USA > Virginia > Men of mark in Virginia, ideals of American life; a collection of biographies of the leading men in the state, Volume V > Part 15
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In his student days Doctor Lipscomb was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, but has since belonged to no organiza- tion but the church. Politically he is a Democrat, but he re- laxed his party allegiance in 1896, owing to what he termed " the free silver craze which took possession of the party."
Despite the comparative frailty of his constitution during youth, his favorite exercise is sawing wood. " I have stuck to it for many years, and have found it very beneficial," he says: " with me it has taken the place of athletics or any modern system of physical culture."
In his advice to young people Doctor Lipscomb says: "Get all the education you can, no matter what you expect to make of yourself. Form early the habit of saving a part of your earn- ings. Shun barrooms and card tables as you would shun the place of torment."
Doctor Lipscomb married, February 20, 1872, Ella J.
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McLaurine, who died about a year later, leaving a son. On December 12, 1877, he married Sallie E. Wright. They have had eleven children of whom nine are now (1908) living.
His address is Richmond, Virginia.
ARMISTEAD RAGLAND LONG
L ONG, ARMISTEAD RAGLAND, attorney at-law, was born in Henrico county, Virginia, August 2, 1859, and his parents were John Cralle Long and Josephine Hardin Ragland, his wife. On both the paternal and maternal sides his ancestors were of early Virginia settlement. Armistead Long, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, who served in the American Revolution, lived in Loudoun and Culpeper counties, and married Elizabeth Burgess Ball, descended from Richard Ball, Richard Chichester and Charles Burgess, founders of families long distinguished in the annals of the Northern Neck of Virginia. His uncle, Armistead L. Long, was connected with the Confederate service as secretary to General Robert E. Lee and afterwards wrote the memoirs of his illustrious chieftain. His father, Reverend Doctor John Cralle Long, who died in 1894, was pastor of various Baptist churches, and during the last nine- teen years of his life was professor of church history at Crozer Theological seminary, Chester, Pennsylvania. He was a man of sound learning and of varied intellectual gifts, a lover of truth and sincere and loyal in all the relations of life. John Ragland, the earliest known of his wife's name in Virginia, came from Wales to New Kent county in Virginia, early in the eighteenth century.
Armistead Ragland Long was reared in Scottsville and Charlottesville, Albemarle county, and his physical condition in his early years was generally very good. His special tastes were drawing, mechanics and poetry. He attended the excellent school in Charlottesville conducted by Major Horace W. Jones, and afterwards Richmond college, graduating thence in 1878, with the degree of Master of Arts. The following fall he entered the University of Virginia and continued his academic studies for two years longer, after which he studied law under John B. Minor at that institution. But his work was not consecutive, for in 1881 he left the university and spent a year as teacher in Locust-
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ville, Accomac county, Virginia. He returned the next year to the university and completed his course in law, after which he began the practice of the profession in Lynchburg, Virginia. For ten years he practiced alone, but in 1892 he joined with Ran- dolph Harrison under the firm name of Harrison and Long, a partnership which has continued ever since, and is regarded as one of the strongest in the state.
Mr. Long is a member of the Virginia State Bar association, the American Bar association, the Lynchburg Bar association, the Masonic fraternity and the Piedmont Social club; and is one of the trustees of the George M. Jones Library association of Lynchburg. In June, 1901, he compiled and published an anno- tated edition of the Virginia State constitution of 1869, which is a very interesting and valuable work.
In politics Mr. Long is a Democrat, who has never aban- doned his political or party creed, and in religious convictions he is a Baptist.
In estimating the influences which have controlled his own actions in life he ranks them in the following order: Home, first; school, second; contact with men, third; private study, fourth.
On October 4, 1899, he married Elizabeth Tunstall Hickson and they have had one child who is now (1908) living.
His address is Lynchburg, Campbell County, Virginia.
MARION KING LOWRY
L OWRY, MARION KING, merchant and collector of in- ternal revenue, was born in Stafford county, Virginia, March 31, 1854, and his parents were James Lewis Lowry and Alice Lowry. His father was a farmer whose noted characteristics were fidelity and loyalty in his friendships.
Marion K. Lowry was brought up in the country, and was only seven years old when the War between the States broke out. At its close all the family property had been swept away and he had to go to work. He performed all kinds of manual labor on the farm, and, with his time so occupied, he had great difficulty in getting an education. He went sometimes to private schools, and studied at home, in the field and on the road. He had in his youth a great desire to be a preacher, and, in 1879, accepted the position of colporteur of the American Bible society, and trav- eled through several counties of the state. In 1882 he engaged in mercantile business at Brooke, Virginia, and was also postmaster at this place from 1882 to 1886. In 1897 he retired from the store and became manager at the Alart and McGuire pickle factory at Brooke, which has been a success.
Mr. Lowry first entered politics in 1899, when he was elected chairman of the county Republican committee of Stafford to succeed the late R. L. Flatford. In 1900 he was an elector for the eighth district on the national Republican ticket, and, in 1901, he was elected a member of the house of delegates from Stafford and King George counties, receiving the largest majority which had ever been given to a candidate since the war. He was reelected in 1903. He served in the legislature both under the old and the new constitution, and made a good record. In 1905, he was appointed by President Roosevelt a collector of internal revenue of the United States, a position which he still (1908) holds. He owns a saw-mill, a corn meal mill, and is a dealer in fertilizers.
Mr. Lowry is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and a Good Templar who
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has filled every office in his lodge. In religion, he is a Methodist and is a steward and trustee of his church. In politics he is a Republican, who has, however, in state and county matters some- times acted independently. His favorite forms of diversion are walking, driving and boating. His advice to young men is to " be honest, temperate, have good companions, fear God and try to keep his commandments, be punctual, honor the church, tell the truth, do right under all circumstances, and take chances for criticism."
On September 22, 1883, he married Alelia Pollard. They have had one child, who is now (1908) a law student in the University of Virginia.
The address of Mr. Lowry is Richmond, Virginia.
MAURICE MATTHEW LYNCH
L YNCH, MAURICE MATTHEW, was born in Frederick county, Virginia, May 14, 1854, and his parents were Maurice and Anna Lynch. His father was a stone mason and his marked characteristics were honesty, sobriety, and indus- try. Both father and mother came from Ireland to the United States in 1833.
Mr. Lynch's early life was passed in the country and his physical condition in childhood was strong and healthy. He had very little opportunity for schooling. When a boy he broke stone on turnpikes, worked as a laborer on railroads and also on the farm, and by means of this experience acquired strength of body, habits of industry, and knowledge of men. He attended Shenandoah Valley academy, Winchester, Virginia, but did not graduate. Following his own wishes, he then studied law at the University of Virginia during the sessions of 1885 and 1886.
In 1887 he began the practical work of life as a lawyer in Winchester, Virginia, and has continued in the profession ever since. He has been active in the social, political and religious life of the community in which he resides. He has taken much interest in politics, and has never voted any but the Democratic ticket. But his principal service has been rendered as superin- tendent of schools for Winchester and the county of Frederick. He was appointed to the officce in 1886 and has held the position to the present time (1908). He is universally looked upon as one of the best superintendents of Virginia, and the educational interests of his people have been greatly benefited by his personal supervision. In April, 1907, he was elected a member of the State Board of Education which position he still holds.
In religion, Mr. Lynch is a Roman Catholic, but is very liberal in his opinions and views on all subjects. His favorite form of exercise is found in walking. In regard to his career he writes: " I believe I have been peculiarly blessed in being able to measure my limitations. I knew I had not the ability to accomplish great things. My sphere has been narrow, but I do
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not think I ever failed in anything I have undertaken." From his own experience and observation in life he gives this advice to young men: " Avoid the use of tobacco, intoxicating drink and opiates. Learn to labor with hands and brain. Never be idle. Marry early in life. Take an active interest in the social, poli- tical and religious life in the community in which you reside."
Mr. Lynch estimates the influences which have shaped his life in the following order: Home first, private study second, contact with men third. The books which he has found most helpful have been Plutarch's Lives, Shakespeare, Pope's Essay on Man, and Allison's History of Europe.
On April 19, 1887, he married Theresa B. Ahern. They have had six children, of whom five are now (1908) living.
His address is 814 Washington Street, Winchester, Virginia.
JAMES BUCHANAN MCCABE
M cCABE, JAMES BUCHANAN, lawyer and financier, was born August 2, 1856, in Leesburg, Loudoun county, Virginia. His father, Charles Peyton McCabe, merchant, noted for his kindness of heart, was a member of the Virginia house of delegates, and postmaster at Leesburg, Vir- ginia, for four years. His mother, Margaret A. (Mitchell) McCabe, was a highly refined and cultured woman. His was good, old Virginia blood, his paternal great-grandfather having been a resident of Leesburg; and a sister of Chief Justice Mar- shall was one of his maternal ancestors.
Early in life he chose, of his own volition, the law for a profession, and during the years of his education and formation of character kept that choice always in mind. His primary education was in a private school. Then he attended the Lees- burg academy, and was three years a student at Randolph- Macon college, afterwards going to Doctor John B. Minor's Sum- mer law school. Soon after leaving the latter he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law, in Leesburg, in which he almost at once met with success, and soon earned a reputation for the fearless performance of what he conceived to be his duty to his clients, and took a high rank as orator. Incidentally, in connection with his practice, he displayed financial ability so marked that he was made vice-president of the People's National bank of Leesburg, the largest financial institution in Northern Virginia.
He was judge of the county court of Loudoun for six years, and commonwealth's attorney of the same county for eleven years, until the pressure of his private business compelled him to resign. In July, 1887, while holding the latter office, his name became widely known by reason of his having entered suit against one hundred and ten tax-payers of Loudoun county who had tendered coupons in payment of taxes, being the first official to defy the injunction issued by Judge Bond of the United States circuit court, restraining Virginia's officers from suing Vol. 5-Va .- 14
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JAMES BUCHANAN M'CABE
under act of general assembly of Virginia, of May 12, 1887, known as the " coupon crusher." For this act of defiance Judge Bond committed him to prison, but he was promptly released by the United States supreme court, on a writ of habeas corpus; and the state of Virginia, when Fitzhugh Lee was governor, gave him a vote of thanks for his fearless performance of duty. His act was also commended in the highest terms by thousands of his fellow-citizens throughout the state, and by lawyers throughout the country.
In politics he was always a Democrat, but during the period in which the state debt was the supreme issue he was a re- adjuster Democrat. He was a master Mason, a Knight Templar, a member of the Mystic Shrine; and of the Knights of Pythias. He had no hobbies outside the lines of his business and pro- fessional life, and found all needed relaxation in his home and large and interesting family. He rated home as the strongest influence in his career.
He was married December 21, 1881, to L. Ella Norris, daughter of Joseph L. and Elizabeth F. Norris, of Leesburg. They had nine children, of whom seven were living in 1908.
On December 13, 1905, Judge McCabe died at his home in Leesburg, Virginia.
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HUNTER HOLMES McGUIRE
M cGUIRE, HUNTER HOLMES, physician and surgeon, was born in Winchester,Frederick county, Virginia, on the eleventh day of October, 1835. His father was Dr. Hugh Holmes McGuire, also a physician and surgeon, who was a general practitioner of medicine in his community; and his mother's maiden name was Ann Eliza Moss. She was her hus- band's first cousin, their mothers having been daughters of Colonel Joseph Holmes, an officer of the Continental Line and county lieutenant of Frederick county during the war of the American Revolution.
Doctor Hunter Holmes McGuire was named after his great- uncle, Major Andrew Hunter Holmes, an officer of the United States army, who fell at the battle of Mackinaw.
The colonial ancestor of the McGuire family in Virginia was a major in the British army, who came to America from the town of Enniskillen, in the North of Ireland.
Doctor McGuire's academic education was received at the Win- chester academy, where his father had attended school before him. His early medical training was had at the medical college in Win- chester, which the elder McGuire, in association with other phy- sicians, had established; and which for many years prior to the War between the States, was attended by many students. He was graduated from this school in 1854 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. From 1856 to 1858 he filled the chair of anatomy in the Winchester medical college, going in that year from Win- chester to Philadelphia, where he conducted a "Quiz class " with Doctors Pancoast and Luckett. At the time of the John Brown raid he led a movement among the students which resulted in many of them leaving Philadelphia and coming to Richmond. Later he went to New Orleans to practice his profession; but upon the breaking out of the war in 1861 he returned to Vir- ginia and enlisted in the Confederate army. Very soon after his enlistment, he was made medical director of the army in the Shenandoah valley, under " Stonewall " Jackson, and served
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under Jackson with distinguished ability as medical director until the death of the latter at Chancellorsville. After Chan- cellorsville, Dr. McGuire served with no less distinction as medical director of the second army corps until the close of the war. While surgeon general he inaugurated the custom of exchanging medical officers and hence anticipated by several years the action of the general conference.
In 1865 Dr. McGuire settled in Richmond, Virginia, and was elected to the chair of Surgery in the Medical college of Vir- ginia, a position which he continued to hold until 1878. In 1883 he founded St. Luke's Home for the sick, with an attend- ant training school for nurses; which growing far beyond its original dimensions, was removed in 1899 to a commodious building erected for the purpose, in the western part of the city of Richmond, and which continues to be a very prominent in- stitution in the medical and surgical life of that city.
In 1893 Dr. McGuire, in conjunction with other associates, founded in Richmond the University College of Medicine which has been highly successful from its inception; and established in connection with it the Virginia hospital. Of both college and hospital he became the president; and in the college faculty he was also the clinical professor of surgery.
He was one of the founders of the Medical society of Vir- ginia in 1870; and after serving for a number of years as the chairman of its executive committee, became in 1880 its presi- dent.
Many honors in the medical and surgical world were con- ferred upon him during his career as physician and surgeon. In 1869 he was made president of the Richmond academy of Medicine. In 1875 he became president of the Association of Medical Officers of the army and navy of the Confederate States. 1889 he was president of the Southern Surgical and Gynecological association. In 1893 he became vice-president, and in 1896 president of the American Medical association.
He received the degree of Doctor of Laws from the uni- versity of North Carolina in 1887; and the same degree from Jefferson Medical college of Philadelphia in 1888.
He published various papers on medical, surgical and cog-
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nate subjects in the medical journals, among them an account of the wounding and death of "Stonewall " Jackson, whom he attended. He contributed to Ashurst's " International Cyclo- paedia of Surgery " (1884) ; Pepper's "System of Medicine " (1885-87) ; and to the American edition of Holmes' " Surgery."
Among Dr. McGuire's most notable achievements was his inauguration jointly with Captain John Cussons, of Glen Allen, Virginia, of the movement in the South against the use in the schools of partisan and mendacious text books dealing with the history of the War between the States; a movement which has finally resulted in the elimination of the objectionable histories, and their substitution by books in which the Southern view- point of the history of that tremendous time has been ade- quately presented.
Doctor McGuire was a Democrat, though neither a poli- tician nor a partisan. His biography has been published in Appleton's " Cyclopaedia of American Biography;" and a vivid account of his life and career is detailed in the oration delivered by Major Holmes Conrad, late solicitor general of the United States, upon the occasion of the presentation to the common- wealth of Virginia at Richmond, on January 7, 1904, by the Hunter McGuire Memorial association, of a bronze statue of Doctor McGuire, which stands in the Capitol grounds not far from the statue of "Stonewall " Jackson, which was pre- sented to Virginia by an association of English gentlemen.
Doctor McGuire married December 9, 1866, Miss Mary Stuart, daughter of the late Alexander H. H. Stuart, of Staun- ton, Virginia, a distinguished statesman of his generation in Virginia, and the first secretary of the interior under the administration of president Fillmore.
Doctor McGuire died September 19, 1900.
JAMES L. MCLEMORE
M cLEMORE, JAMES L., since 1907 judge of the second judicial district of Virginia, comprising Nansemond, and Southampton counties and the city of Norfolk, was born near Drewryville, in the county of Southampton, November 18, 1866. His parents were Benjamin Franklin McLemore and Rosa Ann (Westbrook) McLemore. The McLe- more family was of Scotch origin, and was first represented in Virginia by James McLemore, who settled about 1690 in Sussex county. Benjamin Franklin McLemore has held for twenty years the office of clerk of courts of Southampton county, and is still the incumbent. Among his maternal ancestors more than ordinarily distinguished were John Barclay, Sr., professor of law in the University of Edinburgh, and John Barclay, Jr., profes- sor of surgery in that celebrated university.
James L. McLemore was reared first in the country and then in the small village of Boykins. He obtained his elementary education at the public and private schools of his county, and at the age of fourteen moved with his father to Courtland (then Jerusalem) the county seat, and after about two years of service as deputy, under Judge Joseph B. Prince, then clerk of the court, he took an academic course at Randolph-Macon college for the two sessions of 1885-1886, and 1886-1887, after which he returned home and was again deputy clerk under his father who had been elected clerk. Prompted by his experience in the clerk's office and consequent contact with professional men, he chose the law as his profession, and took a course for a year at the University of Virginia, receiving at the end of the session of 1889-1890 the de- gree of Bachelor of Law.
On his return home Mr. McLemore began the active work of life with great energy, and pursued it with much success. He has served as a member of the city council of Suffolk, and has been president of the Bank of Suffolk, since February, 1899, and is a director in numerous other corporations.
Mr. McLemore was a member of the Franklin literary
Verytrulyyours, PaskuSimone
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society at Randolph-Macon college, and of the Jefferson literary society of the University of Virginia. He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, a Mason, and a member of the Virginia club, of Norfolk. He is a communicant of the Methodist church, and in politics is a Democrat, though he was not in harmony with the free silver platform to which the party was at one time committed.
In November, 1896, he moved to Suffolk, Virginia, where he has since resided, although up to the time of his elevation to the bench he enjoyed a lucrative practice in his native county of Southampton.
Gunning in winter and fall, and a visit to the mountains in summer, are his chief forms of amusement.
Mr. McLemore is a young man still, but he has been obser- vant, and his opinions are of much weight. He says: "I have not yet gratified my ambitions, but I believe every young man can do practically what he wills, if his energies are directed to that end." In answer to the question what principles, methods and habits will contribute most to the strengthening of sound ideals in American life and will most help young men to attain true success in life, he answers: "First, character; second, well directed energy; third, prompt attention to the business in hand; these with good habits (an essential possession) and a reasonable amount of common sense, will insure success, I think."
On April 21, 1898, he married Mary Willis Pretlow, daugh- ter of Doctor Thomas J. Pretlow, deceased, and Nannie Massen- burg Pretlow. Three children have been born to them, Mary Willis, James L., and Elizabeth Rose, of whom only the oldest survives.
His address is Pinner Street, Suffolk, Nansemond County, Virginia.
JAMES MACGILL
M ACGILL, GENERAL JAMES, since the war a promi- nent citizen of Virginia residing at Pulaski, in 1902 grand commander of the grand camp of Confederate veterans, was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, December 24, 1844. Among his ancestors are many men of position and influence. The founder of the family in America was Reverend James Macgill, a native of Perth, Scotland, who in 1727 came to Mary- land, appointed by the bishop of London the first minister of Queen Caroline parish (Christ church), Anne Arundel county, Maryland. He continued minister of that parish for over fifty years, until 1778. Late in life he became the owner of a large estate in Howard county, Maryland, ("Athol,") which is still in the family. The titles of Viscount of Oxenford and Lord Mac- gill of Consland descended to him. He was the great great- grandfather of General Macgill. Major James Breathead, of Maryland was also a descendant of Reverend James Macgill. Thomas Jennings, great great-grandfather of General James Macgill, was the last attorney-general of Maryland under George III.
General Macgill's father was a surgeon, a man of strong character, who is remembered still for his fine physique and dig- nified carriage. He was a presidential elector on the Van Buren ticket in 1836; and he was chairman of the "Glorious Nineteen" electors who brought about the reform of the state constitution, and the election of senators and governor by the people. He married Miss Mary Ragan, a descendant of Richard Ragan who came to Delaware in 1730, and owned estates in Delaware and in Washington county, Maryland. He was later a leading mer- chant of Hagerstown.
James Macgill received his early education in the schools of Hagerstown, and in 1861, completing the course at the Hagers- town academy, he was about to begin the study of medicine when the outbreak of the war changed all his life plans. With his three brothers, he enlisted early in the war; he and his brother.
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