Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/145

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ginia, luuiuling- there a grocery business which he conducted for many years, lie, as well as his son, served in the Confederate army during the ci\il war, in the hirst Vir- ginia Regiment, and later as captain of Company C, Montgomery Guards, holding that office for four years. He was captured and made a prisoner of war, was wounded at Manassas, after which he performed scout duty around Richmond. He married Sarah Harrold. a native of Richmond, Virginia.

Robert E. English, son of William and Sarah (Harrold) English, was born in Rich- mond, Virginia, July 6, 1846, and is now living there, retired. He served in the Con- federate army during the civil war with Company D, Third Virginia Regiment, Cap- tain Elfred Elery commanding. He owned and operated a wholesale and retail grocery business for many years in Richmond. He married Madeleine Augustine, and they had nine children, as follows: William J., de- ceased ; Robert E. Jr., deceased ; Edgar Ber- nard, of whom further ; Louis, deceased ; Joseph A., deceased; Harrold L, now of Los Angeles, California ; Madeleine E., now Mrs. Granville Gray, of Richmond ; James V., deceased ; Paul X., lieutenant in the Seven- teenth United States Infantry, at present stationed at Fort AlcPherson, Georgia.

Edgar Bernard English, son of Robert E. and Madeleine (Augustine) English, was born in Richmond, August 18, 1875. H^ obtained his education in the private schools of Richmond and afterwards at Richmond College, from which he graduated with the class of 1897 with the degree of B. L. Since that time he has been practicing law in his native city with marked success. He is a Democrat in politics, and is a member of the city council from Clay Ward. Mr. Eng- lish is unmarried.

George Morgan Jones. hVom 18O5 until his death a leading business man of Lynch- burg, Virginia, president of the National Exchange 15ank for twenty years, president of the first Cotton Manufacturing Company in that city, a leader in educational and phil- anthropic movements, George Alorgan Jones left behind him a record of strict in- tegrity, business ability, unalterable de- votion to duty and public spirit seldom equalled. The story of his life from boy- hood is of absorbing interest covering as it does so many phases of human life and ac-

ti\it}-. A remarkable feature of his life story is the unfailing courage with which he met life's difficulties and whether in the clash of actual battle or in the hardly less strenu- ous business conflicts, or in the struggle for health, he was always the true soldier un- complaining, cheerful and always "on dtity.''

George Morgan Jones was born at Jere- my's Run, Page county, Virginia, May 4, 1S24, died in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was the son of Wharton and Nancy (Follis) Jones, who brought the lad up in a manner that influenced his entire life, instilling the soundest principles of true manhood from which he never departed. He attended the county schools until fifteen years of age, then began business life as clerk in the gen- eral store near his home, owned and man- aged by Gabriel Jordan. He spent six years with Mr. Jordan, developing sound busi- ness traits that commended him to his em- ployer and the patrons of the store. At the age of twenty-one years he encountered his first serious obstacle in his life's progress, ill health, which compelled him to alter his plans and meet this foe. He resigned his position and with his brother set out on a horse-back join-ney, thinking a summer spent in the open air would repair the dam- age done by his years of too close confine- ment. He spent six months roaming at will through the then little developed middle west, reaching Missouri, and from that state retracing his way to his Virginia home. This wandering summer restored his health and added greatly to his store of knowledge of men and places, broadening his outlook and enlarging his experience. On his return home he formed a partnership with his cousin, A. A. Jones, and again entered mer- cantile life, opening a general store at Peaks- ville in I'ledford county, Virginia. Later this partnership was dissolved, George M. Jones retiring and engaging in business alone at Bedford City. Here he established a pros- perous business and won the respect of that community to an unusual degree.

In 1855 he joined his cousin, A. T. Jones, in a most profitable mercantile venture at Salisbury, North Carolina, continuing there in the hardware business most successfully until the outbreak of the excitement imme- diately preceding the beginningof actual war between the states. His sense of duty, to his state decided his course, and closing out his business he returned to Virginia to fol-