WILLIAM H. TAPPEY
Is of German birth and parentage, but many years a resident of Virginia.
He was born near Bremen, Germany, November 7, 1819, the
son of Frank and Henrietta Tappey, both now deceased. He came to
the United States, to Richmond, Virginia, in July, 1836, and worked in
the Shocoe Foundry four years, removing to Petersburg in 1840. At
Petersburg he began business in the Iron Works, and until the war was
most of the time senior member of the firm of Tappey & Lumsden. He
enlisted in Capt. Fisher's Cavalry Company, C. S. A., and was detailed
to furnish army equipments. He was captain of the detailed forces,
and when Grant took the Petersburg breastworks, was fighting at the
front, at the time Mr. Lumsden and others were made prisoners. At
the close of the war he resumed business, under the firm name and style
of Tappey, Lumsden & Co., later firm was Tappey & Steel, and now
(1888), it is Tappey & Delaney. Mr. Tappey has been forty-six years
engaged in business on the same spot, and gives fair promise of many
years more business activity. The firm are manufacturers of stationary,
portable and hoisting engines, tram road engines and car irons,
pumps, presses, mills and mill gearing, elevators, and iron and brass
castings, etc.
In Richmond, Virginia, November, 1840, Rev. A. D. Pollock, D.D.,
officiating, William H. Tappey married Lucy B. Seal, of Caroline county,
Virginia, the daughter of James and Judith Seal, both Virginians,
and both now deceased. The issue of this marriage is four daughters:
Emma E., Mary V., Annie F. and Lucie P. and one son, F. I., now
deceased.
