VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
of Thatcher & Company, who conducted a
factory at the State Penitentiary. Mr. Kirk
is now manager of the Virgmia Shoe Com-
pany, a very successful concern of Rich-
mond, with whose organization and estab-
lishment he was actively connected. He is
a member of the great Masonic fraternity,
and also a communicant of Holy Trinity
(Protestant Episcopal) Church, of Rich-
m.ond. He is an enthusiastic golf player,
and has been identified with various or-
ganizations for the promotion of this health-
ful and manly sport. He was three times
elected president of the Hermitage Golf
Club of Richmond, is a member of the Com-
monwealth Club of that city, was four years
vice-president and two years president of
the Country Club of Virginia. He has been
twice president of the Virginia State Golf
League, and is at present president of the
Middle Atlantic Golf Association, an or-
ganization comprised of the country and
golf clubs of Wilmington, Delaware, Balti-
more, Maryland, Washington, D. C, Nor-
folk. Hampton and Richmond, Virginia.
In these various associations Mr. Kirk is
brought into contact with many of the lead-
ing and most aristocratic citizens of the
various states, and his election to the posi-
tion of leadership in the various organiza-
tions testifies to his standing and popularity.
He married, in Rochester, New York, De-
cember 31, 1895, Edith Charlotte Griswold,
a native of Connecticut, who was reared in
Rochester. She is a daughter of the late
H. P. Griswold, for many years a leading
dentist of Rochester, and his wife, Belle
Griswold, who now resides in that city. Mr.
and Mrs. Kirk have a daughter, Beatrice
Griswold, born March 30, 1896, now the
wife of Horace K. Dickson, a prominent
lumberman of Norfolk, Virginia.
Charles Jackson Billups. The paternal ancestors of Charles Jackson Billups, fun- eral director of Richmond, Virginia, came from England, his great-grandfather settling in Mathews county, where his son Richard was born. Richard Billups became a wealthy planter, owning many slaves and was largely interested in vessels and shipping trade. He married Mary Elizabeth Risbee, also born in Mathews county.
Lafayette Washington Billups, son of Richard and Mary Elizabeth (Risbee) Bill- ups, was born in Alathews county, Vir-
ginia. I\Iay I. 1824. died in Richmond, Vir-
ginia. July 14, 1893. He became an expert
cabinetmaker and was for several years en-
gaged in business in Portsmouth, Virginia.
He located in Richmond in 185 1, working at
his trade, also as an undertaker for ten
years for others. In 1861 he established in
business for himself as undertaker and
funeral director, continuing alone until
joined by his son, Charles J., a few years
prior to his death in 1893. During the
war between the states he was employed by
the Confederate government and was also
captain of a company of home guards. He
was an upright, honorable man, well known
and respected. He married, in Portsmouth,
Virginia, in 1851, Elizabeth Frances Glenn,
of North Carolina, who died in 1904, aged
seventy-six years, daughter of Dr. Thomas
Washington Glenn, born in Virginia, and
his wife, Penelope (Jones) Glenn, born in
North Carolina. Children : Walter, George
and John, all died in infancy ; Mary Alyce,
residing with her brother in Richmond ;
Charles Jackson, of whom further.
Charles Jackson Billups, only surviving son of Lafayette Washington and Elizabeth Frances (Glenn) Billups, was born in Rich- mond, Virginia, May 15, 1863. He was educated in the city public schools, and is a graduate of the high school, class of 1880. He immediately engaged in business with his father, in the undertaking line, at 1 5 14 East Franklin street, and on the death of the latter in 1893 succeeded him in the busi- ness. He is now well located and estab- lished at 1505 East Main street, and worth- ily conducts the business established by his father in 1861. Mr. Billups is a prominent member of the Masonic order, holding the thirty-second degree, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite ; belongs to lodge, chapter and commandery of the York Rite, and to Acca Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He holds numerous other fraternal member- ships, including the Knights of Pythias, In- dependent Order of Odd Fellow's, Druids, Royal .Arcanum, Heptasophs, Woodmen of the World, and the Junior Order of Amer- ican Mechanics. He is a communicant of Leigh Street Baptist Church, and a member of the Rotary Club of Richmond.
Mr. Billups married (first) in 1890, Lillie P. Figg, who died in 1891. He married (second) February 19. 1896, Lettie Lee Scott, of Pittsylvania county, Virginia, born
