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 18
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After the war, Colonel O'Ferrall studied law at Washington college, now the Washington and Lee university, Lexington, Vir- ginia. In June, 1869, he took his law diploma at the hands of General R. E. Lee, then president of that institution. With this diploma, he began the practice of law at Harrisonburg, Virginia. At the same time, he was elected to the house of delegates by the people of Rockingham county, and took an active part in the restoration of Virginia to the Union, and in rescuing the state from the " carpetbag " government. In 1874, he was made judge of the county court of Rockingham, and served in that capacity for six years. In 1882, he was nominated by the Democrats for congress, and was elected. From 1882 to 1894, he represented his district in the house of representatives, and was several times nominated by acclamation. While in congress he was considered the leader of the Virginia delegation, and no surprise was ex- pressed when he announced himself a candidate for the guber- natorial nomination. He was generally regarded as the " logical candidate," and, when Hon. Marshall McCormick, of Clarke county, presented O'Ferrall's name as the best name that the Valley of Virginia could offer to the Democrats of the state, the gubernatorial convention went wild with enthusiasm, and there was a landslide for the " Chevalier of the Valley." His cam- paign was conducted with great vigor and on a high plane. His speech of acceptance was filled with the kindest words for all
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who had preferred others, and he poured oil on the troubled waters. Governor O'Ferrall's term of office was from January 1, 1894, to January 1, 1898; and he made a most honorable record as governor. No charge of using his office for private jobbery was ever brought against him. The worst charge ever brought against him was that of "changing his mind," "a thing which wise men sometimes do, fools never,"-a charge which was brought against the illustrious William E. Gladstone.
After his term expired, Governor O'Ferrall opened a law office in Richmond, Virginia, where he still practices. He has taken a high stand at the bar. As a public speaker, he has few superiors and as a politician, his career has been most re- markable.
In politics, Governor O'Ferrall has always been a Democrat. In recent years, he has been a " Gold Democrat," and has never endorsed the silver platform upon which W. J. Bryan was twice nominated for the presidency. In church preference, he is a Presbyterian, as might be naturally expected of one sprung from Scotch-Irish and Protestant-Irish ancestry.
In 1904, Governor O'Ferrall entered the field of authorship with a volume entitled "Four Years of Active Service." This book has been highly praised by competent critics and the press, and is a valuable contribution to the cause of Southern history.
Since the above sketch was written Governor O'Ferrall died at his home in Richmond, on September 22, 1905.
ALBERT MARCELLUS ORGAIN
O' RGAIN, ALBERT MARCELLUS, legislator and county clerk, was born in Brunswick county, Virginia, May 8, 1838. His father was Samuel E. Orgain, who married Jane T. Powell. He was a farmer by occupation, an educated man who also held the position of school teacher, and was prominently identified with the church work of his com- munity.
Young Orgain was brought up in a village and on a farm. As a boy he had no allotted tasks to perform, but enjoyed the freedom of the average country boy of the ante-bellum days. He attended the common schools of the neighborhood until the age of sixteen, when he entered the clerk's office of Sussex county, held by his uncle, Colonel J. J. Prince, in the capacity of deputy clerk.
There he remained until the outbreak of the Civil war, when he enlisted as a private in a cavalry regiment, where he made a record for courage and devotion to the cause to which he had offered his services. Twice he was wounded-once in 1862 and again in 1864-though his modesty makes him reluctant to give any details of those events. Once, too, he was taken prisoner by the Union troops.
At the close of the war, returning to his home, he was elected county clerk, in May, 1865, but under the military rule which immediately succeeded, was removed from office. However, upon the passage of the enabling act, he was reappointed and resumed the duties of the clerkship. In after years he was elected to the state legislature, and served as a member during the sessions of 1902, 1903 and 1904.
Mr. Organ still fills the post of county clerk, and declares that he finds enjoyment in his occupation. About his only kind of recreation is reading, in which he exercises a wide range and has become well-informed on a variety of topics, being frequently appealed to as an authority to decide questions of interest.
In politics he is a Democrat, who has loyally supported the
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party platform. He is a member of the Episcopal church and has been prominently identified with the interests of that organi- zation in his vicinity. He is a member of the Masonic order, and for a number of years filled the office of secretary of the local lodge.
Mr. Orgain lays great stress upon the influence which his early home life had upon his after career. Of the many books which he has read, he finds that those pertaining to history and law, and the Bible, have been of the greatest aid in preparing him for his life-work. His advice to the young is brief but pointed: "If you would attain true success in life, always observe a strict discharge of all proper obligations and a like performance of duties imposed upon you."
Mr. Orgain was married, October 17, 1866, to Jenny P. Gee. They have had seven children.
His address is Dinwiddie, Dinwiddie County, Virginia.
JAMES WESLEY ORR
O RR, JAMES WESLEY, farmer and lawyer, was born in Lee county, Virginia, July 19, 1841. His parents were David and Rhoda Orr; and his father was an industrious and energetic farmer of Lee county.
Mr. Orr's earliest ancestor in America in the paternal line was Alexander Orr, who, with one brother and sister, came to this country from Ireland and, settling in Pennsylvania, mar- ried there.
Mr. Orr's early life was passed in the country, where he grew up with vigorous physical health, and with the tastes and interests of a country boy on a farm. During his early life he was required to perform the manual labor involved in regular work on his father's farm. The elder Orr had but a limited education; and his son determined at an early age to obtain the best education that he could. This he acquired largely by his own efforts, attending the country schools, and obtaining later academic instruction at Jonesville academy. He never took a professional course at any educational institute, but read law privately, studying the usual text-books of a law course.
The War between the States breaking out before he had begun the active work of life, he entered the service of the Con- federate States as a private, enlisting when he was nineteen years of age. His career as a soldier was a gallant and devoted one. He was promoted from the rank of private to that of first lieu- tenant, and lost an arm in action at the battle of Sharpsburg, but continued in the service to the fall of the Confederacy in 1865.
Returning to his home after the close of the war, he was in 1865 elected by his fellow-citizens of Lee county to the office of sheriff of the county, a position which he held for three years. He was subsequently elected clerk of the circuit and county courts, and held this office for ten and a half years; and was then chosen by the general assembly of Virginia judge of the county court of Lee county, which position he filled acceptably for eight years. When the constitutional convention was called
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in 1901 to frame a new organic law for the commonwealth, Judge Orr was elected a member of the convention, and served throughout its sessions. In addition to the many other offices of honor and responsibility which he has occupied, he was for eight years chairman of the Democratic county committee of Lee county.
Judge Orr is an active and unswerving Democrat, and has never changed his political creed or party association on any issue. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and is a Mason and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has filled all the offices of the local Masonic lodge to which he belongs, except that of tyler.
Judge Orr's life has been a busy one, and has included at various times the holding of public office, farming, merchandis- ing, and practicing law.
He married, November 9, 1865, Patty Vermilliam. They have had six children, of whom four are now living.
His address is Jonesville, Lee County, Virginia.
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JOHN J. OWEN
O WEN, JOHN J., after repeated reelection still a member of the state legislature of Virginia, was born in Prince Edward county, Virginia, in 1866. His father was an honored citizen, an accomplished gentleman of the old school, and a respected and successful practitioner of medicine, who followed his profession for the love of serving his fellowmen rather than for an income. Like so many of the Virginia physicians of his time, he lived upon a plantation of his own (now occupied by a brother of John J. Owen), owned a number of slaves, and lived a life of dignity and calm.
John J. Owen attended the best schools in his part of the state, and began his studies to fit himself to take his father's place as a physician. He did not complete his medical studies, and he never offered himself as a practitioner of medicine, but such were his natural gifts by way of fondness for the science of medicine, and his especial skill and tenderness at the bedside of patients, that many of his neighbors would insist upon his visit- ing them in illness, and he has often done this with marked suc- cess where his suggestions and advice have been followed, and always without charge of any kind.
While still a young man, he was elected a member of the state legislature and he has been reelected term after term, still holding a seat in that body; and although some of the leading citizens of his county have been opposed to him as candidate for this position, he has uniformly "won in a walk-over" at election. While he makes no pretence to the graces of the orator, he ex- presses his opinions clearly and forcibly and he is reckoned as one of the men "who do things." Few men in the legislature of Virginia have made so good a record for conscientious and ca- pable service, and his popularity with his fellow members is gen- eral and pronounced.
Mr. Owen has shown himself a steady and most helpful friend to the State Female Normal school which is located at Farmville, the metropolis of his county. He has been active in
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obtaining those appropriations by the legislature which have placed this institution for training teachers for the schools of Virginia, upon that solid foundation and furnishing it with that thorough equipment which make the institution a source of pride to the citizens of the state. The friends of the institution have recently presented Mr. Owen with an elaborate silver service as a token of their affectionate appreciation of his care for the in- terests of this prominent state school.
Mr. Owen represents a district which is recognized in the county as leading in movements that favor education. One of the best high schools in the state is found in this section; and to it children are brought from miles around in comfortable vehi- cles which return them to their homes. The need of maintaining many little and poorly equipped public schools is done away with by this system of consolidation which has proved so successful in many parts of New England and the Middle West. To the in- terest of this high school Mr. Owen has for years been devoted.
By political convictions, he is a Democrat, uniformly sup- porting the political organization, the nominees, and the prin- ciples of that body.
Mr. Owen married Miss Daniel, of Roanoke, Virginia. They have had three children, all of whom are living in 1908.
Mr. Owen has never been tempted by the flattering offers of speedily acquired wealth which have allured so many young men as they have listened to the cry "Go West." He has preferred to live in the state and the community which have been dear to him from his boyhood and his early manhood; and in the steady growth of his native state, and in the new development of the Southland, he has had and is having his share. As yet early in the prime of a vigorous and useful manhood his many friends look with interest to still larger services to the state by one whom they uniformly regard as a leader among the "men of mark" of his state.
THOMAS NELSON PAGE
P AGE, THOMAS NELSON, L. H. D., LL. D., author, was born at "Oakland," in Hanover county, Virginia, April 23, 1853. His father was Major John Page, and his mother Elizabeth Burwell Nelson; and on both sides of his house his lineage is of the most illustrious in the history of the colony and commonwealth of Virginia. His father and mother were both grandchildren of General Thomas Nelson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a governor of Virginia, and commander of the Virginia forces at Yorktown. His father was also a grandson of Governor John Page of "Rosewell," patriot, statesman and philosopher, whose life-long friendship for Thomas Jefferson is illustrated in its inception in the well-known letters passing between them as school boys, that are to be found in the histories of the life of the Sage of Monticello.
Mr. Page's boyhood was spent at the old homestead in Han- over county, where he was born, and which is a part of the ori- ginal grant of "King's land" to Thomas Nelson, grandfather of General Nelson, and situated within a few miles of the Nelson place that is described in the travels of the Marquis DeChas- tellux. Here, in the midst of the stirring events of the War be- tween the States, of which many that came within his boyish experience are described with equal fidelity and charm in the pages of his story, " Two Little Confederates," he became imbued with a love for the ancient and modern classics under the per- sonal instruction of his father, who was a scholar and literary enthusiast; and, during the absence from home of the elders of his family circle in the service of the Confederacy, he learned the first responsibilities of life within sound of the guns of the blood- iest campaigns of the great struggle. It was a stimulating ex- perience, which, perhaps, served beyond anything else in the plastic period of his youth to fix his thought upon his state and his people, whose social history and life his writings have since so beautifully depicted.
After the war he attended for a while a school four miles
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from "Oakland," which was taught by his kinsman, the late Dr. Charles L. C. Minor. From this school, in 1869, he entered Washington college, at Lexington, Virginia, now the Washington and Lee university, at that time under the presidency of General Robert E. Lee. Here he remained as a student for three years, living meantime in the home of his uncle by marriage the Rev. Dr. William N. Pendleton, who had been General Lee's chief of artillery ; and becoming saturated in his personal and social rela- tions with much that was notable in the history of the contest so recently ended. At Lexington his literary inclination began to evince itself in his contributions to the college paper, of which he later became editor, and for which he wrote at various times sketches and narratives of Virginia customs and manners.
After leaving Washington college, he taught school in Jeffer- son county, Kentucky, for a year; and in October, 1873, he en- tered the law department of the University of Virginia, where he studied for a session under Professors John B. Minor and Stephen O. Southall, graduating in 1874 with the degree of Bachelor of Law. Soon afterwards, he became a member of the bar of the city of Richmond, Virginia, and began there the prac- tice of his profession, which he continued until 1893; devoting, however, in the meanwhile, a gradually increasing portion of his time and attention to his literary labors, and to public readings from his own works. As a platform reader and lecturer, he achieved as wide a distinction and popularity as he had gained from the publication of his earlier stories; and he finally, in 1903, gave up the practice of law, and removed to Washington, Dis- trict of Columbia, where he has since resided, following the pro- fession of a man of letters.
His first story, "Marse Chan," which appeared in one of the leading New York monthly magazines, while Mr. Page was still engaged in the practice of law in Richmond, gave him an almost immediate distinction in the literary world, which grew steadily with the progress of his subsequent work, until he is now recog- nized both in this country and Europe as one of the most promi- nent and successful of American authors; and whatever comes from his pen is eagerly sought after. His earlier stories of local life and character have been collected in book form under the
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title: "In Ole Virginia," and have come to be recognized as classics for their charm of literary style and their fidelity of in- terpretation -- a distinction which is equally characteristic of much of his work. His "Two Little Confederates," a story of the life and experience of two boys and their comrades on a country plantation during the war, ranks among the best of books for young people; and his first novel "Red Rock" holds a dis- tinguished rank as a faithful delineation of the Reconstruction period in the South. Among Mr. Page's other works are: "On Newfound River," (1891) ; "Elsket and Other Stories," (1892) ; "Befo' the War," (in collaboration with Armistead C. Gordon) (1888) ; "Pastime Stories," (1894) ; "The Burial of the Guns," (1894) ; "Social Life in Old Virginia;" "The Old Gentleman of the Black Stock," (1896) ; "Two Prisoners," (1897) ; "A Captured Santa Claus," (1902) ; "Gordon Keith," (1903) ; "The Negro : the Southerner's Problem," (1904) ; "Bred in the Bone," (1906) ; "The Coast of Bohemia," (Poems), (1906) ; "Under the Crust," (1907) ; "The Old Dominion ; Her Making and Her Manners," (Essays), (1908) ; "Robert E. Lee; The Southerner," (1908).
In addition to his literary work that has appeared in book form, Mr. Page has contributed many essays and articles on social and historical topics to the current magazines and reviews, in which he has illustrated with conservatism and intelligence, and with the charm of an attractive literary style, no insignificent part of the progress of contemporary thought and events.
Mr. Page is a member of the Authors, Century and Univer- sity clubs of New York city, and of the Metropolitan, Chevy Chase, Cosmos, and Alibi clubs of Washington. He is also a member of the Alpha chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa society, and of the Delta Psi college fraternity. The degree of Doctor of Letters has been conferred on him by the Washington and Lee university, and Yale university; and that of Doctor of Laws by Washington and Lee university, Tulane university and the college of William and Mary in Virginia.
His interest in the civic life of his state and of the nation has always been great; and during his residence in Richmond, he served as member of the board of visitors of the state institution for the deaf, dumb and blind; and he has held the position of
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president of the Alumni association of the University of Vir- ginia.
Mr. Page has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Anne Seddon Bruce, daughter of the late Charles Bruce, of "Staunton Hill," Charlotte county, Virginia, who survived her marriage only a short time, and died in 1888. His present wife, whom he married in 1903, was Mrs. Florence Lathrop Field, widow of the late Henry Field of Chicago, and a great niece of Governor James Barbour of Virginia.
The address of Mr. Page is 1759 R Street, Washington, Dis- trict of Columbia.
JOHN CRAFFORD PARKER
P ARKER, JOHN CRAFFORD, was born about five miles from Smithfield, Isle of Wight county, Virginia, near the old Episcopal church known as St. Luke's, December 16, 1862. His parents were Jesse Atkinson Parker and Mary Crafford Crump, his wife. The Parker family in Amerca had its origin with Thomas Parker, who obtained patents for land in Isle of Wight county as early as 1647, and died in 1685, aged fifty-six years. Mr. Parker is closely related to the Atkinson family of Isle of Wight, among which has been a number of notable men, among them: Honorable Archibald Atkinson, member of congress; George R. Atkinson, for many years judge of the county court of Isle of Wight; Dr. Archibald Atkinson, for many years a distinguished physician of Baltimore, Mary- land, and Dr. Robert Atkinson, now a very prominent physician of St. Louis, Missouri. On his maternal side Mr. Parker's grandfather was General John C. Crump, son of Richard Crump, of New Kent county, who was descended from William Crump, an emigrant from England to York county, Virginia, about 1660. General Crump served in the War of 1812 and was elected by the legislature brigadier-general. He represented Surry county in the house of delegates for twenty-six years consecu- tively, then moved to Nansemond county, from which he was elected to the senate of Virginia, where he served for eight years. He was considered one of the strongest men of Southside Vir- ginia and highly esteemed. Mr. Parker's father was a farmer, who never took much part in politics, but was well educated, delighted in the society of cultured Christian people, and was probably the man of widest influence in his community.
The tastes and interests of the subject of our sketch were like those of most farmer's sons. He was fond of hunting, trapping small game, and swimming, and was very early a great reader of history and fiction. Until the age of sixteen he went to the elementary schools of his county and in spare hours aided in the work upon the farm. From sixteen to twenty years he was most Vol. 5-Va .- 17
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of the time in Smithfield at the public schools, but for one year clerked in a retail general merchandise store. He lost his father in 1874, and his share of the estate was barely sufficient to main- tain him with strict economy.
As a youth he was very fond of debating and he had a law- yer friend whom he greatly admired. This determined his choice of a profession, and he went to the university, in 1882, to study law. His money gave out after one year and he returned the second session on borrowed funds, and graduated as Bachelor of Law at the close of the session of 1883-84.
In 1884 he began the active practice of his profession in Franklin, Southampton county, teaching a school for eight months at the very first. Since 1888 he has, in connection with his work as a lawyer, conducted a local fire insurance business which has been quite remunerative, but which he has not allowed to interfere with his legal practice. He has won the reputation of being one of the most prominent lawyers of Southside Vir- ginia, and is counsel for important corporations.
For many years Mr. Parker has been prominent in political circles. In this he has been aided by his prepossessing appear- ance, his clear voice, and his gift of eloquence. He was member of the house of delegates from Southampton from 1895 to 1897, and from 1897 to 1899, and was county treasurer by appointment to fill a vacancy from April, 1898 to July 1, 1899. He has also held minor positions, such as commissioner of accounts, town councilman, notary public, and commissioner in chancery. When the war with Spain broke out, in 1898, he offered his services to the governor for the Spanish-American war, and they were accepted provided a new call for troops was required, but the war ended without the call being made. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Royal Arcanum, but he has never given much time to them and has not held official positions in either society.
In politics Mr. Parker is a Democrat who has steadily adhered to the organization. For a number of years he was chairman of the county, and has served as a delegate in numer- ous county, district and state conventions of the party. In reli- gion Mr. Parker is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
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South. Since 1888 he has been steward, and he has served at various times as delegate to the district conferences of the church. at the annual conferences and as substitute delegate to the gene- ral conference in Baltimore in 1898.
His favorite amusements are horseback riding, which he enjoys at any time of the year, mountain climbing on foot in summer, and steering a good sail boat whenever opportunity offers. Asked for advice to young people he writes that they should remember that "true success does not consist in the acquisition of wealth, the gratification of selfish desires or win- ning the applause of a thoughtless multitude, but consists in so living as to always maintain one's self respect and a con- sciousness of duty to God and man well performed, without parade or show."
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