Charles V. Meredith (p. 51): born 1850; private schooling and B.L., active in clubs, etc.; status high.

family: father: "eminent lawyer," B.A. and M.A., circuit court judge.
father's father: planter and lawyer.
brothers: one lieutenant, one attorney, three died young, one graduate of U. of Vir., and lawyer.
sisters: one widow of attorney, one wife of governor of S.C.
children: one wife of manufacturer, one wife of banker, one graduate of U. of Vir., lawyer and lieutenant in World War.

Evaluation: What becomes of a planter family? This one did not "fall."


Hon. John W. Fishburne (p. 55): born ca. 1870; private schools, U. of Vir.; legislator, judge. Status high.

family: father: lieutenant, lawyer, banker, B.A. and M.A., trustee of W. and L. University.
father's father: merchant, scholar, educator, president of Washington College.
mother's father: prominent businessman in Charlottesville.
father's brother: professor at Washington College, married sister of wife of Stonewall Jackson.
father's sister: married Professor C. P. Estill.

Evaluation: The upper middle class predominates here. There is much evidence of social class continuity.


Henley H. Hankins (p. 61); born 1865; meager education, once a worker in factories, grocer, then feed and grain store; once president of the local chamber of commerce; status, middle class.

family: father: captain in Civil War, planter with 1200 acres and many slaves; impoverished by war.
father's father: planter.
brother: middle class merchant.

Evaluation: Subject was an infant as the war ended; it spoiled his chances of inheriting the old plantation; it set him on his own resources; he did not remain a worker long; his "come-back" was "normal." The result of the severe blow the war dealt was to reduce the family's status from rank one to rank two, not to four. This is the second case, so far, to show any serious dislocation in class affiliation for any cause.


Alfred M. Pullen (p. 67): born 1882; public school, high school, and C.P.A Head of "leading accounting firm in Richmond"; high professional standing.

family: father: minister in small towns, graduate of Vir. Poly. Inst.
father's father: farmer who owned no slaves.
father's brother: farmer.
father's sister: sup't. in mill.
wife: high school graduate.
sisters and brothers: one city employee, one stationary engineer, one accountant, one wife of a "railroad man," one wife of station agent and telegraph operator, one sec'y-treas. of an auto supply company.

Evaluation: Subject's chief interest professional: he pushed ahead in this field. Continuity is noticeable among the others mentioned more than in the case of subject himself. His own case may be ranked as one of upward mobility, provided his social contacts, place of residence, and children's education correspond with his material and professional success.

Hon. Charles A. Johnston (p. 73): born 1859; tutored by father; prominent layman in state; many years state treasurer; member of many lodges.

family: father: minister and teacher; middle class.
father's father: planter.
father's mother: daughter of John Nash, state legislator and magistrate.
distant cousin: General J. J. Johnston.
uncles: one minister, one circuit court judge.
wife: graduate of a "female college"; middle class background.
half-brothers and sisters: two surgeons, two "soldiers," one wife of a retail merchant.
daughter: graduate of Hollins College, wife of manufacturing agent at Bluefield.

Evaluation: Little in the data reveals marked shifting in social status, provided the father's standing is rated according to his social power. Throughout the whole family similarity of status is evident.

Miss Fanny L. Webb (p. 79): born ca. 1875; educated at home; local historian (Franklin, Virginia); founder and principal of the Euphradian Institute.

family: father: captain in Civil War.
father's father: industrialist; estab. first cotton mill in N.C.
mother's family: lived on same plantation since king made grant to maternal grandfather's great grandfather. The Webbs have retained and lived on part of the old estate.

Evaluation: Noticeable are: initiative and enterprise are never lacking -- consistency in holding homestead many generations.


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