Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/390

 54^

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, but sub- sequently purchased a farm on Grove road near Richmond, where he lived until the close of the war. Charles O'Brien Cowardin attended Weed's school in Richmond, and £,raduated in 1872 at Georgetown College, Washington, D. C., and a few years later received the degree of Master of Arts. He became a journalist under his father, and en the latter s death was made president of the Richmond Dispatch Company. He was a musician of much natural talent and required skill. For a long time he had charge of the choir of St. Peter's Cathedral in Richmond, was a leading spirit in the organization of the Mozart Association, and o.'her musical corporations. He also acted in the capacity of director to a number or amateur opera companies. While a student 111 college in 1873, he was senior captain of the Georgetown College Cadets ; and on ac- count of his knowledge of military matters, he served successively as chief of staff for Govs. Lee, O'Ferrall, McKinney and Tyler. When Adjutant-Gen. Nalle took charge of a Virginia regiment during the Spanish- American war. Gov. Tyler solicited Col. Cowardin to accept the temporary appoint- ment of acting adjutant-general of the state, which he retained until the return of Gen. Nalle. He was president and vice- president of the Westmoreland Club. Col. Cowardin married (first) Kate Spotswood Lvans, who died February 19, 1886, daugh- ter of Col. Thomas J. Evans. He married (second) Anna Moale, daughter of Henry and Margaretta Moale, of Baltimore, Mary- land.

Beckwith, Charles Minnegerode, born in Prince George county, Virginia, June 3,

1851, son of Thomas Beckwith and Agnes Rufifin, his wife. He graduated at the Uni- versity of Georgia in 1873, studied at the I'erkeley Divinity School (S. T. D., 1903), and received the degree of D. D. from the University of the South. He was assistant j.Tofessor of mathematics in the University of the South, 1874-76, and master of its grammar school, 1876-79. He was ordained in the Protestant Episcopal church, and held charges in Atlanta, Georgia ; Houston and Galveston, Texas. He was consecrated bishop of Alabama in 1902. He published "The Trinity Course of Church Instruc- tion :" "The Teacher's Companion to the Trinity Course," besides numerous sermons and addresses. He married Mary Belle Cameron, of Galveston. Texas.

Hamilton, Alexander, was born at Wil- liamsborough, \"ance county, at that time Granville county, North Carolina, March 18, 1851, a son of Robert Alston Hamilton, and his wife. Sarah Caroline Alexander : and a grandson of Patrick Hamilton, born at Burnside. Lanarkshire, Scotland, who came to America about 1800 accompanied by sev- eral of his brothers. Patrick Hamilton was a prosperous country merchant and planter, and the owner of an extensive estate. He married Mary, daughter of George Basker- ville, of Mecklenburg, \irginia, a descend- ant of John Basker\ille. who settled in \'ir- ginia about 1670. and was clerk of ^'ork county. Moses Alexander was his earliest .\inerican ancestor in the maternal line. lie was sheriff of Mecklenburg county, and a Tory during the revolution. Nathaniel .Mexander. grandfather of Alexander Ham- ilton, was an officer in the United States navy, serving with Commander Perry about