Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/312

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

ihc wislies of his latlu-r and returned home, where he remained until October, 1862, when he entered the academic department of the University of Virginia, where he re- mained until July, 1863. He was now more anxious than before to join the army, but was disabled by an> accident in which he broke his bridle-arm, and he took service in the government nitre and mining bureau in Pulaski county. In 'Slay. 1864, he procured leave of absence, and joined the Second Company of the Richmond Howitzers, and took part in the battle of Spotsylvania Court House, two weeks later (May 18, 1864). On the expiration of his leave, he returned ic bureau duty in Pulaski county, and after if a few months, having recovered the use of his arm, he enlisted in Captain jVIountjoy's company of Mosby's command. In less than a month he had been wounded twice, ar.d he was sent back to "Carysbrook," where his father was now living, but soon rtjoined his company in the field, and served creditably until the end of the war. Shortly afterwards, he entered the academic depart- ment of the University of Virginia, and in

1867 took up the law course, but on account of lack of means was unable to remain for graduation. He kept up his studies, and in

1868 was admitted to the bar, and engaged in practice at Palmyra, Fluvanna county, anfl in 1870 he removed to Richmond. In that city, so many important financial inter- ests were committed to his care that he was obliged to gradually withdraw from the active labors of his i)rofession. He was actively connected with the Schloss Shef- field Works, the American Locomotive Company, and was a director in the South- ern Railway Company, the New \ork Equitable Life .Assurance Association

( which latter position he accepted on the personal solicitation of Grover Cleveland. ^\ ho was then chairman of the committee on reorganization), and he was closely identified with this important corporation. He was deeply interested in the historj' and antiquities of his native state. The Vir- ginia Historical Society claimed his largest interest. He was for many years its presi- dtnt. and he made it the object of many of his benefactions. It was largely through his interest that Mrs. Stewart, of "Brook Hill," and her daughters, gave to the society the old residence of Gen. Robert E. Lee, for its permanent home ; and his purpose to pro- vide a fire-proof annex for the safekeeping ot its valuable manuscripts was only de- feated by his death. He was also deeply in- terested in the Association for the Preserva- tion of Virginia Antiquities, in which he held official position, and one of the last of his many gifts to it was the superb bronze statue of Captain John Smith, erected on Jamestown Island, the joint gift of himself and wife. He was a member of the board of \ isitors of the University of \'irginia, and a trustee of the university endowment fund. He was an Episcopalian in religion — a mem- ber of the standing committee of the diocese of \'irginia ; a delegate, year after year, to the Episcopal Council of Virginia ; a dele- gate from 1866 to the end of his life to the t;i:neral convention of the church in the United States, and which in 1907 convened in Richmond, largely at his instance: and a trustee of the Episcopal high school. He was a director of the Jamestown Exposition, the chief management of which was twice pressed upon him. and declined. He was sole owner of the "Times-Dispatch" news- pa])er of Richmond, and as its controlling