Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/391

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

in 1824. He was president of the Mary- land I'ible Society, and a devout and con- sistent Presbyterian. See his life by J. P. Kennedy (2 vols.), 1849. Extracts from his speeches and .sketches (e. g "The Blind Preacher") were long and widely diffused through the medium of "Readers and Speak- ers." He married (first) Mildred Gilmer, daughter of Dr. George Gilmer, of Albe- marle county, Virginia; (second) Elizabeth Washington Gamble, daughter of Colonel Robert Gamble. Mr. Wirt died at Washing- ton. February 18, 1834.

Doak, John Whitcficld, born in Rock- bridge county. Virginia, October 17. 1778. eldest son of Rev. Samuel and Esther H (Montgomery) Doak. He was educated by his father, and was graduated in the first class at Washington College in 1796; his only classmate being James Witherspoon, a relative of the president of Princeton Col- lege. Two years later, at the early age of twenty years, he was licensed to preach by the Abingdon presbytery, and held various charges through Virginia and Tennessee until he was elected financial agent for the college in 1808. While traveling in the eastern states in quest of funds for the in- stitution, he accepted a call from the Pres- byterian church of Frankfort, near Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, and was duly in- stalled in 1809. After a few years of ener- getic pastoral work, however, his health failed, and leaving the pulpit, he applied him- self to the study of medicine. In 1817 he re- turned to east Tennessee, and upon the res- ignation of his father in the following year, was elected to succeed him in the presidency of Washington College. At the same time he assumed charge of the Salem and Lees-

burg churches, exerting himself so earnestly as preacher, instructor and executive, that his feeble constitution speedily succumbed to the ravages of consumption. His friend. Rev. Stephen Bovell, of Washington coun- ty, \'irginia, says of him : "His genius was much above mediocrity, his understanding clear, his invention quick, his judgment penetrating and accurate, his conception of religious truths sublime, and his manner of expression elegant, solemn and impressive." Dr. Doak was married, in 1809. to Jane H. .\lexander (a half sister of Dr. Archibald Alexander's father), of Rockbridge county. Virginia, and had eight children ; his third son. Rev. Archibald Alexander Doak, sub- .*^cquently succeeding to the presidency of the college. While on his way to attend a meeting of the Abingdon presbytery, he died suddenly at Green Spring, X'irginia, October 6, 1820.

Lucas, Robert, born in Shepherdstown, Virginia, April I, 1781, a descendant of Wil- liam Penn, and son of a captain in the colo- nial army in the revolution. He resided in Virginia until 1800, then moved to Ohio. He was a major-general of militia, and when the second war with Great Britain broke out was commissioned, March 14,

1812, captain in the Nineteenth Regiment. United States Infantry, and lieutenant-colo- nel for distinguished service. February 20,

1813. He resigned from the army in June. 181 3, and as brigadier-general of Ohio militia was engaged in frontier defence from July 25 until September 19 that year. In 1814 he was elected to the Ohio legislature. In 1832 he presided over the Democratic niitional convention that nominated Andrew Jackson for the presidency a second time.

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