Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/219

 174

VIRGINIA DIOGRAPHY

position which he continued to hold the remainder of his life. He died in Philadel- phia. Pennsylvania, September 20, 1796.

Graham, William, was l>orn in Paxton township, Pennsylvania, December 19, 1746, son of Michael Graham, who emigrated from Ireland to America about 1725, and settled in Pennsylvania. William graduated from the College of New Jersey, A. B., 1773. A. M., 1776; studied theology, and was assistant to the Rev. John Brown in a classical school established in a log school- house at Mount Pleasant, Virginia, which through amalgamation with Augusta Acad- emy grew into Washington and Lee Uni- versity. On October 26, 1775. he was re- ceived as a minister by the Presbytery of Hanover at Timber Ridge, X'irginia. In 1774 he became rector of the log school- bouse then known as Augusta Academy, which became Liberty Hall, May 6, 1776; John Montgomery being his assistant. He also filled the chair of moral and intellec- tual philosophy and he added to his duties those of pasior of two churches and man- ager of a farm on North river near Lex- ington. The academy was removed to Tim- ber Ridge in 1777, and to near his farm at Lexington, Virginia, in 1782, when it was chartered by the Virginia assembly. The first class was graduated in 1785, the name having been changed in 1784 to Washing- ton Academy, in recognition of a gift by Gen. Washington, of 100 shares of stock of the James River Canal Company valued at the time at $50,000. He resigned the presidency of Washington Academy in 1796 and went to the Ohio, where he purchased land with the design of settling there with his fam/ly and a few chosen friends. He was on a

journey from the Ohio to Richmond, \'ir- ginia. when he died at the home of his friend. Col. Gamble, and was buried near the south door of the Episcopal church on Church hill, rendered historical by the or- ation of Patrick Henry. President Graham was a trustee of Liberty Hall Academy, 1776-82. and president of the board of trus- tees of Washington Academy, 1782-96. He was a member of the convention of 1784 to form a plan of government for the prop«.)sed state of Frankland, and drew up a plan of constitution which was not preserved, the project falling through as it infringed on the rights of the state of North Carolina. He died in Richmond. X'irginia, June 8, 1799.

Meade, Richard Kidder, was born in Nansemond county, July 14, 1746, son of David and Susannah (Everard) Meade. He attended school at Harrow, England, and scon after his return to Virginia entered the patriot army. On June 24, 1775, with several others, he removed the arms from Lord Dunmore"s house to the magazine at Williamsburg. He was in command of a company at the battle of Great Ridge, near Norfolk, in December. 1775, and served throughout the remainder of the war as aide-de-camp to Gen. Washington, partici- pating in all of his important battles. He superintended the execution of Maj. Andre, and at the close of the war he returned to Virginia and engaged in farming. He mar- ried (first) Elizabeth Randolph, and (sec- ond) Jane, widow of William Randolph, of Chatsworth. He died in Frederick county, in February. 1805.

Jones, Joseph, born at '*Cedar Grove.*' Pe- tersburg, Virginia, August 23, 1749. son of Thomas Jones, grandson of Abraham Jones.

Digitized by

Google