West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-12-05
the WEST VIRGINIA SOCIETY.

who are located in Chicago have
organized West Virginia Society,
with regular officers aud commit
tees, and grand banquet and GU
tertainment was held last Monday
night in the Sherman House. We
acknowledge an invitation to be
present, and regret that we could
not do so. The Chicago papers gave
long accounts of the brilliant event
and published pictures of the presi-
dent aud Secretary and list OF the
officers aud members, many of them
we'll known to our people. The
Secretary, James Edgar Brown, is
a cousin to the editor of this paper
and used to teach school in this
county. The following short sketch
is from the Chicago Daily Journal,
The West Virginia Society will
give dinner and entertainments at
the Sherman House Monday oven.
ing st o'clock. The event, which
will be the second annual reunion
Of the young but flourishing society.
promises to be brilliantly success
full, and will be attended by a com
pany of people who forget not
"their own fair State" The Rev.
DR.. III. w. Thomas is President of
the Association, which numbers
nearly 400 members. James Edgar
Brown, Secretary of the Society, is
descended from the good old revo-
lutlonary stock, his ancestors, Will.
liam Brown and Thomas Brown,
both having been soldiers in the
great struggle for independence.
William Brown fought under Wash
ingt0n, and Thomas Brown under
Colonel Lucas. The old Brown
plantation is fifteen miles west OF
Mount Vernon, Virginia, near the
site of historic Manassas. HIS grand
father, Samuel Byrno Brown. served
IN the war of 1912, and his father,
Granville Brown, was Lieutenant
in the late civil war, Federal army.
He is n brother of Prof. Samuel
B. Brown, Of the chair of Geology.
West Virginia University. having
graduated from that institution
himself in 1889 with the degree
of b. s.
He was elected tntor in the State
University during his last co lcgiate
year, and Was the representative Of
his literary society in various con.
tests, winning number OF prizes.
He engaged in newspaper work
short time, but later studied law,
graduating from the West Virginia
University Law School in 1891. In
1892 he located in Chicago for the
practice of his profession, and in
1898 formed law partnership with
James Ewing Davis, also Virgin
ian, the firm name being Brown &
Davis.
The executive officers Of the So
ciety are Edwin NJ. Ashcraft, DIR.
Belle O.. Eskridge, the Rev. r. IL.
DOIliver, Miss Alice Byrne, Edward
5. Elliott. Miss Clara e. Hngans,
Howard N. Ogden.
The banquet hall Of the Sherman
House will be elaboratoly decorated
with palms aud cut flowers. Burse's
orchestra will be in attendance, and
the following interesting program
will be presented:
Address by the President.-......
.--------.----.----.Dr. III. w. Thomas.
Toast.------------..-.--.Dr. +. s. Henson.
"Sires and Sons"
Piano solo-"Invitation TO the
Dance" Weber-rausie
-,-------------.------Miss Fay Foster.
Toast..-.~.---.----Edwin NJ. Ashcraft
"West VirginIans in Chicago"
Toast.-.--..-----------.D DIR. Geo. Is. Foster
Cello Solo -.....---..-.4--AFranz Wagner
Miss Fay Foster. Accompanist.
Toast-..-s.-s--.-.s4-Rev N. NJ. Waters
"Thtee Reasons Why / am d
West Virgihian."
Dancing 10 to IL.