Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/330

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

Isaac Hill ; Alice, Fanny. It seems probable that the above mentioned William Allen < hristian may be the ancestor of that branch if the Christian family whose record fol- lows. Gideon Christian, a descendant of New Kent counties, Virginia, was born ibout 1790, probably in Charles City . ounty, Virginia. He was a farmer in New Kent county, Virginia, near the Chickahom-
 * he Christian family of Charles City and

my river. He married Apperson, of

New Kent county; and had issue, namely: William Edmund, of whom further; Eliza- beth, who married (jrandison Pearson ; Mar- [!:aret Ann, who married W. A. Stuart; John 1 lenry ; Robert James.

William Edmund Christian, son of Gideon

and (Apperson) Christian, was born

December 5, 1817, in New Kent county, \ irginia. He was a farmer, a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Baptist church in New Kent county. On account of impaired health, he did not take part in active military operations during the civil war. He died in June, 1865, at Alilton, in ' harles City county, Virginia. He married \nnie E. Taylor, daughter of James Taylor, of James City county, \'irginia, in 1849, at Williamsburg, \'irginia. She was born July 9, 1830, in James City county, Virginia. They had six children: i. Laura K., born December 23, 1850, in New Kent county, Virginia ; married John G. Livezey, Newport News, Virginia, Alay 11, 1886. 2. Langdon Taylor, of whom further. 3. Ella Louisa, born July i, 1856, in New Kent county, Vir- ginia, died June i, 1875. 4. .Annie Willis, born January 25, 1858, in New Kent county, Vir- ginia : married William B. Langley, Nor- folk, Virginia, April 12, 1892. 5. William Thomas, born September 17, i860, in Charles City county, Virginia. 6. Gideon L., born September, 1862, in Charles City county, \'irginia.

Langdon Taylor Christian, son of Wil- liam lulmund and .Annie E. (Taylor) Chris- tian, was born May 26, 1853, in New Kent county, Virginia. Mis schooling was limited to a few months in a graded school, but he attained a fair education by means of private study at home. He remained on the farm in Charles City county, until he was seven- teen years of age. In 1S70 he went to Rich- mond and secured employment in James A. Scott & Company's tobacco factory, where he continued until October, 1872. He then

entered the employ of John A. Belvin, fur- niture dealer and undertaker with whom he remained until the death of his employer in July, 1880, and whom he succeeded in 1880 as a funeral director, which business has been continued unchanged to 1913, in the name of Langdon Taylor Christian.

Langdon Taylor Christian enlisted in Company G, First Virginia Infantry Regi- ment of Volunteers, in 1872, at nineteen years of age ; was transferred to Company B, Walker Light Guard, of the same regi- ment in 1876, and elected second lieutenant in 1882, but resigned in 1884. In twelve years' service he was absent from company roll call only three times ; was made quartermaster of the First Battalion of Virginia Cavalry, and served until April 30, 1890, when he was elected captain of his old company. Walk- er's Light Guard, First Virginia Regiment of Infantry; he was appointed by General A. L. Phillips on his stafif as inspector gen- eral of the First Brigade, Virginia Volun- teers, in February, 1895, with the rank of major; and was retired from service in April, 1898, when the brigade was disbanded with a record of twenty-six years of con- secutive military service in the Virginia State Militia.

In politics he is a Democrat, and has long been identified with local and state political affairs ; was elected a member of the city council of Richmond, Virginia, in 1888, and served in that capacity for ten years. He was elected to the Virginia state legisla- ture from the city of Richmond in 1900, and- served in the long term which lasted through 1904. He is a member of Broad Street Alethodist Episcopal Church of Rich- mond ; is a master Mason and past master of Jappa Lodge, No. 40, and past high priest of Lafayette Royal Arch Chapter ; also past eminent commander of the Commandery of St. Andrew, No. 13, Knights Templar: also a member and past chancellor of Syracuse Lodge, Knights of Pythias, all of Richmond, \'irginia, and has filled many positions of trust in his profession, such as past presi- dent of the National Funeral Directors As- sociation ; secretary since 1887 of the State Funeral Directors Association, and secre- tary and member of the State Board of Embalming since it was established in 1894.

He married, October 5, 1881, at Rich- mond, \^irginia. Belle B. Brown davighter of John Twiggs and Lovely Virginia ( Bev-