U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Light, Andrew Jackson (b. 1838) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Men of West Virginia, Volume II Biographical Publishing Company George Richmond, Pres.: C. R. Arnold, Sec'y and Treas. Chicago, Illinois, 1903 Pages 584-587 ANDREW JACKSON LIGHT, who for a period of 25 years has served as justice of the peace in the Big Sandy district, Kanawha County, West Virginia, and is one of its honored citizens, was born on a farm in Randolph County, Indiana, March 10, 1838. He is a son of Enoch and Mary (Kelly) Light, both deceased, who were natives of the Old Dominion. Samuel Light, the great-great-grandfather of our subject, was a man of prominence in his day and is mentioned in a history of Daniel Boone as one of the old pioneer hunters. His ancestors were of English blood. The grandfather of Judge Light was born in Roanoke County, Virginia, where the family is still numerous. The birth of Enoch Light, the father, took place in Roanoke County, Virginia; in young manhood he married Mary Kelly in Fayette County, Virginia, now West Virginia. In 1830 he removed to Indiana, located in Randolph County and bought a farm, on which he devoted his efforts to the raising of grain and stock. There our subject's mother died of the prevalent fever and ague, leaving a family of eight children, of whom two sons and four daughters are still living. Soon after the death of his wife, Enoch Light moved to Missouri and located not far from St. Joseph, where he remained a year, then drifted back to Indiana and later to his old home in Virginia. During his residence in the West, his daughters married and one now lives in Oregon, two in Indiana and one in Missouri. A brother, Henry, lives at Fayetteville, West Virginia. On his return to Virginia, Mr. Light married Mrs. Rachel Suttle of Fayette County and they had a family of four children. Mr. Light died at his home in Fayette County, June 22, 1875, from cancer of the head, and his widow is also deceased. Andrew J. Light was educated in the common schools although the accommodations were such as might have discouraged all but the very ambitious students. Our subject can recall how he and his brother Henry arose before light so that they could reach the school in time, six miles away. The building was of logs, with chestnut bark roof and slab benches; there was no floor and an old-fashioned fireplace occupied the whole end of the building. It was necessary for the sturdy pupils to cut wood during recesses in order to keep the fire going, — an early example of the manual training idea of the public schools of today. At the age of 15 years, with his brother, he removed to Kanawha County and attended two terms of school there with ex-Governor (George W. Atkinson as schoolmate, the lads boarding at the home of Mr. Atkinson's father, and Floyd Jacobs, a lifelong friendship following. Andrew J. Light then went to Cannelton in Fayette County and there engaged for a time in coal mining, running the incline cars for two years. He then enlisted for service in the Confederate Army, in Company I, Captain Lewis' Cavalry, and served one year, in the 8th Virginia Regiment, under that fine officer. He was later transferred to Capt. Tom Jackson's battery and served in that organization about three years. Mr. Light entered the service as a private and received rapid promotion, soon being made a sergeant. After his first enlistment in the cavalry, the regiment went into camp at St. Albans and our subject with his company was then sent to Ripley and a few days later participated in the battle of Skeering. The enemy proved too strong and his regiment fell back to Charleston, thence to the narrows of the New River, thence to Louisburg, where it was placed under General Echols. Here General Jenkins took command of the regiment. It then proceeded to Abingdon where General Loring assumed command; thence the regiment went to Lynchburg, Bristol and Union. During all these movements there had been no serious fighting. From Union the regiment then went to Princeton where a hot skirmish took place, thence to the mouth of the Blue Stone River; it was then ordered to report to Gen. John C. Breckenridge in the Shenandoah Valley. It was at this period that Mr. Light became an artilleryman. Upon the battery's reporting to General Breckenridge in the Shenandoah Valley it was sent to Winchester, where it was supplied with Dahlgren cannon; thence it proceeded to Lynchburg where in the battle that took place our subject was obliged to fight against his brother Elijah who was a soldier in the Union Army, James and Henry also serving in the Union Army. At Lynchburg, General McCauslin commanded the Confederate troops and General Hunter, the Federals. This series of movements is known in history as Hunter's Raid. From that point the command with which our subject was connected went up through Maryland and into Pennsylvania, hoping to draw General Grant from Richmond. General McCauslin and his command, of which Mr. Light was a member, crossed the river at Williamsport and advanced to Hagerstown. Then the battery went to Moorefield, West Virginia, and later, on account of an official conflict, the Union troops routed the Confederates. In the begriming of 1863 they went into camp below Staunton, Virginia, and thence moved to Richmond. The battery was in the battles below Richmond under Gen. Robert E. Lee, and then returned to the Shenandoah Valley. In all the operations in the Shenandoah Valley leading up to the battle of Winchester, Mr. Light had charge of one of the pieces of ordnance. Later, at the battle of Gettysburg, he with his battery took an active part and in fact until the close of his service, in danger at all times, he proved what mettle he was made of. All of these movements of the army belong to the country's history. He met with many sad experiences and was more than once honored with words of approval from those brave commanders whose names will ever live. At the battle of Fisher's Hill, our subject was 1st sergeant of the first piece of artillery and distinguished himself by discovering the Unionists, when the scouts had failed, and fired three shots, the first of the engagement. Mr. Light had the honor of being called upon to make special shots upon different occasions, with flattering results. When his company later was ordered back to Staunton, he with others surrendered to the Union troops, at New Creek, was paroled and went to Wheeling and thence home. This very incomplete record indicates the character and gives a glimpse of the war record of one of Kanawha County's war survivors. After the close of the war, Mr. Light went to work in a machine shop at Charleston, later engaged in running a sawmill, being among the first in Kanawha County to operate a circular saw, and followed that business for 20 years. On April 7, 1867, Mr. Light married Lucy Jane McCarty and a family of eight children were born to this marriage, seven of whom are living. The only son, Enos J., lives on Elk River some six miles below Clendenin. The daughters are: Mrs. Nannie B. Odell, of Blue Creek; Mrs. Emma Samples, of Blendenin; Mrs. Effie Campbell, of Clendenin; Mrs. Mattie Robinson, of Roane County; and Minnie and Uma, who live at home. The grandchildren number 12. Judge Light had always been a Democrat until 1883 and had supported that party, but since then has been identified with the Republican party, but has never asked for any office. In 1872, in Elk district, he was elected justice of the peace for one year. In 1874 he bought a farm at Fallen Rock and resided there five years, but in 1893 he removed to Clendenin and has resided there since, in 1897 purchasing a lot and erecting a handsome residence. Ever since his first election to the magistracy he has been re-elected, and has had 25 years of continuous service, the oldest in his section. His decisions meet with general approval and he is thoroughly posted on all statutes and codes. On May 12, 1885, he was appointed a notary public by Governor E. W. Wilson. Fraternally Mr. Light is a past grand of Lodge No. 142, I. O. O. F., of Clendenin. For more than 20 years he has been a liberal supporter and a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist Church, to which his wife and family also belong. He is held in high esteem in Kanawha County. ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Kanawha County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/kanawha/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------