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BARBOUR COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
March 18, 2000
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 353
ALBERT GALLATIN CHRISLIP. An ambition to be a mer-
chant was the leading motive in the early career of Mr.
Chrislip. Having no capital but what he could earn, he
farmed, taught school and clerked until the day of realiza-
tion came when he could get into business for himself. In
point of years of service he is the oldest merchant of
Philippi, and is one of the very successful and substan-
tial citizens of that community.
His family name involves an interesting story of his
original German ancestor. At the close of the thirty years'
war in Germany, known as the war of extinction, after
which that country was left practically desolate, a lonely
babe was found in an old oven and the king of the prov-
ince was asked to name the child. He called it "Chris-
lieb," meaning Christ love. After coming to manhood
this youth came to America and settled in Pennsylvania,
establishing his home near Carlisle in the Cumberland
Valley. The family name has since undergone a change
of form, and a number of branches of the descendants
of the original settler have become scattered over the
Allegheny region and further west.
The grandfather of the Philippi merchant was Abram
Chrislip, who, accompanied by two brothers, Isaac and
Samuel, settled in Barbour County and were successful
farmers near Elk City. Abram Chrislip married Amanda
Britton, and they are buried in the grave-yard near the lit-
tle Village of Elk City. Of their children Ervin was the
oldest child; Elza lives at Elk City; Elmore Lee lives
with his older brother; Elizabeth is the wife of Albert
Reeder, of Carthage, Illinois; and Julia, married Alpheus
Corder and died at Carthage, Illinois.
Ervin Chrislip was born near Elk City and spent his
life there on a farm. He was a Confederate soldier, going
through the war without injury. He died in April, iyiğ,
at the age of eighty-five. Mis wife, who died in March,
1874, when about fifty years of age, was Mary Darnels.
Her father, Joseph Daniels, was a pioneer in this region
of West Virginia, his home being near Elk City, and he
died during tne Civil war. He came here from Augusta
County, Virginia. At one time he was elected a member
of the Legislature in old Virginia, and attended the legis-
lative sessions, journeyed to and from Richmond on horse-
back. Ervin Chrislip and wife had the following chil-
dren: William L., a merchant of Philippi; Albert Gal-
latin; Edmond H., who died, leaving a family, at Elk
City; Emma, wife of Jacob Rogers, of Phillppi; Abram,
a graduate of Columbia University, New York and an
educator living at Berkeley, California; and Bessie, wife
of Lawrence McGee, of Elk City.
Albert Gallatin Chrislip was born near Elk City, one
of the old villages of Barbour County, on August 26, 1859.
During his youth he attended a brief term of instruction
in the country school each winter, and the rest of the time
he worked on the farm. At the age of twenty-two he
began teaching, and taught in the country for two winters.
In 1882 he came to Philippi, and after taking a course
in the select school of Professor Cornwell, taught in the
public schools at Philippi fur two years, For another
year he was a deputy in the office of County Clerk Luther
C. Elliott, one of the good old citizens of Barbour County,
long since passed away. About that time came the op-
portunity to get experience in the line which he had de-
termined to follow permanently, and he became a clerk
in the store of Job H. Glasscock, this being then the largest
general siore at Philippi. Two years later he started in
business for himself as an implement dealer, and he brought
to Philippi the first improved farm machinery ordered for
sale here. About the same time he became a representa-
tive of a fertilizer manufacturing concern, and it is claimed
that Mr. Chrislip sold the first stock of fertilizer in Bar-
bour County. This business brought him in direct touch
with farmers, and he was soon marketing for his customers
large quantities of raw wool. But his business expanded
step by step, and later he added a stock of groceries and
finally merged all his departments into one large general
mercnandise business on Main Street now known as the
Farmers Supply Store, which runs an annual aggregate
of sales totaling $30,000. He erected his business house
on Main Street, one of the modern structures in the town,
and also owns one of the beautiful and attractive resi-
dences of the city.
In the line of public duty Mr. Chrislip responded sev-
eral times to election as a memuer of the City Council. At
that time plans were being made for some of the public
improvements which have since ueen completed. Mr. Chris-
lip for many years was an active democrat, but with pass-
ing years he hass cut away from partisan affiliations and
regards himself as strictly independent. Since the age
of fourteen he has been a member of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church, and fraternally he is a past noble grand of
the Lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows and one
of the oldest members of that fraternity at Philippi, also
belongs to the Encampment and is a member of the Ki-
wanis Club.
In Taylor County, October 28, 1898, he married Miss
Ella Nuzum, daughter of Allen Nuzum, Boothsville, that
county, where she was born and reared on a farm. Mrs.
Chrislip was one of a family of two sons and four daugh-
ters. Mr. and Mrs. Chrislip have four talented children.
Lillian Nuzum Chrislip, the oldest, graduated from Broad-
dus College of Philippi, and in 1922 graduated from tne
Boston Conservatory of Music. John Howard, the second
child, is a graduate of the Philippi High School and of
Broaddus College, and is now taking a course in electrical
engineering. The two younger children are Allen Rockwell,
a high school boy, and Charles Woodrow.
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