USA > Virginia > Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Volume V > Part 40
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General Robert Edward Lee was born January 19, 1807. and died October 12, 1870. He graduated with high honors from West Point and served honorably in the Mexican war. He was much opposed to secession, but felt that his highest devotion was due his native state and when it became a ques- tion of fighting for or against Virginia, re- signed his commission in the Federal army and offered his sword and services to Vir- ginia, feeling it his duty to do so at what- ever cost, as a loyal citizen. He advised his son to be guided by his own conscience in whatever action he might take and pre- tended to advise no one to follow his ex- ample. His brilliant career as a general and statesman are too well known to need an
extensive mention here. After the war he became president of a college at Lexing- ton, Virginia, where his gentle, manly and upright spirit was an inspiration to the young men who were under his charge. His life was saddened by the fact that the sol- diers who fought under him, or their fami- lies, were often left in poor circumstances and in other ways suffered because the cause of the South was lost, and it is said that his grief over this condition helped to bring on the illness which finally caused his death. On June 30, 1831, Robert E. Lee married Mary Anne Randolph Custis, only living daughter of George Washington Parke Custis, adopted son of General Washington and grandson of Mrs. Wash- ington. The American progenitor of the Custis family, John Custis, of Irish birth. came from Rotterdam to Virginia as early as 1640, and his descendant, Daniel Parke Custis, married Martha Dandridge and died in 1757, his widow becoming the wife of George Washington in 1759. Her son, John Parke Custis, the only child to leave issue, married, in 1774, Eleanor, daughter of Bene- dict Calvert, son of Charles Calvert, of Maryland, the sixth Lord Baltimore. Their son, George Washington Parke Custis, born in April, 1781, six months before the death of his father, was adopted by General Wash- ington, who said he would take charge of the two younger children as his own, and took them to his home at Mount Vernon. After the death of Mrs. Washington, in 1So2, George W. P. Custis removed to Ar- lington and built a fine house there. In 1806 he married Mary Lee, daughter of Colonel William and Anne ( Randolph) Fitzhugh, and the daughter of this marriage, Mary Anne Randolph Custis, became the wife of Robert E. Lee, as mentioned above. Their marriage took place at Arlington. her birthplace. She died in Lexington in 1873 and was buried in the college chapel beside her husband.
William Henry Fitzhugh Lee, second son of Robert E. Lee. was born at Arlington, May 31, 1837, and died at "Ravensworth," Fairfax countv, Virginia, October 15, 1891. He entered Harvard College in 1854. his lineage making him an honored guest in some of the best families of Boston and Cambridge. In 1857 he was appointed a lieutenant in the army, at the request of General Scott, and spent a few years in service in the west, but tiring of this life he
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returned home, where he soon afterwards married Charlotte Wickham. He then be- came a planter and located on the famous old Custis estate, the "White House," where. the Widow Custis lived at the time of her marriage to George Washington. William H. Lee joined the Virginia troops soon after the outbreak of the war, holding various ranks, from that of captain to that of major- general of cavalry. He was badly wounded in the fight at Brandy Station and taken to the home of a relative of his wife, General Wickham, and soon afterwards taken pris- oner and confined at Fortress Monroe. Thence he was taken to Fort Lafayette and confined there until March, 1864. In com- pany with another Confederate soldier he was held as hostage for two Federal pris- oners who were held in Richmond, who it was feared might be executed. Upon his release he returned home to find his young wife and children dead and his beautiful home burned to the ground and the estate laid waste. Almost the first thing he did was to go to Libby Prison and visit the two Federal prisoners who had been held, like himself, in fear of execution. He rejoined his command and led his division from Rapidan to Appomattox. His soldiers loved and trusted him and he fulfilled every duty and made every sacrifice required of him in the interests of the cause. When he was a prisoner of war, under fear of death, upon hearing of the fatal illness of his wife and two little children, he was not permitted to see them, even though his friends were working hard to obtain this permission for him. He accepted all as the ill fortune of war and was not embittered by this sor- row. Afterwards, as a farmer, he had to contend with a changing order of things and the confusion ensuing upon such great changes as followed the war. He became president of the Virginia Agricultural So- ciety, served as state senator and member of Congress.
In 1867 he married Mary Tabb Bolling, and in 1874 they removed to Ravensworth, an estate of the Fitzhugh family, which William H. F. Lee inherited from his uncle, William Henry Fitzhugh. His death oc- curred there, a few months prior to the ex- piration of his second term as member of Congress, and after his election to the fifty- second Congress. He was always courteous and dignified in manner and deportment, charitable in a quiet way, and very much de-
voted to home and family. His first wife died in 1863. His second wife was a daugh- ter of George W. and Martha S. (Nicholls) Bolling, of Petersburg, who survived lim. with their two sons, Robert Edward and George Bolling Lee, the former of whom became a lawyer and the latter a physician.
The Bollings were early Virginia colo- nists. Robert Bolling came to Virginia in 1660, and married (first) in 1675, Jane, daughter of Thomas Rolfe and granddaugh- ter of Pocahontas, and (second) Anne, daughter of John Stith. Robert, a son of the latter marriage, married Mary Cocke. Their son, Robert, married Mary Marshall Tabb, and the son of this union, Robert Bolling, the fourth of the name, was four times married, and by his last wife, Anne Dade (Stith) Bolling, had a son, George W., who married Martha S. Nicholls, of Georgetown. Mary Tabb Bolling was born at Petersburg, Virginia, in 1850.
Dr. George Bolling Lee prepared for col- lege at a private Episcopal school for boys near Alexandria, Virginia, and entered Washington-Lee University, which he left in 1892 to enter the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, of New York, from which he graduated in 1896 with the degree of M. D. He gained valuable experience and training by spend- ing seven months as an interne at Bellevue Hospital, New York, and for five years thereafter was chief of the clinic of the out- door department of the same hospital, per- forming the work with distinction and cred- it. He became well known in city medical circles. At the outbreak of the Spanish- American war he enlisted and in 1898 served as surgeon at the headquarters of the Sev- enth Army Corps at Jacksonville, Florida, holding the rank of captain. In 1899 he be- came associated with Dr. W. G. Wylie in general practice in New York City, but since 1902 has been practicing his profession alone. He is well established and enjoys a good practice. He is peculiarly well fitted for his profession, which he chose because of his predeliction for it. Few have so noble lineage, including the most prominent among the aristocratic families of Virginia, who bore so honorable a share in build- ing up the Old Dominion. He is a member of the New York State Medical Society, Greater New York Medical Society and New York County Medical Society, in all of which he takes a professional interest and
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to the success of which he contributes his time and influence, realizing the good work to be done by such organizations. He has social gifts and is affiliated with several or- ganizations. He belonged to the Sigma Phi Greek letter society while at the Washington- Lee and Columbia universities and is now a member of the Bellevue Hospital Alumni Society. He is affiliated with Kane Lodge, No. 454, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of New York ; the Racquet & Tennis Club. Rockaway Hunt Club, Southern Society of New York, the Virginians, Union Club, and the Confederate Cadets Association. He is associate surgeon of the Women's Hospital of New York. He gives his support to St. Thomas Protestant Episcopal Church, of which Rev. Dr. Starr is pastor. Politically he is a Democrat.
Charles Bell Guyer. Dr. John Sigsworth Guyer, born in England in 1816, came to Virginia with the Bell family, of which his mother was a member. He had two half- brothers, George B. Larrick, who served in Stuart's cavalry, and Captain James Lar- rick, who was a student at Virginia Mili- tary Institute and at the battle of New- market fought with his company of cadets. The family settled in and around Middle- town. Virginia, the first home of the Bells after landing from England being in Alex- andria.
Dr. John S. Guyer became a student at the old Winchester Medical School at Win- chester, Virginia, destroyed during the war 1861-65, and about 1847 obtained his degree of M. D. He practiced his profession in Frederick county for many years, was a magistrate under the old law, was at one time president of the Shenandoah Valley Medical Association and a man highly es- teemed by all. He married Sophia Abbey. born at Middletown, Virginia, in 1830, died in 1896, daughter of Jonas and Barbara (Miller) Abbey, the former a veteran of the war of 1812 and both connected with old and influential Shenandoah Valley families.
Charles Bell Guyer, of Strasburg, Shen- andoah county, Virginia, was born in Mid- dletown, Frederick county, Virginia, Au- gust 23, 1857, son of Dr. John Sigsworth and Sophia (Abbey) Guyer. He attended the old Virginia field schools until fifteen years of age, then became clerk in a Lex- ington, Virginia, mercantile house. He was ambitious to become a lawyer and while
engaged as a clerk in Lexington began the study of law. Lexington, a seat of culture, offered opportunities for self-study, and there under the shadow of Washington-Lee University he pursued a course of private study until 1894. He then presented him- self before the board of state examiners, suc- cessfully stood the ordeal of their examina- tion and was admitted to the bar. He be- gan practice at Buena Vista, eight miles distant from Lexington, practiced success- fully until his health broke down, necessi- tating complete rest. He did not practice for five years, but in 1907 located in Stras- burg and returned to his profession. He has there built up a good business and con- tinues in active practice. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, is a communicant of the Protestant church, and in political faith is a Democrat.
Mr. Guyer married, in November, 1882, Mary Elizabeth Randall, daughter of Elisha Randall, of a New York family, and great- granddaughter of a Vermont revolutionary soldier. Her mother was a Miss Thorpe. Mary E. Randall was born in the state of Illinois and was educated at East Orange, New Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Guyer have an adopted son, Albert Minor Guyer.
William Robert Weisiger, M. D. The six years of Dr. William Robert Weisiger's professional career have been divided be- tween Cumberland, Virginia, and Richmond, in which latter city he is now a medical practitioner. The failing ranks of the phy- sicans of the older school have been capably and readily filled in Richmond by those of the younger generation. and among the newer members of the medical fraternity of the city for whom the future looms bril- liantly is Dr. Weisiger.
Dr. Weisiger is a descendant of Samuel Weisiger, born in Germany about 1745, who settled in Chesterfield county, Virginia, when a young man. He spoke English but little and with difficulty, but attained pros- perity and owned lands. He married. No- vember 16, 1769, Mary Kendall, and from them. it is believed, are descended all of the Weisigers of Virginia and the South. Children : Daniel Kendall. John Kendall, Samuel, Daniel, David, a captain of the war of 1812; Jacob Power: Washington, great- grandfather of Dr. William Robert Weis- iger, of Richmond, Virginia ; Richard Ken- dall, Jacob, and Elizabeth Kendall.
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Washington Weisiger, son of Samuel and Mary (Kendall) Weisiger, was born in Chesterfield county, Virginia, February 28, 1783, and married Polly Carter Salley, daugh- ter of James and Polly (Carter) Salley, of Chesterfield county, the latter a daughter of John Carter, of Shirley, Virginia.
Samuel Washington Weisiger, son of Washington and Polly Carter (Salley) Weisiger, was born in South Richmond (Manchester), Virginia. In mature life he became a druggist, and followed that pro- fession all of his life. He was a Democrat of the strict Jeffersonian school, and was a communicant of the Methodist Episcopal church, in that denomination serving as class leader and Sunday school superintend- ent. He was a man of pure and upright life, ever standing in the approval and re- spect of his fellows. Samuel Washington Weisiger married, in Manchester, Virginia. Anna Obedience Hatcher, and had children : Benjamin Boiseau, Emmet Washington, Martha Susan, married a Mr. Franklin, Laura Ann, married a Mr. Vaden, Wilbur Kent, Lelia Page, married a Mr. Taylor, Samuel Carter, of whom further, and Bern- ard.
Samuel Carter Weisiger, son of Samuel Washington and Anna Obedience (Hatcher) Weisiger, was born in Manchester. Virginia, in 1847, and died in Ashland, Virginia, July 19, 1913. After a thorough business educa- tion he became confidential secretary to J. B. Pace, was afterward secretary and treas- urer of the J. A. Grigg Shoe Company, and then, until his death, chief clerk in the office of the city auditor. Samuel Carter Weis- iger served in Parker's battery throughout the four years of the war between the states, in the Confederate army rendering military service of devotion and valor. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and carefully and faithfully performed the duties of citizenship. He married Bettie Collier Martin, born in Chesterfield county, Virginia, daughter of James William Mar- tin, granddaughter of James Martin, and his wife, Elizabeth ( Baker) Martin, a daugh- ter of Hon. John W. Baker. James Martin was captain of the Chesterfield troop of the Rocky Ridge Rifles in the war of 1812, and performed valiant service in the American cause. Children of Samuel Carter and Bet- tie Collier (Martin) Weisiger: Carter, a practicing physician of Cumberland. Vir- ginia ; Inez. married W. C. Cottrell, of Rich-
mond; Kendall, a resident of Atlanta, Georgia ; Dr. William Robert, of whom fur- ther ; and Carroll, a resident of Louisville, Kentucky.
Dr. William Robert Weisiger, fourth child and third son of Samuel Carter and Bettie Collier (Martin) Weisiger, was born in Richmond, Virginia, August 24, 1888. His elementary education was obtained in the schools of the place of his birth, and in 1899 the family moved to Ashland, Virginia, the seat of Randolph-Macon College, where Dr. Weisiger was for two years a student. He subsequently entered the University College of Medicine at Richmond, Virginia, and was graduated M. D. in the class of 1909, pass- ing the following year as resident physi- cian at St. Luke's Hospital. of Richmond. Then, until 1912, Dr. Weisiger was engaged in general practice in Cumberland, Virginia, in August of that year coming to Rich- mond, where he has since remained. His clientele is a generous one, and his profes- sional record is one commendable in the ex- treme, Dr. Weisiger meeting his professional brethren upon terms of equality. He is a member of the Richmond Academy of Medi- cine and Surgery and of the Medical So- ciety of Virginia, and for the past three years has been instructor in surgery in the dis- pensary of the Medical College of Virginia.
Dr. Weisiger is a member of three fra- ternities, to which he was elected while a college student, and since attaining his ma- jority has been a member of the Masonic order. His church is that of his family, the Methodist Episcopal.
Thomas Barkwell Lane, M. D. Thomas Barkwell Lane, Jr. The immigrant ancestor of the line of the Lane family here under consideration was Ezekiel Lane, who re- ceived a grant of land from the crown, con- sisting of a large number of acres, beauti- fully located on the banks of the Rankitank river. in what was then Gloucester county. now Mathews county. This ancestral home, "Goshen," only passed out of the posses- sion of the family a few years ago, having been sold by William R. Lane, who now re- sides in Kentucky.
The next in line of descent was Walter Gardiner Lane and his wife, Mary A. H. Lane, who were the parents of William Lane, who was born at "Goshen," Mathews county, Virginia. He was a planter, which line of work he followed throughout his
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active years ; a surgeon in the Confederate army, performing his duties to the best of his ability : an Episcopalian in religion, and a Whig in politics. He married a Miss Berry, member of the church of England, who bore him five children : William, Walter Gardiner. John, Levin, Louisa.
Walter Gardiner Lane, son of William and - ( Berry ) Lane, was born at "Go- shen." Mathews county, Virginia, August II. 1806. He was a merchant, successful in his business undertakings, a colonel of mili- tia, justice of the peace, and member of the Virginia house of delegates from Mathews and Middlesex counties. He married, Au- gust 16, 1827, Mary Anna Henry Barkwell, born in Nansemond county, Virginia, May 13. 1808. daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (\'ells-Willoughby) Barkwell. the latter named at the time of her marriage to Mr. Barkwell being the Widow Willoughby. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Lane : William A. : Walter Gardiner, married Virginia W. Bil- lups ; Virginia E .; James Henry, married Charlotte Randolph Meade; Oscar; Mary Louisa, married (first) Charles Langhorn Hobson, and (second) P. Goodrich, M. D., of Fredericksburg, Virginia ; Thomas Bark- well, of whom further.
Dr. Thomas Barkwell Lane, son of Walter Gardiner and Mary Anna Henry (Bark- well) Lane, was born at the family resi- dence, "Goshen," at Mathews Court House, Virginia, May 23. 1840, died October 19, 1910. In early life he attended the Mathews Academy, the Upperville Military Academy in Fauquier county, Virginia, after which he entered the medical department of the University of Virginia. and later the Rich- mond Medical College, from which insti- tution he was graduated in 1860 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He began practice in Mathews county, but the out- break of the civil war caused him to aban- don the same. He enlisted in the Confeder- ate army, and from 1861 to 1865 served in the capacity of surgeon in the Twenty- eighth Regiment of Lane's North Carolina Brigade. being paroled at Appomattox Court House. After the war he returned to Mathews county and resumed the practice of his profession, so continuing until his death. He was skillful in both medicine and surgery, had a very extensive practice, and was ever ready to respond to a call. no matter at what personal cost, and he gave freely of his skill to the poor and needy.
without the hope of a fee or reward, fully recompensed if he could alleviate pain and suffering. He always resided in the same community and occupied that warm place in the hearts of his people that is only sur- rendered to the trusted family physician of the old school. In addition to his medical practice, he served as division superintend- ent of public schools in Mathews county. Virginia, performing his duties in a highly efficient manner, winning the commendation of all concerned. He was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church, as were all the members of his family, and served as vestryman, senior warden, lay reader and superintendent of the Sunday school. He was also a member of the leading medical societies.
Dr. Lane married, at Christ Church, Kingston parish, Mathews county, Virginia. April 26, 1870, the ceremony performed by Rev. John McGill. Ellen Randolph Tabb. born at her father's residence, "Morven," in Gloucester county, Virginia, October 6. 1845, daughter of George Edward and Mary Harrison (Randolph) Tabb, who were the parents of five other children, namely : Kate Harrison, Nannie. Frederic, Georgia, George Randolph. Ellen Randolph being the eldest child. George Edward Tabb was born at Toddsbury. Gloucester county, Virginia, January 3. 1810: educated at Yale College and University of Virginia ; was a lawyer and planter, justice of the peace, captain in the Confederate army, provost marshal un- der General J. B. Maginde, died in Mathews county, Virginia. His wife was the daugh- ter of William Fitzhugh and Jane C. Ran- dolph. Children of Dr. and Mrs. Lane: Mary Randolph. born February 19. 1871 ; George Edward, born May 29. 1872; serv- ing as treasurer of Mathews county, mem- ber of Virginia house of delegates from Mathews and Middlesex counties, as pri- vate in Company M. Fourth Virginia Regi- ment. Spanish-American war, United States Volunteer Infantry: Thomas Barkwell. whose sketch follows ; Henry Gardiner, born March 18. 1881. clergyman in the Protestant Episcopal church. married Annie Gordon.
Thomas Barkwell (2) Lane, son of Dr. Thomas Barkwell (1) Lane. was born in Mathews county. Virginia, November 16. 1878. He was educated under private tutors. and began business life in the real estate office of Byrd Baldwin & Company. of Nor- folk. remaining with that firm three years.
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He then began his railroad career in the transportation department of the Southern Railroad. In 1898 he entered the employ of the Norfolk & Western Railroad, in Nor- folk, and is now manager of the inter- change of freight between the Merchants' and Miners' Transportation Company and Norfolk & Western Railroad. He is a mem- ber of St. Paul's Episcopal church. Mr. Lane married, April 10, 1904, Emily Gay Baker, daughter of Richard Henry Baker, a prominent lawyer of Norfolk, granddaughter of Judge Richard Henry Baker, and de- scendant of Henry Baker, who came from England in 1632 (see Richard Henry Baker record). Mrs. Lane's mother, Annie (May) Baker, was a daughter of Judge May, of Petersburg, Virginia.
James Edward Sebrell. There are few men in Virginia to whom the title of "grand old man" could be more appropriately ap- plied than to James E. Sebrell, now at the age of eighty-two years, cashier of the People's Bank of Courtland, district deputy grand master of Masons, ex-county treas- urer, ex-commissioner of accounts, ex-legis- lator, ex-recorder, in fact ex or past official of about all public and fraternal offices of the county, a veteran of the Confederacy and now as always, an active, living, vital force in the community. Age has but rip- ened his judgment and cleared his brain and although at an age when most men have closed their earthly accounts, or are incapa- citated, he is daily at his post and trans- acts a volume of business that would re- flect credit upon a man half a century his junior. He springs from an honored ances- try, but his own life is the best warrant for perpetuating his name and fame and hand- ing down for the perusal of future Virgin- ians.
James Edward Sebrell was born in South- ampton county, Virginia, January 3, 1833, son of William Jones and Mary Virginia (Butts) Sebrell The Sebrells were French Huguenots who fled from their native France to escape persecution and death, seeking asylum in England. Later they came to York county, Virginia, a later branch settling in Southampton county, where the town of Sebrell is named in the family honor.
William Jones Sebrell, father of James Edward Sebrell, was born in Southampton county, Virginia. in 1803, died there in 1857.
He was a farmer all his active life and for several years was sheriff for Southampton county, a man of influence and integrity and held in high popular esteem. He married Mary Virginia Butts, born in the same county, in 1813, died in 1840, daughter of Captain Edward Butts.
James E. Sebrell obtained his early and preparatory educational training in private schools, his classical education at Randolph- Macon College, Boydton, Virginia, being a graduate of the latter institution, A. B., class of 1853, A. M., 1855. For twelve years after graduation he taught the higher branches at Newville Academy, Sussex county, Virginia, then began a term of eleven years' service as instructor in the Sebrell school. His career as a teacher was marked by efficiency and the high quality of students who went out from under his instruction to enter higher institutions of learning were the best evidences that his heart was in his work and that intelligence, as well as ambition, directed his efforts. Hc closed that chapter in his life's history as a teacher, when called into the Confederate service, which included a period of military duty as sergeant-major in the Eighteenth Virginia Regiment of Heavy Artillery, be- ing on duty in the defense of Richmond un- til the evacuation of that city by the Con- federates and in field duty until General Lee's surrender, April 9, 1865. In 1865 he entered into the mercantile business in Se- brell in which he continued until January, 1892. In 1873 he was elected treasurer of Southampton county, and continued his residence in Sebrell until 1892. He served as county treasurer for thirteen successive years, being at the close of each term re- elected, through no effort of his own. His record in office was his only argument for re-election and amply did it convince the voters. From 1892 to 1904 he was commis- sioner of accounts of Southampton county. In 1904 he was elected cashier of the People's Bank of Courtland, Virginia, a position he yet holds. He has therein added to his mental equipment long years of experience and in all that pertains to banking, law, usage or practice. he is the peer of any of his contemporaries in the state.
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