Biography of Robert Finley Dunlap - Summers Co. WV The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 602-603 ROBERT FINLEY DUNLAP. In range of interests as a lawyer and business man Robert Finley Dunlap has for a number of years enjoyed recognized prominence at Hinton. He has become well known over the state as well, particu- larly as a democratic leader. He is the present chairman of the State Democratic Committee. Mr. Dunlap was born in Giles County, Virginia, July 25, 1872. son of Henry and Minnie (Humphreys) Dunlap. Henry Dunlap was born in Monroe County, Virginia, in 1849, served as a Confederate soldier in the last year of the Civil war, was a merchant and farmer in Monroe County, and since 1889 has lived in Pulaski County. Vir- ginia. He is an elder in the Presbyterian Church, a demo- crat and a Mason. His first wife, Minnie Humphreys, was born in Augusta County, Virginia, daughter of a Presby- terian minister who at one time had charge of a school in Giles County. She was born in 1852 and died in 1884. The second wife of Henry Dunlap was Maggie Nicholson of Norfolk, Virginia. There were three children by the first marriage, the two daughters being: Ida, wife of John S. Draper of Pulaski, Virginia, and of this marriage there are two daughters, Margaret and Mary D.; and Mary. who died at the age of thirty-three, the wife of Andrew Hogeman, and was survived by a daughter. Nancy. Henry Dunlap has two sons by his second wife; MeCIure, in charge of the home farm; and Louis, who graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1922. Robert Finley Dunlap attended public and private schools in Monroe County, also private schools at Newbern and Dublin, Virginia. He completed his literary education in Hampden-Sidney College of Virginia, graduating with the degrees A. B. and B. S. in 1894. He taught school at Hot Springs, Virginia, and spent three years in the study of law with I. H. Larew, of Newbern, Virginia. He was ad- mitted to the bar before the West Virginia Supreme Court in May, 1897, and located at Hinton against his father's wishes, who desired that he locate at Bluefield. Having made his own independent choice in this matter, he felt that he could not ask his father for further financial aid, and bor- rowed $40.00 to make his start in Hinton. He roomed with the Sheriff, and soon formed a law partnership with John Osborne of Union, West Virginia. The firm of Osborne and Dunlap continued for a brief time and then followed a part- nership with W. H. Garnett, as Dunlap & Garnett. Since 1901 Mr. Dunlap has carried on an independent practice. He won his first case at court, which was a precedent for many other successful efforts as a lawyer. He became city recorder in 1901. serving two years, was city attorney until 1904, and also held the office of prosecuting attorney one term. >From the first Mr. Dunlap has been a party worker, and he was a delegate to the National Convention at Baltimore in 1912 when Mr. Wilson was nominated for the first time. He has attended many state and district conventions, and in 1920 was made state chairman of the party, an honor and responsibility fully in keeping with his individual power and influence. Mr. Dunlap is a director and attorney for the first National Bank, is attorney for the Citizens National Bank of Hinton, Virginia Western Power Company, Virglnian Power Company, and has a wide variety of business interests. He is vice-president in charge of operating the Laval Sand Company, is president of the Zenith Sand Com- pany, Princeton Water Works Company, and Hinton In- surance Company, is an official in the West Virginia Sand & Gravel Company of Charleston, the Dayton Sand & Gravel Company of Dayton, Ohio, the Acme Limestone Company and Woodson-Mohler Grocery Company of Alder- son, West Virginia, the Hinton Water, Light & Supply Company, New Biver Hardware Company, Riverview Land Company, Chipola-Florida Land Company, Hinton Toll Bridge Company, Pulaski Land Company, Gravine Coal Company, Gnyan Fruit & Produce Company, Blue Flame Oil and Gas Company, the Kanawha City Oil and Gas Com- pany and others. In 1904 Mr. Dunlap married Emma Wysor, daughter of J. C. Wysor, of Pulaski, Virginia. Their two children are May Lucile and Emma. Mr. Dunlap is an elder in the Presbyterian Church, is superintendent of its Sunday School, chairman of its building committee erecting a handsome new church, and ia a York and Scottish Rite Mason, a Rotarian, member of White Oak Country Club, of Oak Hill. West Virginia, Willow-wood Country Club, Hinton, Allegheny Sportsmen Association, State and American Bar Associa- tion and of Sigma Chi fraternity. In 1903 he organized the Elks Lodge at Hinton, became its first exalted ruler and is a life member. He was president of the Elks Improve- ment Company and Hinton Masonic Development Company when both the Elks and Masonic homes were constructed in Hinton. Mr. Dunlap is now president of the Chamber of Com- merce of Hinton, and during the war he was chairman of the Council of Defense for Summers County, attorney for the Draft Board, chairman of the County Fuel Administra- tion, and of the Summers County Red Cross Chapter. 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