USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia and representative citizens, V.2 > Part 44
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Captain Old studied in his youth at the Norfolk Academy, then under the superintend- ence of John B. Strange, who afterward lost his life at Sharpsburg, as a colonel in the Con- federate service. In 1855. on account of a yellow fever epidemic, Colonel Strange left Norfolk and established the Albemarle Mili- tary Institute, where young Old studied three years. In October, 1858, after a few months at the Broun & Tebbs school in Albemarle County, he entered the University of Virginia. where he was graduated with the degree of M. A .. July 4. 1861. Already the war had be- gun, and the "University Volunteers" had been organized at the university, in which he held the rank of junior second lieutenant.
On the day of graduation they were mus- tered into the Confederate service and as- signed to Wise's Brigade, then operating in West Virginia, where the company was on duty until disbanded the following December by order of the Secretary of War. Captain Old, determined to remain in the service, acted for a short time as volunteer aide upon the staff of General Wise, and then enlisted as a private in the 14th Regiment, Virginia In- fantry, commanded by Col. James Gregory Hodges. He was wounded in the second day's fight at Seven Pines, June Ist. and in AAugust following was commissioned captain and as- sistant quartermaster and assigned to Battery No. 9 of the Richmond defenses, under con-
mand of Col. James Howard. He served there until May, 1863, when he was ordered to Jackson's old division, then commanded by Maj .- Gen. Edward Johnson, and placed in charge of the commissary train during the Pennsylvania campaign. In December. 1863. he resigned that position to become aide-de- camp upon the staff of General Johnson. On May 12, 1864. during the fighting at Spotts- sylvania Court House, he was engaged in carrying a message to Gen. C. A. Evans, when General Johnson and many of his troops were captured. He was subsequently assigned to the staff of Lieut .- Gen. Richard S. Ewell, and on June 12. 1864, to the staff of Gen. Jubal A. Early, with whom he served through the Maryland campaign and the movement on Washington in that year. In August of the same year his old commander, General John- son, having been exchanged, ordered to the Western Army, then under General Hood, and assigned to command the division of Patton Anderson. Captain Old rejoined his staff, and served in the West until October 31st. when he was severely wounded at Florence. Alabama. and incapacitated for duty during the remain- der of the war. On being paroled after the capitulation of Gen. Joseph E. Jolmston, he returned home and was engaged in teaching school and farming until civil affairs were well settled.
In February, 1868, he was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of law at Norfolk, where he has since resided, and has been suc- cessful in his profession as a member of the firm of Walke & Old. until that firm was dis- solved by the death of Mr. Walke. Since then he has been a member of the firm of William W. Old & Son. He is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Norfolk, has for several years been delegate to the council of his diocese and chancellor of the diocese of Southern Virginia, and was delegate to the general convention at New York in ISSo: Baltimore, in 1892: Minneapolis, in 1895: Washington. in 1898; and San Francisco, in 1
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DANIEL V. GASKINS.
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1901. In 1870 he was married to Alice Her- bert, daughter of Edward H. Herbert, one of the most influential men of Princess Anne County. Mr. and Mrs. Old have six children. viz .: Dr. Herbert, a physician of Norfolk: William W., Jr., an attorney' and a partner of his father: Anne, wife of Charles Webster, a lieutenant in the United States Navy : Dr. Ed- ward H. N .. a graduate of the University of Virginia, who is located in New York City: Margaret Nash ; and Ellen Alice.
b ON. EDWARD SPALDING was judge of the County Court of Nor- folk County for six years ending De- ' cember 31. 1885. He has been en- gaged in the general practice of his profession in Norfolk since the latter part of 1869, and has a lucrative practice.
Judge Spalding was born in Kennebec County. Maine, in 1842, and was educated at the academy in Waterville, Maine. After graduating from this institution he secured a position in the Treasury Department at Wash- ington, D. C., and while there read law. He graduated from the Columbian Law School in 1869 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and was admitted to the bar in Washington in the fall of that year. Then he came to Norfolk, where he has since resided. He has always been regarded as one of the successful prac- titioners at the bar of Norfolk, and has a large general practice. Although a strong supporter of the Republican party, since the expiration of his terni on the bench he has never accepted office. He has always been found on the right side of measures intended for the benefit of the community in which he resides, whose in- active in supporting various enterprises and is a large owner of real estate and a director in a number of land companies.
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Daniel V. Gaskins was educated in the com- mon schools of Portsmouth, and after leaving school engaged in the undertaking business, succeeding his father. He married, November 15, 1869. Elizabeth Sargent Sirian, a daughter terests he has ever had at heart. He has been , of George and Elenor E. Sirian.
Judge Spalding is married and is a mem- ber of the First Presbyterian Church.
ANIEL V. GASKINS. funeral direc- tor, with place of business at No. 610 D Middle street, Portsmouth. Norfolk County, Virginia, was born in Ports- mouth. He is a son of Daniel Gas- kins and Julia A. V. Hatton (nee Dyes), his wife.
Our subject's maternal great-grandfather Peter Dyes, was a captain in the Revolutionary War. He was a farmer by occupation and established a home on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, one mile from Gilmerton. which is still in the possession of the family. The Dyes family were influential in assisting in the growth and development of the county. Nathaniel Dyes, the grandfather of our subject. who was also a farmer, married Mary Ann Copeland Clark. a member of the Llewellyn family of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Daniel Gaskins, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Nansemond County. Virginia, October 5. 1820. His wife; Julia A. V. Hatton ( nee Dynes) was born Novem- ber 6, 1820, in Norfolk County, on the home- stead founded by her grandfather, Peter Dyes. Daniel Gaskins was an undertaker and cabinet maker, following his trade until his death, which occurred March 18, 1864. He was well and favorably known in Portsmouth, where he spent the greater part of his life. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife is still living. aged 81 years. Of eight children born to this couple, but two survive, Georgia A., the wife of B. F. Vaughan: and Daniel V., the subject of this sketch.
George Sirian was a Grecian by birth, and his parents were massacred by the Turks. When a boy of nine years, at the time of the massacre, he swam from an island to a United States man-of-war. He was taken on board
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and brought to this country by Mr. Randolph, of Richmond, Virginia. For 40 years he was gunner in the United States Navy. He became a gunner under George Marshall, U. S. Navy, who afterward became his father-in-law. Mrs. Elenor E. Sirian is still living, active and vigorous, at the age of 82 years.
Our subject and his wife have two children, whose names are: Elizabeth S .; and Marga- ret A. Mr. Gaskins is a member of the Meth- odist Church, while his wife is a member of the Catholic Church.
Mr. Gaskins is a member of the following fraternal associations: Portsmouth Naval Lodge, No. 100. A. F. & A. M .; Atlantic Lodge. No. 24. K. of P .; Grice Lodge, No. 83, I. O. O. F. : Montauk Tribe, No. 55, I. O. R. M .; Peabody Council, No. 106, Jr. O. U. A. M. ; Old Dominion Council, No. 293. I. O. H .; Magnolia Camp. No. 4, W. O. W .; Ocean Council, No. 1063. Royal Arcanum; and Friendship Council. Seven Wise Men. of Nor- folk, Virginia.
Mr. Gaskins is a genial and courteous gen- tleman, well and favorably known as one of the leading business men of the city. His por- trait accompanies this sketch, being presented on a foregoing page.
m AJ. RICHARD G. BANKS, United States collector of the port of Nor- folk. is a native of Hampton, Vir- ginia, and was born September 3: 1840. He was educated at the Hampton Acadciny and at Columbia College, and shortly after leaving the latter institution, in May, 1861, was appointed quartermaster of the 50th Regiment, Virginia Infantry, in Gen- eral Floyd's Brigade, with the rank of captain. He served as quartermaster until the battle of Fort Donelson, from which he escaped to Chat- tanooga, where he was put in charge of the military depot of General Kirby Smith and served there about six months .. July 1, 1862,
he went with General Smith's command to Lexington, Kentucky, where he was put in charge of the quartermaster's depot for about two months. At the end of that time he was appointed major and went to Mississippi, har- ing been assigned to General W. W. Loring's staff. In that position he served only a short time, when he was detailed by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston to go to Selma, Alabama, and es- tablish a quartermaster's depot. This he ac- complished and was placed in charge of the same, remaining at that point until near the close of the war .- He participated in the fol- lowing battles: First battle of Cross Lanes, and Carnifex Ferry, West Virginia; Fort Donelson, Tennessee: Richmond, Kentucky. and in numerous minor engagemets. After the war was over he went to Goochland Coun- ty. Virginia, where he carried on a farm, and. having prepared for the legal profession in the meantime, was admitted to the bar in 1871.
He practiced his profession until the fall of 1879. at which time he was appointed United States inspector of customs and stationed at Norfolk, Virginia. This office he held until 1883, when he resigned in order to take his seat in the State Legislature, to which he was elected that year. Owing to a technicality he was unseated, but at the new election ordered he was triumphantly vindicated. receiving a majority of 900 votes. In 1884 he was made superintendent of the schools at Norfolk and- acted as such until 1886. Two years later he was elected mayor of Norfolk, and held that office until March, 1890, when he resigned to accept the office of United States collector of the port of Norfolk, which office he now holds.
Mr. Banks was married, January 15. 1863, to Miss Nannie M. Argyle, daughter of Thom- as Argyle, a planter of Goochland County, Virginia. They have had one child, who died in infancy.
Richard G. Banks, our subject's father, was born in Essex County, Virginia, in 1802. He was a graduate of the medical department of the University of Maryland, and began the
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practice of his profession in 1823, at Hampton, Virginia, where he remained until the breaking out of the war. He was then put in charge of a hospital at Portsmouth, Virginia, and afterward transferred to Richmond, in the same capacity, where he continued until the close of the struggle. He then went to Balti- more, Maryland, where he practiced medicine until his death, in ISTo. He was married, in 1821, to Mathilda E. Dewees, daughter of Andrew Dewees, a prominent merchant of Baltimore. They had five sons, as follows: William Wallace, Henry T .. Andrew Dewees. E. A. and Richard G. William Wallace was a surgeon in the United States Army, who re- signed after the Mexican War, and was ap- pointed consul to Mexico, where he married the daughter of the Governor of Zacatecas, and where his death occurred in 1839, at the age of 36 years. Henry T. was born in 1827. and is now living in Washington, D. C. Andrew Dewees, born in 1834. was the first editor. in connection with Roger A. Pryor, of the South- side Democrat, published at Petersburg, and was afterward editor of the Cincinnati En- quirer; in 1857 he was defeated as the Demo- cratic candidate for clerk of the National House of Representatives by General Cullom. ' In 1858 he was, with General Stedman, elected public printer, and during the Confederate War was adjutant general on the staff of Gen. J. E. Johnston, by whom he was held as a warm and trusted friend. He died in 1881. E. A., who was born in 1838. was a lawyer and was educated at the University of Virginia. He went to Alabama in 1858. locating at Mont- gomery. where he edited the Montgomery Con- federation until the opening of the Confederate War, when he entered the Confederate Army and was made captain and afterward paymaster at New Orleans. After the evacuation of that city by the Confederate forces he was raised to the rank of major and assigned to General Lovell's staff, and then to General Pemberton's, where he served until the close of the war. In company with General Loring he went into
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business in New Orleans, and died there in 1868. The youngest son is Richard G., whose name heads this sketch. The mother of this family died in 1845.
George W. Banks, grandfather of Major Banks, was a native of Essex County, Virginia. He practiced law in his native county during his mature years, was a member of the County Court, and succeeded to the office of high sher- iff ; he was a major in the War of 1812. He married Miss Baughan. and died in 1842. The great-grandfather was also a native of Essex County, and was a planter by occupation. The great-great-grandfather was born in England. and upon coming to America located in Vir- ginia, where he died. The maternal ancestors of. Mr. Banks were French ; one of the family was Mr. Dewees, of Philadelphia, a well-known medical writer.
JOHN J. BURROUGHS, who is a mem- ber of the firm of Burroughs Brotli- ers, attorneys-at-law, at Norfolk. Vir- ginia, was born at Princess Anne Court House, Virginia. April 22. 1841. and is a son of John J. and Ann (Nim- mo) Burroughs. His father was deputy clerk at Norfolk when a young man, and later re- moved to Princess Anne Court House, Vir- ginia, where he was clerk of courts for 40 years.
John J. Burroughs, the subject of this sketch, was reared and educated in his native county. He attended Prof. William R. Galt's private school, and Lynchburg College. He left college to enlist at Norfolk. Virginia, in "Old Company F." but was transferred to the Western Department. He was soon promoted to the office of lieutenant of artillery and served gallantly to the close of the war. After the war was over Mr. Burroughs decided to take up the profession of law, and accordingly be- gan the study with his brother. Hon. William Hl. Burroughs. With faithful attention and
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close application to his chosen duties he soon fitted himself for his profession and was admit- ted to the bar in 1866. He had had some exper- ience in his father's office. Mr. Burroughs at once began to practice at Princess Anne Court House. where he remained a short time. He soon decided that a larger field would be pre- ferable, and in January, 1869. removed to Nor- folk where he entered into partnership with his brother, who was then practicing in that city. The firm name was Burroughs Brothers and remains so to this day. The brothers have practiced together since 1869 with the excep- tion of eight years, during which time William H. Burroughs was judge of the Corporation Court of Norfolk City. The firm has a large general practice and stands foremost among prominent law firms of Norfolk. In 1894 John J. Burroughs was elected police justice, and served as such one term.
Mr. Burroughs was united in marriage with Eliza Moore of Wythe County, Virginia. She died when very young. He married, secondly. M. May Baker, a daughter of Richard H. Baker, of Norfolk, and they have three chil- dren living, namely : Richard Hansford, Hugh May and Benjamin Baker.
Mr. Burroughs is a member of the Bar As- sociation of Virginia: the Pickett-Buchannan Camp, Confederate Veterans; and the A. F. & A. M. He is a man of scholarly attainments, a deep student, and is endowed with all the qualities which go to make a good lawyer.
LOWENBERG. The history of Norfolk City and vicinity would not be complete without a brief outline of the activities of such a man as the one 1
whose name heads this sketch. David Lowenberg was born in Wurtemberg, Ger- many, October 25. 1839. He was educated in his native city, and came to America in 1855, ! landing at New York. Soon after he went to I Asheville. North Carolina, and lived in Golds- boro for three years, engaged in the general
merchandise trade. In 1860 he went to Green- ville, South Carolina, where he was engaged in business until the war broke out: he volun- tecred as a private in the 16th Regiment. South Carolina Infantry, commanded by Colonel El- liott, with which he served until the fall of 1864. After leaving the army he located in Norfolk, and engaged in business with his brother, J. B. Lowenberg, the partnership con- tinuing until 1872. Then Mr. Jacob Hecht and A. F. Jacobs, brothers-in-law, were taken into the firm, and a wholesale business was es- tablished under the firm name of Lowenberg, Jacobs & Company. This company existed un- til 1879, when Mr. Jacobs withdrew, and Low- enberg Brothers & Company continued the business. Mr. Lowenberg withdrew from the company in 1886, and devoted himself for the next year to erecting a large block of business houses, and establishing the D. Lowenberg Boot & Shoe Company, which is now the larg- est and best store in the city of Norfolk.
Mr. Lowenberg was president of the Tidle- water Investment & Trust Company during its existence, and is now president of the Norfolk Knitting & Cotton Manufacturing Company, He erected the Chesapeake Knitting Mills and the Lowenberg Knitting Mills, and is treas- tirer of the South Norfolk Development Com- pany. and of the Southwest Virginia Mineral Land Company. He is president of the At- lantic Improvement Company, and of the Vir- ginia Realty Company; treasurer of the Nor- folk Investment Company: a director in the Norfolk National Bank and the Norfolk Bank for Savings & Trusts : vice-president and gen- eral manager of the Norfolk-Hampton Roads Company; secretary-treasurer and general manager of the Portsmouth Improvement Company: president of the South Norfolk Belt Line Improvement Company : secretary and treasurer of the American Contracting Company, and of the Commonwealth Realty Company ; and president of the Monticello Realty Company and the Norfolk & AAtlantic Terminal Company ..
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SAMUEL BUCHANAN HUTCHINS.
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Mr. Lowenberg was married March 3. ! J. N. Vaughan, R. Lancaster Williams. M. L. 1865, to Cecelia Hecht, daughter of Rev. Jo- seph Hecht, who was pastor of the Norfolk Street Congregational Church in New York City for 21 years, and later lived in Norfolk. They have four children, named as follows: Minnie D., wife of A. E. Camp of Norfolk; and Benjamin, Jacob and Harry L., of Nor- folk.
It can be truly said that Mr. Lowenberg de- votes himself to the best interests of Norfolk, where he is one of most public spirited citi- zens, and is always ready to lead off in any works of public improvement.
BERTHE NORFOLK BANK FOR SAV- INGS & TRUSTS, one of the young- est banking institutions of Norfolk. has been a prominent factor in the commercial affairs of the city. Al- though a savings bank, primarily, it has been particularly successful in handling large.estates in a fiduciary capacity. Among its officers and directors are numbered many of the substantial business men of the city. men of prestige in other lines of business,-giving it an advantage which has placed it in the foremost ranks of the banking concerns of Virginia.
The Norfolk Bank for Savings & Trusts was organized in 1893 under a liberal charter granted by the Virginia Legislature, and was opened for business on August 2nd of that year. It was particularly fortunate in having at its head C. G. Ramsay, a man of great abil- ity, who was well known in the circles of finance not only in this country, but in foreign countries as well. Owing to the death of Mr. Ramsay, in February, 1894, C. W. Grandy was elected president and served until 1901, when Caldwell Hardy succeeded him in that office. Mr. Grandy is now vice-president, and W. W. Vicar is cashier. The directors are: J. G. Womble, D. Lowenberg. DeCourcy W. Thom, Henry Kirn, Caldwell Hardy. R. Page Waller,
T. Davis, Thomas R. Ballentine, C. A. Wood- ard, W. H. White, G. L. Arps, C. Billups, T. | H. Willcox, William M. Whaley. C. W. Grandy, A. P. Thom. W. W. Vicar, Thomas Townsend, G. M. Serpell. C. Brooks Johnston and E. C. Fosburgh. The bank was organized with a capital stock of $250,000, which was later reduced to $100.000. Its policy from the beginning has been a progressively conserva- tive one, following the lines of legitimate bank- ing as practiced by the best institutions of its kind in the country. That this course has met with the approval of the community is attested by the fact that during the eight years of its existence it has been entrusted with over $2 .- 500,000 of the savings of the people. besides having done a large and increasing business in its commercial, trusts and safe deposit de- partments. The business of this bank is classi- fied and conducted under four distinct heads, namely: The savings department. the com- mercial department, the trusts department, and the safe deposit department. Separate systems of accounts are kept, so that each department is complete in itself. It acts as trustee, gwar- dian, executor and administrator, and has su- perior facilities for handling estates. The ad- vantages of a corporation as trustee, or in other fiduciary relations, lie in its ability, absolute safety, and in the fact that the corporation will outlive the trust. We may say that the won- derful success of the Norfolk Bank for Sav- ings & Trusts is due almost wholly to the abil- ity of its officers, and the confidence they have inspired in the people.
AMUEL BUCHANAN HUTCHINS. a well-known contractor and builder of Portsmouth, Norfolk County. Virginia, whose portrait appears herewith, was born in that city in 1855. He is a son of George Hutchins.
George Hutchins was employed in the Gos-
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY
port Navy Yard at Portsmouth, having re- moved to that city when a young man. He was a Democrat and very active in politics. He clicd in 1857. George Hutchins married Mar- garet F. Taylor, a daughter of Moses Taylor, one of the earliest settlers of South Ports- mouth. Before his death and prior to the breaking out of the Confederate War. Moses Taylor was foreman of the riggers at the Navy Yard. Margaret F. (Taylor) Hutchins died December 18, 1897. Mr. and Mrs. George Hutchins were blessed with ro children, all of whom are residents of Portsmouth or its vi- cinity. They are as follows: Medora ( Lum- ber). of Newport News: Virginia ( Thomas) ; Emily (Myers) ; Alameda ; Samuel Buchanan ; R. A., who is city collector of Portsmouth: George W., who was a contractor, and is now deceased; Mary; Margaret: and Olivia, de- ccased.
Samuel Buchanan Hutchins attended the public schools of Portsmouth, and at the age of 14 years he was apprenticed to John T. West to learn the trade of a house carpenter. With the exception of two years spent as clerk in his brother's grocery, he has continued in that business ever since. He commenced con- tracting for himself 13 years ago, and his work has been mainly the building of houses. He is a fine mechanic, and there is no better con- tractor in Norfolk County. He has become widely known in Portsmouth, and the neigh- boring towns, and his work is always of the highest order. Mr. Hutchins has erected some of the finest homes in Portsmouth, and at pres- ent has under contract the building of the Court Street Baptist Church, and the Central Meth- odist Episcopal Church, South. He has erected many churches and public buildings. In 1901 he built the Port Norfolk Baptist Church. He stands high as a contractor and is a man of good business ability. He devotes all of his attention to his business, and is always ready to take advantage of the newest ideas to facili- tate his work.
Mr. Hutchins married Ida V. Noel, a
daughter of Capt. Robert Noel. Of nine chil- dren born to this union, four are deceased. Those living are as follows: S. B., Jr., who assists his father : Lucille : Alice ; Alameda ; and Christopher. Mr. Hutchins is deeply interested in politics, but has never cared to accept office. having refused a nomination to the City Coun- cil. He is a member of the following fraternal organizations : Portsmouth Lodge, No. 16. Knights of Pythias ; the Masonic order : Benev- olent and Protective Order of Elks; Roval Ar- canum; National Union: and Royal Tribe of Joseph. He is a member of the Fourth Street Baptist Church, which his mother helped to or- ganize.
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