Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/412

 PROMINENT PERSONS

359

Gabriel, a neg^o slave of Thomas Pros- ser, of Henrico county, was born in 1776. He was tall and strong, and combined in August, 1800, with another slave, Jack Bowler, to attack the town of Richmond. They were incited to this by the news of the success of the slaves in San Domingo. The plot was supposed to embrace one thousand negroes. They were to make their attack at night, when the white people were asleep, kill the while males and divide the women among themselves. They assembled in the country towards the latter part of the month, but a great rain came on, and while it was yet raging, a slave' named Pharoah. the property of William Mosby, hastened to Richmond and communicated the secret of the plot to Governor James Monroe. The militia was called out and preparations were made to repel the attack. In the meantime, the negroes, despite the storm, began their march to the town and every flash of light- ning glanced from the bright scythes with which they were chiefly armed. In attempt- ing to cross an intervening creek, the waters were so high that several were drowned. There they learned of the discovery of their plot, and the whole body broke up and dis- persed. Many were arrested, and tried. Gabriel was tried on October 6, 1800, and executed. One of the results of the insur- rection was the establishment on regular pay of the public guard at Richmond, con- sisting of sixty men, a captain, a lieutenant, and an ensign.

Summers, Lewis, born in Fairfax county. Virginia, November 9, 1778. He entered upon the duties of active life during the presidency of the elder Adams. With the ardor which distinguished the Virginia

youth of that period, he was a warm sup- porter of Jefferson for the presidency. In 1808 he removed to Ohio, and served several years as representative and senator in the state legislature. In 1814 he settled perma- nently in Kanawha county, Virginia ; was a member of the state legislature, 1817-18; in 1819 was chosen a judge of the general court, of which he was a member for more than twenty-four years ; and a judge of the Kanawha judicial circuit. For some time he was a member of the Virginia board of pub- lic works and took a deep interest in advanc- ing public improvements. He was one of the most useful members of the state consti- tutional convention of 1829-30. He died at White Sulphur Springs, Virginia, August 27, 1843. He was father of Hon. George W. Summers (q. v.).

Brent, Thomas Ludwell Lee, was born in Virginia, August 9, 1784, son of Col. Daniel Carroll and Ann Fenton (Lee) Brent. On May 8, 1822, he was appointed secretary of legation to Portugal, acted as charge d'affaires ad interim from June 30, 1824, un- til he was appointed as such, June 24, 1825, and he filled this post until November 25, 1834, when at his request, he received his passports and returned to the United States.

White, Thomas Wyllis, was born at York- town, Virginia, in 1788, had few school ad- vantages, but improved his knowledge as a printer; he served some part of his time in Boston, and. while not pretending to be a literary character, wrote a very correct and diplomatic letter, well calculated to obtain what he desired. He set up as printer in Richmond and in 1834 founded the ''Southern Literary Messenger," a magazine destined to hold an honorable position not only in the

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