Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/376

 330

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

oUuT corporations. He married (first) I'auline Carrington, of North Carolina, and (second) Mary J. Sutherland, of Richmond.

Lynch, James Daniel, Ixirn in Mecklen- burg county, Virginia, January 6, 1836. He was educated for the law, but abandoned it for literary pursuits and won fame as a j-oet. He attended the University of North Carolina, and after graduation taught school in Columbus and West Point, Mississippi, until 1862. In that year he recruited a com- pany of cavalry, was made captain, saw service under Gen. Polk, and was wounded at Lafayette. Georgia. After the war he began the practice of law at West Point. Mississippi, but abandoned it to follow liter- ature. He published many poems, the best known being: "The Cloak of Destiny," "The Star of Texas," and "The Siege of the Alamo." In 1878 he published "Kemper County Vindicated," "Bench and Bar of Mississippi" in 1881, "Bench and Bar of Texas" in 1885, and later "An Industrial History of Texas."

Groner, Virginius D., born in Norfolk, Vir- ginia, September 7, 1836. He graduated at the Norfolk Military Academy at the age of eighteen and about this time organized the "Independent Grays." The next year he was made lieutenant-colonel of a militia regiment. He studied law for a year, and for two years after was in the service of ex]3ress and steamship companies. In 1859 ho was in Texas, a guest of Gen. Sam Houston, and with Baylor's Texan Rangers he served against the Indians. After the election of I-incoln, lie went to New York. at the request of (idvcrnor I'ettus. of Mis- sissippi, to purchase and ship arms to that state, a task which he accomplished success-

fully. Returning to N'irginia, he planned the surprise of Fortress Monroe, but was forbidden by (jovernor Letcher. He de- clined appointment as adjutant-general of Mississippi, and accepted a commission as captain and assistant adjutant-general in the Confederate army, and performed duty at Montgomery, Alabama, and Richmond, Virginia, in the latter city having charge of the organization bureau of the army. Seeking more active service, he was now assigned to the Fifty-ninth North Carolina Cavalry, -and later was given command of the Sixty-first Virginia. Later, with infan- trv, artillery and cavalry, he was ordered to Fredericksburg, which he held until Lee arrived, two days later. He was subse- c|uently attached to Mahone's brigade. He v/as invalided for two months by wounds received at Spotsylvania. While yet on crutches, he rejoined his regiment at Peters- burg, and performed his full duty, but needed assistance in mounting his horse. In a number of engagements he commanded the brigade. After the war he engaged in steamship transportation business, being ]iresident and general manager of various companies, and contributed largely to the commercial development of Norfolk. In re- construction times, he was a zealous Con- servative, and was largely instrumental in the election of Governor Walker, and was tendered high positions, which he declined. He was head of the Norfolk city govern- ment for many years, and placed the city upon a substantial tiuancial basis. He mar- ried, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Katherine, daughter of the Hon. John .\. Campbell, jurist and diplomat

Randolph, Alfred Magill, born at Win- chester, Virginia, in 1836, son of Robert