Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/77

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

1812, when James Barbour became governor by election of the general assembly. He was an eminent lawyer, and in 1821 became the reporter of the supreme' court of appeals. The results of his labors as such — "Report of the cases argued and determined in the Court of Appeals of Virginia, r82i-i8i8," were published in six volumes 8 vo., Rich- mond, 1823-1832. He died at Richmond, of a pulmonary complaint, December 26, 1828.

Barbour, James, born in Orange county, June 10, 1775. son of Colonel Thomas Bar- bour, who was a member of the house of burgesses from 1769-1776, and the conven- tions of 1774 and 1775. His education was limited, and chiefly obtained from private tutors, of whom the Rev. James Waddell was one. He was admitted to the bar be- fore he was of age, and was a member of the house of delegates from 1796 to 181 2. In this ser\*ice he advocated Madison resolu- tions of 1798-99, was author of the anti- duelling law, and in 1809, as speaker, drafted the bill for the literary fund re- ported by a committee in response to an urgent representation of Governor John Tyler on the needs of education. He was governor from January 3, 1812, and served as such throughout the war with Great Britain. In 181 3 he was elected United States senator, and was chairman of the committee on foreign affairs. He opposed the restriction on the admission of Mis- souri, and John Quincy Adams compli- mented him by saying that the North had no man equal to him or Henry Clay in ability. He was a senator for ten years, and then was appointed secretary of war by President John Q. Adams, and served till 1828, when Adams sent him minister to England, whence he was recalled by Presi-

dent Jackson in 1829. He was a national Republican, and then a Whig, and in 1839 was president of the convention at Harris- burg, which nominated Harrison and Tyler. He was for many years president of the Humane Society for the education of poor children in Orange county. He was father of B. Johnson Barbour, an orator of much note, and brother of Philip P. Barbour, judge of the United States supreme court

Nicholas^ Wilson Gary, was born in Wil- liamsburg. Virginia, January 31, 1761, son of Robert Carter Nicholas, the distinguished revolutionary patriot. He was graduated from William and Mar>' in 1779, entered the army, became an officer, and commanded Washington's life guard until it was dis- banded about 1783. He represented Albe- marle county in the house of delegates in 1784, and in the convention of 1788 called to ratify the constitution of the United States. He served in the legislature in 1789 and 1790 and from 1794 to 1799, when he suc- ceeded Henry Tazewell as United States senator. He warmly supported the admin- istration of Thomas Jefferson in the sixth, seventh, and eighth Congress till Decem- ber 13, 1804, when he resigned to accept the office of collector of the ports of Norfolk and Portsmouth. This position he held three years, when he was elected to the tenth and eleventh Congresses as a member of the house of representatives. On December i, 1814, he became governor, serving till De* cember i, 1816. He died at "Tufton," the residence of his son-in-law, Thomas Jeffer- son Randolph, Albemarle county,. October 10, 1820.

Preston, James P., was born at "Smith- field," June 31, 1774, son of Colonel William

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