William Wilberforce Berkeley, the gentleman whose name captions this article, was born in King and Queen County, Virginia, in 1844, and is a son of William Henry Berkeley, a civil engineer and one of the first railroad engineers in the state of Virginia. The subject of this sketch was reared in his native county until he was seventeen years of age, when he entered the Confederate Army as a member of an independent company organized by General W. H. F. Lee, and called “Lee’s Virginia Rangers.” In August, 1861, the company was mustered into the regular army at Ashland, Virginia, and joined General Loring in western Virginia. Upon his return it was attached to the army of General Robert E. Lee, and served in the cavalry division until the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. Mr. Berkeley returned to his native county in 1865 and spent a year in study at a preparatory school at Aberdeen, after which he acted as a tutor in the family of Colonel Robert W. Hughes for four years.

August 13th, in 1870, Mr. Berkeley was united in marriage to a daughter of Thomas Read and a granddaughter of Colonel William M. Peyton, who was one of the largest land owners in this section of the State. As a result of this union there were six children born, as follows: Mrs. Henry A. Smith, Mrs. Harry Boaz, Mrs. George H. Casky, Thomas Read, Beverley and Nelson Berkeley.

Mr. Berkeley was admitted to the bar in Roanoke in 1883 and was one of the most successful practitioners in Southwest Virginia, and during his residence in this county since 1870 he has practiced with Robert E. Scott, Phlegar, and Johnson, and later with the late J. Ran Bryan. Mr. Berkeley has always been a Democrat and most active in the affairs of his party, serving as a member of the Virginia Legislature in 1895 and ’96. Captain Berkeley owns a beautiful farm, consisting of several hundred acres, three miles east of Roanoke, and in recent years has practically retired from the practice of law, preferring to spend his time at his palatial home, Glade Creek.

John William Chambers is a son of John F. and Mary E. (Childress) Chambers and was born in Franklin County, Virginia, April 11th, 1865, and as a boy attended the county schools of Franklin, and afterwards for a session or two the public schools of Big Lick.

In 1885 he moved to Bent Mountain, Virginia, where he engaged in farming, and on January 1st, 1886, married Susan Della, daughter of Giles and Ella E. Tyree, of Roanoke County. He resided on Bent Mountain for a period of seventeen years, and planted a fine apple orchard of Ben Davis, Johnson’s Winter, Winesaps, and the Delaware Red varieties. The orchard is now bearing and is regarded as one of the best fruit farms in this section of the country. Nine years ago he moved his family to Roanoke, and later bought a tract of land containing twelve acres on the Franklin Road, just one mile south of the city. He built a fine residence on this tract which he occupies with his family. This small farm contains one of the largest orchards of Keifer pears in the county.

Mr. Chambers is one of the county’s most progressive citizens and has at all times taken an active interest in the development of the horticultural interests of this section of the State. He is a stockholder of the City National Bank of Roanoke, Virginia, and through his thrift and enterprise has succeeded well.

To his marriage with Miss Tyree the following children were born: Earnest Lee, married and resides at the old home place on Bent Mountain; Mary Ella, married R. A. Bondurant, a young Roanoke attorney, and resides on Franklin Road just south of the city; Bessie Alice; Annie Beatrice, Nannie Elizabeth and Vola Belle.

Mason Lee Fellers, the subject of this sketch, is a native of Bedford County, Virginia, a son of Peter and Angelina M. (Cook) Fellers, and was born in Bedford County, on February 8th, 1824, and died May 7th, 1859; his mother was born in Botetourt County, Virginia, August 11th, 1832, being a daughter of Charles and Lydia Cook. Two children were born to Peter and Angelina Fellers, the subject of this sketch and a sister, Mary O. Fellers, who married Edward Nininger of Roanoke County. When Mason Lee Fellers was seven months old his father died. In 1867 his mother was married to George Riley, who died in August 1901.

At the age of seventeen years he came to Roanoke County and went to live with his brother-in-law on Tinker Creek. The winter months were spent in obtaining an education and in laying for himself the foundation for his successful after life. For a short period he attended the Huntingdon Normal College at Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. One year he clerked in a store at Hollins and one winter taught a public school in Roanoke County. In 1879 he bought a farm, two and one-half miles north of Roanoke, on which he has since lived and prospered, and which is regarded as one of the most valuable farms in the county. It comprises one hundred and twenty acres and is in a high state or cultivation. Besides the avocation of farming, Mr. Fellers has been actively engaged in other business pursuits, that of trucking, manufacturing brick, operating large stone quarries, and contracting for stone foundations.

On December 30, 1880, he married Sudie E. Nininger, daughter of William G. and Eliza Nininger, of Daleville, Virginia. The following children were born to this union: Mary E., married to L. N. Kinzie, of Troutville, Virginia; William B. Fellers, M. D., practicing his profession in Roanoke, Virginia; Stanford L., a law student at Washington and Lee University; Bessie H., who resides with her parents.

Mr. Fellers is a man of indomitable energy, keen foresight, and all his acts of life have been governed by a high sense of honor. He emerged from the boom of the early nineties almost hopelessly bankrupt and over $17,000 in debt. With a high sense of honor he set to work to pay off this large sum with no assets other than a small farm. Stock in defunct land companies was paid and a $3,000 security debt hung over him. The continuous growth of Roanoke in recent years was of great value to Mr. Fellers. He cut up a portion of his farm into small tracts, from which he realized the sum of $20,000. With other lands in which he invested his holdings are easily worth from $50,000 to $60,000.

Mr. and Mrs. Fellers are communicants of the Brethren Church. He is a School Trustee for Big Lick District, an ardent advocate of the education of the masses, and stands for the progress and uplift of his county in every way.

Pages 35-36

Roanoke County has been exceedingly fortunate in having for its Treasurer Mr. George M. Muse, who was elected to the office in the year 1891, nineteen years ago, and who has filled it with the greatest efficiency ever since. Despite opposition, which was at times most strenuous, he has always been successful in his candidacy, being chosen for his position five times in succession. So great is his popularity in the county that at the last election no one else ventured to enter the race, which means, of course, that he was practically the unanimous choice of his constituents. This result is not surprising when one considers the sterling integrity of his character and the highly satisfactory manner in which he has discharged his duties. Careful and painstaking in every department of his work, impartial in all of his decisions, and absolutely fair in his transactions, he has merited the support of his county and has abundantly deserved the success which he has achieved.

Mr. Muse’s home is near the town of Vinton, in the eastern end of the county, but he is known and honored from Blue Ridge to the Montgomery line. He is a son of the late William Muse, a man of prominence in his day, whose fine traits of character have been inherited by his son. His father served in the Confederate Army, being a member of the Thirty-Sixth Regiment, Virginia Infantry.

Mr. Muse married Miss Mary Richardson, of Roanoke County, and has a large family of bright and happy children. In the Masonic fraternity he has for years filled important positions, being at one time Worshipful Master of the Vinton Lodge, and has often been a representative of that Lodge in the Grand Lodge of Virginia. In politics he is, of course, a Democrat and a staunch and able member of the party, always ready and willing to contribute to its campaigns and to devote his energies to the upbuilding of its principles. In recognition of his valuable services, he has been made a member of the State Executive Committee, a position that always marks a man as a leader and a wise counselor. Mr. Muse and his wife are members of the Methodist Church.

David H. Christian, Superintendent of the Roanoke Almshouse, Roanoke, Virginia, was appointed to fill that position in May, 1898, by the City Council, and for his competent and efficient management has been continuously re-elected ever since that time.

He was born in Nelson County, Virginia, March 25th, 1849, being a son of James B. and Lucy J. (Kyle) Christian. His early childhood and early manhood were spent on the farm with his parents and he attended the schools of his native county, obtaining a fair education. He was a member of a “Home Guard” and was called out twice for service in the Civil War.

Upon reaching manhood, he engaged in railroad work, which he followed for a period of nine years.

He came to Roanoke in January, 1891, and conducted a produce house under the firm name of D. H. Christian & Company and for a while was connected with the firm of Hudson & Christian in the same line of business.

For the past fourteen years he has had the management and control of the poor farm owned by the city of Roanoke and resides some two and one-half miles south of the city.

On December 20th, 1883, he married Annie E. Taliaferro, daughter of Arthur and Ann Taliaferro of Nelson County. To this marriage one daughter was born, Miss Ethel Christian, who died August 23d, 1900, after reaching womanhood.

Politically Mr. Christian, is a pronounced Prohibitionist.

Religiously he is a member and a deacon of the Jefferson Street Baptist Church.

Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow and a member of the Knights of the Mystic Chain.

As an official of the city he has performed his duty well and has been faithful to the trust imposed in him at all times.

Mrs. Christian died in August 1899.

For a number of years Mr. Greenwood was Deputy Treasurer for Cave Spring District and the acceptable manner in which he discharged his duties laid the foundation for his successful candidacy for the position as Commissioner. As Deputy Treasurer he came in close contact with practically every resident of his district, and the fact that he won popularity while engaged in this work speaks eloquently for his efficiency and tells of the kindness and consideration which he showed to those from whom he collected taxes.

In his work as commissioner of the Revenue he has fully maintained the fine record for ability established by him in former years, and the hold which he has on the affections and esteem of the people promises him a long tenure of office.

Before entering public life, Mr. Greenwood was a farmer interested in the cultivation of his place near Cave Spring, and he still devotes care and attention to his agricultural interests. His office is in the new courthouse at Salem, and those who call in to see him are always sure of a cordial and pleasant welcome.

As Commissioner, Mr. Greenwood succeeded Mr. D. E. Kefauver, and he has served for eight years.

Not long ago he married Miss Corelia I. Whitten, of Texas, a Southern lady of rare attractiveness, whom he met while she was visiting in his community. She died not long after their marriage, but her life in Roanoke County, brief as it was, was sufficiently long to impress upon those who knew her the beautiful and noble qualities of her character.