Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/56

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MRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

L}nchburg and elsewhere, ranking as one of the leading men of his city. He was vice- president of the Lynchburg Trust and Sav- ings Bank, a director of the Lynchburg Cot- ton Mill Company, and interested in several private enterprises in the city. He was a member of the Court Street Metho- dist Episcopal Church, and gave lil)erally in support of charitable, educational and phil- anthropic institutions.

Mr. Watts married, April 22, 1874, Emma Margaret Hurt, born July 2, 1849, died March 22, 191 1, in California. Children: i. Richard Thomas (2), born March 18, 1876; now one of the leading merchants and busi- ness men of Lynchburg, president of Watts l^rothers Company, vice-president of the Lynchburg Trust and Savings Bank, presi- dent of the Board of Trade and interested in many city enterprises; married, June 7,

1911, Gladys, daughter of Charles Edward and Sarah JMorris (Langhorne) Heald; chil- dren : Sarah Langhorne, born November 22,

1912, and Margaret, November 13, 1913. 2. Dr. Stephen Hurt, born August 6, 1877; now professor of surgery, medical depart- ment of University of Virginia. 3. James Owen, born October 14, 1881 ; a coal oper- ator. 4. Robert Crenshaw, born July i, 1883; United States senator from Missis- sippi ; married Laurie, daughter of Anselm J. and Laura (Rauch) McLaurin; child: Jean, born April 21, 1911. 5. Mary, born February 2, 1889.

Hubert Bruce Watts. Following closely the example of their honored father, the sons of Colonel James Winston Watts have been throughout their lives honored busi- ness men of the city of Lynchburg, Vir- ginia.

Hubert Bruce Watts, eldest son of Colo- nel James Winston and Mary Elizabeth (Jones) Watts, was born in Bedford county, Virginia, December 6, 1857. When a lad he removed with his parents to Lynchburg, Virginia. After attending the public schools and high school there, he was carefully pre- pared by private instructors for college. He entered the X'irginia Military Institution in 1875 and graduated with honor with the class of 1879. Mr. Watts is a banker, and is connected with all the important enter- prises of Lynchburg, and is identified with every movement which has for its object the uplifting of his city, and the moral uplift of

his fellow citizens. Mr. Watts married, September 26. 1888, Ida Reeder, daughter of Major Ferdinand Christian and Mary (Lyons) liutter, and granddaughter of Judge James Lyons, of Richmond.

Thomas Ashby Watts. Thomas Ashby Watts, youngest son of Colonel James Win- ston and Mary Elizabeth (Jones) Watts, was born in Bedford county, Virginia, Sep- tember 9, 1866, his parents at that time, however, residing in Lynchburg, where his honored father was a member of the hard- ware firm of Jones, W^atts & Company. Thomas A. Watts was educated in the pub- lic schools of Lynchburg, and after complet- ing the high school course pursued a special course at Eastman's Business College, Poughkeepsie. New York. He began busi- ness life as cashier in the banking house of P. A. Krise, of Lynchburg, a position he held for five years. He then resigned, his ability as a financier rendering him of value to the Lynchburg Perpetual Loan and Building Company, a corporation which he served for nine years as secretary and treasurer. He then became the controlling owner of the company, and under his executive man- agement its usefulness and prosperity have been most marked and satisfactory. He is vice-president of the Greenbriar Lumber Company, vice-president of the Tide W^ater Banking Company, of Roanoke, Virginia, is interested with his brother, Hubert B. Watts, in West Virginia coal and coke prop- erties as an extensive operator, and has im- portant commercial and financial interests of great local importance besides those men- tioned. He is a member of the Court Street Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. Watts married Fanny C, daughter of Dr. Leighton and Mary P. (Hurt) Cheat- wood, of Lynchburg; children: James Win- ston (2), born January 19, 1904; Thomas Ashby (2), July 27, 1906; Hubert Bruce (2), June I, 1910.

John Nottingham Upshur, M. D. Fran- cis Whittle Upshur, M. D. Through his mother, Sarah Andrews Parker, Dr. Upshur ifi a direct descendant of I'ocahontas and of Robert the Bruce of Scotland, and traces his Virginia ancestry via a long line of Vir- ginians to Edward Digges (Belfield, York, 1621-26) governor of Virginia, and his wife. Elizabeth, believed to have been a sister of