Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/760

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

and the banking house was founded in 1864 by C. Burruss and William T. Har- rison, under the firm name Burruss, Har- rison & Company. Later, on the retirement of Mr. Harrison from the firm, its name was changed to Burruss, Son & Company, the members being Cicero Burruss and Nathan- iel Burruss, who was admitted as partner in 1866. At that time Nathaniel was vice- consul of Portugal. After the death of Cicero Burruss, his son Nathaniel continued the business under the old firm name, and later, admitted Mr. George H. Newton as partner, the name still remaining the same. At the death of Mr. Newton he became sole proprietor and continued the business until 1897. His mind, trained and experi- enced in banking, held solutions of count- less financial problems, and the excellence of his reputation lent strength, stability and confidence during his business life. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revo- lution, of the Virginia Club of Norfolk, and several clubs of New York City.

Ernest Christian Klipstein. Ernest Chris- tian Klipstein, is a typical American. On his father's side he is descended from Dr. Philip Klipstein, who came to America as surgeon of the Hessian division of the Brit- ish army, and at the close of the war of the revolution, settled in Winchester, Virginia, where he practiced his profession.

Philip Engel Klipstein, one of the five sons of Dr. Philip Klipstein, also became a physician, and pursued his medical practice in Fauquier county, Virginia. He married Sarah Ball, of the well known Ball family of Virginia.

Philip Augustus Klipstein. third son of Dr. Philip Engel and Sarah (Ball) Klipstein, was a merchant farmer at Marshall, Vir- ginia, and served in the Confederate army as a member of the Eighth Regiment, Vir- ginia Infantry, attached to Pickett's divis- ion, and died in 1905. He married Amanda Louisa Hixon, daughter of James and Mary (Hampton) Hixon, of whom the former was of New Jersey Quaker stock, and settled in Loudoun county, Virginia, in the latter part of the eighteenth century ; he served in the continental army throughout the war of the revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Klipstein had children : Ernest Christian, whose name heads this sketch ; James Hampton, still re- siding on the old homestead in Fauquier

county, Virginia ; and William Augustus, a manufacturing chemist of New York City. Ernest Christian Klipstein was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, December 24, 185 1. He received such a primary' educa- tion as was possible in a country overrun alternately by both armies during the Civil war, and this was supplemented by two years at Roanoke College, Virginia, 1867- 68. His career after this limited education was also typically American. After teach- ing school for three years in Virginia and one year in Arkansas, he entered the retail arug business in preparation for his intend- ed course as a physician, and supplemented the same by attendance at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Baltimore, Mary- land. In further pursuance of the same ob- ject he removed to New York in 1875, but finally connected himself with the house smce known as A. Klipstein & Company, pioneer importers of German chemicals and coal tar dyes. This business, originally be- gun with France, Germany and England, gradually extended to the whole world and necessitated extensive travel, in the course of which Mr. Klipstein became a fluent lin- quist, learning to speak and write German, Irench, Spanish and Italian, besides ac- C|uiring a working knowledge of Dutch, .Swedish and Portugese. During his com- mercial career Mr. Klipstein introduced n;any new chemical products and processes, Ihe most notable of which was the use of foreign materials for tanning leather, such as Quebracho extract from Argentine, My- rabolams from India, Mangrove bark from Africa, thereby revolutionizing the tanning industry of the United States. More re- cently Mr. Klipstein has devoted his ener- gies to the development of the coal tar in- dustry in this country. He is the author of numerous technical articles which have appeared in chemical and other scientific j.uiblications, one of especial note appear- ing in 1908 in the "Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry." His efforts in the cause of education have borne good fruit, and he is one of the trustees of the Free Public Library of East Orange, New Jer- sey. He is a member of numerous organi- zations, among them being: Essex County Country Club, Orange, New Jersey; Ham- ilton Club of Paterson, New Jersey; Re- form Club of New York; Chemists Club of New York; Drug and Chemical Club of