Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/448

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

byterian Union Seminary, at Richmond, X'irginia. Mrs. Alorton survived her hus- band and married (second) Judge Isaac lludson and resided for many years at Dub- lin, \'irginia. Children of Captain John I>lair Morton; i. Edith, born in 1861, now residing at Lynchburg, V^irginia, unmarried. 2. F. W., of further mention. 3. Rev. John niair, born at Charlottesville, Virginia, in i^f)/. now a clergyman of the Presbyterian church, located at Charleston, West Vir- ginia. Children of Mrs. Annie Rice (Bow- man) Morton by her second husband. Judge Isaac Hudson: i. Rev. Robert B. Hudson, a Presbyterian minister, now located at Sinks Grove, Virginia. 2. Raymond M., an attorney of Washington, D. C. 3. Clement H., an attorney of Logan, AVest Virginia, now deceased. 4. John B., mining engineer of Logan, West \"irginia, now deceased. 5. Annie R., now residing in Montreat, North Carolina, unmarried.

F. W. Morton, eldest son of Captain John Blair and Annie Rice (Bowman) Morton, was born in Cumberland county, Virginia, at the home of his grandfather, "High Hill Plantation," on Appomattox river, Decem- ber 17, 1863. He attended private and pub- lic schools of the district, Dublin high school, G. W. Walker's Academy, prepara- tory to entering Hampden-Sidney College, in Prince Edward county, Virginia, in Sep- tember, 1884. He entered in the junior year and in 1886 was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He taught for one year in the graded schools of Radford, Virginia, then accepted an assistant pro- fessorship at Southwestern Presbyterian University, at Clarksville, Tennessee, re- maining there three years. At that time, the Divinity School of the university was in charge of Dr. Joseph R. Wilson, father of Woodrow Wilson, now president of the United States. He then taught in private schools in Lexington and Dublin, Virginia, in the meantime pursuing a course of legal study under the preceptorship of his step- father. Judge Isaac Hudson, of Dublin, an eminent member of the Virginia bench and bar.

Mr. Morton continued legal study under Judge liudson until 1892, then passed the recjuired examinations and was admitted to the bar. Lie began practice in Newbern, Virginia, forming a law partnership with J. C. Wysor and continuing in Newbern

about three years. He then moved to Pu- laski, the capital of Pulaski county, Vir- ginia, where he still continues a successful, honorable practitioner in all state and Fed- eral courts of the district. In 191 1 Mr. Mor- ton was elected commonwealth's attorney for Pulaski county, was inducted into office, January i, 1912, and has since that date de- fended the people's interest against wrong- doers. He is devoted to his profession but has been a frequent contributor to maga- zines, newspapers and legal journals on sub- jects legal, economic, and educational, that have attracted most favorable comment. His essay on "The Study of Current Events in Schools and Colleges" was entered and won in the prize essay competition conduct- ed by "Public Opinion." He takes a broad outlook on life, his pedagogic and legal ex- perience being tempered by a practical and liberal mind. He is a member of the pro- fessional associations of the district, the Ma- sonic fraternity, the Presbyterian church, and in politics is a Democrat.

Mr. Morton married, July 30, 1895, Kath- erine Benson, born in Charlottesville, \"ir- ginia, in 1863, daughter of Henry and Fran- ces (Jarvis) Benson, the latter a sister of Captain George Jarvis, who commanded the Richmond "Blues," during the war between the states. Children, all born in Pulaski : Francis Byron, May 2~, 1897. Byron Ben- son, May 12, 1898, Christie Blair, Decem- ber 21, 1899.

Thomas Demoval Armistead. Thomas Demoval Armistead, M. D., a prominent citizen and physician of Roanoke, Virginia, is a descendant from some of the oldest and most distinguished families of Virginia. He was born September 18, 1873, ^^ Cumber- land county, Virginia, a son of J. A. and Virginia (Madison) Armistead. His pater- nal grandfather. Dr. T. D. Armistead, was a graduate from the Jefferson Medical Col- lege in Philadelphia, and was for many years a promment physician in Virginia. J. A. Armistead, father of Thomas D. Armi- stead, is a planter of Cumberland county. His wife, who was Virginia ^ladison, was a daughter of James Madison, whose family is related to the family of President Madi- son.

Dr. Thomas D. Armistead received his early education from private tutors, under whose direction he was fitted for a college