Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/214

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VIRGIXIA BIOGRAPHY

til May i^, 1864, when he was desperately wounded (near the Bloody Angle) at Spott- iylvania Court House. At that time he was a sergeant of the company. He lost one leg and a part of the other foot, and as the result of these wounds was incapacitated for further service in the field, and he entered the University of Virginia, in 1864, where he remained one session. Upon leaving the university, having lost everything by the w.ir, he entered the clerk's office of the cir- cuit court of the city of Richmond, and in 1870 began the practice of his profession, i'rom 1872 until 1878 he was clerk of the court of appeals, and from 1878 to 1883 was judge of the hustings court of the city of Richmond. He has been president of the Richmond City Chamber of Commerce, of the city council of Richmond, of the City Bar Association, of the National Bank of Virginia, of which he is now president, and cf the Virginia State Insurance Company. Judge Christian is a member of the Grand Camp of Confederate Veterans of \'irginia, j'tid has made many contributions to the literature of the war for southern independ- ence. His "Report on the Conduct of the War." October 11, 1900, is a splendid tribute tc the humanity of the south. His address on John Tyler and Abraham Lincoln, the '"Capitol Disaster," and his '"Confederate F.xperiences" are written with remarkable mastery of the pen. He is a member of the City and State Bar associations, and other social organizations. In politics he is a Democrat. His first wife was Miss Ida Morris, l)y whom he had three children: Csssie Claudia, Morris H., and George L., Jr. His second wife was Miss Emma Chris- tian, bv whom he has three children : Stuart,

William, and Frank Christian. His address is Richmond, \'irginia.

Brooke, James Vass, born at Falmouth, \'irginia, Uctcber 10, 1824, son of William Brooke, exporting merchant, and Jcannie Morrison, his wife, half-sister of James Vass, of Fredericksburg. He studied law rnder Judge R. L. C. Moncure, settled in Warrenton, and began law practice at the early age of nineteen years. He was an ardent Whig. He served as commonwealth attorney, and state secretary of the Ameri- can party. He was elected to the convention of 1861, and signed the ordinance of seces- sion. In 1862 he organized and took to the field, Brooke's battery, which was attached to Jackson's corps. During the valley cam- jiaign, his ankle was broken by the kick of an artillery horse, but he returned on crutches, and took part in the battle of Fredericksburg. His disability forbade fur- ther military service, and in 1863 he entered the house of delegates, in which he served until the fall of Richmond. After the war he was a law partner of Hon. R. Taylor Scott, in \\'arrenton, and his practice cov- ered a period of fifty-five years. He can- vassed actively for every Democratic presi- dential nominee from 1868 to 1896, when he supported Palmer and Buckner. He served several times in the house of delegates and senate, and in the latter body, in 1877, labored arduously for the "Brooke bill," providing for an amicable settlement of the state debt. In the next session he was chair- man of the judiciary committee, and took a leading part in the revision of the code of Virginia. He served in all important offices, and was largely instrumental in moderniz- ing the pavements, lighting and water Svip-