Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/142

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\'IRGIXIA BIOGRAPHY

cavalry in the Confederate army; appointed judge of the eighth judicial circuit of Vir- ginia, but removed by the thirty day reso- lution of congress ; elected as a Conserva- tive to the forty-second congress (March 4, 1871-March 3, 1873) ; died at Alexandria, \'irginia, September 27, 1901.

Croxton, Thomas, born at Tappahannock, Essex county, Virginia, March 15, 1822; at- tended the primary schools, the Tappahan- nock and Fleetwood academies, and the Lniversity of Virginia; graduated in law in June, 1842, and practiced ; attorney for the commonwealth from July, 1852, to July, 1865, when he resigned; served on the staff of Gen. George E. Pickett in the civil war ; elector from the first district of Virginia on the Hancock and English ticket in 1880; elected as a Democrat to the forty-ninth congress (March 4, 1885-March 3, 1887) ; elected judge of Essex county, Virginia ; died at Tappahannock, \'irginia, July 3, 1903.

Daniel, John W., (q. v.).

Davis, Alexander M., a resident of Inde- pendence. \ irginia ; presented credentials as a member-elect to the forty-third congress, and served from March 4, 1873, to March 5. 1874. when he was unseated in a contest with Christopher Y. Thomas.

Dezendorf, John Frederick, born at Lan- singburg, Xew York, .\ugust 10, 1834; pur- sued an academic course ; learned the car- penter's trade ; studied architecture, survey- ing and civil engineering ; engaged on rail- road and other buildings at Toledo and Cleveland. Ohio, 1850-1860; mercantile pur- suits 1860-1862: moved to Norfolk. Vir- ginia, in 1863. and engaged in the shipping

business until 1866; city and county sur- veyor of Norfolk city and county 1866-69; assistant assessor of the United States in- ternal revenue 1869-71 ; appraiser of mer- chandise at the Norfolk custom house 1872- 1877; delegate to the national Republican convention in Cincinnati in 1876; defeated as the Republican candidate for congress in 1878; elected as a Republican to the forty- seventh congress (March 4. 1881-March 3, 1883) ; died in Norfolk. Virginia, June 22, 1894.

Douglas, Beverly Browne, born at Provi- dence Forge, New Kent county, \'irginia. December 21, 1822, son of William Doug- las, of Providence Forge, New Kent county and Elizabeth Christian, his wife. He at- tended William and Mary College and the University of Edinburgh. He studied law in the celebrated school of Judge Beverly Tucker, was admitted to the bar, and prac- ticed in his native county and Norfolk. In 1846 he removed to King William county, and rapidly rose in his profession, taking a front rank as an able practitioner and elo- quent advocate, being specially gifted be- fore a jury. When the convention to re- model the constitution of the state was called in 1850. he was chosen a member from four counties. He sat in the state senate continuously from 1852 until 1865, and for five years of this period was chairman of the committee on finance and during the war between the states was chairman of the committee on military affairs. He served in the Confederate army, entering as first lieutenant of "Lee's Rangers," was pro- moted to captain, and afterward to major of the Fifth Virginia Cavalry, in which he served until 1863. when he resigned. .M-