Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/447

 \ IRGIXIA BIOGRAPHY

335

(2), born in 1910. 3. Walter Roberts, mar- ried, in 1911. and has a son Walter Roberts (2). 4. Lila, married Henry A. Haywood.

5. George Rust (2). whose sketch follows.

6. Mary Olive. 7. A\'illiam Campbell. I'"red Garlton .\bbott. eldest son of George

Rust and Mary Dawson (Green) Abbott, was b(jrn near lirandy Station, Culpcper county. \ irginia, December 8, 1880, and until thirteen years of age attended public schools, lie then secured a clerkshij) in a mercantile house in Charlottesville, \'ir- ginia. where he acquired a thorough busi- ness training. lie continued private study during this period and decided to prepare himself for the practice of law, hopeless as the case then seemed. He later located in Norfolk, w'here in 1901 he began study in a private law school. He continued study there and at such times as he could spare from his business duties, and by self-denial, patience and hard work made satisfactory progress. In 1906 his mother died and in 1907 the death of his father placed him under the additional burden of keeping the family together and giving the younger members an opportunity to finish their schooling. But pluck and "grit" finally won and in 1910 he passed the required ex- amination and was admitted to the bar, the goal of his ambition. He at once began practice in Norfolk and has in the four years since intervening fully demonstrated the wisdom of his choice of a profession. He is building up a good practice in the state and Federal courts to which he has been ad- mitted, has a host of warm friends, and through native ability and pleasing person- ality is steadily winning his way upward. He takes an active interest in public afifairs and in 1914 was a candidate for city council. He is a Democrat in politics, and for twenty- five years has been a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church (South), all the chil- dren of George Rust Abbott having been carefully reared in the faith of their father. Mr. Abbott married, October 4, 1911, Alyda Hatfield Dey and has two children: William George, born b'ebruary 19, 1913, and Fred Carlton, Jr., born October 9, 1914.

George Rust Abbott. Mr. Abbott is one of the capable young business men of Nor- folk, having been well grounded in mercan- tile methods during his boyhood with Mc- Nair & Company, Newport News, Mrginia,

and developed more rapidly from the fact that he was early thrown upon his own re- sources.

George Rust (2) Abbott, the fifth child and third son of George Rust (i) and Mary (Mcdlie) Dawson (Green) Abbott, was born at r.randy Station, Virginia, June 28, 1888. lie was educated in the public schools of Charlcittesville and Newport News, Vir- ginia. He began business life as clerk in a retail grocery store, and after some years spent in that line became a cashier for Mor- ris & Company, of Newport News. After a few years as cashier he located in Norfolk, establishing m business for himself, as manufacturers' agent and manager of ffle Norfolk branch of R. D. Holloway & Com- pany, main offices in Newport News, Vir- ginia. He has built up a good business and is rated one of the capable, successful young business men of Norfolk. He is a Demo- crat in politics, and a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. ^Ir. Abbott mar- ried, June 28, 191 1, Louise Nash Small, daughter of Benjamin T. and Lavina ( AMiitehurst ) Small, and has a daughter, Louise Elizabeth, born May 2, 1912.

F. W. Morton. Mr. Alorton descends from an ancient Colonial and revolutionary family of X'irginia. his great-grandfather. Major James Morton, who stood six feet and six inches in height, being one of nine brothers who served in the armies of inde- pendence.

Dr. William Smith Morton, son of ]vIajor James Morton, was one of the noted men of his day. His wife, Clementine ( Minor) Morton, was a niece of Dr. John H. Rice and a member of the Minor family of Vir- ginia, distinguished in law and letters.

Captain John Blair Morton, son of Dr. William Smith and Clementine (Minor) Morton, was born at the old homestead on the Appomattox river, "High Hill Planta- tion," Cumberland county, Virginia, in 1836, died in 1867. a planter. He served in the Confederate army, ranking as captain in the Seventeenth Mrginia Regiment. During the latter part of the war he served in the ordnance department, engaged in manufac- turing powder for the army. He married Annie Rice Bowman, born at Greensboro, Georgia, June 6, 1840, daughter of Dr. Fian- cis and Harriet (Rice) Bowman, and niece of Dr. John H. Rice, founder of the Pres-