Charles Louis Jr. and Georgiana Raison
From the Biographical Cyclopedia of the Commonwealth of
Kentucky, published by the John M Gresman Company, Chicago-Philadelphia 1896,
pages 472-473
CHARLES LOUIS RAISON, JR. a resident of Newport and a prominent attorney at law, practicing in Cincinnati and also in Newport, was born in Greenup, Kentucky, October 29, 1849. He is a son of Charles Louis Raison and Amanda K Corum, natives of Greenup County. His father was educated for the legal profession and was admitted to the bar, but having a preference for mercantile life, did not engage in the practice of law, but was for many years a successful merchant and prominent citizen of Greenup; but removed to Ashland, where he also engaged in mercantile pursuits, taking a lively interest in politics and was elected county judge of Boyd County and was subsequently elected mayor of the city of Ashland.
A Republican of strong conviction and a man of unusual force of character, he was a leader in his party and a man of affairs in the communities in which he lived. He was born in Greenup in 1823 and died in Ashland in 1887.
Mr. Raison's family history is one of unusual interest, showing his relation to the nobility of France for many centuries. His great-grandfather's name was Louis Modesta Raison de la Geneste, who married Lady Marie Thereza Langier. At his death his wife survived him with two children, Louis Raison de la Geneste (grandfather) and Lady Marie Thereza Clotilda Raison de la Geneste. His widow married Philip Ridore, a planter and owner of large estates in the Island of San Domingo. At the time of the insurrection of the negroes and massacre of the white inhabitants of the Island of San Domingo, Louis Raison de la Geneste (grandfather) was the owner of a large estate and many slaves. He and his sister escaped from the island and came to America. He came to Greenup County where he lived and died. He married Avemathea Young, daughter of John Young, who was a native of Virginia, a man of large means, of high social standing and an officer in the Revolutionary war.
Lady Marie Louise Victoria Antoinette Raison de la Geneste, sister of Louis Modesta Raison de la Geneste, married Pierre Antonine Fontaine de Chaussenell and they came to America and located in New Orleans, where they lived and died, and where many of their descendants now reside.
Louis Raison de la Geneste (grandfather) was an educated French nobleman and the family is one of the oldest and strongest of the French nobility. The title is a mater of public record in France and can be traced for many hundred years, showing that many of the ancestors were military men of renown. Hit has its coat of arms and crest and a history showing the title of the family for centuries. Notwithstanding this, Charles Louis Raison, the subject of this sketch, is thoroughly American. He never uses his title, preferring to be known simply as an American.
The parents of Amanda K Corum (mother) came to Kentucky from North Carolina in which state many of her relatives now reside. She is now living with her son in Newport.
Charles Louis Raison, following the example of his ancestors, was carefully and thoroughly educated under the helpful direction and assistance of his talented father, and after leaving school at the age of seventeen, was employed as bookkeeper for the Eastern Kentucky Railroad Company in Greenup County, and was engaged in the iron business in that section until 1873, and there began the study of law under D K Weis. He then took the law course in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and returning to Kentucky, was admitted to the bar in Carter County in 1875. He practiced in partnership with Hon B F Bennett of Greenup until 1878 when he removed to Cincinnati and engaged in the practice of law in that city, taking up his residence, however, in Newport, preferring a home in his native state while doing business in the larger city across the river.
His success was gratifying and encouraging from the start and he soon found his proper place among the leading lawyers of the Ohio metropolis. In 1888 he formed a partnership with George H Ahlering, the firm being known as Raison & Ahlering; and as they are residents of Newport, deeply interested in the welfare of that city and prominent in all matters looking to its general growth and progress, they have an office in Newport as well as in Cincinnati and receive a liberal share of the legal business of Campbell and adjacent counties.
Mrs. Raison is a Republican and while averse to holding office, being independent of the public crib, he takes the part of a good citizen in the selection of men and the adoption of measures looking to the improvement of the public service. He was married in 1879 to Georgiana Wrightson, daughter of Hon Thomas Wrightson, ex-state senator from Campbell County. They have two children living; Lizzie and Thomas Raison.
Charles married a second wife, Anna E Thomas 4 Aug 1900 in Cincinnati.
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Kentucky Post, Wednesday, 23 March 1910, page 7
FAIL TO FIND SECOND WILL
County Judge Hawkins has taken the matter of probating the will of Attorney Charles Raison under submission. Court Baker, who is representing the children of the decedent by his first wife, and who are contesting the will, made a statement to court that he had reason to believe that a second will of Raison's was locked in a safety deposit box in the Newport National Bank.
A search was made for the alleged document, but the officers of the bank failed to find any such paper.
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Charles Louis Raison Jr. 1910 Obituary