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BRAXTON COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
November 8, 1999
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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. 291-292
Braxton
A. P. ARMSTRONG. Without force of character no man
can achieve to any eminence no matter what path he chooses
in life. His aims may be high, his principles excellent and
his ideas brilliant, but unless he possesses vim, energy and
strength to make practical his plans his efforts will be
vain. The county seat of Sutton has given Braxton County
some of its most forcible men, and from them have been
chosen the individuals who have acted capably in official
capacities. Among these may be mentioned A. P. Arm-
strong, justice of the peace at Sutton and a member of an
old and honored West Virginia family. Mr. Armstrong, who
is still a young man for so responsible a position, has
possessed the force of character necessary to bring him
advancement, and his career promises to be a highly suc-
cessful one.
A. P. Armstrong is a native son of Braxton County, hav-
ing been born at Sutton, February 23, 1889, a son of C. and
Elizabeth J. (Troxell) Armstrong. His father, a native
of Glendon, West Virginia, was married there and as a
young man was engaged in farming. Later, on coming to
Sutton, he applied himself to the trade of blacksmith, a
vocation which he had learned in his youth. He also served
for some years as jail keeper and in other capacities, and
was accounted a capable and reliable official. In politics he
was a democrat. He died in 1910, in the faith of the Bap-
tist Church, of which Mrs. Armstrong, who survives him as
a resident of Sutton, is also a member. They were the par-
ents of six children: W. L., a graduate of the law depart-
ment of the University of West Virginia and now engaged
in the practice of his profession at Sutton; Gideon, also a
graduate of the State University, who is following a
business career at Sutton; Mary, a graduate of the graded
and high schools, who makes her home with her mother;
Jessie, also a graduate of the graded and high schools and
the wife of Patrick Murphy, an attorney of Charleston; Dr.
R. T., who is engaged in the practice of dentistry at Gassa-
way, West Virginia; and A. P., of this review.
A. P. Armstrong is indebted to the public schools of
Morgantown for his primary education, which was later
supplemented by three years of study in the State Univer-
sity. With this preparation he returned to his native place
of Sutton and embarked on his business career in the ca-
pacity of a public stenographer, a business in which he
gained a wide acquaintance, made numerous friends and
achieved some success. Urged by his friends, in the fall
of 1920 he allowed his name to be used as a candidate for
the office of justice of the peace, and in the November elec-
tions of that year was chosen for the office. Mr. Armstrong
has discharged the duties of his position in an entirely
capable manner, exercising the powers of his office with
dignity, impartiality and expedition. So thoroughly has he
gained the confidence of his fellow-citizens that he is often
called upon to decide disputes outside of court as an arbi-
trator, in which capacity his quiet, unswerving strength has
brought peace to disturbed conditions.
Mr. Armstrong was united in marriage at Sutton with
Miss Laura Bryson, of this city, a graduate of the public
schools, and to this union there has come one child, Bettie
Lee, born December 1, 1918. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong are
faithful members of the Baptist Church and generous con-
tributors to various worthy causes of an educational,
religious or charitable nature. In his political allegiance.
Mr. Armstrong is a democrat, but has never allowed his
political leanings to affect his decisions. As a fraternalist
he holds membership in the local lodge of the Knights of
Pythias and is a York Rite Mason and a Noble of the
Mystic Shrine.
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