JAMES W. AUXIER
1865-1938
James W. Auxier, was born November 22, 1865, at Auxier, Floyd County,
Kentucky.
The son of Elijah Auxier and Margaret Richmond Auxier. His father was
one of the early pioneer settles of the Big Sandy Valley, and one of
the most substantial citizens of Eastern Kentucky. His mother Margaret
Richmond Auxier, came to the Big Sandy Valley with her father from
Glasgow Scotland, and was a lady of that fine Scotch intellect common
to the scotch people.
Mr. Auxier was educated in the public schools of Floyd County, later
attended Emory and Henry College, at Abington Va., and the Kentucky
Wesleyan College, then located at Millersburg Ky.. He taught school in
Floyd County Kentucky during his early life and later operated a
general store at the Mouth of Johns Creek from 1887 to 1906 and during
that time engaged in the timber business in Floyd, Martin, and Pike
counties. Mr. Auxier then moved to Paintsville where he organized and
operated The Paintsville Grocery Company until the time if his death.
He was president of The Paintsville Grocery Company. The First National
Bank and The Painstville Hospital Company.
Mr. Auxier was a member of the Paintsville Lodge, F. & A. M., having
been a charter member of the East Point, Lodge and served as its
master. He also was a charter member of the Paintsville Rotary Club,
supervised and acted as treasurer of the Mayo Memorial Church and for
years was the secretary of the John C. C. Mayo College; he was
supervisor of two buildings in Paintsville; The Mayo Memorial Church
and the Paintsville Hospital. Few men in the history of Paintsville and
Johnson County have given more of their time and means to civic,
education, charitiable, and religious advancement of Johnson County. He
was deeply interested in all these things, and never failed to respond
to any worthy call.
Mr. Auxier was known to his business associates as "Jim", and was
considered universally by his friends and associtates as a man of
honesty, plain, and outspoken in his views, terling character, sound
and dependable judgement, and because of them fine qualities of
characters, and intellect, litertally thousands of people sought his
advice.
In 1889 Mr. Auxier, married Martha Ann Stafford, daughter of William
Stafford and Martha Hager Stafford. He died August 1, 1938, age 72
years 8 months, and 10 days. He is survived by his wife, Martha
Stafford Auxier, and four daughters, Mrs. Fannie Archer, Mrs. Margaret
Hager, Mrs. Harry LaViers, and Mrs. John Gainey Newman, two sisters,
Mrs. Beverly May, and Mrs. Alex Spradlin of Prestonsburg. He is also
survived by nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren, all of
Paintsville, Kentucky.
Mr. Auxier was a progressive business man, yet he held to the old
school of business ethics, that taught if you dealt honestly and fairly
with other man you were being honestly and fair to yourself. This
principle was constantly given and he endeavered to plant it in the
minds of all of his employees.
Mr. Auxier was converted at the Old Auxier Chapel, later moving his
card to the Southern Methodist Church of Paintsville. His Conversion
having taken place some forty-five years ago.
Mr. Auxier will be deeply missed in the business, civic, and religious
activities of the Big Sandy Valley.
Painstville Herald
Thursday
8-11-1938
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