Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/247

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

was its first president, served as such until February or March, 1846, and ever after- wards maintained an active interest in its affairs; after his retirement from public affairs, he devoted himself to the manage- ment of his large estates, but never ceased to keep in touch with the institutions and public works with which he had been active- ly identified ; he became a life member of the Virginia Historical Society in 1848; he mar- ried, January i, 1807, in Williamsburg, Vir- ginia, Mary Walker Carter, daughter of George Carter, Esq., of Lancaster, Virginia, and his wife Lclia, daughter of Peyton Skip- v;ith, Esq. ; Mr. Cabell died in 1856; on Feb- ruary 8, 1856, Governor Henry A. Wise submitted to the legislature of Virginia a special message announcing that 'Joseph C. Cabell, late Rector of the University of Vir- ginia, is no more," and of him said: **One with Mr. Jefferson in founding the Univer- sity, a pioneer in the state improvements, a gentleman, a scholar, a devoted patriot and Virginian, a venerable, good man, de- parting from a high public place which he filled with ability and fidelity, I commend his example while living, and submit that his memory is deserving of the honor I pay

him now that he is dead."

i

Ritchie* Thomas, was born at Tappahan- nock, Essex county, November 5, 1778, son of Archibald and Mary (Roane) Ritchie. He studied law in the office of his uncle, and attended medical lectures in Philadelphia, but took up teaching, and had charge of a school in Fredericksburg until 1803, when he opened a book store in Richmond, Vir- ginia. On May 9, 1804, with W. W. Wors- Icy, he founded the Richmond "Enquirer," and a year later became sole editor and pro-

prietor. In 1807, following the affair be- tween the Leopard and Chesapeake, Ritchie v^as elected secretary of the Richmond meeting to protest against British "right of search," and when the blockade of Norfolk was threatened he became ensign of the Republican blues, a company raised for the defence of that town. He also engaged in a brief service during the war of 1812. He was state printer from 181 4 to 1834, and from 1835 to 1839, and was elected congres- sional printer in 1845. ^or some time he conducted the Richmond "Compiler," neu- tral in politics, and during Van Buren's ad- ministration, the "Crisis." To the manage- ment of the "Enquirer" he admitted his sons in 1843, ^^^ i" 1845* ^t the request of Presi- dent Polk, relinquished it entirely to them, in order to found the Washington "Union," which he conducted until the election of President Pierce. So pure were his tastes as a political journalist that President Jefferson once spoke of him as "culling what is good from every paper as the bee from every flower." He was married to a daughter of Dr. Foushee, of Richmond, February 11, 1807, and had four daughters and three sons. He died in Washington, D. C., July 2, 1854.

Hay, George, born December 15, 1765, distinguished both as a lawyer and a poli- tician, was a prominent member of the Virginia legislature, and many years United States district attorney, in which capac- ity he prosecuted Aaron Burr. Later he became judge of the United States court for the eastern district of Virginia. He was married to Eliza, daughter of Presi- dent Monroe. A number of exceedingly clever political articles were published by him under the pen-name "Hortensius," and

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