USA > Virginia > Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Volume V > Part 103
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Frank Graham. son of Benjamin Franklin and Mary Elizabeth (Newton) Cootes, was born in Staunton, Augusta county, Virginia, April 6, 1879. He received his elementary education in the public schools of his native town, and from his earliest years showed decided artistic tendencies. For a period of two years he was a student at Professor S. H. Owens' Academy, where he was awarded a competitive scholarship entitling him to attendance at Washington and Lee Univer- sity. He matriculated at this institution in 1896, and spent one year there. In 1897 he entered the University of Virginia, from which he was graduated in 1901, with the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts. The following year he came to the
city of New York, and commenced the study of his chosen profession at the New York School of Art. known as Chase's School, founded by William M. Chase, and which was continued several years. In 1904 he took up the profession of art as a business, becoming an illustrator of books and maga- zines, and was also engaged in portrait work in New York City. He has made portrait sketches of many of the best known people in the financial and social world in America. He has done some excellent work for the great magazines of America-Scribner's, Harper's, McClure's, The Saturday Even- ing Post, Colliers, etc; has illustrated the popular books of Harold Bell Wright the "Shepherd of the Hills," etc., and many other popular books. He has in his posses- sion many letters from well known authors expressing their satisfaction at the masterly manner in which he has illustrated their ideas. To successfully delineate the char- acters described in a book, takes more than merely artistic sense ; this must be combined with general intelligence of an unusually high order, if form, feature and expression are to be rightly portrayed. In this special form of art Mr. Cootes has been exceptionally successful. In 1904 he founded the Virginia Summer School of Art at the University of Virginia. Mr. Cootes was elected a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society of the Uni- versity of Virginia, because of the distinc- tion he has achieved in art ; he was elected a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity in 1896; and he is a member of the executive committee of "The Virginians" of New York, and a member of the Southern Society and the Society of Illustrators of New York.
Mr. Cootes married, July 17, 1912, Adèle, born June 28, 1887, a daughter of Richard Clay and Carlie (Harmer) Sibley, of New York City. He is a man of broad minded and liberal views on all subjects and is in- dependent in his political and religious ideas, refusing to allow himself to be bound by partisan ties. He gives earnest thought to the serious questions of the day, and has a high and readily expressed appreciation for the good qualities to be discovered in others.
Charles Hunter Locher. Charles Hunter Locher, a prominent contractor of New York City, was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, October 3, 1862. His father was Charles Hess Locher, who was born in
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Funkston, Maryland, in 1821, died in 1889. Charles Hess Locher was quartermaster in the Confederate army stationed at Lynch- burg, Virginia, during the Civil war, and in his home county was a well known contrac- tor and manufacturer of cement. The mother of Charles Hunter Locher was Mary Elizabeth (Orrick) Locher, who was born in Hancock, Maryland, in 1831, died in 1884, the daughter of Cromwell Orrick. The family name of Locher is occupational and an allied name is Lockerman, or a man who makes locks. The name is found both in Germany and Britain, and families of the name have been distinguished in Europe. In the General Armory of J. Bernard Burke, the arms of one family of the name are thus heraldically described: Quarterly first and third, or a chevron, between three dragons heads erased gules ; second and third argent a fesse three lozenges azure. Crest: A buck's head erased proper.
Mr. Charles Hunter Locher was educated as a boy in the public and private schools of his native town, and after leaving school worked with concerns in connection with railroads, and in this way obtained a very practical knowledge of railway construc- tion. From that he drifted naturally into contract work. He has constructed in many parts of the country, in connection with others, large and important dams, canals. and similar work, notable among which are: Chicago Drainage Canal ; Hydro Elec- tric Plant, 1400 H. P., Richmond, Virginia ; I. & O. Viaduct, Richmond, Virginia ; Wa- chusett Dam, Clinton, Massachusetts, for water supply for city of Boston ; excavation West Neebish Channel, Sault St. Marie, and Livingston Channel, Detroit, Michigan, for United States government ; Shoshome Dam, Cody, Wyoming, at the time of construction the highest in the world ; four and one-half mile aqueduct within the limits of the city of New York ; several sections of New York state barge canal, the cost of these aggre- gating over twenty million dollars, in which he has not only had a business interest, but a large share in the constructive work of achievement, involving labor adequate to the completion of large and difficult engi- neering and other undertakings. He is the inventor of the "aerial dump" used in large excavating and conveying works, and is the owner of several United States patents, in- cluding rock drills. Mr. Locher is a member
of various fraternities and societies, among them, "The Southern Society of New York City," "The Virginians of New York City," and "The Technical Club of Chicago, Illi- nois." In politics he is a Democrat, and takes an independent and personal stand in matters of religion.
Mr. Locher is one of six children, most of whom reached maturity. His brothers and sisters were: Harry Orrick, born at Alpine, Maryland, 1850, married Lulu E. Jett, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, their chil- dren being Harry Orrick, Jr., Eben, Bailey, Edith, Louise, and Lawrence; Eben, born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1853, married Maggie Garber, their children being Charles H., Mary, George, John and Bald- win; George, born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, March 27, 1865, married Mary Poindexter, of Rockbridge county, sister of Senator Poindexter, their child being Fran- cis Lightfoot; Lawrence, born in Rock- bridge county, 1867, died at the age of six- teen years; Lucy A. (twin to Lawrence Locher), born in Rockbridge county, 1867; Henry S., born in Rockbridge county.
Mr. Locher married, October 3, 1909, Matilda McClure, daughter of John and Rose (Angle) Bowles, born at Hancock, Maryland, in 1865. There have been no children of this marriage. The Locher fam- ily of Virginia has been allied in different generations with many well known families of the south, and has itself in the persons of some of its members played a worthy part in the communities to which its ramifica- tions have run. The family has not been a numerous one, but it has made up in qual- ity what it lacks in quantity, and consider- ing the limited prevalence of the name its members have no right to be ashamed of its record in the political, commercial and pro- fessional fields of activity.
Homer Lenoir Ferguson. The family of Ferguson is of undoubted Scotch origin, and the particular family to which the sub- ject of this sketch belongs emigrated to the north of Ireland from Ayrshire, Scotland, about the middle of the sixteenth century. The family herein described was planted in Burke county, North Carolina, about 1801, when William Ferguson came from county Tyrone, Ireland, and settled there. His wife was Margaret Love, also born in county Tyrone, Ireland, and she came to
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America when a girl of thirteen, was ship- wrecked and very nearly lost her life on the passage over. Their son, William Fergu- son, was born 1810 in Burke county and later settled in Haywood county, North Carolina, where he purchased a large farm which still remains in the hands of one of his sons. He married Ruth, daughter of Nathan Gibson, also of Scotch-Irish extrac- tion, and they were the parents of William Burder Ferguson, next mentioned.
William Burder Ferguson was born 1837 in Haywood county, North Carolina, was educated in western North Carolina and in Georgia, and at the outbreak of the Civil war had just begun the practice of law. He enlisted as a private, together with four of his brothers, and served during the en- tire war. He held the rank of captain at the' time of his discharge. Shortly after the close of the war, he was married to Laura Ade- laide Reeves, and after two years spent in Texas returned to North Carolina, where they lived at Waynesville continuously from that time until their death. He was an ac- tive member of the Methodist church, was a prominent Mason, and a lifelong Demo- crat. He died in 1910 and his widow sur- vived him only two years. Both were Island Gunning Association of Back Bay, Virginia. In 1913 Mr. Ferguson was ap- prominent in the county and were well be- loved by all whom knew them. They had .'pointed by President Wilson a delegate to children : I. Ida, born 1869, became the the International Conference on Safety of Life at Sea held in London. Mr. Ferguson married, September 23, 1896, Eliza Ander- son Skinner, daughter of Thomas Catlett and Belle Anderson Skinner, of Kentucky. Their children are: Homer Lenoir, born July 16, 1899; Charles Anderson, February 25, 1901 ; William McLeod, March 4, 1906; Walter Post, August 28, 1908; Laura Isabel, September 20, 1910; Elise, March 21, 1914. wife of John C. Orr, of Scotch ancestry, and had children: John B., Robert, Helen and Ruth. 2. Herbert, born 1871, died 1908. 3. Homer Lenoir, of further mention below. 4. Harley B., born 1875, married Molly Mc- Cormick, of another Scotch family lineage, and had children : Adelaide and Virginia. 5. William Burder, born 1878, married Maud McLean, also of Scotch descent. 6. Mar- garet Ruth, born 1881, married William Blaylock. 7. Laura Maud, born 1884, mar- ried Alexander Shuford, and became the mother of: Alexander, William Burder and Harley Shuford.
Homer Lenoir Ferguson, second son of William Burder and Laura A. (Reeves) Ferguson, was born March 6, 1873, in Way- nesville, North Carolina. His primary edu- cation was supplied by the public schools of his native town, and from 1888 to 1892 he was a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. The following three years were spent in the study of shipbuilding and engineering at
Glasgow, Scotland, where he received the degree of B. Sc. in 1894. After a three years' course at Glasgow University, he en- tered the service of the United States as assistant naval constructor, then later as naval constructor, and thus continued until 1905. In that year he entered the service of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company as superintendent of hulls, and soon became general superintendent. Since 1912 he has been general manager of the entire plant, and on the death of the president, Mr. A. L. Hopkins, on the Lusi- tania, was appointed president and general manager. He holds interests in many enter- prises of the neighborhood, is president of the First National Bank of Newport News, a director of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States and of the Newport News, Hampton & Old Point Street Railway. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Royal Arcanum. He is a mem- ber of the Engineers' Club of New York, the Society of Naval Engineers, the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, the Army and Navy Clubs of Washington, D. C. 'and 'New York City, and the Ragged
John Mosby Russell. Charles W. Rus- sell, grandfather of John Mosby Russell, married Margaret Wilson Moore, and had several famous children: Henry Moore Russell, a lawyer, who has been in practice in Wheeling, West Virginia, since 1871, has been a delegate to the Universal Congress of Lawyers and Jurists, St. Louis, in 1904. Another son, Hon. Charles Wells Russell, father of John Mosby Russell, was born in Wheeling, Virginia, March 16, 1856. He matriculated at Georgetown University in 1870, and was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1873. The degree of
Whitwell P. Junstall
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Bachelor of Laws was conferred in 1883, and that of Master of Laws in 1884. He en- tered the Department of Justice, Washing- ton, District of Columbia, in 1886, and ar- gued many French spoliation cases. He was the legal adviser of the Dockery Joint Congressional Commission, 1893-95; in general legal practice, including supreme court work, 1895-1901 ; special assistant at- torney-general, in charge of insular and ter- ritorial affairs, 1902 to December 19, 1905; assistant attorney-general of the United States, 1905-10; appointed envoy extra- ordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Persia, December 21, 1909. He investigated and reported on the reconcentrado starva- tion and military situation in Cuba, Decem- ber and January, 1897-98 ; was legal adviser to the P. R. Evacuation Commission, Au- gust-October, 1898; argued the Maine ex- plosion cases, and the Spanish claims com- mission, 1901 ; was sent by Attorney-Gen- eral Knox to Paris in 1902, to investigate the Panama Canal title; sent to Paris, March, 1904, to effect the transfer of the title and property of the Panama Canal to the United States and forty million dollars in gold to France, arranged for with J. Pier- pont Morgan in Paris ; in May, 1904, he was sent to Panama as legal adviser of the United States government, of the canal zone; he revisited Cuba to prepare the case of the Countess O'Reilly versus General John R. Brooke, concerning her Havana slaughter house monopoly ; he was sent to investigate peonage slavery in the southern states in October, 1906. As an author Mr. Russell won fame by his play "Cuba Libre," which made its appearance in 1897, and "Days of the Seasons," which appeared in 1900. Mr. Russell married (first) Lucy Floyd, daughter of Alfred D. and Virginia (McLaurn) Mosby, and sister of Colonel Mosby, who won fame during the Civil war; he married (second) October 1, 1885, Lelia James, a sister of his first wife. Wil- liam H. Mosby, another brother of Mrs. Russell, was also prominent in the Confed- erate army during the Civil war. Children : John Mosby, of further mention, and Lucy Virginia, born in Washington, District of Columbia, June 30, 1889, is unmarried.
John Mosby Russell, son of Hon. Charles Wells and Lucy Floyd (Mosby) Russell, was born in Washington, District of Co- lumbia. November 25, 1884. The public VIR-71
schools of his native city furnished his ele- mentary education, and from them he went to the Randolph-Macon Academy, the Rock- hill College, where he spent four years, and the Georgetown University, in Washing- ton, District of Columbia. In 1902 he ma- triculated at the University of Virginia, where he took an elective course, and was graduated from this institution in the class of 1906. He studied law in the state of West Virginia, was engaged in practice there for a short time, then in 1907, came to New York City, with which place he has been legally identified since that time, being ad- mitted to the New York bar in 1908. He is rapidly forging his way to the front ranks of his profession, and appears to have in- herited in large measure the legal ability which has distinguished his father. In poli- tical matters he gives his support to the Democratic party, and he is a member of a number of organizations of varied char- acter and scope, among them being the fol- lowing named: The New York County Law Association, Southern Society of New York, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and the Athletic Club of New York. The re- ligious affiliations of Mr. Russell are with the Roman Catholic church. Mr. Russell has well equipped offices for the practice of his profession at No. III Broadway, New York City, and, while he has been estab- lished here comparatively few years, he has already gained a very satisfactory amount of patronage.
Whitmell Pugh Tunstall. Whitmell Pugh Tunstall, of Pittsylvania county, Vir- ginia, lawyer, orator and distinguished gentleman, was a native of Belle Grove, that county, and died and was buried there. He came of a long line of distinguished an- cestors, was a son of Colonel William Tun- stall and his wife, Sarah Winifred Pugh, a grandson of Colonel William and Betsey (Barker) Tunstall, descended from Sir Owen Glendowe (see Barker). He was also descended from Colonel William Scott Pugh, whose father was Colonel Thomas Pugh, Sr., and whose mother was Mary (Scott) Pugh. He was also descended from Colonel John and Martha (Whitmell) Hill, the last named a daughter of Colonel Thomas and Elizabeth (Bryan) Whitmell.
Whitmell P. Tunstall was for many years a member of the Virginia legislature, and
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he was almost alone the builder of the Rich- mond & Danville Railroad, the controlling center of what is now an immense system of railways. He was its first president, and during life its most earnest advocate. He passed away at an early age, and with him perished much of worth and genius. His idea of the Richmond & Danville Railroad was scoffed at by newspapers and many in- dividuals, as utterly chimerical, but he per- severed, and the soundness of his judgment has been long since justified. Mr. Tunstall entered upon the practice of law at an early age, and was at once accorded the place due his ability and worth, and was elected to the legislature at an unusually early age. He immediately sprang into public notice, and all predicted for him a brilliant future. The early death of his youthful bride caused him great sorrow, and for a time seemed to cloud his life, but in the passage of time his bereavement receded, time softened and mellowed the severity of the blow, the en- ergies of his character and the astonishing vivacity of his nature re-established him, and he became an important figure in his part of the state. He was successful as a lawyer and a politician, and was among the most genial of social companions. He loved the excitement of forsenic discussion, and was always impressive, often very happy in his efforts before a jury. Bold and aggres- sive, but perfectly courteous to his adver- sary, with much information, with ready repartee, with strong and pleasing elocu- tion, he never made an enemy of a political opponent, or of anyone else. There was nothing of bitterness in his nature, and strife and discord were far from his desires. His varied accomplishments, his witty and en- chanting conversation made him the life of every circle in which he moved, but his powers were not alone of a light and super- ficial character ; he had much sound sense and talent for important affairs. His early demise caused him to be almost forgotten by the present generation. This is too often the case with worth and genius, and such is life. We follow each other like the billows of a troubled sea. As one bursts, another takes its place, and its predecessor sinks for- ever in oblivion. A writer said of him :
A plain headstone, much stained by the ravages of time, marks his last resting place in the family graveyard. It is simply inscribed with the date of his birth and death. The place is quiet, and its
solitude with the tall trees surrounding it and their dark shade, together with the boxwood planted there long ago by the hand of affection, and now grown very large, impressed me with feelings of deep solemnity, and called up many a memory of the past. I was carried back to my own boyhood's happy days when first I saw Mr. Tunstall. It was on the streets in Danville a few days after his first marriage with the beautiful Miss Goneke. I never saw a more interesting couple. They were in the flower of youth. She was a happy bride, and he no less happy with ample fortune, with decided talent and numerous friends. Perhaps at that time neither had ever felt a sorrow or shed a tear, and they may well have thought that for them, at least, life was formed of sunny years. While musing at the grave of Tunstall the recollection of many other friends came to mind. Stuart, with his amiable temper and fine analytical intellect; the accomplished, facetious, ingenious and eloquent Taliaferro, the most inter- esting and eloquent advocate I ever heard; Gilmer with his great energy and power of labor and mind; and glowing, genial, gifted, glorious Flournoy, with a soul as big as the courthouse he often electrified with his declamation-all came to mind, and I be- stowed upon the memory of each, all I had, a trib- utary tear. Alas, they all now sleep their last sleep.
Colonel William Rison. Colonel William Rison, of Danville, Virginia, born August 24, 1813, in Chesterfield county, was a de- scendant of the Frech Huguenots (name originally spelled Raison), son of John and Jane (Foster) Rison, and died May 1, 1902, in Danville, which had been his home since 1856. Colonel William Rison was one of the most remarkable men ever reared in that section of the state. As a youth he gave such marked evidence of his business quali- fications that Colonel William Tunstall, clerk of the court of Pittsylvania, employed him in his office as scribe. Here he served eight years as deputy clerk of the county court. This careful training under the close supervision of William H. Tunstall laid the foundation for Colonel Rison's life work, which was afterward performed in Danville, Virginia, in which city he made his home from 1856 to 1902, the time of his death. For twenty-seven years he was clerk of the corporation court of Danville, and no can- didate was able to defeat him in the contest for election to that position. His last elec- tion occurred after he had passed the age of seventy-five years, and he continued in the service until about a year before his death, when the infirmities of advancing age com- pelled him to resign his duties. This was done in the exercise of his own discretion and not because there was any question or even a hint relative to his efficiency, which
Col. William Poison
Bernard Ashley
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in itself is an evidence of the sterling worth of the man and of his faithfulness to his trust. He was one of the oldest officers in the state, being in his eighty-ninth year, having held office in the county before he became corporation clerk. He was an in- cessant worker, and spent the remaining four months of his life putting his personal af- fairs in shape.
The Richmond "Times," now the "Times- Dispatch," of May 2, 1902, said of him :
He was always courteous and accommodating, and it was a pleasure to do business with him. He was noted for his courtly manners, and especially for his chivalry. No man could be more deferential to women than Colonel Rison, and in this respect, as in all others, he was an exemplar for young men. He was a thorough Southern gentleman of the old school, a loyal citizen, a devout churchman, and altogether lovable.
Colonel Rison was many years a consist- ent member of the Episcopal church of Danville ; was a Mason, being a member of Roman Eagle Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he was a past master, and always took a deep interest in the order. By reason of his advanced age and standing in the lodge, a few years before his death he was made an honorary member, and his bur- ial was with Masonic honors.
One of the Danville papers said of him :
As a business man and public servant Colonel Rison had few equals. He was a tireless worker and his motto was always to do a thing right if it was worth doing at all. His conduct of the clerk's office was highly satisfactory to the bar, the court and the people, which was attested more than once by his re-election to succeed himself.
A special meeting of the Danville bar was called to arrange suitable action in refer- ence to the funeral of Colonel Rison, and this meeting was held in the courtroom at 9:30 of the morning following his death. The following resolutions were adopted :
Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to call from this life William Rison, for so many years the faithful and efficient clerk of the courts of the city, and it is therefore the wish of the courts and bar of Danville to express in fitting manner their appreciation of the eminent services of this vener- ated officer, and their sorrow and sympathy with his bereaved family.
Resolved, That we the officers of the courts and the bar in meeting assembled this 2nd day of May, 1902, do duly record our high esteem for Colonel William Rison and especially of his excellent serv- ices for nearly thirty years in the discharge of the duties of his responsible and important office as
clerk of the courts of Danville. That we commend his record as a model to all officials, and by that record justify our opinion that no man ever better discharged his official duties or more perfectly ful- filled his official obligations.
In early life Colonel Rison married Sally Ann Townes, eldest daughter of Colonel George and Elizabeth Barker (Tunstall) Townes, a descendant of Sir Owen Glen- dower (see Barker), and niece of Whitmell Pugh Tunstall (see W. P. Tunstall). Her sister, Emily Townes, married Colonel A. S. Buford, of Richmond ( see Buford). Colo- nel Rison is survived by the following chil- dren: Betty Tunstall, now Mrs. Pleasant R. Jones, residing in Danville ; Emma Whit- mell, now the widow of Edwin A. Barber, of Richmond (see Barber) ; Hon. George Townes, a resident of Chatham, Virginia. and senator from Pittsylvania ; John Foster, of Danville ; Whitmell Tunstall, of Green- ville, South Carolina ; and Sally, wife of Rev. John Martin Oakey, Jr., of Danville, Vir- ginia.
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