Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/214

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\IRGIXIA BIOGRAPHY

Virginia. 4. W illiani Dixon, born 1889, edu- cated at iiampton-Sidney College. Virginia, and Millsaps College. Jackson. Mississippi, received from the latter college the degrees A. jj. and A. M. He is now an instructor in Porter Military Academy. Charleston. South Carolina. 5. Merritt \\'.. born in 1894. a graduate of Porter Military Academy.

R. Randolph Hicks. Hardly yet in the prime of life, yet ranking as one of the strong men of the X'irginia bar. Mr. Hicks can review with satisfaction his years, forty- four.

Ik- is a son of Robert j. and Xannie T. (Randolph) Hicks, of Warrenton, Virginia, and was born in that town in 1870. After pre])aratory courses at Episcopal High School, he entered the L'niversity of X'ir- ginia. whence he was graduated LL. B., class of 1891. and at once began practice. He was located at Roanoke, Virginia, for six vears. then transferred his residence to Norfolk, where he has since been continu- ously in practice in all state and Federal courts (jf the district. His practice is a large one and conducted with the strictest regard for the interests of clients and in close accordance with the ethics of the pro- fession, closely absorbed in the profession he adorns. He is a member of the law firm of Hicks. Morris, Garnett & Tunstall. the firm having ofiices in Norfolk and New York City. ^Iessrs. Morris & Garnett are attorneys for the system of banks known .IS the Morris Plan Banks. Mr. Hicks has made few departures from the legitimate held of law. but in 1897-98. represented his district in the Virginia house of assembly, elected on the Democratic ticket. Learned in the law. forceful and eloquent in pre- senting his cases, he has won his way to the high position he holds at the bar by the force of merit and by the fairest of methods. He is a member of the Virginia liorough. Country and Westover clubs.

Mr. Hicks married, in October. i89<). Ella J. Kerr. <laughter of Charles (]. Kerr, of P.altimore. and granddaughter of Reverdy Johnson.

Caldwell Hardy, president of the Norfolk National I 'auk. is descended from an old North Carolina family, which was distin- guished in the early history of that state. Rev. William Hardy, born I7J<;. died 1783.

resided in Bertie county. North Carolina. His wife's baptismal name was Sarah. Little is now known concerning this couple. Their son. Rev. Edward Hardy, born Alarch 18, 1770. in Ijertie county, was a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church, and resided in Currituck county, North Carolina, near the court house, and died April 3, 1837. At the age of nineteen years he became con- vinced of his calling to engage in the min- istry, and on December 24. 1791, before completing his twenty-second year, he was appointed a traveling minister by the Meth- odist conference, and was appointed a deacon, December 11. 1793, at Green Hill ])y llishop Asbury. He continued his labors in North Carolina until his death. He was made an elder at Norfolk. February 24. 1814. He married (first) December 25. 1796, Lydia Jarvis, born August 25. 1780. died Decem- ber 20, 1807. daughter of Colonel Thomas and Lydia Jarvis, of Currituck ; married (second) December 20, 1808, Elizabeth Murden. who died September 11. 1815 ; mar- ried (third) September 24, 18 16. Dorcas W'oodhouse. who died December 1 1 of the same year; married (fourth) July i, 1819, Lydia (White) Bray, widow of Captain Thomas Bray, born November 2y, 1784, died March 18. 1853, daughter of Caleb and Amy White. Of the first marriage were born four sons: William J.. Thomas Asbury. Charles Wesley and Edward Washington. All of these reared large families. The second wife had three children wdio died unmar- ried. The third wife died childless. Chil- dren of the fourth marriage : Lemuel Cook, died at the age of seventeen years ; Henry Clarke.

(H) Henry Clarke Hardy, youngest child of Rev. Edward and Lydia (White-Bray) Hardy, was born November 10. 1826. in Cur- rituck. North Carolina, and was deprived of his father by death when eleven years old. \'ery early in life he went to Norfolk, X'ir- ginia, and became a clerk with Hardy Broth- ers, a firm consisting of his two eldest half- brothers, who were shipowners and mer- chants engaged in the West India trade. He received some schooling in North Carolina and also in Norfolk. Soon after attaining manhood, he removed to Petersburg where he became a merchant, and where in later years (about 1890) he was for some time cashier of the Petersburg Savings and In- surance Company. In 1859 he moved to