Highland County, VA Biographies

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Highland County
Biographies

CHARLES L. ARMSTRONG was born December 14, 1833, in Highland County, Virginia, the only son of James and Mariah (Hiner) Armstrong, natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia, respectively. They emigrated to Miami County and settled at Peru in 1846. Charles L. was reared on a farm, receiving a common school education. In 1858 he was married to Mary C. Leas, born in Preble County, Ohio, who died in 1870 or 1871. Three children were born to this union: Laura, Jesse and Claude. He was again united in marriage in April, 1874, to Mrs. R. A. Remine Vance, a native of Washington County, Virginia. He now owns land adjoining Peru, and his principal business is dairy farming. His politics are Republican, and he affiliates with the Masonic Order.
["History of Miami County, Indiana: From the earliest time to the present ..." By Brant & Fuller, Chicago - Submitted by Barb Z.]

James Gaston Dunsmore
     James Gaston Dunsmore, the distinguished educator of Staunton, Virginia, whose name has been associated longer than that of almost any other with the teaching of business methods in the United States, the founder of the Dunsmore Business College, Inc., is of Scotch origin. The first form of the name is stated to have been "Dinsmoor," alter which appear the variations, Dinsmore, Dinsmuir, Dunsmore, and yet another variation, sometimes found in Scotland, Dunmure.
     The Dunsmore family history, in so far as it is known, dates back to about 1600. Rev. Dr. John W. Dinsmore, D. D., of Bloomington, Illinois, gives as the probable origin of the patronymic: "1 have no doubt but that the original ancestor wrote (if he could write) 'Dunsemoor' (dunse, a little hill, and moor, heath). He probably lived on, or by, a little hill at the edge of the heath or moor." The first known man to whom reference can now be made lived in the south of Scotland, near the river Tweed, bore the name Dinsmoor, and was known as the Laird of Achenmead. His youngest son, John Dinsmoor, born about 1650, became the ancestor of the family settled in the parish of Ballywattick, Ballymoney county Antrim, Ireland, from whom all the American families of Dinsmore and Dunsmore are descended. This original Irish settler lived to the great age of ninety-nine. He gained high standing in his community as a man of good morals, strong sense and a pious life. A description of the coat-of-arms, written by Robert Dinsmore, of Ballywattick, on August 12, 1794, to his kinsman, is given as follows: "A farm laid down on a plate, of a green color, with three wheat sheaves set upright in the centre, of a yellow color," all emblematical of husbandry and agriculture.
     John (2) Dinsmoor, son of John (1) Dinsmoor, was born in Ballywattick, Ireland, about 1671, and in 1723, accompanied by his family, came to this country. After going through long hardships, being taken prisoner by the Indians, and having numerous adventures, he located in the Scottish settlement of Londonderry, New Hampshire, being acquainted with many of the settlers there. Being a stonemason, he built for himself a stone house in that part of the town which is now known as Windham.
     Robert Dinsmoor, son of John (2) Dinsmoor, was born in Ireland in 1692, married Margaret Orr in Ireland, and with his wife and four children came to New Hampshire in 1730. He was prominent in the affairs of the town in which he located, and filled various public positions. He died October 14, 1751, and his wife died June 2, 1752.
     James Dunsmore, probably related to the above ancestry, was a native of Ireland, and settled at Sinks Grove, Monroe County, Virginia, in the earlier years of 1700. He married and was the father of three sons: James, Joseph, William.
     James (2) Dunsmore, son of James (1) Dunsmore, was married twice, and of the first marriage there was one child, who died in infancy. His second wife, Margaret (Reed) Dunsmore, bore him seven children: Elizabeth, John. Margaret, Hannah, George Washington, Andrew Lewis, Mary Ann. The sons were all farmers, and the daughters all became farmers' wives, and the entire family connection settled in the immediate neighborhood where James (1) Dunsmore located.
     George Washington Dunsmore, son of James (2) Dunsmore, was a prominent farmer, and held for many years the offices of justice of the peace and county supervisor. He married Amanda Melvina Crews, and they were the parents of two children: James Gaston, and Mary Martha, who became the wife of James W. Ellis, of Wolf Creek, West Virginia, and of this marriage there were two children: Lula Elner and Mabel. Mrs. Ellis died in 1892.
     James Gaston Dunsmore, son of George Washington Dunsmore, was born October 22, 1848, at Sinks Grove, Monroe County, Virginia, now West Virginia. His childhood was spent on his father's farm, where he performed the work of a farmer's boy between the times given to education. This was obtained at the Rocky Point Academy of his native town, where he employed his time to such advantage that at the age of sixteen he was given a position as assistant teacher in the academy. In 1872 he accepted the position of principal of the same institution, but shortly after gave up teaching to take a course in the Eastman National Business College at Poughkeepsie, New York, from which he graduated with the degree of Master of Accounts. The post-graduate degree of Fellow of the Institute of Accounts of New York City was also conferred upon him in April, 1896. His interests were completely enlisted in the profession and he determined upon it as his life work in spite of the opposition of his parents. He taught for some time in the public schools of Monroe, and founded at Sinks Grove, February 22, 1872, the Dunsmore Business College. Here he remained for eight years or until the spring of 1880, when he removed to Staunton, Virginia, and there reestablished his commercial school. It was incorporated by the legislature of Virginia and its charter approved by Governor Cameron, November 29, 1884, and reincorporated by the department of the state corporation commission, February 20, 1914, as the Dunsmore Business College, Incorporated. With the ever growing importance of the industrial and commercial elements in the life of to-day, the business college is coming to occupy a larger and more conspicuous place in the educational world, and among such schools there are few older and none with a higher or more deserved reputation for high ideals and efficiency than The Dunsmore Business College, Incorporated.
     Mr. Dunsmore is a Presbyterian in religion, and a Democrat in politics. He is prominently affiliated with the Masonic order, being a member of the Blue Lodge, No. 13; Union Chapter, No. 2, Royal Arch Masons, of Staunton, and Stevenson Commandery, No. 8, Knights Templar. Mr. Dunsmore is also a member of many educational associations and learned societies. He has done considerable traveling, and is a member of the National Geographic Society.
     Mr. Dunsmore married (first) February 8, 1872, S. E. Nickel!, and they were the parents of eight children; she died April 19, 1890. He married (second) September 8, 1892, Mrs. M. J. McClung, granddaughter of Robert Sitlington, deceased, daughter of J. W. Alexander, deceased, both prominent farmers of McDowell, Highland county, Virginia, and a half-sister of the late Professor J. R. S. Sterrett, deceased, who held the chair of post-graduate Greek and Archaeology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, at the time of his death, June 15, 1914.
[Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, Under The Editorial Supervision of Lyon Gardiner Tyler, 1915 – Transcribed by AFOFG]