Trowbridge family, and in 1908 a large and voluminous was published by Francis Bacon Trowbridge, a Boston attorney. One of the most famous of the family was John Townsend Trowbridge, author and poet of Arlington, Massachusetts, who died in 1916, and whose wholesome and thrilling stories published in the Youth's Companion a generation or so ago are still recalled with pleasure and affection by hosts of readers. He achieved front rank as an American writer. Other descendants of the original Thomas Trowbridge were Otis Trowbridge, Dr. D. Hector Trowbridge of Chicago, Dr. Edward Trowbridge of Worcester, Massachusetts; Rev. John C. Trowbridge of Rochester, Massachusetts; Prof. William P. Trowbridge of New Haven; Rowland E. Trowbridge of Birmingham, Michigan; J. B. Trowbridge, an orchestra conductor at Los Angeles, and others. The grandfather of Doctor Trowbridge was Ferguson H. Trowbridge, who was born in Washington County, Ohio, September 9, 1821. He saw service in one of the early Indian wars, and afterwards located at Crown City, Ohio, and was a boatman on the Kanawha, Ohio and Mississippi rivers, at the same time conducting a farm. On August 22, 1862 he enlisted in Company G of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Ohio Infantry, which subsequently became Company G of the First Ohio Heavy Artillery. He enlisted for three years, but contracted fever while in the army and was ordered home, being unable to complete the journey, and died at the home of an uncle, Austin T. Blake, five miles east of Crown City, Ohio. He married Ruth Crawford. Their son, Zebulon Henry Trowbridge, was born at Crown City, Ohio, January 10, 1856. He learned the trade of millwright in his native town, and about 1875 moved to West Virginia and settled at St. Albans, where he owned and conducted a large farm, and was also a member of the firm Trowbridge & Halstead. He served as deputy sheriff of Kanawha County for over twenty-four years, and one term as deputy state tax commissioner, and was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of St. Albans, serving on its board of directors until his death in September, 1925. He is buried at St. Albans. For years he was an advocate of and exerted every influence within his command to forward the good roads movement in his section of the state, and served as an engineer or road surveyor in laying out many of the public roads around Charleston. He was an active worker in the Republican party. He had filled the office of justice of the peace and was president of the school board of his distric t and was a special representative of Governor Hatfield in one of the labor struggles of that time. He married, May 10, 1877, Lillian Shaw, daughter of Capt. James Claudius and Letitia (Haines) Shaw. Thirteen children were born to their marriage, and eight are still living; Calvin; Kittie May, who married Albert Thomas Halstead, of St. Albans; Malcolm; James Claudius; Nellie, deceased; an infant son, deceased; Zebulon Harry; Frederick; Roscoe, deceased; Glenn Earl, deceased; Beryl Edna and Beulah Adna, twins, the latter deceased; and Audra Ruth. Dr. Z. Harry Trowbridge grew up at St. Albans, attended public schools there, in 1909 graduated from a college at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and completed his education in the Ohio College of Dental Surgery at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he graduated in 1912, and was awarded first prize in the class of 1910-11. He had been licensed to practice in West Virginia in 1911 and at Columbus, Ohio, in 1912. He at once took up practice in Charleston and St. Albans, and has been one of the outstanding successful members of his profession in the capital city. In real estate doctor Trowbridge has handled largely his own properties, and with a high degree of success. He has put on the market the Trowbridge Addition in Jefferson district, near St. Albans. During recent years he has also used his capital to drill a number of oil and gas wells in the West Virgina territory. Doctor Trowbridge is a deputy sheriff and deputy county treasurer of Kanawha County. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias, is a member of the State and National Dental Societies, is a Republican and a member of the Baptist Church. His favorite diversions are travel and hunting. He married at St. Albans, in 1911, Miss Elizabeth M. Bailey, who was reared and educated there, attending the grammar and high schools and finishing her musical education under private instructors. She is quite active in the Baptist Church and is a teacher in the Sunday school and member of the church choir. Mrs. Trowbridge is a daughter of John W. and Ida E (Howard) Bailey, of St. Albans, where her father for many years has been in the lumber business. The Bailey and Howard families were among the early settlers of Kanawha Valley. Doctor and Mrs. Trowbridge have two children, Virginia Etta and Nellie Baker, both having completed the graded schools at St. Albans, and are now studying music at the Conservatory of Music, Cincinnati, Ohio. ********************************************************************** WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry The Lewis Publishing Company 1928, Volume 4, page 41 CLARENCE LAMONT TOPPING, who for many years has been a prominent figure in Charleston and Kanawha County, is state fire marshal of West Virginia, a position he has held since 1921. He was born at Cheshire, Ohio, July 15, 1867, son of John W. and Anna (Hampton) Topping, both natives of Athens County, Ohio, and a grandson of Daniel Topping, a native of New York, and James Hampton, who was born and reared in Ohio and spent his life as a farmer. Daniel Topping moved to Ohio when a young man and was a Baptist minister. John W. Topping was a stone worker and contractor, and in the course of his duties in construction work for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, moved to West Virginia, locating at Coals Mouth. he had a service record of four years, seventeen days, in the Union army, with Company H of the Thirty-sixth Ohio Infantry, and at one time was assigned duty with a detail of men to capture the rebel leader, Mosby. He was always active in the Republican party, and a member of the Methodist Church and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Clarence L. Topping, only child of his parents grew up in West Virginia, attending public schools and the college at St. Albans, West Virginia. He took up mechanical work, and became a stone cutter and stone mason, following those trades for a number of years. He early became interested in politics and served as city clerk of Charleston two years, spent four years as clerk at the Hospital for the Insane at Weston, for one year was chief clerk in the state treasurer's office, and was clerk of the House of Delegates in the State Legislature in 1907, 1909 and again in 1919. During the interval he was clerk of the compensation commission for three years. Since becoming state fire marshal in 1921 Mr. Topping has thoroughly reorganized this important service to the state at large, doing much to educate the people in the state at large, doing much to educate the people in the state in fire prevention and carrying it on through such organizations as the Boy Scouts. He compiled and distributed through the schools a large number of pamphlets giving instructions for fire prevention.He is secretary and former president of the Fire Marshals Association of North America, is a member of the national Fire Protection Association, the National Fire Waste Council of the United Sates Chamber of Commerce. he issues monthly reports on fire losses and maintains a complete statistical record of fires in every county. Mr. Topping married, in 1887, Miss Mary E. Wyatt, a native of Kanawha County, where she was reared and educated. Her father, B. F. Wyatt, was connected with the sheriff's office for twenty-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Topping had four daughters: Tracy, widow of J. M. McVey, and living at Charleston; Audrey Clothilde, widow of H. T. Lyttleton, and living at Millboro, Virginia; Kathleen, wife of Harold Stone, sales manager of the Charleston Drug & Manufacturing Company; and Wilma, who died in 1919, wife of Fred A. Jesser, leaving two children, Mary Elizabeth and Fred Alexander. Mr. Topping attends the Christian Science Church, is a Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner, and a life member of the B. P. O. Elks.