Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/462

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

herst. elected in 1775. Colonel Ambrose Rucker married and among his children was a son. Isaac, grandfather of Dr. Edwin Timothy Rucker. Isaac Rucker married Mary A. Christian, and they were the par- ents of Benjamin Jennings Rucker, born December 3. 1809, died April 27, 1889. Ben- jamin Jennings Rucker was a miller and farmer of Amherst county, Virginia, a man of high character and well respected. He married Eliza Sandidge, daughter of Lind- sa}- and Clara ( Iligginbotham) Sandidge. and had a family of seven children, includ- ing a son. Edwin Timothy Rucker.

Dr. Edwin Timothy Rucker, of Richmond, was- born in Amherst county, Virginia. IVIarch 13, 1853. ^^ grew up on the home farm, obtaining a good preparatory educa- tion at Kenmore High School at Amherst Court House. He then entered Randolph- Macon College, later taking a medical course at Kentucky School of Medicine, from which he graduated M. D. in 1876. He at once began practice, locating at Po- hick Church in Fairfax county, Virginia, continuing there three years. He was then connected with the college at Ashland until 1888. After two year's rest he located in Richmond. Virginia, in 1890, and still con- tinues in general practice in that city, an honored physician of high repute. He is city physician, has been chairman of the school board for many years and is a direc- tor of the Manchester National Bank. He is a member of the various professional societies and of the Central Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is a Demo- crat.

Dr. Rucker married, in New Glasgow, Amherst county, Virginia, November 18, 1879, Annie Pendleton Pierce, born in King William county, Virginia, daughter of Rev. Thomas Amos Pierce, of Fauquier county, a minister of the ^lethodist Episcopal church. He followed the same calling among the soldiers of the Confederacy, death overtaking him shortly after the war ended. Rev. Thomas Amos IMerce married Maria Claiborne Dabney, daughter of Mor- decai Booth and Mary Pendleton (Floomes) Dabney, granddaughter of lienjamin and Mary (Pendleton) Hoomes. Mary Pendle- ton was a descendant of Philip Pendleton, who settled in New Kent (now^ Caroline) county, Virginia, coming from England in 1674. Chiklrcn of Dr. Edwin T. Rucker:

Marvin Pierce and Annie Claiborne, the latter born September 6, 1883, married James Fleet Reyland in 1908, and resides in ^Manchester (Richmond).

^larvin Pierce Rucker, only son of Dr. Edwin T. Rucker. was born in Fairfax county, Virginia, January 6, 1881. He pre- pared for college in the Manchester High School, then entered Randolph-Macon, where he was graduated in the class of 1899. He prepared for the profession of medicine at the Aledical College of Virginia, attend- ing one year, then entered Johns Hopkms University, Baltimore, Maryland, wdience he was graduated M. D., class of 1903. After graduation he returned to Richmond, where he is associated in practice with his father, and engaged in teaching at the Medical College of Virginia. He married, November 3, 1906, Josephine McRae, born in Rich- mond, daughter of G. Scott and lennie (Baird) McRae.

John Henry Brownley. Now a member of one of the leading mercantile firms of Norfolk^ Ames, Brownley & Hornthal, In- corporated, John Henry Brownley has risen to eminence and prosperity in the business w^orld of the city from a position obscure and unimportant. He is not alone promi- nent as a member of the above mentioned well known firm, but is deeply interested and is influential and active in promoting favorable trade conditions and in creating among the merchants a feeling and spirit that will induce co-operation and union for the common benefit.

Jefl:'erson Lafayette Brownley, father of John Henry Brownley, was born in Mathews county, Virginia, October, 1830, died February 2t,, 1893. He received such education as was available by attendance at the schools of ]\Iathews county. He served his trade in Baltimore as a ship carpenter, and by close application and a determi- nation to make his chosen vocation count for the most, he soon became a skillful mechanic and master of his trade, and later returned to his native county where he de- signed and built many handsome vessels of the type so much in demand in that day. He was a soldier in the Confederate army, and later became master carpenter under Commodore Maury of Confederate fame. He w^as a consistent member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, a member of the