Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/440

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

nent business men of Richmond. He was president of the Southern ^Manufacturing Company from 1891 to 1906; was a director of the First National Bank of Richmond; director and a member of the executive com- mittee of the Richmond Trust and Safe De- posit Company, and director of the Bank of Richmond. He retired from the boards of national banks and declined invitations to serve on similar boards because, to use his own words, he found it physically im- possible for any director to perform all the duties required of him by the national bank act, which he was sworn to perform, refer- ring to the act of 1863, "which with all its crudities," survived until 1914, when the present currency law was enacted by Con- gress.

Mr. Leigh has ever been active in ad- vancing and protecting the business inter- ests of the state of Virginia and of the en- tire South Land, and through his personal efforts, as president of the Southern Mer- chants' Association, and his connection with numerous other commercial bodies, was an active factor in defeating the legislation which tended to discrimination and injus- tice to \'irginia and southern ports, his per- sonal efforts causing the withdrawal or de- feat of bills in the national legislature which were unfair to the South, namely, the en- deavor to eliminate Newport News as a coffee importing port, this port being able to reach all the South and Mississippi Val- ley States at less cost of transportation. In this work he appeared before and addressed the Senate committees and expended large amounts of both time and personal means in order to obtain the desired end.

The high esteem in which ]\Ir. Leigh is held by his fellow business men is shown by his election for three successive terms to the presidency of the Richmond Cham- ber of Commerce (of which he was fre- quently a board member), his appointment to the directorate of the National Water- ways Association, and his election for five successive terms (1894-99) as president of the Southern Merchants' Association, com- posed of members from thirteen states. Mr. Leigh has also been vice-president of the Commonwealth Club, declined the presi- dency, and is now a member of that club. the Westmoreland Club, and the Country Club of Virginia. His interest in 'history is evidenced by membership in the Amer-

ican Historical Association and the Vir- ginia Historical Society. He has once only voted against the candidates of the Demo- cratic party, in 1908, when he voted against William J. Bryan and for W'illiam Taft for the presidency. From its inception in the seventies of the last century, under the leadership of Bland to the present day, he has been "utterly and unalterably opposed to free silver as a moral no less than an economic sin." Mr. Leigh is a member of the Protestant Episcopal church.

Mr. Leigh married (first) February i, 1882, Leilia Virginia, daughter of Colonel William H. and Elizabeth (Amis) Palmer, and granddaughter of William and Eliza- beth (Enders) Palmer. He married (sec- ond) July 16, 1902, Norvell Caskie, daugh- ter of Philip B. Jones, of Orange county, X'irginia, and Betty (jMorrisj Jones, of Charlottesville, and granddaughter of Philip B. and Elizabeth Taylor Armistead (Sut- ton) Jones. There were two sons, one by each marriage: The elder, William H. Pal- mer Leigh, of Richmond, a banker and broker, also member of the Sons of the Revolution, deriving his title from his great- great-grandfather Leigh. The younger, Eg- bert Giles Leigh (3), now (1915) a minor of eleven years.

Edwin Sidney Raid, succeeded his hon- ored father, Edwin Sidney Reid, Sr., as president of the Bank of Chatham, Chatham, \^irginia, upon the death of the latter and under his guidance the prosperity of that solid, conservative and financial institution has continued.

Edwin Sidney Reid, Sr., was born in Rustburg. Campbell county, Virginia, died in Chatham, Pittsylvania county, Virginia. May 13..1910. He was educated and lived in Campbell county until attaining his ma- jority, then located in Chatham, ever after- ward his home. He was commissioner of Chauncey. president of the Bank of Chat- ham, and intimately concerned in the im- portant industries of the county and town. Ilis was a strong, upright and manly char- acter and in the upljuilding of Chatham he bore a conspicuous part. He was a Demo- crat in politics, taking active part in public affairs, and as chairman of the county com- mittee wielded a strong influence. He was also for many years member of Chatham town council. He married Sarah Tunstall