Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/159

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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Henry Watkins EUerson, who married Mary Patteson; all living- in Richmond. Mrs. Ellerson was a daughter of Henry Clay Watkins. who was born in Powhatan county. X^irginia, and died in Richmond, November i6, 1872. He was a tobacco broker all of his active years in Richmond, where he lived from the age of thirteen years until his death. He married Malvina Haskins Day, and had seven children, of whom the survivors are Ida, of previous mention, Ellen, Irvin. Mattie, and Henry Clay, Jr. Malvina Haskins Day was the daughter of John Henry and Martha Finney (Haskins) Day. Ijoth natives of Powhatan countv. \'irginia. she born at the Haskins homestead at Mount Laurel. John Plenry Day was well educated, a college graduate, and in later life moved to Tennessee, there becoming a planter and owning land but two miles from the home of Andrew Jack- son, the two being close friends. One of the sons of John Henry Day, Edward Henry Day, received an appointment from Andrew Jackson to a first lieutenancy in the United States army, connected at his death in i860, with the Third Artillery. Aaron and Mal- vina Haskins Day were the two children of John Henry Day who were born in \'ir- ginia.

Mrs. Ida (Watkins) Ellerson survives her husband, a resident of Richmond, her pres- ent home having been her abode for sixty- three years. She is a member of the Society of Colonial Dames.

John Chaffin Easley. ^Member of a Vir- ginia famil}' of honorable record, John Chaf- fin Easley, vice-president and secretary of R. B. Chaffin iH: Company, Incorporated, of Richmond, \'irginia, descends in a line con- nected with numerous other distinguished \^irginia names. John S. Easley, grand- father of John Chaffin Easley, a native of Halifax county, Virginia, was a soldier in the American army in the second war with Great Britain, and died in West Virginia, aged seventy-eight years. John S. Easley married .Agnes Clark XMiite, born in Pitt- sylvania county, \'irginia, and had seven children, two of whom are living at the present time. Isaac Howson. of \\'est Vir- ginia, and Edwin Hamilton, of Brooklyn, New York.

(II) Dr. William D. Easley. son of John S. and .\gnes Clark ( White ) luisley, was

liorn in Giles county, \'irginia, December ig. 1831, died in West X'irginia. He was educated for the medical profession and was engaged in practice throughout his active years, his death occurring while conducting such pursuits in West Virginia. He was a gentleman of loyal and patriotic nature, and the realization of war between the states found him enlisted for service in the Amelia County \'olunteers. Dr. William D. Easley married Ann Elizabeth, born in Amelia county. Virginia. October 17, 1841, died May 29, 1907, daughter of John Booker and Susan Adeline (Willson) Chaffin. Her par- ents were natives of Amelia county, and there John Booker Chaffin was an exten- sive planter, owning more than one hundred slaves. John Booker and Susan Adeline Chaffin had three children who grew to ma- turity : .Ann Elizabeth, of previous mention, married Dr. William D. Easley, Richard B., and Martha Giles. Of the eight children of Dr. William D. Easley, three died in in- fancy, and a fourth, Richard Booker, died fune 24, 1904. The others are : John Chaf- fin, of whom further: Edwin Hamilton, of lUue Field, \\'est \'irginia ; Agnes E., mar- ried Matthew Louden West, deceased, of Richmond. \'irginia ; Susie E., married Joseph Gary Eggleston, of Amelia Court I louse. \'irginia.

(Ill) John Chaffin Easley, son of Dr. William D. and Ann Elizabeth (Chaffin) Easley. was born in Amelia county, Vir- ginia. October 15, 1862, and when he was a lad of eleven years accompanied his parents to Brooklyn, New York. In this place his education, begun in Virginia, was con- tinued, and soon after his return to his native state, Richmond becoming the family home, he became associated with the firm in which he now holds high official position, R. 15. Chaffin & Company. Remaining with the company through its period of continu- ous growth and expansion to its present vast dimensions, better preparation for the responsible duties that are his could not have been obtained. R. B. Chaffin & Com- pany, Incorporated, bearing the name of Mr. Easley 's one maternal uncle, advertise as brokers and dealers in real estate, and in its line is one of the largest concerns in the state. The office of the company is at Main and Twelfth streets, Richmond, and here Mr. Easley can usually be found busily en- gaged in the direction of some of the details