Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/402

 354

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

versity in Leipsic, and he received the hon- orary degree of Doctor of Laws from Wash- ington and Lee University and from Wof- ford College, South Carolina. In 1871 he entered upon his duties as a teacher at Ran- dolph-Macon College, his branches being Latin, German and French. He has been identified with the profession of teaching continuously since that time. In 1899 he was elected vice-president of Randolph- Macon College, and in 1902, president, but retained his professorship. From 1903 to 1905 he served on a commission appointed by the Bishops to prepare a ritual and catechism to be used in common by the Methodist Episcopal church and the Metho- dist Episcopal Church South. In the field of literature he is well and widely known, and has collaborated with Dr. James A. Harrison in preparing "Easy Lessons in French," and with Dr. W. W. Smith in "Parallel Syntax Chart of Latin, Greek, English, German and French." While a student at college, Dr. Blackwell distin- guished himself as a pitcher, and was cap- tain of the baseball team. His fondness for outdoor sports and recreations has never deserted him, and he still spends consider- able time in hunting, bicycling, tennis, golf, etc. His home is at Ashland, Virginia. Dr. Blackwell married, August 28, 1877, Theela Epia Duncan, daughter of Dr. James A. Duncan, the distinguished president of Ran- dolph-Macon College ; they have one child.

Boyd, Thomas Duckett, born at Wythe- villc, \'irginia, January 20. 1854. He was graduated from the Louisiana State Uni- versity and Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1872; was elected adjunct pro- fessor of mathematics there in 1873 '• ''itc

he served successively as commandant of Ccdets, and ])rofessor of history and English literature. In 18S8 he became president of tlie State Xormal School at Natchitoches, Louisiana, and left the position in 1896 to accept the presidency of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College. At both of these institutions he has enlarged and strengthened their effi- ciency in every way. He is a member of and has served as president of the Louisiana Educational Association, and also of the Louisiana Chautauqua, of which he was one of the founders.

Echols, Edward, horn at I'nion, Monroe cc.unty, X'irginia (now West \'irginia), Oc- tober 24, 1854, son of Gen. John Echols (q. V.) and Mary Jane Caperton, his wife. He obtained his preparatory educa- tion in Staunton and Lexington, Virginia, and from 1869 to 1871 was a student in Washington College (Washington and Lee University), and then studied law at the University of Virginia. He began to prac- tice in Staunton, Virginia, and in May, 1880, was elected to the office of commonwealth attorney of that city, a post he occupied for si.x years. He was next elected to the house of delegates from Augusta county, and after representing this county in the lower house of the legislature for six years he was elect- ed senator from the ninth district. In the eight years of his term he gained the repu- tation of being one of the senate's strongest debaters. In 1897 he was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant-governor, ruiniing on the ticket with Hon. J. Hoge Tyler, and was overwhelmingly elected. After retiring from office at the close of his four-year term as president of the Virginia Senate he for