USA > West Virginia > Monroe County > A history of Monroe county, West Virginia > Part 29
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There are other connections with the spellings Counts, Kounts, and Koontz. Henry (Susan) moved from Indian to Kanawha about 1806. Several of his family married here. William Counts, of Devil's Creek, mar- ried Delilah Dransfield. He had a brother Charles (Rebecca Tigert, 1833), and a sister, Mary D. (Josiah Dransfield, 1845).
CREBS
Conrad (b. 1760) (Lucy Brunen, 1784) was a native of Hesse Cas- sel, and came to America as a soldier under Burgoyne. He settled at Winchester, where he had been a prisoner of war. His wife, whom he married at Frederick, Md., was a descendant of Sir Walter Raleigh, and also a relative of the mother of George Washington. William B. (b. 1808) (Mary Ragan, 1832), fourth son of Conrad, was drawn to Mon- roe through a love of adventure and settled here after his marriage. C: Virginia L. (James Claiborne) -Lewis A. (Mahala Shanklin)-Wil -- liam C. (b. 1837) (Mattie Tooke)-Harriet-Otho H .- Fannie-R. J. (1847- 1912)-Ella G .- Floy (Ernest Rochefort). Claiborne, whose daughters are Mrs. George DeVere and Bettie, was a descendant of the famous William Claiborne, of Kent Island, Md. L. A., W. C., and O. H. saw much service in the Confederate army. L. A., captured at Gettysburg, made an unsuccessful attempt to escape from the military prison at Fort Delaware. He was one of the guard that escorted the remains of General Stonewall Jackson to Richmond. W. C. was one of the men that boarded and captured the ship "Harriet Lane" This was one of the most memor- able exploits in the annals of war. W. C., O. H., and the Rocheforts settled in Texas. R. J., a resident of Union, had for two consecutive
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A HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
nights a most vivid dream of buried treasure on Calder's Peak. Ella G. has been 33 years a teacher.
CROSIER
Andrew married Elizabeth Maxwell in Pennsylvania and settled a mile south of Gap Mills somewhat later than 1784. C: William (1784- 1855) (Sarah Bowyer, 1808)-James (d. 1860) (Sarah Beamer)-John (Tenn.)-Thomas (Tenn.)-Margaret (Robert Christy, 1804)-Hannah (-Milhollen).
C. of William: William H .- Adam B. (1810-1888) (Elizabeth Nickell, 1839)-John M. (-Champ)-George-Thomas-Andrew (Alleghany) -Susan (Thomas Hepler)-Elizabeth H. (John Motteshead, 1841)-Mar- garet A. (John Sumpter, 1844)-Nancy (John Dodd).
C. of James: John R .- Andrew M. (1821-1904) (Martha Hively)- Philip B. (1823-1883)-William A .- Elizabeth (1824-1890) (- Brad- ley)-Margaret S .- James M. (1835-1907).
John M. was born Mar. 1, 1811, and lived until Mar. 27, 1912. He was a blacksmith and not only made his own pocket knives but even his farm- ing tools and his sawmill. For 80 years he was a member of Carmel church and was a regular attendant from his home at Waiteville. When the railroad came to Potts Creek, he asked only that his spring be let alone and the wish was respected. The rough men who appeared during the railroad construction never molested him and used no profanity in his presence. When remonstrated with for living alone in his old age, he drew his well thumbed Bible from his shoebench and exclaimed : "Here's my protector, here's my shield, and here's my weapon. With this as my protector, I fear no evil, I fear no robber, I fear no murderer."
CROTSHIN
Wolf Crotshin, a refugee from Poland, became a merchant of Peters- town and died in this county in 1907, at the age of about 90. His first wife was Amanda J. Hobbs, of Giles Co. C: Thomas L., county sur- veyor-Alma (Frank Hale).
CUMMINGS
M. Homer Cummings was born near Pickaway, August 23, 1890, and was graduated from Trevecca College, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1909. After spending a year in the University of Chattanooga, he entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1911. Since then he has written more than sixty hymns, the more popular being these: "My Lord and King," "There is a Gladness," "What Will You Do with Jesus?" "Come Where the Blessings Fall," The Gospel According to You," "Jesus Is the One You Need." Others appear in "Echoes from Beulah," pub- lished by the author at Ripley, W. Va. Mr. Cummings has also writ-
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GENEALOGIC AND BIOGRAPHIC
ten "You Are My Sweetheart," a secular song that has been well received by the music public. His parents are H. M. Cummings and wife, Pick- away.
CURRY
Robert (Ann Curry), of the Isle of Man, came to Augusta in 1755, where each of the couple lived to the age of 84 years. Of their 9 chil- dren, William, James, Alexander, Samuel, Isaiah, Robert, Molly, Marga- ret, and Ann, three came to this county. These were Molly (- Erwin), Margaret (Isaac Nickell), and James (Mary Francis). The latter moved to Highland in 1812. His children were: Ann (Samuel Ralston), Robert (Susan Nickell), Polly (Edward Erwin), James (Elizabeth Nickell, Ruth A. Newton), Josiah (Sarah Nickell), William (Rachel A. Malcom), Ben- jamin A. (Rebecca G. Bell), George W. (Isabella Alexander, Martha George). Of the Currys of a later period we have no coherent account. There seem to have been others of the name in Monroe.
DeHART
Thomas, Isaac, Abraham, were French soldiers who served under La- Fayette. Thomas (Christina) was a sergeant, who in his army life knew what it is to sleep warm under a blanket of snow and on another oc- casion to wake up with his long hair frozen to the earth. He was a weaver by occupation. C: Sarah (David Magnett), Christina (Brice Miller), Kate (John Strickler), Ann (Michael Spade), Mary (Asher Bur- dette), Elizabeth (Sink Burdette), Samuel (1807-1882) (Sophia Spade), Isaac (Nancy -).
C. of Samuel : Isaac (1830-1911) (M. Susan Skaggs)-William C. (1832- 1912) (Elizabeth M. Skaggs)-M. Catharine (George H. Thompson)- George J. (b. 1835) (Mary E. Cooper, Sarah F. Skaggs, 1860, Sarah C. Corey, 1888)-John (1837-1912)-(Rebecca J. Nelson, 1862)-Cornelius (1838-1912)-Michael A. (b. 1840) (Sarah A. Smith, 1866, Araminta C. C. Brown, 1909)-James R. (b. 1843) (Mary L. Broyles, 1873, Mary E. Dixon, 1881)-Mary S. (Henry Vass, 1867) .
W. C. and J. R. were military prisoners at Point Lookout, and there suffered severely for want of food, the former never quite recovering from the effects and the latter having to stop to recuperate on his way home. The families of Isaac and W. C. are West. Geo. J., New Mexico.
C. of Michael: Ella A. (Edgar Ellis), Mary M., Lydia J (Patrick Mur- ray), Sophia (Renick Bowyer), Bettie E. (Luther Taylor), Ora D. (- Persinger).
C. of J. R .: Herman K. (Mary Spade), John L. (Daisy Taylor), Cor- nelius L. (Corda Weikel) ; by 2d w .- Lucy A. (Crosby C. Kershner, Na- omi R., Elizabeth.
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A HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
DICKENSON
Levi (d. 1834c) C: Samuel, Charles, Jacob (Delinda Soward, 1807), Reuben, Mary (James Stodghill, 1811), Margaret (- Thompson).
John (d. 1840) : C .:- Jesse-5 others.
Thomas (d. 1815c)-app. $125.35.
DICKSON
Richard (d. 1814) (Isabella Humphreys) was the first of this line on Second Creek. His brothers, Joseph and Robert, settled about White Sul- phur Springs. C. of Richard: Elizabeth (1771-1838)-Esther (b. 1773) -Susanna (1775-1848) (James Young)-Joseph (1780-k. by accident, 1805) -Polly (b. 1782) (John McDowell, 1800)-Margaret (1784-1862) (James McDowell, 1805)-Nancy (1789-1849) (James Knox, 1805)-Richard (1792- 1866) (Susanna Ewing, 1814, Elizabeth Curry, 1828)-John (b. 1795).
Either Esther or Elizabeth, probably the former, married Joseph Black and went to Kentucky. The other married a Sullivan. John ran away to the war with Tripoli in 1805. Knox became a rich man at South Bend, Indiana.
C. of Richard, Jr .: (by first w.)-Joseph (1813-1877) (Molly Eakle) -Polly (1817-1889) (David Erwin)-Hamilton (1820-1849) (Jane Wy- lie, 1844)-Margaret (1823-1850) (William) White) : by second w .- Hendron (1835-1853) (s)-Newton (1831-1905) (Mary H. Hamilton, Bar- bara A. Farnsworth)-Virginia (1841-1899) (Robert Saunders).
Of Joseph's two children, Lelia married a Hope, of Virginia, and later a Johnson, of North Carolina. Elmer died in youth. Of Hamilton's three, Milton H. and Margaret lived single and Elizabeth married R. A. Hall. Of Newton's, only Elliot H. was by the first wife. He died single in 1889 at the age of 32. The rest of the family are as follows:
Edwin F. (dy)-Clarence F. (b. 1864) (Eliza R. Renick, 1889)-Rich- ard H. (b. 1867) (Algernon D. Smith, 1894)-Lula (b. 1869) (William H. McCue, 1890) .
C. of C. F, .- James N., Edgar F., Christian A. (dy), Richard R. C. of R. H .- Stanley S.
Newton Dickson, who lived on the ancestral homestead, was a man of education and broad intelligence. It was the rule of his life never to give nedless pain to any living creature, yet he had the courage of his very clearly defined convictions and was an exemplar of honor and truth. He kept the law of kindness and was given to hospitality. Often he was besought to stand for public office, but as often refused, preferring the free and quiet career of the private citizen. A loyal member of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, his life was rich in good influences to its farthest borders.
"Spring Valley Farm," the family homestead, is the fine creek bottom farm:
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originally owned by James Knox. The ample mid-century farmhouse was a hostelry in the turnpike era. During the early years of the county, the family name was most usually spelled Dixon. One John Dixon, said to have been of the Greenbrier branch, owned for some years a patent on Wolf Creek. George (Veronica) Dixon lived on Greenbrier River, but moved to Kanawha county before 1808.
DILLON
Henry is a grandson of Asa, who came from Franklin county late in life. The wife of Asa was a cousin to Henry Clay and when that statesman was a guest at Red Sulphur he invited the couple to spend a week with him. Gen. J. A. Early was also a cousin and used to hunt with his hounds on the Dillon place in Franklin. Henry Dillon was born in a humble home near Red Sulphur, and becoming an orphan early in life, he was, as the oldest in a large family, his mother's principal sup- port. Owing to this circumstance his early education was limited, but he has prospered and is known as one of Monroe's best citizens. As a minister of the Baptist Church he has charge of the congregations at Cash- mere, Forest Hill, Pine Grove, and Indian Mills. His first wife was a Witt; his second is Margaret Hogshead Given. C: C. D., J. Clyde, Dr. W. L., Mrs. Garten, Mrs. C. C. Saunders, Mrs. Ida Keatly, H. E. Mrs. Keatly lives at "Glencoe," the Dillon home near Ballard.
DORAN
Jacob (Catharine) came to Johnson's Crossroads in 1786. C: Cath- arine (1771-1853) (Robert Johnson). Jacob was guardian of Euly and James Young.
DOWDY
Edward Dowdy, son of a large tobacco grower living near Bedford, Va., located near Salt Sulphur Springs about 1825. He married Elizabeth Clark, granddaughter of Ralph Clark, a very early settler on Indian Creek. John H., son of Edward, is the present owner of the old stone house on Indian built by Isaac Estill. His wife is a great granddaughter of Joshua Mitchell. Her parents are J. R. and Nancy (Smith) Mitchell. Mr. and Mrs. Dowdy have four sons, George, Glen, Lee, and Hedley.
DRANSFIELD
Josiah (Mary D Counts, 1845) was a weaver, who came from Lan- caster, Pa., and settled in Sweet Springs valley. His sister, Delilah, married William Counts.
DUNBAR
Robert (Hannah Maxwell) came from Pennsylvania to Gap valley about 1790. C: John M. (Isabella Steele, Margaret Gilchrist)-Thomas
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A HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
(1795-1854) (Mary Campbell)-Robert (Elizabeth Steele)-William (Nancy Jarvis)-Hannah (James Donally)-Elizabeth (Samuel Fenton) -- Margaret (George Bugg)-Amanda (Timothy Huffman, Stephen Wise- man).
C. of John M .: Isabel N. (James Bradley) ; by 2d w .- Alexander (- Groves)-George (- Bell)-Wallace-Abner (- Fitzwater) -Harvey-Hannah (Henry Lane)-Jane (- Kelly).
C. of Thomas: John, Samuel, Irvin, Mary, Matilda; these removed to Kanawha.
C. of Robert: William M. (Mary Crosier)-John (Elizabeth Carman) -Sylvester (Nancy A. Huffman, Cynthia McCormick)-James (s)-Mad- ison (-Jones).
C. of William: Robert (Ann Cartmill)-Hannah-William T. (Re- becca Brown)-Asenath (M. H. Talbot)-Adeline (Jacob Miller)-N. Augustus (Sarah Shelton, 'Ann Duncan)-Mary Jacob Miller) -Margaret A. (Archibald Bean)-John A. (Hannah Steele, Elizabeth Ramsay).
Another Dunbar was Matthew, who lived near Sinks Grove and died there in 1797. Jonathan (Iscah) lived on the south side of Swope's Knobs. His sister, Sarah, married Giles Burdette. William was a brother.
DUBOIS
John (d. 1825c) (Elizabeth) came to Wolf before the Revolution. C: Conrad (1776-1853) (Jean)-Mary (John Cox).
Mary M. (William Cook, 1808).
DUNCAN
John H. (Josephine McNeer) came from Raleigh to near Lindside. He is an active trader and business man.
DUNLAP
Alexander (1764-1841) was a son of Robert (Martha Graham, 1763), who was killed in the battle of Guilford, 1781. His grandfather, Cap- tain Alexander Dunlap, was the son of a soldier in the siege of London- derry. He came from Ireland with his sister, Elizabeth, and settled on the Calfpasture River as a very well-to-do pioneer. He died there in 1744. The grandson came here from Rockbridge and was in his day a very conspicuous citizen.
Alexander (Jane Alexander, 1795)-C: Robert A. (1796-1823) (Re- becca Pack, 1823)-Isabella (1798-1862) (James M. Haynes, 1821)-James A. (1799-1840) (Frances McElheny, 1831)-Addison (1801-1870) (Eliza- beth Johnson, 1831, Clara Petree, 1834)-Benjamin G. (1806-1884) (Re- becca Larew, 1845)-Adaline (1808-1828) (John Vawter)-Alexander
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GENEALOGIC AND BIOGRAPHIC
(1812-1853) (Mary A. Shanklin, 1838)-Mary P. (1816-1882) (Rev. Mitch- ell G. Dunlap, 1843).
C. of Robert: John R .- Mary J. (Jacob Zoll)-Isabella E. (Joseph Zoll).
C. of Addison: Richard (by 1st w.)-James (Mary Shanklin)-Charles H. (1839-1904) (Martha S. Bates, 1862)-Addison (Julia Blair, 1874) (Tex.) -Jane-Harriet (J. Z. Ellison) .
C. of Benjamin G .: Dr. John L. (Mary J. Spessard, 1878)-James A. (Mary E. Johnson, 1882, Virginia W. S. Early, 1890).
C. of Alexander: William (Kas.)-Robert-Henry (Pulaski Co.).
C. of Charles H .: Dr. Charles-Prof. William-Robert S. (Elizabeth - -)-Edward (Harriet Pence)-Elsie.
In the public life of Monroe and in professional and business careers the members of this connection have been conspicuous.
DUNN
The Dunns are a numerous connection in the south of the county, but we lack a systematic account of their relationships.
Thomas (Mary)-d. 1837-C: Madison (Cynthia Shumate)-John H. (- Pack)-James (s)-Joseph A. (Elizabeth Dillion, 1847)-Alexan- der (1825-1911)-Wesley L. (Louisa Smith)-Harrison B. (Martha B Dunn, Emma Callaway)-Polly (David Frazer)-Elizabeth (Nehemiah Phillips, 1826)-Nancy (- Karnes)-Louisa J. (John A. Spangler).
John (Isabella Thompson, 1802)-d. 1822-C: William, Hamilton, Harrison, Elizabeth, Susan, Anna, Polly, Nancy.
Reuben (Polly Pennington)-C: Patterson-John-Ballard-Julia-Wil- liam (Eliza A. Spangler, 1854). C. of William: Charles L .- Walter- James-Elizabeth-P. Kate-Charles.
John (- Peters) C: James C. (1800-1882c) (Nancy Robinson).
C. of J. C .: L. B. (Isabel J. Mann)-G. L .- Henry C .- (- Camp- bell, Margaret Ballard)-James P. (k. '61)-Louisa (s)- - (Allen Spangler)- - - (Joseph Spangler)- - (Daniel Spangler).
DUNSMORE
Dunsmore, also spelled Dunmore and Dinsmore, is a Scotch name and means "hill by a heath." John, the ancestor of the American branch, ran away to Ireland in 1667 in consequence of some treatment he considered humiliating. He attained the age of 99. James (Elizabeth) came to the vicinity of Sinks Grove between 1770 and 1776, his son Joseph being born in the last named year. C: James (Sarah Murdock, 1811, Margaret Reed, 1813)-William (Molly Wanstaff)-Joseph (1776-1856) .
C. of James, Jr .- Elizabeth-John (Frances Murdock, 1847)-Mar- garet (Lewis Erskine, 1843)-Hannah-George W. (Amanda M. Crews) -Andrew L. (J. Martha Evans)-Mary A.
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A HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
C. of John: Columbus M. (Virginia C. Marshall, 1877)-Mary M. H. (James L. Lemons).
C. of G. W .- James G. (b. 1848) (Sarah E. Nickell, 1884, Mrs. Mary J. McClung)-Mary M. (James W. Ellis) .
C. of A. L .- Emma (James M. Rodgers)-Leona (Yancey H. Lemons) .
The Dunsmores have shown a strong attachment to agriculture. All the sons and daughters of James, Jr., became farmers or the wives of farmers. Columbus M. lives on the homestead, which is one of the best farms in the garden spot of Monroe.
Before and just after the war James G. Dunsmore studied at the Rocky Point Academy, and in 1867 became assistant to Prof. A. A. Nickell. The next year he became a teacher, but did not discontinue his studies. He decided to make teaching his life work in the fullest sense of the term. He took a very sympathetic interest in the educational needs of farmer boys, having been one himself. It occurred to him that a commercial edu- cation would equip young men in less time and at less expense than any other kind of scholastic training. But such schools were then rare except in the large cities. To prepare himself the better for this field of usefulness he took a course at the Eastman Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1871 which gave him the degree of master of accounts. February 22, 1872, he opened at Sinks Grove the Dunsmore Business College, which he successfully conducted eight years in connection with the public school. In 1880 he removed to Staunton and for two years conducted his work in co- operation with the Hoover School for Boys. Two years later he severed his connection with this and founded a purely commercial school which was soon afterward incorporated. It has been the medium of a business education for hundreds of young men and women.
EAGEN
John (d. 1816) (Elizabeth) C: Polly (Henry Stuart), Eleanor (John Ellis), (Elizabeth (Owen Ellis) .
EARLY
Samuel of Augusta bought of Gilson (Molly) Legg in 1808.
ECHOLS
John Echols was a son of Joseph (1789-1824) and Eliza F. (Lambeth) Echols, of Halifax county, and was born at Lynchburg, Virginia, March 20, 1823. In 1843 he finished a course at the Virginia Military Institute and the following year was married to Mary J., a sister to Allen T. Caperton, whose wife was his sister. In 1845 he came to Union, which re- mained his home twenty years. By 1860 he had won distinction as law- yer, orator, and statesman. He was a giant in stature, standing six feet four inches tall and weighing two hundred and sixty pounds. This com-
PROF. J. G. DUNSMORE President and Founder Dunsmore Business College, Inc., Staunton, Va.
COLUMBUS M. PATTON Last Survivor of the Family of Tristram Patton
CHEW
OLD MEETING HOUSE Johnson's Cross Roads
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GENEALOGIC AND BIOGRAPHIC
manding figure, re-enforced by an impressive bearing, gave him great power as a public speaker and made his hearers feel that he was thor- oughly in earnest. A more public spirited man was not to be found in this section of the Virginias. He was a firm believer in the higher edu- cation and backed up his belief by his deeds. While in Monroe he was deeply interested in good schools for both sexes. He was very active in the establishment of a female seminary, and did much to secure the best teachers possible and thus make the institution a success. He was the prime mover in a high school for boys at Union and freely gave of his time, money, and ability. Some students he took into his own house and gave them their board and tuition. To others he advanced money which they were to return whenever they might be able. This high school was very successful until the outbreak of war gave it a fatal blow. In 1851-3 he was a Delegate to the Virginia Assembly, and in 1861 he was a mem- ber of the convention that passed the ordinance of secession.
Before the war began he organized the Monroe Guards, of which or- ganization he was the first captain. He entered the Confederate army as Lieutenant Colonel of the 27th Virginia Infantry of the famous Stonewall Brigade. After the first battle of Kernstown, in which he commanded his regiment and was wounded, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and served under General Loring in the Kanawha valley. In the fall of 1862 he succeeded Loring and was put in command of the De- partment of Southwest Virginia. In 1863 he was placed on the court of inquiry as to the fall of Vicksburg. Later in the same year he took the field again and was in command at the battle of Droop Mountain. At New Market he led the right wing of the army under Breckenridge, and joining General Lee he took part in the fighting before Richmond. In the fall of 1864 he was again transferred to Southwest Virginia, and next spring with the rank of major general he succeeded Early in command of the Army of the Valley and Southwest Virginia. Eight days after the surrender of Lee he disbanded his army at Christiansburg, escorted the Confederate president to Goldsboro, N. C., and was paroled with the army under Johnston.
In the fall of 1865 General Echols made his home at Staunton and lived there until his death, May 24, 1896. A plan in which he was greatly interested was the building of a railroad to the Ohio river. He induced C. P. Huntington, the railway magnate, to ride horseback with him over the proposed route so as to convince him of its practicability. He did more than any other man to cause Huntington to build the Chesapeake and Ohio. That millionaire called him "my strong man Echols," and secured his ser- vices in extending the line from Jackson's River to Cincinnati and Louis- ville. Echols was an excellent financier as well as organizer and accu- mulated a large fortune. He was mainly instrumental in organizing the National Valley Bank of Staunton, and was its president.
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A HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
General Echols was generous, benevolent, and highly successful. The people of Monroe, with whom he had spent the earlier part of his active career, held him in warm respect and confidence, and he was an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Toward the close of his life he was recognized as one of the greatest men in Virginia.
His children who grew to maturity were Edward, Harriet, who became the wife of M. Erskine Miller, and Percy, who died when about 21 years of age. Edward attained great prominence in business and political life, and served a term as lieutenant governor of Virginia. He had a cordial feeling for the county where he had spent his boyhood, and was by far the heaviest subscriber to to the fund for the Confederate monument at Union.
EDGAR
Thomas Edgar owned for many years a large tract of river land which included the site of Ronceverte. He moved there from Rockbridge before 1780, was county surveyor, and his wife was of the Mathews family of Greenbrier. His sons were Thomas and Archer. A daughter married a Withrow. Thomas married Eliza Byrnside in 1821. His children were Thomas, George M., Ann E., and Kate. The elder daughter was a mis- sionary to China.
George M. Edgar (1837-1913) was graduated from the Virginia Mili- tary Institute in 1856, standing sixth in a class of thirty-three, ten of whom were killed in battle. He began at once to teach and a year later was an assistant professor in his alma mater. When the war of '61 broke out he was professor of natural sciences in the Florida State Seminary. He then became drillmaster of the First Florida Regiment. After the seces- sion of Virginia, he helped to raise a company in Monroe, and as first lieutenant of the same he campaigned under General Wise in the Kanawha valley. He rose in rank until he became lieutenant colonel of the Twenty- Sixth Virginia Infantry, known as Edgar's Battalion. As its commander he served three years and distinguished himself on many a battlefield, not- ably on Tuckwiller's Hill, where he defeated a large Federal force, at Dry Creek, New Market, Totopotomoy, Cold Harbor, and Winchester. For his victory at Tuckwiller's he was presented a sword by the ladies of Lewisburg. At Cold Harbor and Winchester his command suffered very severely. At Lewisburg he was shot through the side and left on the field. In Early's Valley campaign he was captured and confined in Fort Delaware. After his exchange he rejoined his old command and at the close of the war was serving under General Echols. In the fall of 1865 he engaged in close study of the natural sciences at the University of Virginia. At the end of the session he became professor of mathematics in Oakland College, Mississippi. From 1884 to 1887 he succeeded General D. H. Hill as president of Arkansas University, and then became presi- dent of the very institution where he was when the war broke out. Later
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GENEALOGIC AND BIOGRAPHIC
he was a professor in the University of Alabama and in other institutions. In 1886 the degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him. He ranked high as educator as well as soldier. His lecture on Stonewall Jackson won high commendation. Colonel Edgar married in 1867 Rebecca Fry, of Lew- isburg, and was the father of six children.
ELLIS
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