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 23
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ALBERT WILLIAM STAHL
his flag ship at Manila bay; and the famous Oregon, a ten thous- and ton battleship, which was so signally conspicuous in the late Spanish-American war. During the World's Columbian expo- sition at Chicago, he was a member of the advisory council of the Engineer's congress held in connection with that interna- tional conclave.
During 1894 and 1895, he was on duty at the bureau of con- struction and repair, at the Navy department, Washington, Dis- trict of Columbia, and was specially engaged in designing turrets for heavy guns. He introduced the oval-balanced turrets in the United States navy, and designed such turrets for the United States battleships Iowa, Kearsarge and Kentucky. From 1895 to 1901, he was in charge of the department of construction and repair at the navy yard, Norfolk, Virginia. While at that yard he was assigned a very active and important part in the preparation of the navy for the war with Spain.
In May, 1901, he was transferred from the Norfolk navy yard to the works of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock company, at Newport News, Virginia, as superintending constructor for the United States naval vessels building at those works. Here he superintended the completion of the Illinois, a ten thousand ton battleship; the Arkansas, a three thousand ton monitor; the Missouri, a twelve thousand ton battleship; and the building from start to finish of the West Virginia, and Mary- land, fourteen thousand ton armored cruisers; of the Charleston, a ten thousand ton protected cruiser; the Virginia, a fifteen thousand ton battleship; the Louisiana, a sixteen thousand ton battleship; and the Minnesota, a sixteen thousand ton battleship. He was also in charge of the construction of the North Carolina, a fourteen thousand five hundred ton armored cruiser; and the Montana, a fourteen thousand five hundred ton armored cruiser, but was transferred from Newport News before these two ships were completed. From the summer of 1906 to the summer of 1908 he was head of the department of construction and repair at the Navy Yard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and since he has been engaged in a similar capacity at the Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His career as a naval constructor has been most creditable, and he has to his credit the construction of more naval vessels for the United States navy than any other officer.
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ALBERT WILLIAM STAHL
Captain Stahl is the author of the following papers: "Utilization of the Power of Ocean Waves," read before the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; "Hydraulic Power for Warships," and " Experimental Test of Target Representing Armored Side of the United States Steamship Iowa," read before the American Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers; and the " Spanish War as viewed from a Navy Yard," published in the Stevens Institute "Indicator," in April, 1899. In 1894 he published jointly with A. T. Woods, a text-book on "Elementary Mechanism," which has passed through many editions. In 1896, he patented, jointly with R. Gatewood, a novel form of wave motor, consisting of a vane so suspended as to follow the motion of the individual particles in the water of each wave.
He is a member of the Institution of Naval Architects, Lon- don, England; member of the American Society of Naval Archi- tects and Marine Engineers; member of the United States Naval Institute; member of the Army and Navy club, Washington, District of Columbia; the Cosmos club, San Francisco, Califor- nia, and of the Delta Tau Delta Greek letter fraternity.
In politics he is a moderately active Republican, and in reli- gion an Episcopalian, having been for several years vestryman of Trinity church, Portsmouth, Virginia.
Captain Stahl's record in the naval service, and especially his professional and executive talents, have led to his promotion in the navy several times. He has now the rank of captain in the construction corps. His career has been characterized by sincerity, integrity, strict attention to duty and the conscientious discharge of the functions of a naval officer. His philosophy as to what a successful naval officer should be-" faithful in the service of his country, of high moral character, efficient in his profession, unvarying in the habits of obedience and command " -has been potent in shaping his own course, and realizing his own high ideals.
On December 18, 1884, he married Blanche Vinton, daughter of Judge D. P. Vinton, of Lafayette, Indiana. They have one child, David Vinton.
The address of Captain Stahl is Navy Department, Wash- ington, District of Columbia.
WALTER LE CONTE STEVENS
S TEVENS, WALTER LE CONTE, was born in Gordon county, Georgia, June 17, 1847, and his parents were Josiah P. Stevens and Ann Le Conte. His earliest ancestor in America was Guillaume Le Conte from Rouen, France, who in 1690 settled in New Rochelle, New York. His father, Dr. Josiah P. Stevens, was a physician.
The subject of this sketch was a healthy boy whose early life until fifteen years of age was spent in a village, after which it was divided between city and country. He was fond of gun, horse and books, and especially so of ornithology. At fifteen years of age he was sent from his home in Liberty county, Georgia, to Columbia, South Carolina, where he was for several years under the influence of his kinsmen John and Joseph Le Conte, who were professors in South Carolina college. The war with the Federal government broke up the schools, and his ele- mentary education during its continuance was much interrupted, but he did a good deal of voluntary study. For a few months he served in the Confederate army, beginning in September, 1864, and ending in April, 1865, but part of the time he was sick in the hospital. After the war was over he entered South Carolina college, and after an attendance of two years and a half he re- ceived the degree of Bachelor of Arts in June, 1868.
His desire was to obtain a medical education, but the neces- sity for self-support made him a teacher, and in this way, be- coming fond of the profession, he decided to adopt it as his life- work and force his way up to the top. Soon after graduating he became a private tutor, and the next year he had a select private school of a dozen pupils. After this he spent a few months at the University of Virginia studying chemistry, at the end of which time he was appointed instructor in Oglethorpe college, Atlanta, Georgia. He continued there till June, 1872, when, the college becoming pecuniarily embarrassed, he resigned and became a teacher of physical science in Chatham academy, Savannah, Georgia. This position he retained until 1876, when
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he returned to the University of Virginia and spent one session there in the study of mathematics and physics. In July, 1877, he went to New York and supported himself several years by teaching private pupils and in various private schools, and for some time in Cooper institute. In 1882, he was called to the chair of mathematics and physics in Packer Collegiate institute, Brook- lyn, where he remained till June, 1890. In July, 1890, he went to Europe and spent two years in the study of physics at the Universities of Strasburg and Berlin, and the Zurich Polytech- nic. On his return he was called to the chair of physics in Rensselaer Polytechnic institute, Troy, New York, and held the position till June, 1898, when he began the duties of his present position at Washington and Lee university, as professor of physics.
Dr. Stevens has been a prolific writer and contributor to scientific journals. While doing private teaching in New York in 1881 he became interested in physiological optics and began the publication of a series of articles, giving his researches on the subject in the "Amercican Journal of Science " and the " London Philosophical Magazine." So meritorious were they that in recognition the University of Georgia in 1882 conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, which accounts for the fact that he did not apply for the doctor's degree when studying afterwards in Germany. His researches as published also caused his election to a fellowship in the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the call to the chair in the Packer institute in Brooklyn. In this city he was associated with F. W. Hooper in the organization of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Science. Since that time he has published many other contribu- tions on scientific and educational subjects in different maga- zines-such as the "American Journal of Science," "London Philosophical Magazine," the " Journal of the Franklin Insti- tute, the " Popular Science Monthly," " North American Review," the " Forum," etc. In 1886 he wrote a large part of " Apple- ton's Physical Geography," and in 1887, he edited and largely re- wrote " Steele's Popular Physics." Between 1884 and 1890 he did a good deal of public lecturing on literary and scientific sub- jects in New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and elsewhere, which Vol. 5-Va .- 21
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was continued to some extent from 1892 to 1898 after his return from Europe. Since coming to Virginia he has contributed occasionally to magazines, but has done little public lecturing.
Dr. Stevens has besides his other work made several inven- tions in connection with teaching or scientific investigation, but none have been put on the market for sale. Some have been de- scribed in the "American Journal of Science," and other journals.
After becoming a professor at Washington and Lee, he was put on the faculty committee on publication and has been college editor since 1900, being responsible as such for the annual cata- logue and other official publications of the institution prepared in cooperation with the president.
He is a member of many societies and has held various posi- tions of honor in them: Fellow since 1882, secretary section of physics 1893, vice president section of physics 1895, of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences since 1887; member of the American Philosophical society since 1884; fellow of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences since 1889; fellow of the Royal (London) Microscopical society since 1889; member of the American Physical society since 1899; member of the Hamil- ton club (Brooklyn) from 1885 to 1890; one of the organizers, and first secretary of the Fortnightly club, Lexington, Virginia, from 1900 to 1902, and president from 1902 to 1903.
In religious matters Dr. Stevens is an attendant with his wife at the Episcopal church, but he is not a church member. In politics, he is an independent Democrat, who from the stand- point of the dominant faction was a gold standard recalcitrant from 1896 to the death of " free silver." Reading and travel furnish him with necessary relaxation, and locally he enjoys the Fortnightly club in Lexington probably more than any other mode of relaxation. His advice to young men desirous of strengthening their ideals and of attaining true success in life is " to acquire the habit of earnest and honest attention to some one thing; to have the courage of one's own convictions, and to carry them out in spite of probable unpopularity; to be syste- matic in all things; to be neat and clean in whatever one does; to be faithful to friends but to hold truth above friendship." In
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estimating the relative strength of the influences which have molded his life he says that private study holds the first place, and to Joseph Le Conte he owes more than to any other man. As to books or special lines of reading which he has found most help- ful he states that outside of the books on physics bearing imme- diately on his professional work as a teacher, probably Her- bert Spencer's work on "Education " produced a stronger im- pression than any other one book. Buckle's "History of Civili- zation " and Herbert Spencer's " Data of Ethics " were also im- portant.
On August 29, 1900, Dr. Stevens was married to Virginia Lee Letcher, daughter of John Letcher, the war governor of Virginia. His address is Lexington, Virginia.
REUBEN SMITH THOMAS
1 THOMAS, REUBEN SMITH, lawyer, was born March 19, 1843, on a farm, in Madison county, Virginia. His father, Reuben Thomas, a farmer, noted for his sterling integrity and independence, was a soldier under Captain William Smith of Orange county, Virginia, in the War of 1812, and fought in the battle of New Orleans in 1814. He was also a magistrate for Madison county, Virginia, and for many years, until his death, he was presiding justice. His mother,-"my sainted mother,"- as he speaks of her-Eliza (Carpenter) Thomas, exerted a powerful and enduring influence for good upon his moral and intellectual life. On the paternal side his blood is English, and on the maternal side it is German.
In his case, the tastes of the boy clearly fore-shadowed the career of the man. Books and oratory were his delight in boy- hood as they have been in maturer years. His love of and pride in Virginia have been marked traits throughout his life, and he never tires of telling the young to follow the examples of such Virginians as Washington, Jefferson, and Monroe, of the old days, and of Generals Robert E. Lee, Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson, and James L. Kemper.
In 1859, when but little more than sixteen, he went to Charlestown, Virginia (now West Virginia), as a member of the Richardson guards, to assist in putting down the John Brown raid. When the Civil war began he was a student in an academy in Madison county and was looking eagerly forward to going to college. Instead of carrying out this plan he went to war, en- listing in the noted 7th Virginia regiment, organized and com- manded by that gallant soldier, Colonel James L. Kemper, and he did his full share toward making the regiment famous. He was severely wounded in the knee at the battle of Gettysburg, in the brilliant charge of Pickett's division, of which his regiment was a part. In the engagement at Sailor's Creek, April 6, 1865, he was captured. He was sent to Point Lookout, where he re- mained a prisoner until June 20, 1865, when he took the oath of allegiance and was released.
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After the war he studied law in the office of his neighbor, friend, and former military commander, General James L. Kem- per and attended the law school of Judge Brockenborough, in Lexington, Virginia. In 1866 he was admitted to the bar, and in August of the same year began the practice of law, in which he has succeeded well, from a professional point of view, though he has not become rich. He is well known throughout the state as a lawyer and as an effective public speaker. Personally, few men are more popular. He has been conspicuous in state poli- tics for many years, taking an active part in all campaigns, both as a speaker and as a counsellor. He followed the late General Mahone into the readjuster movement, but as soon as the debt question was settled he returned to the Democratic party, or, as he put it, "to the house of my fathers," and has been on the stump for its candidates in every campaign since.
He gives his wife, a woman of scholarly attainments, credit for much of his success as a speaker, both in court and on the hustings, as he says she has aided him in preparing many of his best speeches. He is fond of outdoor recreation and in his young days was a noted fox hunter. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and commissioner in chancery and notary public for Greene county, Virginia.
He married May 28, 1867, Ella C. Hamm, daughter of J. C. Hamm and Lucy Hamm his wife. They have had six children four of whom, Lucie E. Thomas, who married H. W. Mayer, Dora Thomas, Marie Thomas, who married N. E. Durreste, and Raymond Thomas, are now (1908) living.
His address is Stanardsville, Greene County, Virginia.
EVERARD MOORE TODD
T ODD, EVERARD MOORE, merchant and soldier, was born December 5, 1827, on "Old Town " farm, near Smithfield, Isle of Wight county, Virginia. His father, John Robinson Todd, farmer, served as a sergeant in the Ameri- can army during the War of 1812, and was noted for his strong convictions for right and justice, traits he passed on to the son. His mother, Eliza (Armistead) Todd, was a good and true woman, whose influence for good upon his character was marked.
He is descended from John and Angelina Todd, who were residents of Southampton parish, Bermuda Islands. Their son, Captain Mallory Todd, founder of the Virginia family, (and grandfather of Everard Moore Todd,) ran away from home when a boy and went to sea, afterward owning vessels and trading with the colonies, which led to his settling in Virginia, a few years past the middle of the eighteenth century. The colonial house built by him, in Smithfield, and occupied by him until his death, 1817, is still (1908) owned and occupied by his descendants. He first married Angelina Mallory, who died after giving birth to four children all of whom died; then Ann Robinson of the Robinson Moore family of York county, Virginia; twelve chil- dren were born to them, and from them sprang the numerous Todds in Smithfield, Norfolk and other parts of Virginia.
Everard Moore Todd received his primary and preparatory education in private schools, and chose the law for a profession. In 1849, he entered the law school of Harvard university, and was graduated LL. B., therefrom in 1851. But, though fully educated for it, he never practiced law. Instead, he engaged in a business that made his name known to epicures in all parts of the world-the packing and curing of Todd (Smithfield) hams. This business is still (1908) continued under the firm name of E. M. Todd Company.
He served three and a half years in the Confederate army, as major, making a record that was a credit to him, both as a soldier and as a man. Previous to the Civil war Major Todd
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was a Whig. Since then he has been a Democrat, but he has held no public office, except that of deputy collector of internal revenue, under the Cleveland administration. He is a member of the Protestant Episcopal church.
He has always been robust, and delighted in all kinds of field sports until the natural infirmities of age caused him to seek his recreation in rest and quietness. His has been a long life of rectitude, honor, sobriety, and industry, during which he has at all times had the respect and esteem of the community in which it has been spent.
On November 22, 1854, he married Nannie R. Southall, who died on November 22, 1885. They had eight children of whom five are now (1908) living. On October 25, 1887, Mr. Todd was married to Mrs. Julia W. Carroll (née Dickson). They have one child now living.
His address is Main Street, Smithfield, Isle of Wight County, Virginia.
HARRY ST. GEORGE TUCKER
T UCKER, HARRY ST. GEORGE, LL. D., was born in Winchester, Frederick county, Virginia, April 5, 1853, and his parents were John Randolph Tucker and Laura (Powell) Tucker. On his father's side he is descended from a family which for three hundred years have held positions of high importance in the Bermuda Islands and in Virginia. The Tucker family is traced in England to William Tucker of Thornby, County Dwin. His son and heir, George Tucker, of Milton, near Gravesend in Kent county, was the father of George and Daniel Tucker who became very much interested in the for- tunes of the English settlement at Jamestown. George Tucker was a member of the London company and Daniel Tucker was a leading colonist in Virginia and, in 1616, governor of Bermuda. The former's oldest son, George Tucker, emigrated, during the Civil war in England, to Bermuda and died there about 1662. He married Frances, daughter of Sir Henry St. George, Knight of the Garter and Principal King of Arms, whence the name- "St. George" in the Tucker family in Virginia. Then followed in direct line of descent St. George Tucker, member of the coun- cil of Bermuda, Henry Tucker (born February 13, 1683, married Frances, daughter of John Tudor, of New York, died December 14, 1734) also a member of the Burmuda council; then Colonel Henry Tucker also of Bermuda (born October 2, 1713, married Nancy Butterfield, and died in 1787) ; then St. George Tucker who came from Bermuda to Virginia, was a student at William and Mary, a colonel in the American army during the War of the Revolution, a professor in William and Mary college, and judge of the general court of Virginia, and married Frances (Bland) Randolph, mother of John Randolph, of Roanoke; then Henry St. George Tucker, member of congress of the United States, president of the state supreme court, and professor of law in the University of Virginia; finally John Randolph Tucker, father of the subject of this sketch, attorney-general of Virginia, member of congress and professor of law in Washington and Lee university.
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On his maternal line, Mr. Tucker is descended from Colonel Levin Powell, a distinguished officer of the Revolution.
Mr. Tucker's youth was spent chiefly in Loudoun county, Richmond and Lexington. Like all Virginia boys, he was brought up not to despise manual labor, and during his life in Loudoun he cut wood, worked in the harvest, and went to the mill with the cart. He was very fond of all outdoor sports and was a real boy of the old Virginia type. He attended a prepara- tory school in Loudoun county; and when his father was made professor of law at Washington and Lee university, he entered that college, where, in 1875, he took the degree of Master of Arts, and, in 1876, the degree of Bachelor of Law.
Coming from a race of lawyers Mr. Tucker naturally de- cided to follow in the steps of his ancestors. In 1876 he began the practice of his profession in Staunton, Virginia, where he was very successful and speedily built up a large clientage. In 1888 he was elected to congress, where he continued till 1897, taking a leading part in the debates and was very popular with men of both parties.
In congress Mr. Tucker was the author of the constitutional amendment providing for the election of United States senators by the people, which passed the house for the first time in July, 1892; and July, 1894, in the subsequent congress. He was author of what was known as the "Tucker Bill," which repealed all Federal statutes that had been passed since the war interfering with the elections in the states. He served on the foreign affairs committee for four years, and Honorable W. L. Wilson has de- clared that the best speech Mr. Tucker ever made in congress was the one defending Mr. Bayard against a resolution of censure by the house for certain speeches which he made in England criti- cising the protective policy of our government. Perhaps, how- ever, the best speeches he ever made were on the ten per cent. tax of the state banks, and against the unlimited coinage of silver at sixteen to one.
Mr. Tucker's position on the latter question lost for him the nomination to congress in 1897, and diverted his energies to the educational field. The chair of law at Washington and Lee be- came vacant about this time by the death of his father, and Mr.
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Tucker was elected to fill the vacancy. He thus became the only man in America who was fourth in direct line in his family that had been a professor of law. On the retirement of General G. W. C. Lee from the presidency of Washington and Lee univer- sity, Mr. Tucker acted as president for a time, but, in 1902, re- signed his chair of professor of law and accepted an invitation to become dean of the schools of law and diplomacy at Columbian university, (now the George Washington university), Washing- ton, District of Columbia. He was also made agent by the South- ern Educational association to canvass Virginia in behalf of the school system. But a new field soon opened and Mr. Tucker be- came, in 1906, the recipient of probably the greatest honor of his life. The project of a national celebration of the tercentennary of the settlement at Jamestown had engaged the interest and at- tention of the people of Virginia, and under the leadership of General Fitzhugh Lee, president of the Exposition company, the matter made great headway. At a critical time General Lee died, and it seemed that no one could be found in the whole South equal to the task of filling his place. Gradually all eyes became directed to Harry St. George Tucker, and it was recog- nized that in many ways he was the man fitted to succeed the dis- tinguished nephew of the illustrious General Robert E. Lee at the head of the company. He was elected president, and imme- diately left Virginia for Europe to convey to the crowned heads the invitation of the government of the United States to share in the coming festivities. Mr. Tucker was well received in Europe, and in the tercentennial year there was seen in Hampton Roads one of the greatest collections of war ships ever beheld in the world.
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