VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
479
ers and attracting a large list of influential
patrons. Personally an independent thinker
and a Democrat from conviction, Mr. Har-
rison does not blindly follow a leader, but
when convinced of the justice of a cause
and of ability and purity of purpose of a
leader, gives him enthusiastic support. He
is a warm supporter of President W'ilson
and his policies, using the "Democrat" and
his personal influence to aid the president
in his efforts to establish better conditions
in the financial and business world bounded
by the United States. He is a frequent
delegate to party conventions and is one of
the influential men of the country. Mr.
Harrison is an active member of the Meth-
odist Episcopal church, is ofBcially con-
nected with the Sunday school, member of
the city council, and holds fraternal rela-
tions with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Royal Ar-
canum.
Mr. Harrison married, September 15, 1885, ^lary Fanny Stump, born in Bedford City (then Liberty), \"irginia, in 1864, daughter of ^^'illiam B. and Martha (Franklin) Stump. Children : Claude, born in Bedford City, in January, 1888, graduate of Ran- dolph-Macon Academy, class of 1908, now associated with his father in the printing business; Milton Thomas (2). born in Bris- tol, Tennessee, July 8, 1890, educated at Randolph-Macon Academy ; Ralph, born in Bedford City, in 1896 ; Nina, born in Bed- ford City in 1902.
John Pinkerton East. Frequent references to this name are found in the history of \ irginia. The records show that there were several of the name in the revolutionary army, and in the war of 18 12, defending the colonies against British aggression and those of the name bore well their part in the defence of their native state during the civil war.
The first of the family to settle in \'ir- ginia came from England early in the sev- enteenth century, locating first on the coast in Elizabeth City and adjacent counties, and afterwards going westward to Nelson and Campbell counties. Members of the family inter-married with the Clarksons, Bayles, Barnetts, Dillards and Hedgemans and other families in their several communi- ties. From Nelson county the family went in various directions, some to Tennessee
and Mississippi, where their descendants
still live, others to Indiana, and some to the
\alley of \'irginia ; among the last named
the grandfather of the subject of this sketch,
David Clarkson East, settled in Rockbridge
county in 1810, where he married Betsey
Sproul, daughter of \\'illiam and Mary
(I'eard) Sproul. A number of children were
born of this marriage, among whom was
Samuel Anderson East, the father of the
sul)ject of this sketch. He was born in
1824. -md died in 1891. He was for a time
sheriff' of the county of Rockbridge, a colo-
nel in the Virginia militia; married Lucy
A'irginia Howell, daughter of William How-
ell and his wife Sarah (Jones) Howell, of
Augusta county, Virginia. There were four
children of this marriage : William Howell
East, who is a farmer and stock raiser, liv-
ing in Augusta ; John P. East, mentioned be-
low ; Charles IMcCauley East, who gradu-
ated from the University of Virginia in
1900, and is a practicing attorney at Staun-
ton, \'irginia, a member of the firm of
Landes (5v: East ; Mary Edmonia East, who
now resides in Staunton, \'irginia. AYilliam
H. East, the oldest son. married Irene Dud-
ley, of Augusta county, and of this marriage
there are two children : Mrginia Dudley
East and John Howell East. Charles Mc-
Cauley East married Jannette Summerson,
of Stavmton, ^^irginia, and of this marriage
there are three children : Mary Elizabeth
East, Sarah Howell East and Charles Vil-
liam East.
John P. East was the second son of Samuel A. and Lucy V. (Howell) East, and was born October 21, 1870, at Long Glade, Augusta county. Virginia. He attended the public schools in that vicinity and studied under tutors at home, afterwards attended the Staunton Military Academy. Washing- ton and Lee University, and the University of \'irginia, and was graduated in law from the latter institution in 1 89 1. Shortly fol- lowing his graduation he was admitted to the liar in Virginia, and very soon there- after came to New York and was admitted to the New York bar in 1894, since which time he has been in active practice, and since 190 1, as junior member of the law firm of Phelps & East. He is a member of the New York Southern Society, the Vir- ginians, Manhattan Club, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the Vir- ginia Historical Society and the Salmagundi
