Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/432

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

her present home, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Rapp) Alphin. and granddaugh- ter of Richardson Alphin. who came to America from England, and was in the war of 1812. Children of Richardson x-\lphin : William, married Mary Ayres ; Nancy, mar- ried David Ilardigan; Frances, married George Sift'ord ; Elizabeth, married Jonas llill; George, of whom further; Catharine; Lewis, married Phebe Haslet; Paulina, mar- ried Samuel Dodd ; Thomas, married Mary Armstrong; Julia Ann. married Daniel Circle: Mary Jane, married Lewis Circle. George Alphin was born January 16, 1817; he was called out several times on the home guard during the civil war. but was exempt owing to the fact that he had a large farm and many negroes ; he married Elizabeth Rapp, whose father was a German, and they were the parents of the following named children: Julia Ann, above mentioned as the wife of William Oscar Houser ; William, married Ada r)ishop ; Laura, married Otho Houser ; Cora Lee. married George W^ebster ; George, married Hettie Sizer ; Mary Jane, married Everett Snyder ; Richard, unmar- ried ; Guy. unmarried ; Theodore, unmar- ried ; Leota. unmarried ; Arminta, unmar- ried. Children of William Oscar and Julia Ann (Alphin) Houser: Obeira Virginia. principal of Albemarle Normal and Indus- trial Institute at Albemarle, North Caro- lina ; Emma Sophia, married Nathan Moo- maw ; Aubrey Alphin, of whom further; I'lorence Elizabeth. Delia Laura. Myrtle Aileen, Julia Ardys.

Dr. Aubrey Alphin Houser, son of Wil- liam Oscar and Julia Ann (Alphin) Llouser, was born at the home farm, the present resi- dence of his parents in Botetourt county, Virginia, September 29, 1881. He attended the public schools near his home, then en- tered the Normal College at Daleville, later spending one year at Massey's lUisiness College in Richmond. He then spent three years in commercial life as salesman and bookkeeper, after which he entered Wash- ington and Lee University, taking special courses and graduating in chemistry in 1907. He prepared for the practice of medicine at the Medical College of Virginia, wdience he was graduated M. D., class of 191 1. During his medical course he was instructor in chemistry at the same college, and after his graduation spent tw^o years as one of the regular staff of instructors, as acting profes-

sor of analytical chemistr}. In 1913 he be- gan i)rivate practice in Richmond, locating at No. 304 East Grace street, and special- izing in diagnosis.

Dr. Houser is a member of Phi Beta Phi of the Medical College of X'irginia ; of Zeta Delta Chi. a pharmaceutical fraternity ; and at Washington and Lee University he was a member of the Albert Sydney Boat Club Crew. He is a member of the Richmond Academy of ^Medicine and Surgery, the State Medical Society, the Southern Medi- cal Association, the American Medical As- sociation, the Methodist Episcopal church, and he is a Democrat in politics. He is a rising young mem.ber of the medical frater- nity, is held in high esteem by his profes- sional brethren, and by his many social ac- quaintances and friends.

James Ira Pritchett. A resident of Dan- ville. A'irginia. from his seventeenth year, Mr. Pritchett has risen from the ranks of the employed to the head of large commercial interests employing many men. and to the presidency of one of Danville's strong finan- cial institutions, the First National Bank This rise in the commercial world has not been lucky turns of fortune's wheel, nor through influence in high places, but each advance was won on merit and a business ability that brought success where others stood still, or were backward. A farmer boy until sixteen years of age, Mr. Pritchett brought to Danville the strong heart, quick brain and clean body of the ambitious coun- try lad. and in the battle for a foothold in the business world won his standing in open competition with those who seemingly pos- sessed great advantages over him. He has fairly won the commanding position he now occupies, and there is no man in Danville held in higher esteem.

James Ira Pritchett was born at the Old Valley Hill homestead of the Pritchetts. in Halifax county. Virginia. Novemlier 10. 1856. He is the son of Ira A. Pritchett. born in Pittsylvania county. \'irginia. Septem- ber 12. 1820, died on the same date, 1898, a farmer of Halifax county, and a Confederate \'eteran of four years' service. He married Caroline Ferrell, born in Halifax county, \'irginia, who bore him two sons, James Ira, and Samuel M. Pritchett, a shoe merchant of New^ York City.

James Ira Pritchett remained at the home