University of Virginia Library

SAMUEL WILLIAM JAMISON

Samuel William Jamison was born in Franklin
County, Virginia, April 27th, 1850. In 1871 he located
in Big Lick, now Roanoke, his first business engagement
being in the general
store on Commerce
Street, conducted by the
late Peyton L. Terry.
Mr. Jamison established
the first warehouse in
Roanoke for the sale of
leaf tobacco, which he
successfully operated for
several years, after
which he engaged in the
wholesale tobacco business.
For a number of
years he was identified
with the banking interests
of Roanoke, and
for about eight years
was President and General
Manager of the
Roanoke Street Railway
Company, and was Vice President of the Roanoke
Light Company. It was under his management that
the street car system was equipped with electricity,
horse and steam power giving away to the more modern
means of locomotion. During the early days of Roanoke,
he was a member of the city council and served
in that body when the original water franchise for the
city's water supply was adopted. Following the sale
and consolidation of the street railway and electric
lighting plant to other interests, Mr. Jamison embarked
in the lumber business, operating under the name of the
Exchange Lumber Company. He is President and
Manager of the Company which for the past thirteen
years has been a most important factor in the up-building
of Roanoke.

Mr. Jamison has been identified with other large
interests of the city, such as the Roanoke Gas & Water
Company, The West End Land Company, The Belmont
Land Company, The Crystal Springs Land Company,
and others. He was one of the principal promotors of
the building of the Roanoke and Southern into Roanoke,
and was also active in securing the Southern terminal
of the Shenandoah Valley for Big Lick.