Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/160

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

of the large business, upon which no one's grasp is more sure and comprehensive. As vice-president and secretary he plays an im- portant part in the formation of the policy and methods of the company, and gives of the best of his labors toward its successful continuance. Mr. Easley's able counsel has been frequently of value to the First Na- .tional Bank of Richmond, which he serves as a director, and he holds the same position in connection with the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. His fraternal order is the Masonic, and in this society he is a member of lodge, chapter, commandery and shrine. A life-long Democrat, he is a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church. His club is the Westmoreland.

Mr. Easley married, at Fincastle, \'ir- ginia, February 3, 1892, Lucy Gilmer, born at Grove Hill, Botetourt county, \'irginia, December 20. 1868, daughter of Colonel Cary and Virginia (Calwell) Breckenridge. Her mother was a native of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, formerly owned by the Calwell family, an old Southern line, and Colonel Cary Breckenridge was born at the family homestead. Grove Hill, in Bote- tourt county, Virginia, as were his father and grandfather. Colonel Breckenridge, now living, aged seventy-five years, was a colonel of cavalry in the Confederate army, serving through all four years of the war. Children of John Chaffin and Lucy Gilmer (Breckenridge) Easley: Cary Brecken- ridge, born June 13, 1893, a graduate of Vir- ginia Military Institute, class of 1914, now a student in engineering at Boston Tech- nical Instittite ; Richard Booker, born June 2, 1895, for two years attended Virginia Military Institute, now studying for the medical jirofession.

James Scales Irvin, M. D. Dr. Irvin's lines of descent, paternal and maternal, lead to the old Colonial families of North Caro- Ima. Irvin. Dalton and Hunter. Captain James Hunter was a leader in North Caro- lina in the events preceding the revolution, and served in the Colonial army at the battle of King's Mountain. General Samuel Dal- ton, of Rockingham county. North Caro- lina, at one time was in command of North Carolina troops, and many of each of these families- served their country well in war and peace.

Dr. James Scales Irvin, of Danville, \'ir-

ginia, was born in Reidsville, North Caro- lina, June 9, 1867, son of James and Lucy Vincent (Dalton) Irvin, grandson of George Irvin, and of General Samuel Dalton. both of North Carolina. James Irvin was born in Rockingham cotmty. North Carolina, in 1819, died in 1894. He was a planter, owning a large estate. He served on the stafif of Governor Vance, of North Carolina, with the rank of colonel. He mar- ried Lucy Vincent Dalton, born in Rock- ir;gham county. North Carolina, in 1833, died in 1907. Children : Samuel D., de- ceased : George Lee, a resident of Reids- \ ille. North Carolina ; Hunter, principal of a public school in Greensboro, North Caro- lina; Robert E., a resident of Fayetteville, North Carolina ; Frank D., a druggist of Dallas, Texas ; Eugene, cashier of the Citi- zens Bank of Reidsx'ille: James Scales, of further mention.

Dr. James Scales Irvin passed his boy- hood days in Reidsville, where he attended school until fifteen years of age. He then became clerk in a local drug store, and two years later at the age of seventeen became its proprietor. He continued in the drug business at Reidsville five years, in the meantime taking a course and graduating from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. At the age of twenty-two years he entered the medical department of the University (jf \'irginia. whence he was graduated M. 1). with the class of 1893. His pharmaceu- tical and medical studies had been continued since his first entering the drug business at the age 01 fifteen years, and to this he added ])ractical experience as interne at the Char- ity Hospital and New York Maternity Hos- jjital in New York City. In 1895 ^^^ located in Danville, Virginia, where he was suc- ctssfully engaged in the practice of his pro- fession until his death. April 10, 1915. He always gave prominence in his practice to surgery and gynaecology, making these branches special objects of study and inves- ligation, although until 1909 his practice v>'as general in character. On June i, 1909, he issued an announcement that after that date he would confine his practice exclu- sively to surgery, gynaecology and consul- tations.

Dr. Irvin ranked high in his specialties, possessed the perfect confidence of his pro- fessional brethren, who sought him in con- sultation, and had a large private practice.