University of Virginia Library

EDWARD WATKINS SPEED

The gentleman whose name captions this article
was born in Orange County, North Carolina, August
25th, 1858, and is a son of Captain Jos. H. and Virginia
M. (Lockett)
Speed. He was educated
at Hampden-Sidney
College, Virginia,
and upon attaining his
majority went to the
Great Northwest and
located in Hill City,
South Dakota. He was
the organizer and
cashier of the Harney
Peak Bank of Hill City,
South Dakota, for a
number of years. Selling
out his interest in
South Dakota he went
to Omaha, Nebraska,
where he was for a number
of years connected
with the Omaha
National Bank. In 1904 he decided to return East
and located in Roanoke and has since been engaged in
the real estate and rental and insurance business.
Mr. Speed was the organizer of the Allison Avenue
Improvement Company and is the Secretary and
Treasurer of same. He is a director in the Consolidated
Tramway Company and was the originator of
the Appalachian Water Power Company, the object
of which is to build lines and furnish electric power to
all the cities and towns of Southwest Virginia. Mr.
Speed is a wide-awake progressive business man and
enjoys the confidence and respect of all who know him.
He has well appointed offices in the Watt, Rettew &
Clay Building.

Fraternally he is a Knight of Pythias and a member
of the Masonic Fraternity.

Religiously he is a member of the Second Presbyterian
Church, having been the treasurer of same for
some years.