William W. Hurt was born in Virginia around 1879. He married Zula Kinzer, and the couple had two sons: William Whitmore (1905-1984) and Fred Kinzer (1910-2003). The family initially lived in Washington County, but some years after becoming general manager of the Douglas Land Company, Hurt moved with his family to Marion (Smyth County), where he maintained an active interest in local affairs.

Many of Hurt's activities centered on his role as manager of the Douglas Land Company and in developing the company's holdings. He supervised the planting and operation of a commercial apple orchard, undertook game and fish conservation measures and built roads. Hurt was also involved in other business enterprises, many of which were probably connected--either directly or indirectly--with the Douglas Land Company. He served on the board of directors of the National Bank of Chilhowie and the Colonial Manufacturing Company; was vice-president of the Damascus Telephone Association and the Elk Garden Company and was president of the Smyth County Fair. Hurt died between 1916 and 1932.

The Douglas Land Company was organized in New York in 1904 to manage the Douglas family estate of Washington, Smyth and Grayson counties, Virginia. Under the management of William W. Hurt, the company developed timber, engaged in mineral prospecting and leased to local farmers lands from the estate, known as "Laurel Farm." In 1910, the company sold 28,000 acres of timberland to the United States government as a forest reserve. Timber from other tracts of land was sold to lumber companies. W. L. Umbarger succeeded Hurt as manager upon the latter's death; Umbarger was later succeeded by H. P. Gills. The company had ceased operation by 1932.

Source:

Wilson, Goodridge, Smyth County History and Its Traditions ([S.l.]: The Author, 1932).