Clarence Henry Hinnant, Sr.
(“Hinnant” and “CHH” to 10/1911)
Clarence Henry Hinnant, Sr. (11/11/1988 to 7/24/1952 (Maury Cemetery)) was among the first Virginia employees/associates that Charles M. Robinson engaged and is, by that fact, extremely important to the original establishment of the Firm. His parents were Doc Franklin Hinnant (1/23/1855-10/23/1897) and Mary Ellen Hinnant (1857-1941). He joined the firm in late 1908 or early 1909. Although the last plans with his name or initials are dated October of 1911, Richmond City Directories show him as being employed through 1913 when he appears to have entered the United States Army. The 1900 census shows Mary Hinnant – a widow born in 1857 – living at 208 14th Street in Manchester with six children. One of the children is 12 years old, “Clarence, born in 1887 and is listed “at school.” Mary E. Hinnant’s children are daughter Cora (born 1878), son Darius (born 1880 and “laborer”), Daughter Lillie Viola Hinnant [Burton] (born 1882 and “bookkeeper (at 17) (1882-1963), Daughter Pearl (born 1885), Clarence, and Otis (born 1891).
The City of Richmond directory for 1903 shows Clarence as a “Messenger, Tobacco Exchange.” The 1904 to 1906 Directories list him as a “draftsman” at William C. West, Architect, in Manchester. The 1907 directory lists him as employed there in the same capacity, but also with his sister Lillie employed there as “bookkeeper.” The 1908 directory shows only him employed at William C. West. From 1909 to 1913, the City directories show him as “draftsman, Charles M. Robinson.” On September 21, 1910 at the age of 22, he married Carrie Lamar Ellis (5/31/1887 to 12/4/1972) in Richmond. The wedding announcement states that his father was D. M. Hinnant.
On His June 5, 1917 WWI draft card shows him living in Kingsport, Tennessee. He states that he was born in Selma, North Carolina and that is an Architect/Engineer at the Kingsport Pulp Corporation and that he has a wife and two children. He states that he has already had 3 years of service in Virginia State Artillery as a private. He claimed an exemption in order to support his wife and two children. The 1920 Census shows that he and his wife are living in Lynchburg, Virginia, that he has two sons (Clarence, Jr. (1913-1983) and Robert H. (2 months)) and a daughter (Ann R (5)). His occupation is listed as an “Architect.”
The 1930 Census shows an additional son (Royal (1925-1959). He died on July 24, 1954 en-route the Lynchburg General Hospital after having a heart attack. He was still a practicing architect at the time of his death and was survived by Carrie Ellis Hinnant, his wife of 44 years. The news article at the time of his death states that he was a “Lynchburg Architect.” He is buried in Maury Cemetery in Richmond. A grandson, Clarence C. Hinnant, III, married Josephine Powell on February 2, 1971.