Joseph Clark Addington, Sr.

Addington Family Lot
Cedar Grove Cemetery
2nd Alley West, Lot 47
1st Alley West, Lot 48

Joseph Clark Addington, Sr. attended Maury High School in Norfolk upon its opening in 1911.  From there he attended Oakridge Academy in Oakridge, North Carolina where he studied shorthand and typing.  After working as a court reporter, Joseph became a clerk for Equitable Life Insurance Company.  He left Equitable in 1917 and went to work for the Portland Cement Company for a few months.  He left there to go to work for the Norfolk Office of Greenleaf Johnson Lumber Company.  He later worked at the North Carolina office as paymaster.  Joseph served one year in the Marine Corps and then returned to Greenleaf Johnson.  From there he partnered with Arthur Murray and Charles R. Dalton in the Murray Lumber Company.  In 1923, Addington brought Al Beaman into the company and they founded Addington & Beaman Lumber Company in 1925. 

Joseph married Helen Murphy, daughter of William McGee and Margaret Relihan Murphy of Norfolk on June 25, 1923.  Joseph C. Addington, Jr. was born in October of 1924 and Peggy Addington was born in 1926.  William “Billy” Frank Addington was born in 1930 and Helen “Honey” Virginia Addington was born in 1932.   

Addington & Beaman Lumber survived the Depression thanks to integrating a plywood business into the company.  After the Depression, the lumber business throughout the nation was slow to recover.  Some revival was stimulated by mechanization – the power saw evolved.  Then came World War II and government demands on the lumber industry multiplied calling for fantastic efforts to meet the demand.

Mr. Beaman died in 1970 and his interest in the company was purchased by J.C. Addington, Sr. and J.C. Addington, Jr.*

All printed information and photographs courtesy of the Sargeant Memorial Room, Norfolk Public Library.
*Joseph c. Addington, Sr.:  Lumberman, unknown author, December 1977.

Biographical information provided by Norfolk Bureau of Cemeteries.

Visitor Information

Visitor Hours: Sunrise to Sunset

Office hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Free parking inside cemetery.

Admission Cost: Free

Address: 238 E. Princess Anne Road, Norfolk, VA 23510

Official web site for more information: www.norfolk.gov/cemeteries

Norfolk Society for Cemetery Conservation Web Site: www.norfolksocietyforcemeteryconservation.org