USA > Virginia > Virginia and Virginians; eminent Virginians, executives of the colony of Virginia, Vol. II > Part 26
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CHARLES REID,
Son of George and Betty (Taylor) Reid. both now deceased, was born in Scotland, in the year 1800. Coming to America when one year old. his home has been in Norfolk ever since. He is now the oldest merchant of the city, having been in business continuously for the last sixty-seven years, during which time his integrity in all business transactions has won for him the esteem of all who know him. For the past thirty-five years he has been a member of the Presbyterian church. He has filled several public offices of honor and trust, among them president of the common and select councils, councilman, justice of the peace, etc.
Mr. Ried married, in Norfolk county, in 1825, Lucretia Nash, who was born in Norfolk county, and died in 1868, aged sixty-eight years. Their children were eight: Susan E., Charles H. (now deceased), Lu- eretia N., George C., Harriet C., Rebecca F., Robert S., James T. S. The living sons were all in service, Confederate States Army, during the late war.
CHARLES SHARP ESQ.,
A member of the Norfolk Bar; born in 1829: succeeded his father, the late William W. Sharp: and has practiced continously since 1851. ex- cept during the term of the War between the States. He married. in 1856, Lucy S., daughter of Hon. Valentine W. Southall, of Albemarle. and has two children.
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WILLIAM WILLOUGHBY SHARP, father of Charles, practiced law in Norfolk, from 1821 until 1861, succeeding Governor Tazewell. He was the son of Colonel William Sharp, who. in the war of 1812-5, com- manded the 9th and 54th Virginia regiments, under Generals Robert B. Taylor and Wade Hampton.
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In 1800, Colonel William Sharp married Mary Willoughby. His first paternal ancestor in Virginia-James Sharpe-from England, Kent County, in 1621; and was a member of the colonial House of Burgesses, as early as 1635.
Captain John Smith, "Father of the Colony," who had served on the staff of General Lord Willoughby in the Netherlands, brought to Vir- ginia Thomas Willoughby ( then a boy of fourteen years) founder of the family in the colony. By royal patent this Willoughby acquired 12,000 acres of land, on the Southern Shore of Chesapeake Bay. From him a number of Norfolk families have sprung; among others the des- cendants of General Taylor, who still hold the manor-estate on Wil- loughby Bay. In 1767, Henry Willoughby of Virginia became the 17th Lord Willoughby of Parham, recovering the Barony and manors, in a contest before the House of Lords. Hon. Willoughby Newton of West- moreland was one of this connection.
LUTHER SHELDON,
Son of James and Harriet (Patterson) Sheldon, both now deceased, was born in Albion, Michigan, on January 4, 1841. He attended school at the Albion College, and then clerked in drug stores in Albion from the age of eighteen to twenty-one. For ten years, 1860-70, he carried on a drug business at Kalimazoo, Michigan, member of the firm of Johnson & Sheldon. In 1870 he removed to Norfolk, where he engaged in the business in which he still continues, dealer in building material of every description.
At Richmond, Virginia, October 12, 1876, he married Jennie S. Bald- win, who was born at Newark, New Jersey, August 25, 1854. daughter of Thomas S. Baldwin, now deceased, and Jane M. Baldwin, now a resi- dent of Richmond. Their children are three living: Jennie Louise, Thomas Baldwin and Luther; one deceased, Charles Fredk., died Sep- tember 6, 1878, aged one year twenty-one days.
HON. LEROY HAMILTON SHIELDS
Was born in Norfolk, Virginia, on May 18, 1854, the son of John E. Shields, Esq., still living in Norfolk, and the grandson of William C. Shields, formerly of Norfolk. His mother is Mary F., daughter of John Ridley, also of Norfolk. His wife, whom he married at Alexander, Bun- combe county, North Carolina, December 29, 1885, is Mary Orra Love. They have one daughter, Frances Elizabeth Taylor Shields, born July 28, 1887. Mrs. Shields was born in Carter county, Tennessee, and is a daughter of Col. Robert Love, formerly of East Tennessee, now de-
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ceased. Her mother, who was Sarah Alexander of Alexander, on French Broad, North Carolina, is no longer living.
The subject of this sketch attended school in Norfolk. From 1875 to 1884 he was in business in this city. In 1885 was elected to the lower house of the State legislature, Democratic member from Norfolk, sory- ing in sessions of 1885-6. On July 1, 1886. he was elected city collec- tor for Norfolk city, and is now serving his second term in this office, to which he was re-elected for two years in 1888.
JUDGE EDWARD SPALDING.
The subject of this sketch was born in Kennebec county, Maine, ou May 29, 1842. His father, living now at Augusta, Maine, at age of seventy-four years, is Joel Spalding, son of Benjamin Spalding. His mother, now seventy-five years of age, is Emeline, daughter of JJacob Spalding.
Edward attended school at the Waterville Academy, Maine. From 1864 to 1869 he was clerk in the United States Treasury Department, at the same time studying law. He graduated at the Columbia Law School, Washington, D. C., in 1869, and since that date has resided in Norfolk, Virginia, where he is extensively engaged in practice. From January 1, 1880, to December 31, 1885, he was county judge for Nor- folk county.
Judge Spalding married first Angie M. Barr, who died May 25. 1874. leaving him one daughter, Nettie R. Secondly he married, in Norfolk. May 15, 1877, Florence K. Blake, who was born in Wrentham. Massa- chusetts, and is a daughter of Alfred and Emma C. (Estey) Blake, now of Norfolk.
HON. LUCIEN DOUGLAS STARKE.
The Starke family have been seated in Virginia for several genera- tions. Col. Bowling Starke, father of Lucien D., of Hanover county. Virginia, born in 1790, married Eliza G., daughter of Hon. Anthony New, who represented the Caroline district in Congress for many years. and after his removal to Kentucky represented his Congressional dis- triet in that State in Congress for many years. Col. Bowling Starke and his wife left surviving them the following children: Joseph .1 .. Bowling W., John W., Lucien D., Anne E., Alexander W., Julia Isabella and Lucy A., of whom Joseph A. and Alexander W. are dead.
The father of Col. Bowling Starke was also named Bowling Starke, and was of Hanover county. His children were named: Richard. Thomas, William, Bowling, Incy, Ann, Sarah, Frances, Jane, Eliza, Susan and Elizabeth-all dead, leaving numerous descendants.
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Lucien Douglas Starke was born in Hanover county, Virginia, near Cold Harbor, February 9, 1826. His first wife was Elizabeth F. Mar- chant, born at Indian Town, North Carolina, May, 1831. They were married at Indian Town, January 8, 1855, by Rev. J. B. Dod, of New York, and she died at Franklinton, North Carolina, March 18, 1863, leaving two daughters: Eliza N. and Elizabeth M., the latter now the wife of W. B. Martin, of Norfolk.
Secondly, Mr. Starke married in Tarboro. North Carolina, January 8, 1868, Talitha L Pippen, daughter of John Pippen of Edgecomb county, North Carolina. She died in Norfolk, Virginia, February 18, 1876, leaving four children : Lucien D., Talitha P., Virginia Lee, and William Wallace Starke.
Mr. Starke was collector of customs for the port of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, during the administrations of Pierce and Buchanan. and represented Norfolk City in the House of Delegates, sessions of 1875-6 and 1876-7: again in the session of 1887-8.
As colonel of the 3d regiment North Carolina militia, he was the first officer assigned to command the forces at Hatteras Inlet, North Caro- lina, during the erection of fortifications there in 1862. On the organi- zation of the State Troops of North Carolina he was appointed assist- ant commissary of subsistence for the 17th regiment, Martin's Brigade, Hoke's Division, but during the entire active service of the troops under General Martin's command he was assigned to duty at general headquarters as acting inspector general of the brigade, and served in the trenches and at the front in all the engagements of that brigade. Among the most important of these were those around Petersburg, the battle of Bermuda Hundred, where the Confederate forces "bottled up" Gen. Butler, and the battle of second Cold Harbor. During this time, Colonel Starke also acted by temporary assignment as adjutant- general to Gen. J. Johnston Pettigrew. 'At the end of the war was sur- rendered, with the rest of Johnston's army, at Greensboro, North Carolina, April, 1865.
Col. Starke has resided in Norfolk from 1867 to the present time, and during that period has pursued his profession as a lawyer.
SAMUEL A. STEVENS,
Son of Samuel S. and Martha ( Osgood) Stevens, was born in Ashburn- ham, Massachusetts, May 11, 1836. His father, who wasa son of Abel Stevens, of Westford, Massachusetts, died December 1, 1874, aged sixty-eight years. His mother is living in Baltimore, Maryland, now aged eighty years. His parents moved from Ashburnham to Baltimore in 1844, when he was eight years old, and he attended the schools of
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the latter city until he was sixteen years of age, then took one year's course at the Westminster Academy, Massachusetts, after that one term at the Groten Academy, Groten, Massachusetts. From that time until 1864 he was in business in Baltimore, then removed to Norfolk. where, for twenty-four years he was engaged in the furniture business, several years in his own name, then under the firm name of S. A. Ste- vens & Co. He retired from active business on July 1, 1885, the firm dissolving, and his son, Samuel S. Stevens, succeeding to the business.
Mr. Stevens married, at Westminster, Massachusetts, June 15. 1857. Frances S., daughter of Samuel S. and Fanny M. (Ames) Swan, both now deceased. Mrs. Stevens was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Their children are three : Samuel S., Fanny V. and Alice L.
The branch of the Stevens family from which the subject of this sketch is descended settled in the colony of Massachusetts, Middlesex county, in 1634, in the town of Chelmsford, where they are still repre- sented. They were prominent in all town affairs, the most of them liv- ing to an advanced age, and a number of the name and family were honorably prominent in the Revolutionary war. On the father's side, Mr. Stevens is connected with the Putnam family, his father's mother having been Betsy Putnam, a near relative of Gen. Israel Putnam, of Revolutionary fame.
Mr. Stevens has been a member of the (Norfolk) city councils for fif- teen years; was recorder of Norfolk eity for two years, and is now president of the select council. During his service in the city councils he was an advocate for introduction of aqueduct water into the city. and was chairman of the com. which introduced water into the city of Norfolk. He also was prominent in inaugurating the present system of sewerage. He has filled several other prominent positions in the city, such as member of the school board, etc.
JOHN TANNOR
Born in Petersburg, Virginia, April 8, 1860, is a son of Major N. M. Tannor, who held that rank in the Confederate States Army, was many years an honored resident of Petersburg, and died April 8, 1881. aged fifty-six years. Major Tannor married Miss M. A. Rowlett, who survives him, living now in Petersburg.
John Tannor went to school to W. Gordon MeCabe. Petersburg. He began business in Petersburg with his father, with whom he remained two years; was then one year in a broker's office in New York City, then returned to Petersburg, where he was four years in business, firm of John Tannor & Co. He then made his home in Norfolk, and was two years
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a partner in the firm of Tannor & Co., cotton commission business. Three years ago he connected himself with the firm of D. H. Coates & Co., Norfolk, cotton commission business, with which he still remains.
FREDERICK S. TAYLOR.
The subject of this sketch was born in Norfolk, Virginia, on December 16, 1847. His father, Tazewell Taylor, died October 22, 1875, aged sixty-six years, was the son of James Taylor, whose father was JJohn Taylor, merchant of Norfolk, descendant of a Scottish family of Taylors. His mother, living now in Norfolk, is Anna Robinson Taylor, daughter of William Dickson. His wife, whom he married in Fanquier county, Virginia, November 12, 1873, was Bessie P. Taylor, of Fauquier county, and their children are three sons and one daughter: Tazewell, Brooke, Southgate, Anna R.
Mr. Taylor was educated in Norfolk and Baltimore up to 1866, when he entered William and Mary College. After leaving college he went to the University of Virginia, and in 1870 read law in his father's office, but has never practiced.
He engaged in mercantile pursuits for a short time, and after his father's death managed his and other estates. Since 1879 he has been secretary and treasurer of the Norfolk and Ocean View R. R. In public life he has been a member of the Council of the City of Norfolk, and pre- sident of both branches of same. In 1873-4-5 he was a member of the Virginia legislature.
JOHN R. TODD
Was born at Smithfield. Virginia, on April 7. 1835, the son of Mallory M. Todd, who died in 1854, and Fanny B. Todd, nee Dick, also now deceased. He married, at Warrenton, Virginia, on September 15, 1875, Lillie W. Payne, of Warrenton, daughter of Richards Payne, now deceased, and Alice Payne, still a resident of Warrenton.
Mr. Todd went to school at the Norfolk Academy, and at the age of seventeen years engaged as drug clerk with M. A. Santos, of Norfolk, with whom he remained one year. He then went to Richmond, where he was drug clerk for Alex. Duvall three years, then to Montgomery. Alabama, where he remained until the breaking ont of the war.
He entered the Confederate States Army in April, 1861, and served one year in the commissary department ; then was transferred to the Nitre and Mining Burean, and sent to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he took charge of the salt petre refinery, and where he contimed till the close of the war.
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Returning then to Norfolk, he took up the drug business again for a year, after that was clerk on a steamer for eight months, then accepted his present position, as register of the water works, a position he has now ably filled for fifteen years.
GEORGE W. TAYLOR.
George W., son of W. H. and Cornelia. W. (Cowdery) Taylor, was born in Norfolk, on November 30, 1853. His father died two years later, in 1855, of yellow fever. During the war between the States he had four brothers in service in the Confederate States Army. At Eliza- beth City, North Carolina, May 16, 1882, George W. Taylor married Elizabeth A. Higgins. They have two children : M. de Bree and Baynie. Mrs. Taylor was born in Norfolk, Virginia, daughter of John A. Higgins, whose wife was Margaret de Bree. Her parents are now deceased.
Mr. Taylor is engaged in business in Norfolk, dealing in coal, ice and wood. He has served in the city council part of two terms, has taught three years in the public schools, and is now superintendent of the public schools, appointed November 21, 1887. He is captain of the "Lee Rifles," which position he has held since the organization of the company.
COL. HENRY L. TURNER,
Son of William H. and Susan A. (Boush) Turner, both now deceased, was born in Norfolk, on January 15, 1844. He married in Norfolk, Lizzie C. Watters, May 4, 1865.
Colonel Turner was educated at Norfolk and at Christiansburg, Vir- ginia. He went into the Confederate States Army in the first year of the war, serving as a private in infantry. In 1862 he attended the Virginia Military Institute for eight months. In 1870-3 he was in the wholesale boot and shoe business in Norfolk. For four years from 1874 was super- intendent of the Norfolk Street R. R. Co. In 1879-80 was milling, after that farming. He has held civil or military command under every Gov- ernor since the war, and in 1883 was appointed on thestaff of Governor Cameron. On July 10, 1886, he was appointed ordinance officer, with rank of first lieutenant of first battery of artillery. He has also served as quartermaster sergeant of the Norfolk Light Artillery Bluestor fifteen vears. Colonel Turner is an A. F. and A. M., past master of Atlanta Lodge, No. 2.
F. A. WALKE : M. D.
Thomas Walke, who settled in Princess Anne county in colonial days. was the founder of the family in Virginia from which Dr. Walke is descended. Jane Randolph, of Curls Neck, was the great grandmother of Dr. Walke.
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He was born in Norfolk, on October 1, 1831. On May 25, 1853, he married Miss A. M. Boylor, of Norfolk. In 1854 Dr. Walke entered service in the United States Navy, as surgeon, resigning in 1857. During the war between the States, he was surgeon of the 46th Vir- ginia regiment, under Gen. H. A. Wise. Since the war he has been in practice, and also condneting a drug store in Norfolk. Dr. Walke is a member of the Masonic order, of the K. H., K. L. H., Golden Rule, and other societies.
WILLIAM TALBOT WALKE
Is a son of Richard Walke and Mary D. Walke, nee Talbot, and was born in Norfolk, Virginia, on Jannary 31, 1838. He was married at Winton, North Carolina, on Angust 3, 1858, Sarah R., danghter of Richard Gary (now deceased), becoming his wife. Their children are: William Talbot, Richard G., James N., Mary D., Sally W., Isaac T .. Ethel (deceased ), Henry (deceased ), and Herbert N.
In early youth Mr. Walke went to school to Paxton Pollard. He took the collegiate course at William and Mary College, graduating in 1856. He then entered the wholesale drug business, in which he was engaged till the outbreak of the war between the States.
He entered the Confederate army in 1861, in Company H. 6th Vir- ginia Infantry, and after six months service was discharged. In the spring of 1862 he enlisted again, in Burruss' battalion of cavalry, and was on detached duty in the commissary department. In 1863 he was promoted first lieutenant and adjutant of the 39th Battalion Virginia. Cavalry, with which he served until the close of the war.
Returning then to Norfolk, he went into business with W. W. Cham- berlaine; in 1866-67 was farming in North Carolina ; then returned to Norfolk, and was in the book and stationery business about a year. In 1869 went into the general insurance business, in which he hascontinued ever since.
JAMES HATTON WATTERS
Was born at Norfolk, Virginia, on July 13, 1840, the son of James Watters, who died in 1850, and Georgiana Virginia Watters, nee Martin, also now deceased.
He was married in Norfolk, July 6, 1882, to Margaret S. Garrett, who was born in Norfolk county. She departed this life on December 21, 1887, leaving her husband with three children: Garrett, James Hatton and Margaret.
Mr. Watters went to school in Norfolk county and city, and began business as a clerk at the age of fourteen years in Norfolk. He con- tinned as a clerk until the war, entering the Confederate States Army
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in April, 1861, as a private, and promoted sergeant, in the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues, and served until the close of war. He was wounded and made prisoner at Chancellorsville, but released shortly after. He returned to Norfolk at the close of the war and entered busi- ness for himself as a member of the firm of Taylor, Martin & Co., hard- ware. He still continnes in the same line of business, partner in the firm of Watters & Martin, wholesale hardware, 84-6 Water street, Norfolk.
Mr. Watters has twice been a member of the city council of Norfolk.
JUDGE LEGH RICHMOND WATTS.
Judge Legh R. Watts, son of Dr. Edward M. Watts and Ann Eliza (Maupin) Watts, was born in the City of Portsmouth, December 12, 1843. His paternal grandfather was Col. Dempsey Watts and his maternal, Dr. George W. Maupin, surgeon U. S. A. He has continu- ously resided in Portsmouth. During the War he served as a private in the Confederate Army, doing duty principally in North and South Car- olina ; he was paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina, on the surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's Army in 1865. Returning home, he re- sumed his studies, interrupted by the war, and attended the University of Virginia, sessions of 1865-6 and 1866-7, graduating in several of the academic schools at the end of his first session, and taking the degree of Bachelor of Law at the end of the second.
He at once engaged in the practice of the law, and continned until 1870. when he was elected by the Legislature of Virginia, Judge of Norfolk County.
In 1880, he resumed, and still continues the active practice of his profession. The City Council, in 1883, elected him President, and he still holds that position.
Since November. 1883, he has been President of the Bank of Ports- month, the oldest banking institution in the city, and in 1888, he was nominated by Governor Lee as a Member of the Board of Visitors of the U'niversity of Virginia, and confirmed by the Senate, for the torm of 1888-92.
On November 26, 1868, at Portsmouth, he married Mattie P., daughter of William H. and Mary A. (Reed) Peters, of that city, and the issue of this nnion is six children.
THOMAS HAMLIN WILLCOX
Was born in Amherst county, Virginia, on October 4, 1859, the son of Thomas W. Willcox, of Charles City county, and his wife, Martha A. R. Willcox, nee Claiborne. Thomas W. Willcox was born in Charles City
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county, on November 17, 1832, and was in service, C. S. A., during the late war.
At Norfolk, Virginia, October 14, 1885, Thomas Hamlin Willcox and Mary Cary Ambler were united in marriage. The bride was a daughter of Thomas M. Ambler, now of Ashland, Virginia. Her mother, whose maiden name was Virginia Sharp, is no longer living. Mr. and Mrs. Willcox have two children, Mary Ambler and Thomas Hamlin.
After the usual preliminary studies, Mr. Willcox entered the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, Blacksburg, Virginia, whence he was graduated in August, 1877. In 1880 he took the summer law course at the University of Virginia, and since 1884 has been practicing law in Norfolk. Since July 1, 1886, he has been commonwealth attor- ney for Norfolk City.
GEORGE R. WILSON.
George Wilson married Mary Drew, and their son George R. was born at Smithfield, Isle of Wight county, Virginia, August 26, 1817. He at- tended school in his native town, and also a private school in Amelia county, Virginia, took the collegiate course at William and Mary College, and attended the University of Virginia. In 1837 he returned to his home, his father then engaged in business in Norfolk, and clerked for his father one year. After that he went to Cincinnati, Ohio. where he was engaged in the pork business, a business he followed in various other places until the beginning of the war. He then returned to Vir- ginia, and served through the war in the commissary department at Richmond. After the war he carried on a family grocery store in Nor- folk until 1872, then was in the ice business, and other megeantile pur- suits until 1884, since which time he has filled the office of justice of the peace, serving now his second term. From 1877 for four years he was cashier of the custom house, Norfolk.
Mr. Wilson married in Norfolk, June 7, 1848, Rev. George D. Cum- mings, of the Episcopal Church, joining him in wedlock with Clandia Sharp, born in Norfolk in 1827. She was the daughter of William W. Sharp, now deceased, and Mary A. L. ( Schofield) Sharp. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have lost two sons: William Sharp, lost at sea, in transitn to San Francisco, 1872, and Byrd, an infant, and have two daughters: Mary Willoughby and Evelyn.
M'DONALD L. WRENN.
Aurelius and Martha V. (Holmes) Wrenn, both now deceased, were the parents of MeDonald L. Wrenn, who was born in Norfolk, November 5, 1858. He married in Richmond, Virginia, October 22, 1884, his wife,
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born in Richmond, Kate, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Ellyson) Campbell, of Richmond.
He attended school in Norfolk, from the age of six to fifteen years, and then went into his father's establishment, carriage business, as book- keeper, where he remained six years. In 1880, with his father and R. W. Whitehurst, he went into business, under the firm name and style of Wrenn, Whitehurst & Co., having factory, foundry and salesrooms for the manufacture and sale of plows, presses, planters, and allagricultural implements, his father still continuing his carriage business separately. In 1885 became a member of the firm of A. Wrenn & Son, in which busi- ness he still continues, with C. O. Wrenn in partnership, the firm name remaining A. Wrenn & Son. This business was established in 1852, and the firm carries on the largest factory in the South, manufacturing car- riages, buggies, road carts, harness and conveyances of every description.
ELIZABETH CITY COUNTY.
JUDGE JOHN BOOKER
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