Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/466

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

auditor of the road, an office which he fills to this day. His financial and business acu- men have become well known beyond the limits o? the particular concern with which he is connected. He is a director on the executive board of the Richmond Transfer Company.

Mr. Cox does not, however, narrow his abilities within the limits of any one depart- ment of effort, a tendency all too prevalent among the clever and successful business men of to-day, the temptation being to devote all one's energy along the line which seems to bring the most direct results. On the contrary, his interest and activities are of that varied kind which tend ever to broaden and develop a man into more com- plete manhood. He takes a keen interest in the conduct of public affairs, and does not fail to observe intelligently the march of events across the political stage. He is a member of the Democratic party, and plays an active part in the affairs of that party in local matters. During the time of his resi- dence in Ashland, he was elected to the Town Council of that place, holding the office for a number of years, greatly to the satisfaction of his constituency. His busi- ness renders it necessary for him to reside in the capital city now, and he has a resi- dence at No. 622 Chamberlayne avenue, Ginter Park, Richmond. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, of the Common- wealth Club, Pocahontas Club and Hanover Club of Ashland.

Mr. Cox married in Richmond, March 20, 1906, Harriet Howell Hall. Mrs. Cox is a native of Richmond where she was born October 29, 1879, and a daughter of Captain J. W. and Laura (Wilson) Hall. Captain Hall was a native of Halifax county, Vir- ginia. He served four years in the Confed- erate army during the Civil war, and was severely wounded seven times. He died in the year 1908, seventy years of age, and is survived by his wife, now a resident of Ginter Park, Richmond. To Mr. and Mrs. Cox have been born two children, Joseph Edward Jr., in 1907, and Elizabeth Wilson, in 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Cox are members of the Presbyterian church, attending the Gin- ter Park Church of that denomination, in the work of which they are active, and afford material support to the many benevo- lences connected with the institution.

Norman Call. Although the first three years of his business life were passed in the employ of the Richmond Locomotive Works, the manufacture of locomotives is so closely allied with railroading that it might almost be stated that the business career of Mr. Call has been spent in rail- roading, the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad Company, of which he is now secretary and assistant treasurer, hav- ing been his employer for thirteen years.

Norman Call is a descendant of Daniel Call, whose name would appear prominently in a list of noted lawyers of Virginia of the early part of the past century, and he like- wise numbers among his forbears James Watt, the brilliant Scotch inventor, whose experiments with the steam engine were of incalculable value to those who later com- mercialized the ideas he followed. His grandfather was Moses Call. His father is Manfred Call, born in Newcastle, Maine, March 7, 1847. During his active years he was a manufacturer, and also perfected sev- eral inventions. He married Elizabeth, daughter of George and Sarah (Hooper) Watt, and had children, one of his sons Norman, of whom further.

Norman Call, son of IManfred and Eliza- beth (Watt) Call, was born in Richmond, Virginia, March 29, 1880. He obtained his entire education in the grammar and high schools of Richmond, his youth passed in study and the athletic recreation in which boys delight. His first business experience was as a stenographer and clerk in the Richmond Locomotive Works, with which concern he was identified from his eighteenth year until he attained man's estate. In 1901 he became secretary to the president of the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Rail- road Company, and served in that capacity until 1910, in which latter year he was ele- vated to the position of secretary and assist- ant treasurer of the road. His rise in the service of this company has been rapid but no more so than he richly deserves, for his close observation, industrious application, retentive memory and dependable faithful- ness are the attributes that have been re- warded in his promotion to his important offices. Mr. Call has from his youth found music his delight, and, a talented performer, finds associates of like tastes and inclina- tions in the Wednesday Club, an organiza-