USA > Virginia > Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Volume V > Part 17
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militia during the revolutionary war, and was a member of the Virginia legislature in 1783-84-85-87. He was a member of the convention which met in Richmond in June, 1788, to ratify the new Federal Constitution, and there voted against its ratification. He was a member of the first United States Congress which met in New York City in 1789 and there "voted against the adoption of the Constitution as it came from the hands of its framers, for he saw the poison under its wings." It is also on record that he voted to "abolish the slave trade," al- though a large land-owner and slave-holder himself, while his brother-in-law, Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts, voted to continue it. He held his place in Congress until 1707, and while a member of the Philadel- phia Congress he voted "to locate the seat of government on the banks of the Poto- mac." He was twice married, (first) in 1771, to Elizabeth, died in 1781, daughter of William Lightfoot, of Charles City county. Virginia. They had three children, only one of whom lived to maturity, Isaac (2). who built and lived at a place called Springwood. near Houston, Halifax county, Virginia, and was the grandfather of the late Hon. Paul C. Edmunds and Captain Henry Edmunds, of Halifax county. Colo- nel Isaac Coles, Sr., married (second) in January, 1790, Catherine Thompson, a "New York belle and beauty," whom he met while attending the New York Congress. She was a daughter of James and Catherine (Walton) Thompson, of New York, and a descendant of the Beekmans. Her sister, Ann, had previously married Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts, an old bachelor at the time of his marriage. Elbridge Gerry was a signer of the Declaration of Inde- pendence, governor of Massachusetts, mem- ber of Congress, vice-president of the United States at the time of his death in 1814, and was once sent abroad on an im- portant diplomatic mission with Pinckney and Marshall. Catherine Thompson, sec- ond wife of Colonel Isaac Coles, Sr., was born in New York City in 1767, died in Pittsylvania countv. Virginia. in 1848, be- ing buried by the side of her husband. They were the parents of a large family, of one of whom. Walter, further mention is made. Colonel Isaac Coles, Sr., during his political career, lived on the plantation in Halifax county, Virginia, inherited from his father,
VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
located at Coles' Ferry on the Staunton river, and about 1800 moved to Pittsylvania county, Virginia. His home in this local- ity was a plantation of five thousand and fifty-seven acres, which land he had pur- chased from Philip Lightfoot, a cousin of his first wife. Ilis reason for disposing of his Halifax property was two-fold ; because of the malarial conditions there prevalent, which affected both his health and that of his family, and because of financial embar- rassment, for the political positions that had taken. such a large share of his time had been honorary or with small remuneration attached and wide inroads had been made upon his finances during his long public ser- vice. Colonel Isaac Coles, Sr. was known as a great wit and entertaining raconteur. and in the declining years of his life promi- nent men from all parts of the country journeyed to his home to enjoy his un- matched hospitality and the gleams from the intellect that time had not deprived of its lustre.
Walter Coles, son of Colonel Isaac, Sr. and Catherine ( Thompson ) Coles, was born in December, 1790, died at Coles Hill, Pitt- sylvania county, Virginia, in November. 1857. Ile was first a lieutenant and later a captain in the American army in the war of 1812, and for ten years held a seat in the Virginia legislature, from which body he was sent to Congress, of which he was a member from 1835 to 1845, his father having preceded him to both law making institu- tions. He was a man of practical wisdom, unblemished honor and patriotism, and suc- cessful in all his undertakings. The Demo- cratic party claimed his allegiance through- out his entire career. He married Lettice P., who died in 1875. youngest daughter of Judge Paul Carrington, Sr. Judge Paul Carrington, Sr., was a son of George Car- rington, a member of the Virginia house of burgesses. George Carrington, when a youth of nineteen years, assisted Colonel William Byrd in running the boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina, and in his mature years was a personage ot in- fluence and power in his colony. Judge Paul Carrington, Sr. was a member of the Virginia house of burgesses from 1765 to 1775. in which latter year it was replaced by the conventions of the people. In 1765 he voted against Patrick Henry's resolutions in regard to the Stamp Act, considering that
the colonies had too few munitions of war with which to oppose a mighty kingdom grown old in waging victorious wars on land and sea. In the journals of the house of burgesses Paul Carrington's name is found as a member of every important com- mittee appointed between 1765 and 1775. He was a member of each of the three con- ventions of 1775 and was appointed one of the eleven members of the celebrated com- mittee of safety, which at that time held the supreme executive power in the colony. lle also sat in the famous Virginia conven- tion of 1776, and on the organization of the new government took a seat in the house of delegates, from which he passed to the bench of the general court and thence to the court of appeals. He was a judge of this latter court until 1811, when, in the seventy- ninth year of his age, he resigned, being succeeded by his nephew, Governor William II. Cabell, and died in 1818, aged eighty-five years. AApart from the invaluable service he rendered his state and country he gave three youthtul sons to the Colonial army in the war for independence. Walter and Lettice P. (Carrington ) Coles were the parents of : Lettiec, died aged fourteen years, and is buried in the Congressional Cemetery. Washington : Isaetta, died in childhood. buried at Coles Hill, Pittsylvania county. Virginia ; Isaac, died in childhood, buried at Coles Hill, Virginia : Walter, of whom fur- ther ; Helen C., died at Coles Ilill in 1897 : Mildred H., married Colonel Stanhope Flournoy, died in Missouri, in 1901: Agnes C., married Dr. J. G. Cabell, of Richmond, and died January 31. 1901.
Captain Walter (2) Coles, son of llon. Walter (1) and Lettice P. (Carrington) Coles, was born August 12, 1825. died No- vember 11, 1914. He was educated at Ben- jamin Hallowel's celebrated school at Mex- andria, Virginia, and at the University of Virginia. He entered into the practice of law. but the declining health of his father and mother made it necessary for him to abandon his chosen profession to assume the responsibilities of the management of the Coles Hill estate. With the breaking out of the war between the states he was assigned to a high position in the quarter- master's department with the rank of cap- tain. having charge of much government property and large sums of money. Evi- dence of the faithfulness of his war record is
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evinced by personal letters which he had in his possession addressed to Captain Walter Coles, from Quarter Master-General A. C. Myers, Major-General James G. Paxton and Major Johnson. Just before the close of the war he was commissioned to furnish the army of General Lee with all necessary horses but before he could assume charge of this position together with its promotion in rank the surrender came. In 1860 he was a delegate to the Democratic conventions which met in Charleston, South Carolina, and Baltimore, Maryland. In 1869-71 he was a member of the Virginia state legis- lature, and although he was urged to again become a candidate for re-election, he re- fused, pleading pressing duties and private responsibilities. For many years after the close of the civil war he was a member of the Democratic committee of Pittsylvania, and during the reconstruction period he worked tirelessly to restore the South to its former high standard and to secure white supremacy in place of ignorant dominion. In public office, in private business trans- actions, in all occasions of life causing con- tact with his fellow-men his actions were marked by unfaltering honor and an in- tegrity that left no room for doubt or ques- tion. He resided on the home plantation, Coles Hill, Pittsylvania county, Virginia, and despite the weight of almost ninety years took an active interest in the affairs of the day and the home acres. At his death there passed away a splendid type which will soon disappear from our land, a man, a noble gentleman and devoted churchman, a lifelong resident of the county who filled a large and honorable place in its history, full of years and the recipient of the regard and esteem of his countrymen.
He married, in 1862, Lavinia Catherine Jordan, born in Luray, Page county, Vir- ginia, August 3, 1833, died January 20, 1906, daughter of Gabriel and Elizabeth Ann (Sibert) Jordan. Her father, born in 1792, died in 1862, was a patriotic citizen, devot- ing his life to the improvement of the sec- tion of the country in which he lived ; a man of many affairs, who had accumulated con- siderable wealth at the outbreak of the war between the states. Her father fitted out a cavalry company at his own expense, her youngest brother, Macon, being made cap- tain ; it being known as Jordan's Cavalry. Her maternal grand-uncle, a Mr. Withers of
South Carolina, served with distinction on the staff of General Sumpter. Her Jordan ancestors were of English origin and related to the Washingtons of England. Her grand- father, Thomas Jordan, fought in the revolu- tion, associated with the Marquis De Lafay- ette. In a letter written years afterward, in 1824, to her father, Gabriel Jordan, of Luray, Virginia, the Marquis De Lafayette regrets his inability to visit him, "The worthy son of my gallant old Comrade in arms, Thomas Jordan." Her brother, Francis, was a cap- tain on General Beauregard's staff. Her brother, Colonel Gabriel Jordan, was a prominent railroad man in the South, being at different times vice-president and general manager of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, and the Houston & Texas Central Railroad.
Her eldest brother, General Thomas Jor- dan, for whom Thomas Jordan Coles was named, was a West Point graduate in 1840, two of his classmates having been General U. S. Grant and William T. Sherman, the latter having been his room-mate. General Thomas Jordan entered service at once and early distinguished himself in Florida in the Seminole uprising, 1841 to 1843. While still a lieutenant he served in the Mexican war, his company with three others being the first battalion to cross the Rio Grande, as a cover to the crossing of General Taylor's whole army into Mexico. Later, he was made captain on General Taylor's staff and was assigned to the quartermaster's depart- ment, and finally, owing to the illness of his senior, he had charge of all the quarter- master's arrangements, and was the last American soldier to leave the soil of Mexico. His efficiency in this service was especially mentioned by General Twiggs, the com- mander at Vera Cruz. From 1852 to 1860 he served on the Pacific coast during the suppression of an Indian insurrection in the present state of Washington. In May, 1861, under a sense of superior obligation, he re- signed his commission in the United States army and offered his sword and life to his native state, Virginia. He was appointed lieutenant-colonel on the staff of General Phillip St. George Cocke. Colonel Jordan became convinced of the strategic import- ance of Manassas Junction and the critical necessity of immediately occupying it in force. He successfully commended the movement to General Lee, by whom Colo-
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nel Jordan was complimented in a personal letter and assigned as adjutant-general of the forces which were thereupon ordered to assemble there. On June 3rd General Beau- regard took command and on July 21st the first battle of Manassas or Bull Run was fought. After the battle Colonel Jordan suggested to General Beauregard that the Federal surgeons be released without parole to which General Beauregard acceded, this being the first time in war that an enemy's surgeons were thus treated as non-combat- ants. During the Shiloh and Corinth cam- paigns Colonel Jordan was the adjutant- general of the Confederate army, and then promoted a brigadier-general.
In 1869 General Jordan consented to direct the revolutionary forces of Cuba and was commissioned by the Cuban govern- ment commander-in-chief. The odds against him in that campaign are now well known. Spain valued his services against her one hundred thousand dollars which she placed upon his head. General Beauregard in his history pronounced General Thomas Jordan as one of the ablest military organizers liv- ing. After the civil war and prior to his services in Cuba, General Jordan had been for a time editor of the "Memphis Appeal." After his return from Cuba to New York he founded the "Financial and Mining Rec- ord," and was recognized as an authority on the silver question. General Thomas Jor- dan was born 1819 in Luray, Virginia, died in New York City, 1895.
Children of Walter (2) and Lavinia Cath- erine (Jordan) Coles: 1. Walter (3), born July 25, 1863; manager of the Coles Hill farm ; married Miss Wooding, of Virginia, and has a son, Walter (4). 2. Russell Jor- dan, born December 31, 1865, for twenty- five years identified with the tobacco trade of Danville, Virginia. 3. Agnes Cabell, born April 17, 1868; married Edward B. Ambler, of Monroe, Virginia. 4. Lettice Carring- ton, born September 17, 1870, died in 1882, aged twelve years. 5. Harry Carrington, born February 26, 1873 ; living in New York City, connected with the United States civil service ; married Miss Marshall, of Fau- quier county, Virginia, a great-granddaugh- ter of Chief Justice Marshall. 6. Thomas Jordan, of whom further.
Thomas Jordan Coles, youngest of the six children of Walter (2) and Lavinia Cather- ine (Jordan) Coles, was born at Coles Hill.
Pittsylvania county, Virginia, July 5, 1875. He attended the local schools until he was eleven years of age, then entered the Ken- more University High School at Amherst Court House, Virginia. lle was afterward successively a student at Greenwood
School, Greenwood, Virginia, Keswick School for Boys, Cobham, Albemarle county, Virginia, and Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, in the last-named institu- tion taking a teacher's course, after entering the pedagogical profession. He began this career when he was eighteen years of age and continued therein until his thirtieth year, in that period holding positions as principal in several of the leading academies of the state. For the three following years he engaged in the insurance business, re- turning to Chatham in 1907 and establish- ing in that line, in December, 1909, being appointed by the court treasurer of Pitt- sylvania county, the largest county in the state, assuming the duties of the office on January 1, 1910. At the election of 1912 he was returned to this position without oppo- sition, his present term expiring in 1916. Immediately after returning to Chatham, Mr. Coles was elected clerk of the local school board, and for the past six years he has been a vestryman of the Episcopal church at that place. His fraternal societies are the Masonic order, Pittsylvania Lodge, No. 24, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Royal Arch Chapter, No. 56; Dove Com- mandery, No. 7, Knights Templar; Acca Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; the Modern Woodmen of America, No. 11641 ; the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, No. 117: the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. No. 227, Danville, Virginia. In the admin- istration of the finances of the county he has displayed careful ability and systematic thoroughness that have gained him much favorable mention, and among the public servants of Pittsylvania county there is none who holds the respect and confidence of its citizens to a greater degree than does Mr. Coles. He is backed by generations of men noted in county, state and nation, men whose deeds are written boldly across the history of the country, whose memory he reverences and to whom no shame can be brought through him. Mr. Coles is a busy man of affairs, universally well-regarded. popular because of a pleasing personality.
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and in him is found all of the loyalty to lofty principles that made his ancestors men of distinction and importance.
He married, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Decem- ber 28. 1899, Mary Holmes, born in that place, October 18, 1876, daughter of Rich- ard Bruyère and Mary B. (Meaney) Sin- nickson. her father a capitalist of Cincin- nati, Ohio. Thomas Jordan and Mary Holmes (Sinnickson) Coles are the parents of: 1. Mary Lavinia, born October 21, 1902. 2. Alice Sinnickson, born January 6, 1907. 3. Richard Sinnickson, born November 6, 1909. 4. Harriet Russell, born January 6, 1912.
In "A History of the Fenwick Colony" it is stated that the Sinnickson family is one of the oldest in South Jersey and is of Swedish origin. The name was first spelled Cinca, later Seneca, Sinaker, Sinnick and finally Sinnickson.
The American ancestor of the line was Anders Seneca, who came to America with the Swedish colonists in 1638, settling in New Jersey. He had one son, Anders Sin- aker.
Anders (2) Sinaker married and had two sons, Sinnick, who married Margaret Vi- gorie, and John.
John, son of Anders (2) Sinaker, married Anne Gill Johnson, and had a son, Andrew.
Andrew Sinnickson, son of John and Anne Gill (Johnson) Sinaker, married Sarah Copner, and had a son, Seneca.
Seneca Sinnickson, son of Andrew and Sarah (Copner) Sinnickson, married Ruth Bruyère, a member of the Society of Friends, and lived near Salem, New Jersey. They had children : James, Joseph Copner, Richard Bruyère, of whom further, Sarah, Mary Holmes, Peter, Seneca. The Bruyère family traces a clear line for seven gener- ations, is of French origin, and among its American members owns several illustrious figures, among them Captain James Bruy- ère, who gained his rank in the Colonial ary in the war for independence.
Richard Bruyère Sinnickson, son of Seneca and Ruth (Bruyère) Sinnickson, born January 4, 1826, died March 3, 1914. He married Mary B. Meaney, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and had children: Mary Holmes, of previous mention, married Thomas J. Coles ; Ruth Bruyère, died at the age of six years ; Sarah Dell, died aged four years; Seneca Richard. Mary B. (Meaney) Sinnickson is
a descendant of French ancestors, in one line from a family originally writing the name De La Pour. The family invaded Ireland and there the name exists at the present time in Limerick, Waterford and Wexford as La Pour, La Power, Power.
Thomas Sinnickson took an active part in the revolutionary war commanding a company in the Continental army. Because of his inflamed and bitter writings against British tyranny he was outlawed by Lord Howe and a heavy reward was offered for him, dead or alive. He was a member of the first Congress of the United States, also holding a seat in that body from 1796 to 1798. He married Sarah Hancock, daugh- ter of Judge Hancock, who was killed by British troops in his home in 1778. There is a story of a Sinnickson in revolutionary times, who, being pursued by British troops, led them across a causeway that was under water, and they, not suspecting the trick, were sucked under by the soft sand about sixteen feet deep at that point, and were drowned.
William Dabbs Blanks. Honored in busi- ness and public life, the life of William D. Blanks, of Clarksville, Virginia, may be with justice termed a successful one, but from his own standpoint much could have been accomplished had he possessed greater educational advantages. The greatest ele- ments of success in life, he deems a thor- ough education, supplemented by proper home training and a high purpose. Lack- ing only the former, he has pursued so per- sistent a course of private study that were it not for his own evidence the lack of college training could not be discovered. He ex- emplified in his own life the value of home training, private study, careful choice of companions, truth, honesty and high pur- pose, proving that with these a man can rise to any position to which he may aspire. His tastes were for a professional life, par- ticularly the law, for which he privately pre- pared, but believing his lack of a college degree a handicap, he decided upon a busi- ness career, a decision not regretted, as in the world of commerce he has established a name among the successful men of his com- munity.
Paternally and maternally Mr. Blanks de- scends from English ancestors, one of whom on the maternal side, Sir Richard Dabbs,
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was a lord mayor of London. The earliest member of the family in Virginia was Joseph Dabbs, one of whose descendants was Richard Dabbs, a Baptist minister, whom the church authorities persecuted and imprisoned for preaching without authority from the Established church. Many of the descendants of Joseph Dabbs served in the Virginia soldiery of early days and the roster of revolutionary soldiers from Vir- ginia contains many of the name.
William Dabbs Blanks was born in Clarksville, Virginia, April 3, 1864, son of James Matthew Blanks, born in Charlotte county, Virginia, March 13, 1818, died in 1884. He was a prosperous farmer, and after becoming a resident of Clarksville was postmaster and mayor of that thriving Mecklenburg county town, where he was for many years engaged as a merchant. He married Julia Frances Dabbs, born in Hali- fax county, Virginia, November 21, 1829, died May 9, 1909, daughter of Josiah and Frances Elizabeth (Dabbs) Dabbs, both de- seendants of Sir Richard Dabbs, the Vir- ginia founder of the family.
William D. Blanks spent his early life in Clarksville, where he attended the local schools and prepared for college. He was a delicate lad, which fact absolved him from all laborious tasks and gave him complete freedom for study and home associations, which were of the best. His plans for a college education were thwarted by finan- cial considerations and henceforth his edu- cation depended entirely upon self study, wide reading and association with men of greater learning. At the age of twenty years he became the confidential clerk and book- keeper for Colonel Thomas F. Goode, pro- prietor of the Buffalo Lithia Springs in Mecklenburg county, remaining with him two years. Ile then entered mercantile life as clerk and proprietor, then as dealer in leaf tobacco, as senior member of the firm of Blanks & Watkins. He attained high standing in the mercantile world of his dis- trict, and in 1892, when he began the or- ganization of a state bank in Clarksville, there was a ready response, resulting in the incorporation of the Planters' Bank of Clarksville, of which he was chosen the first eashier. He developed fine ability as a financier and continued as cashier until 1903, when he was elected president. He remained the efficient head of the Planters'
Bank for ten years, resigning in 1913. Since that period he has been engaged in the con- duct of his private business, real estate and insurance. He has held many city offices, justice of peace, councilman, notary public, and in all positions has rendered efficient service.
A Democrat in politics, Mr. Blanks has ever been a hearty party supporter, repudi- ating, however, the "Free Silver" heresy and its sponsors, opposing it and them by voice and influence, but refraining from sup- porting the opposition by his vote. He was for several years a member of the Meck- lenburg County Democratie Committee, served as delegate to numerous county and state conventions of his party, making in 1905 a campaign for the nomination for state senator from the twenty-fifth Virginia district. He was opposed by F. B. Roberts, of Chase City, who carried the primaries by a plurality of fifty-nine votes. In 1911 Mr. Blanks was the successful candidate for state senator from the same district, com- posed of the counties of Mecklenburg and Brunswick. Ile served with credit as sena- tor and rendered valued service on the fol- lowing senate committees: general laws ; insurance and banking; enrolled bills ; and counties, cities and towns. For twenty years he has been treasurer of the Clarks- ville Baptist Church, is a member of Wash- ington Union Lodge, No. 157, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, of which he was junior warden, member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, member of the Junior Order of the American Mechanics and takes an active interest in all. Ever the energetic man of business, he has neglected none of his duties of citizenship, but in every de- partment of town life has borne his full share of responsibility. As a merchant. financier, public official, citizen, friend or neighbor, there is no stain upon his record. and while the thwarting of his earlier plans lost him to the legal profession, the same influences gave to the business world a strong character and valued leader.
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