August 13, 2020 / Joanne Yeck

The Foland Family of Scottsville: Part V

Foland Printing Co. Bluefield, West Virginia.

Need to catch up? Click here: The Foland Family of Scottsville: Part I

According to James Morton Callahan’s biography of Clarke Valentine Foland, this Jefferson descendant was a printer, working for newspapers across Virginia until he finally settled in Bluefield, West Virginia. His life story continues:

Clarke V. Foland spent his early life at Scottsville, where he attended school, and was also a student in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg. In May, 1898, he volunteered for service in the Spanish-American war, being assigned to duty in the Blacksburg Band, and was with Gen. Fitzhugh Lee’s command at Jacksonville, Florida. He was mustered out at Salem, Virginia, in December, 1898.

He learned the printer’s trade in the office of the Scottsville Courier, and later was employed in various capacities on the Buchanan, Virginia, Banner, the Fincastle Herald, the Norton Free Press, the Tazewell Republican, and finally on the Bluefield Evening Leader. He was a part owner of the Leader when it suspended publication, and he lost all his savings at that time. In February, 1909, he organized the Foland Printing Company, which took over the very limited equipment of the old Leader. He became president of the new organization, which had a cash capital of only $65.00. For a dozen years, Mr. Foland kept the business growing to the limit of its facilities, and now has a complete commercial printing establishment, handling a large part of the printing business in this section of the state.

Coming Next: The Foland Family of Scottsville: Part VI