USA > Virginia > Men of mark in Virginia, ideals of American life; a collection of biographies of the leading men in the state, Volume III > Part 23
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By birth and heredity, Judge Wright comes from a line of able lawyers, and jurists on both sides. The Roanes, bound by the unseen crimson thread of blood and kinship with the Ruffins, Ritchies, and Brockenbroughs, are lineal ancestors on the mother's side; and they have adorned the bench of the highest courts of this, and other commonwealths, and have been con- spicuous and distinguished in journalism and statecraft. He married Miss Margaret Davidella Preston, of Lewisburg, Green- brier county, West Virginia, on November 29, 1876, whose parentage and ancestry point to the Prestons, Creighs, Stuarts and Lewises, of Virginia and West Virginia. The children born to them are: Preston Wright, Jeannette Creigh Wright, Char- lotte Barnes Wright, Margaret Davidella Wright, Thomas Roane Barnes Wright and William Alfred Wright.
He was educated at Fleetwood academy, King and Queen county, Virginia, under Oliver White, Esq., the accomplished teacher; and at Hanover academy, under the scholarly Colonel Lewis Minor Coleman, of heroic memory; under whom, later, as professor of Latin at the University of Virginia, he graduated
453
THOMAS ROANE BARNES WRIGHT
in the school of Latin. At Hanover academy, he was taught the languages by the cultured Colonel Hilary P. Jones, of artillery fame, and mathematics by Captain John Hampden Chamber- layne, more recently, the brilliant editor of the "Richmond State " newspaper. He entered the University of Virginia in 1859-60, and was a graduate in many schools in the academic department, but on the outbreak of the War between the States, he volunteered as a soldier in the Confederate States army and thus failed of graduation in the full academic course. Two days after the fall of Fort Sumter, he, a volunteer student, went as a member of the " Southern Guard," a company of university students, to Harpers Ferry. Later, he enlisted as a private in second company, Richmond Howitzers, of Big Bethel fame, and remaining with them until after the "Seven Days Fight " around Richmond, was transferred by that great writer and thinker, Albert Tayloe Bledsoe, LL. D., assistant secretary of war, Confederate States, (under whom, as professor at the University of Virginia, he had graduated in the school of mathematics), to Company F, 55th Virginia regiment (Colonel Francis Mallory), Field's brigade, A. P. Hill's light division.
While in entire charge, as field sergeant of ordnance of Archer's and Walker's brigades, he was elected lieutenant, Com- pany A of that regiment, and afterward promoted on the field of battle for gallantry. He was dangerously wounded in the Confederate charge of Fort McCrae in front of Petersburg, Vir- ginia, on the Squirrel Level road, September 30, 1864. After lying, entirely exposed, on the battle field for several days and nights, he was carried to the old Seabrook warehouse, and thence to the Chimborazo hospital, Richmond, where for many days he lingered between life and death. He survived his only two brothers who also volunteered, one, Captain William Alfred Wright, Company F, 55th Virginia regiment (Essex Sharp- Shooters), and the other, Sergeant Richard Edward Wright, ensign and color-bearer of the 55th Virginia regiment, after whom was named the Wright-Latane camp of Confederate veterans in recognition of his gallantry. The first was killed in battle, after successfully charging and capturing, with his com- pany, a Federal battery of five pieces at Frazier's Farm below
454
THOMAS ROANE BARNES WRIGHT
Richmond; the other was killed in the gallant and bloody charge of Fort McCrae. His body was never recovered from the enemy's lines.
The subject of our sketch commenced the practice of law in 1868, attributing much to instruction and review in the law office of the eminent law-writer, author, and supreme court reporter, James M. Matthews, Esq .; was licensed by Judge W. T. Joynes, of the supreme court of appeals and Judge Meredith, of the circuit court of Richmond, Virginia; was elected common- wealth's attorney of Essex county, 1870, and continued as such until he entered upon his duties as judge of the ninth judicial circuit of Virginia, to which position, he was elected December 14, 1891, by the unanimous vote of the general assembly, and was commissioned by the Governor, December 16, 1891. He was twice reelected by the unanimous vote of the general assembly and commissioned accordingly by the Governor, January 18, 1894 and March 4, 1903; the first time, as judge of the ninth judicial circuit of Virginia, and the last time, under the new Constitution of Virginia, as judge of the twelfth judicial cir- cuit of Virginia, a position still held by him.
He was an active participant in state and national politics from the time he came to the bar; was canvasser for the state at large in many heated campaigns; was presidential elector from the first Congressional district on the Democratic (Cleveland) ticket in 1888; a member of the Democratic state committee, and chairman of the committee of the first district, at the time of his elevation to the bench; has been a contributor to law journals, registers, and other periodicals, of many valuable articles on the new, and vexed questions of law; and also, to the press on political, literary, and other subjects, and has made many literary and other addresses. Judge Wright was the first president of the Tidewater Alumni association of the university of Virginia and still holds office in 1906. He was also the first past and present commander of the Wright- Latané Camp, Confederate veterans.
Mrs. Wright, his wife, was the first president of the Essex chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and, at present, the president of the Woman's Monument association of
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THOMAS ROANE BARNES WRIGHT
Essex county (incorporated), which will erect, this year (1907), a monument to the heroic Confederate dead of Essex county. Judge Wright, 'in his early manhood, was baptized in St. John's church, Tappahannock, Virginia, by Rev. Henry Waring Lewis Temple, rector South Farnham parish, Essex county, and was confirmed by Rt. Rev. Bishop John Johns. His family, from its earliest history, has been identified with the Protestant Epis- copal church, and South Farnham parish of this diocese.
The address of Judge Wright is Tappahannock, Essex County, Virginia.
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List of Full Page Portraits
VOLUME III.
FACING PAGE
FACING PAGE
ANDERSON, WILLIAM A ...
3
LOTH, FRANK P.
221
BAKER, CHARLES C .. 18
LYNN, WILLIAM W. 225
BAKER, WILLIAM W. 22 MCBRYDE, JOHN M. 228
BOWMAN, JAMES E .. 42
MASSIE, THORNTON L. 255
BROWNING, JAMES H. 48
MILLAR, SAMUEL R. 258
BULLITT, JOSHUA F. 54
MOON, FRANK C 266
CANNON, JAMES, JR. 65
MOON, JOHN B. 270
CARLISLE, JOHN H. 68
MORGAN, HAYNES L
278
COCKE, WILLIAM B. 74
MURPHY, JOHN 287
COLE, HOWSON W. 78
NETTLETON, EDWARD M .. 295
COLEMAN, AYLETT B. 85
PETTIT; PEMBROKE 311
COLEMAN, JOHN T. 86
PHILLIPS, HARRY N.
316
POAGUE, WILLIAM T
325
Cox, WRIGHT S.
94
QUARLES, JAMES A. .
328
CREASY, THOMAS C .. 98
CUSSONS, JOHN .
102
RANDOLPH, LINGAN S ...
334
RICHARDSON, FRED. W.
338
RICHMOND, JAMES B ..
342
DICKINSON, CHARLES W.
113
DUNN, WILLIAM L ..
117
EPES, BRANCH J.
122
SAUNDERS, FLEMING 352 SHACKFORD, JOSEPH W. . .
FLEMING, ROBERT H.
135
GEORGE, WILLIAM W
138
GRIFFIN, SAMUEL.
146
SMITH, WILLIAM D. 379
SNEAD, EDWIN A.
382
STEARNES, LEWIS P.
395
HUDDLE, JOHN H.
168
HURT, JOHN L.
181
STERRY, FREDERIC
398
SUMMERS, LEWIS P.
405
JOYNER, HOUSTON C.
190
KING, WILLIAM P.
199
LAWSON, ROBERT M.
205
LEIGH, SOUTHGATE
209
LINDSAY, JAMES H.
213
LION, THOMAS H.
217
TAYLOR, WILLIAM W.
412
VINCENT, GORDON L.
427
WADDELL, JOSEPH A
431
WING, GANCELO S.
442
WITHROW, ARCHIBALD F .. 448
ROBERTS, EDWARD L.
346
FAULKNER, CHARLES J.
131
356 SIMMERMAN, STEPHEN S .. 362 SIMS, FREDERICK W 369
HAGAN, PATRICK
153
HORSLEY, JOHN D. 162
CONWAY, POWHATAN F 90
Index of Biographies VOLUME III.
PAGE
PAGE
ANDERSON, WILLIAM A ...
3
DICKINSON, CHARLES W ..
113
APPERSON, JOHN S. 6
DUNN, WILLIAM L. 117
ASHTON, CHARLES H .. ..
10
EGGLESTON, JOSEPH W.
119
ATKINSON, WILLIAM M ... 12 EPES, BRANCH J 122
ATWILL, WILLIAM H. 14
EWELL, JOHN C .. 127
ATWOOD, JOHN R. 16 FAULKNER, CHARLES J. 131
BAKER, CHARLES C .. 18
FLEMING, ROBERT H. 135
BAKER, WILLIAM W.
22
GEORGE, WILLIAM W 138
BARHAM, THOMAS J.
27
GOODE, JOHN
143
BEASLEY, CHARLES H 29
GRIFFIN, SAMUEL 146
BERNARD, GEORGE S.
31
HAGAN, PATRICK
153
BLACKFORD, LAUNCELOT M 34
HARMON, DANIEL
156
BLACKWELL, CALVIN S .... 36
HARRISON, JAMES A.
158
BLACKWELL, ROBERT E ... 40
HORSLEY, JOHN D .. 162
BOWMAN, JAMES E.
42
HOUSTON, HARRY R.
166
BOYD, ELISHA H. 46 HUDDLE, JOHN H. 168
BROWNING, JAMES H. 48 HUMPHREYS, MILTON W .. 173
BUCHANAN, JOHN A.
52
HUNDLEY, GEORGE J.
176
BULLITT, JOSHUA F.
54 HURT, JOHN L .. 181
CAMPBELL, PRESTON W. . . 60
JONES, DANIEL S. 184
CANNON, JAMES, JR.
65
JONES, WILLIAM A.
186
CARLISLE, JOHN H. 68
JOPLING, JAMES R ..
188
CASSELL, JAMES C ..
71
JOYNER, HOUSTON C. 190
COLE, HOWSON W. 78
KING, ARCHER E.
196
COLEMAN, JOHN T. 86
LAMB, JOHN
201
CONWAY, POWHATAN F ... 90 LAWSON, ROBERT M. 205
Cox, WRIGHT S.
94
LEIGH, SOUTHGATE
209
CREASY, THOMAS C.
98
LINDSAY, JAMES H
213
CUSSONS, JOHN
102
LION, THOMAS H 217
DAVIS, JOHN S
109
LOTH, FRANK P.
221
COCKE, WILLIAM B.
74
KEEZELL, GEORGE B 194
COLEMAN, AYLETT B. 85
KING, WILLIAM P. 199
·
460
INDEX OF BIOGRAPHIES
PAGE
LYNN, WILLIAM W. 225
MaBRYDE, JOHN M .. 228 MCCABE, WILLIAM G ..... 233
MCCORMICK, MARSHALL 241
MCGUIRE, WILLIAM P. 245
MCRAE, PAUL 247
MACLIN, JOHN H. 249
SMITH, FRANCIS L .. 372 MARSHALL, WILLIAM C ... 251
MASSIE, THORNTON L.
255
SMITH, RICHARD S. B. 375 SMITH, WILLIAM D 379
SNEAD, EDWIN A. 382
MILLER, POLK
263
SNEAD, GEORGE H. 386
MOON, FRANK C.
266
SNEAD, GEORGE T. 388
MOON, JOHN B 270
STARR, WILLIAM G. 390
MOORE, SAMUEL J. C 275
STEARNES, LEWIS P 395
STERRY, FREDERIC
398
SUMMERS, LEWIS P.
405
TANKARD, JAMES W. 408 TAYLOR, WILLIAM H. 410
TAYLOR, WILLIAM W. 412
TOMPKINS, CHRISTOPHER. . 416
TUCKER, JOHN R., JR .... 418 VALENTINE, ROBERT P .... 421 VANDERSLICE, GEORGE K .. 423 VINCENT, GORDON L. 427
PETTYJOHN, JOHN P
314
PHILLIPS, HARRY N.
316
PHLEGAR, ARCHER A
320
POAGUE, WILLIAM T.
325
QUARLES, JAMES A .. 328
RANDOLPH, LINGAN S .. 334
RICHARDSON, FRED. W. 338
WITHROW, ARCHIBALD F .. 448
RICHMOND, JAMES B. 342
WRIGHT, THOMAS R. B ... 452
ROBERTS, EDWARD L .. 346
PAGE
ROBERTSON, ALEXANDER F. 350
MORGAN, HAYNES L
278
MORRIS, GEORGE W 282
MURPHY, JOHN
287
NEAL, JAMES M. 290
NETTLETON, EDWARD M. 295
NICHOLS, EDWARD W.
298
PATTESON, CAMM
300
PAXTON, JAMES D.
304
PETRIE, GEORGE L
306
PETTIT, PEMBROKE 311
WADDELL, JOSEPH A. . 431 WHITE, WILLIAM C. . 435 WHITTLE, STAFFORD G .... 437 WILLCOX, THOMAS H. 440 WING, GANCELO S. 442 WINSTON, JAMES B .. 446
SAUNDERS, FLEMING ... 352 SHACKFORD, JOSEPH W ... 356 SHELBURNE, WILLIAM J .. 360 SIMMERMAN, STEPHEN S .. 362 SIMS, FREDERICK W 369
MILLAR, SAMUEL R.
258
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