Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/441

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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Scruggs, of Pittsylvania, who survives him, a resident of Chatham ; children : Lang- horn, now of Kansas City, Missouri, con- nected with the Parker-Gordon Cigar Com- l)any ; Edwin Sidney (2), of whom further; Uelle. residing in Chatham; Leverett, died aged four years ; Elizabeth, residing in Chat- ham ; Leslie Bennett, died in 1908, aged eighteen years ; Nanny Whitehead, residing in Chatham ; Richard Jones, with T. D. Martin, engaged in the tobacco business in Chatham ; Beverly Mumford and ]\Iaury, at school.

Edwin Sidney Reid. Jr., was born in Chat- ham, Virginia, March 11, 1883. He was educated in the public schools and East- man's Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York, and began business life in the Bank of Chatham, becoming assistant cashier, January i, 1905, and in May, 1910, succeed- ing to the presidency on the death of his father who had held that position many years. This bank, capitalized at $25,000, has a surplus and undivided profit fund of $100,000 and ranks fifth among the two hun- dred and seventy-five state banks of Vir- ginia. In 1905 the bank building was de- stroyed by fire, and in 1906 was reopened in new quarters erected near the old site, the finest business block in Chatham, the bank department being specially designed and modernly equipped. President Reid has other important business associations in Chatham, and is interested in the River- side and Dan River Cotton Mills, of Dan- ville, and a director of the Big Axe Coal and Coke Company, of that city. He is a Democrat in politics, a member of the execu- tive committee of the state committee and since 1910 has been a member of Chatham town council. He is a vestryman of Eman- uel Protestant Episcopal Church, and vice- president of Chatham Episcopal Institute, taking deep and active interest in the wel- fare of church and school. He is a promi- nent member of the Masonic order, belong ing to Pittsylvania Lodge, No. 24, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Chatham Chap- ter. No. 56, Royal Arch Masons ; Danville Commandery. No. 7, Knights Templar ; and Accacia Temple. Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of Danville Lodge. No. 227. Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Mr. Reid married, October 26, 1910, at Fort Mills, South Carolina, Frances Harriet,

born there, daughter of Dr. James Henley Thornwell, a Presbyterian divine and chap- lain in the Confederate army, now deceased as is his wife, the mother of his ten chil- dren. Children of Edwin S. and Frances H. Reid: Frances, born February 18, 1912; Edwin Sidney (3), October 7, 1913.

Whitmell Pugh Tunstall. From 1767 un- til 1836 Pittsylvania county, Virginia, had three clerks of court, whose aggregate term of service was eighty-five years. Their terms were continuous, beginning in 1767 with \\'illiam Tunstall, who after serving twenty-four years, until 1791, was succeed- ed by his son, William Tunstall. wdio served forty-five years, until 1836, then retired in favor of his son, William H. Tunstall, who served sixteen years, until 1852, then re- signed because of removal to the state of ?^Iississippi. All accounts agree that the Tunstalls were admirable clerks, respected and beloved by the people.

William Tunstall, the first of the noted trio of clerks, above mentioned, was a son of Richard and Ann (Hill) Tunstall, and wdien Pittsylvania was created from Hali- fax county in 1767, was chosen its first clerk, serving for twenty-four years. He married Elizabeth Barker, daughter of Colo- nel Thomas Barker, of Edenton, North Car- olina. Among their children were Ann Eliza, mentioned below, and William, men- tioned below.

Ann Eliza Tunstall. eldest child of Wil- liam and Elizabeth (Barker) Tunstall, mar- ried her cousin. Edmund Savage Tunstall, son of Edmund and Ruth (Mckory) Tun- stall. Edmund Savage Tunstall and his elder brother, William, were educated in a school at Danville; while on their way to school one morning, they met with a Con- tinental army recruiting officer, and both boys volunteered for service in the army, sending the negro home with the carriage. They expected to be together, but that same evening William was assigned to the South- ern army and Edmund Savage to the North- ern army, and the brothers never saw each other again until the close of the war ; Ed- mund Savage was at the battle of Lundy's Lane, in Guilford Court House, and he was also in other engagements, being with Gen- eral Washington at Yorktown when Gen- eral Cornwallis surrendered. Children of Edmund Savagfe and Ann Eliza Tunstall : i.