Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/98

 JUDGES OF THE SUPREME COURT

65

able jurist, but did not serve in the Supreme Court long, as he died December 10, 1838. He was father of John VV. Brockenbrough, for many years judge of the United States court for the western district of Virginia, afterwards member qf the Confederate con- gress, and professor of law at Washington College.

Parker, Richard Elliott, was born at Rock Spring, Westmoreland county, Virginia, December 27, 1783, son of Captain William Harwar and Mary (SturmanJ Parker, and grandson of Judge Richard and Elizabeth (Beale) Parker. He studied law at Law- field, Virginia, under his grandfather, Judge Richard Parker; was admitted to the bar and settled to practice in his native county, which he represented in the Virginia legis- lature for several years. He was colonel of the militia in Westmoreland county at the outbreak of the war of 1812, and served as colonel of the Thirty-fifth Virginia Regi- ment, with which he defended the Northern Neck from British attacks, 1813-14. He was wounded in the action at White House, September 16, 1814, returning after the war to the practice of law, and was elected a judge of the general court, July 26, 1817. He was elected to the United States senate to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Benjamin Watkins Leigh, serving from December 15, 1836, to February 13, 1837, when he resigned to accept a seat on the bench of the court of appeals of Virpnia, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Dab- ney Carr, January 8. 1837. He declin'ed the position of attorney-general in the cabinet of President Van Buren, in 1840. as suc- cessor to Felix Grundy. He married Eliz- abeth, daughter of Dr. William Foushee. of Richmond, Virginia. He died at the "Re-

treat," Snickersville, Virginia, September 9, 1840.

Stanard, Robert, son of William Stanard and Elizabeth Carter, his wife, daughter of Colonel Edward Carter, of "Blenheim," Albemarle county, was born in Spottsyl- vania county, August 17, 1781. He attended William and Mary College in 1798, studied law and began the practice. He met at first with little success, but encouraged by his father, he persevered and became prominent at the Richmond bar about the time that John Wickham, William Call and their con- temporaries left the field of action. He was a member of the state convention of 1829- 30, which revised the constitution. He made a great impression in that assembly of able men. On the death of Judge Brocken- brough, in 1839, Mr. Stanard was elected to succeed him on the bench of the Supreme Court of Appeals. His mind was lucid and direct. He understood no quibbling and despised all sophistry. He died while writ- ing an opinion in Richmond, May 14, 1846.

Baldwin, Briscoe G., eldest son of Cor- nelius Baldwin and Mary Briscoe, daugh- ter of Colonel Gerrard Briscoe, of Fred- erick county, was born at Winchester, Vir- ginia. January 18. 1789. After attending a private school he entered William and Mary College, where he was the fellow student of John Tyler, William S. Archer, John J. Crittenden and others, who afterwards held distinguished public positions. He studied law under Judge William Daniel, in Cum- berland county, and practiced law in Staun- ton. He served in the house of delegates from .Augusta in 1818-20, and in 1829-30 was a member of the constitutional conven- tion. He saw service again in the house

Digitized by

Google