University of Virginia Library

ANDREW JACKSON AIRHEART

Andrew Jackson Airheart, son of John William and
Mary (Lucas) Airheart, was born in Roanoke County,
Virginia, June 23d, 1869, and at the age of seventeen
years, removed with his
parents to this city,
where for a time he attended
Alleghany Institute,
the school then
being located in the Old
Rorer Park Hotel. In
his younger days he attended
the county
schools. At the close of
two sessions at the Alleghany
Institute he accepted
a position with
The Roanoke Gas and
Water Company. Two
years later on July 1st,
1889, he accepted a position
with the Philadelphia
One-Price Clothing
House, taking the
place of Nathan Cohen, who was killed in the disastrous
Thaxton wreck. Since that time either as clerk or
proprietor, he has been identified with the mercantile
interests of Roanoke.

In 1902 the firm of the Airheart-Kirk Clothing Company
was incorporated with Mr. Airheart as President
and General Manager. The firm is located at No. 25
Campbell Avenue, West, where one of the largest and
most complete lines of ready-made clothing and gents'
furnishings is to be found in Roanoke.

Andrew Jackson Airheart is deeply interested in the
commercial life of Roanoke. He is a past president of
the Retail Merchants' Association, and is a member of
the Roanoke Chamber of Commerce.

Socially he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the
Odd Fellows, the Red Men, the Modern Woodmen, the
Elks, and the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

His father, the late John William Airheart, volunteered
his services to the Confederacy while a student
at Roanoke College, becoming a member of Captain
Jack Deyerle's Company of the Forty-Second Virginia
Regiment and was severely wounded at Seven Pines.
Forty-two members of his company participated in this
engagement. He and his brother, George P. Airheart,
together with five others came out alive. The two
Airhearts, each believing the other dead, met on the
battle field as they were looking into the faces of dead
men, in a search one for the other. They fell into each
other's arms and wept for joy. John William Airheart
died in Roanoke in June, 1897.

On October 15th, 1903, Andrew Jackson Airheart
married Mary K. Robertson, daughter of Andrew W.
Robertson, of Bedford City. Two children have been
born to bless the union, Hazel Frances, aged seven, and
Madolin Burress, aged two years.