Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/445

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPFIY

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times he could spare from his lousiness. In this way he mastered Latin and other ad- vanced studies, and in 1888 he passed the required examinations before the state board of law examiners and was admitted to practice in the \^irginia courts. It was not until 1890 that he located in Clifton Forge. Alleghany county, \' irginia, and began prac- tice, and from that date his rise was paid. In 1891 he was elected commonwealth at- torney of Alleghany, serving in that respon- sible position four years. At the expiration of his term he returned to private practice and for eight years was thus successfully engaged. In 1903 he was again elected commonwealth attorney and has since served continually through successive re- elections. Since his first election to that ofifice in 1891, Mr. Allen has resided in Cov- ington, the county seat, his private and pub- lic practice having been conducted there. He is a member of the Virginia State and Alleghany County Bar associations, attends the Protestant Episcopal church, is a lead- ing member of the Independent Order of Old Fellows and is a past grand officer of the order in Virginia. He is also a member of the Junior Order of American Mechanics, the Improved Order of Red Men and Knights of Pythias. His club is the Shen- andoah of Roanoke, Virginia.

A Democrat in politics, Mr. Allen has been for many years active and influential in the party. For a number of years he has been a member of the state Democratic com- mittee, was presidential elector from the sixteenth Virginia district in 1909, was a delegate from the tenth Virginia district to the national Democratic convention held in St. Louis in 1904, and in 1912 was alternate delegate-at-large to the national Demo- cratic convention held in Baltimore that nominated Woodrow Wilson for President.

Mr. Allen married, in November, 1891, Lucia George Sterling, born at Charlottes- ville, Virginia, in August, 1868. Children: !Mary Sterling, born at Covington, Virginia, July I, 1893, a graduate of St. Ann's Col- lege. Charlottesville; Lucia Sterling, born in Covington, ]\Iay 5, 1895 5 Francis Ster- ling, born in Covington, A^irginia, July 24, 1904.

Lewis Murphree Roper, D. D. The active ministry of the Rev. Lewis M. Roper, D. D., since his ordination as a clergyman of the

P.aptist church has been over a wide field and among people far separated in ideals and manner of life. Fie has been city mission- ary in Washington. District of Columbia, pastor of country churches in his native state of South Carolina, temporary pastor to one of the most noted churches of London, England, and since 1912 has been pastor of the First Baptist Church of Petersburg, \'irginia. During all this time Dr. Roper preached as an evangelist in almost every state in the South. Dr. Roper is a gentle- man of high scholarly attainments, declin- ing to enter educational work because of his deep attachment to his life work, and in his ministry has been faithful, zealous and true. Petersburg has received him gladly, not only into the religious life of the city, but into the active interests of citizenship, and during his short residence there he has gained a wide acquaintance outside of his congregation and wields a powerful influ- ence for good in many circles.

Rev. Dr. Roper is a son of Levi Hudgins and Caroline (Mahaffey) Roper, member of the Roper family that has been promi- nent in Virginia from the earliest settle- ment, and grandson of Charles Roper. Levi Hudgins Roper has been a farmer and miller throughout his active life, now aged sev- enty-eight years, and fought in a South Car- olina regiment during the war between the states, receiving wounds in the battle of Sharpsburg and in the Seven-day's battle around Richmond. Flis wife, Caroline, was a daughter of Lewis and Temperance Shaw ^Nlahaffey, both families of Irish descent.

Lewis Murphree Roper was born in Lau- rens county. South Carolina, March 21, 1870. As a youth he performed his share of the work upon the home farm and attended a private school in the neighborhood. (Dr. Roper's first year in Latin was done while working on a farm, and with only occasional help of a teacher). His diligent application at this institution prepared him for his ad- vanced studies of later years, while his youthful industry supplied him with that greatest of all essentials, vigorous health and a sincere love for nature. At the age of sixteen years be became a teacher in a country school of his native county, and at the early age of eighteen years was ordained a minister of the Baptist church. Matricu- lating at Furman University, South Caro- lina, he was graduated Bachelor of Arts in