Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/563

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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Masons; Central Lodge, Xo. 103. Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows ; Montgomery Castle, No. 4, Ancient Order Knights of the Mystic Chain ; Woodmen of the World ; Owls; and Sons of Confederate V'eterans. In political faith he is a Democrat.

Dr. Noblin married Josephine May Kelly, of Roanoke. X'irginia, October 12, 1912. She is a native of Tazewell county, X'irginia, and the daughter of Joseph Vincent Kelly and Mary C. (May) Kelly, the former a son of James P. Kelly, a distinguished Confederate soldier and judge of the court of Tazewell county for a number of years, the latter a daughter of Colonel Andrew Jackson May, a distinguished officer in the Confederate army, and for many years a prominent attor- ney of Tazewell county. Mrs. Noblin is a cousin of Joseph L. Kelly, of Bristol, Vir- ginia, judge of the Supreme Court of Vir- srinia. Dr. and Mrs. Noblin have one son, Stuart Alexander, born August 21, 1913- Their residence is on Tyler avenue. East Radford.

Archibald Dickenson Keen. In all of the respects that lend honor and permanence to a family name, that fill with pride the heart of posterity, and that give members superior status in their communities because of the regard for their patronymic, that of Keen is rich, and it is eminently fitting that in this later day. when the tendency of dem- ocratic Americanism is to give slight regard to the fame of antecedents and the glory of ancestry, that one of the name should have gained a place of prominent importance in the state that has contained his family for so many years. His grandfather, William Witcher Keen, was born in Pittsylvania county. X'irginia. and, living to the fine old age of ninety years, was all of this time one of the most extensive landowners in the county, his vast possessions cultivated by the largest number of slaves held by one person in Pittsylvania county. He married Elizabeth Ballard Fontaine, a native of the county of his birth, who attained the age of eighty-six years, and from this union eight children were born.

Charles Ballard Keen, son of William Witcher and Elizabeth Ballard (Fontaine) Keen, was born in Danville, Pittsylvania county, Virginia. February 4. 1845. died in that city in February. 1883. The beginning of hostilities between the North and the

South found him too few in years to bear a musket in the ranks, but as soon as he could gain admission to the Confederate army he went to the front, serving through the last year of the war and participating in the battle at Staunton River Bridge. From the end of the war until the time of his death his business interests were in Danville, tobacco and lumber dealing, the lines in which he engaged. He married Mary Alice, born in Callands, Pittsylvania county, Virginia, in 1847, died in Danville, July 24, 1898, daugh- ter of William Archibald and Elizabeth A. (Moorman) Dickenson. Her birthplace was named in honor of her great-great-grand- father, James C. Callands, an influential citi- zen and wealthy landowner of that locality. William Archibald Dickenson was a Mason of state-wide prominence, the author of a Masonic manual, and was well-known as a graceful, forceful and entertaining speaker. He was survived by his wife and daughter, his widow's death occurring in Danville, August 21, 1892. Charles Ballard and Mary Alice (Dickenson) Keen were the parents of: Archibald Dickenson, of whom further; Charles Ballard, born May 8, 1878, now sec- retary and treasurer of the Boatwright Manufacturing Company, of Danville.

Archibald Dickenson Keen, son of Charles Ballard and Mary Alice (Dickenson) Keen, was born in Danville. X'irginia. March 23, 1876. and after attending the public schools entered the Virginia Military Institute, whence he was graduated in the class of 1896. His business life began in the em- ploy of the firm of which he is now a mem- ber, E. K. Jones & Company. Mr. Jones operating under his own name alone prior to the admission of Mr. Keen to partner- ship. The house was established in Dan- ville in 1881. occupies premises at Craghead and Newton streets and is a leader in the leaf tobacco trade, the factory and ware- house of the firm being equipped with the most improved mechanical devices used in the industry. Chief among the reasons for the success and prominence that have at- tended this concern is the experience of the partners in the line, Mr. Jones having pass- ed many years in tobacco dealing and Mr. Keen having been thus associated for more than fifteen, and few are the mistakes of judgment that bring loss or reduction of profit to the firm. Mr. Keen does not con- fine his business interests to the tobacco