Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/472

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MRGIXIA BIOGRAPHY

ty, Virginia, December 14. 1835, died in 1909. He was clerk of the corporation court, Buena Vista, Virginia, a magistrate under the old law and by virtue of his office exempt from military duty, justice of the peace, a highly respected and influential man in his community. He married a cousin, Alari- amna Rucker, born in Bedford county, in 1838, died June 8, 1888, daughter of James Monroe and Marinda (McDaniels) Rucker. Her brother, Alborn Mack Rucker, while serving in a Virginia regiment of the Con- federate army was wounded in battle, dying from the effects of his wound. Child, Henry Smith, of further mention.

(HI) Henry Smith Rucker, son of Dan- iel H. and Mariamna (Rucker) Rucker, was l)orn in Amherst county, Virginia, March 9, 1873. His public school education began in the schools of Amherst county, was com- pleted in the Buena Vista high school. In 1898 he entered Washington-Lee Univer- sity, law department, whence he was grad- uated Bachelor of Law, in June, 1898. He was formally admitted to the bar in July of the same year and began practice at Lex- ington, the capital of Rockbridge county, the seat of Washington-Lee University and Virginia Military Institute. Lie began legal practice in the office of Colonel W. A. An- derson, continuing until 1900, when he located at Buena Vista, eight miles distant from Lexington on the Chesapeake and Ohio and Norfolk and Western railroads, a thriving town of about three thousand in- habitants and many prosperous industries. There he formed a law partnership with C. B. Guyer, practicing as Guyer & Rucker until 1903, when the firm dissolved. Mr. Rucker continued alone until 1906, practic- ing in all state and Federal courts of the district and attaining high standing as an able lawyer and wise counsellor. In 1906 a vacancy occurred in the office of common- wealth attorney for Rockbridge county, which was filled by the appointment of Mr. Rucker. His conduct of the prosecutor's office was so satisfactory that at the close of his appointive term in 1908, he was nomi- nated and elected by the people to succeed himself. lie has since held the office con- tinuously through reelections, his efficient service being recognized by both bench and bar and all having business with the com- monwealth attorney's office, but not all to

the satisfaction of those who break the laws he is sworn to execute.

He is a member of the X'irginia Bar Asso- ciation; Buena \"ista, Xo. 186, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is an honored past master ; and the Junior Order of Amer- ican Mechanics. In political faith he is a Democrat.

Mr. Rucker married. December 12, 1906, Verna May Hodges, born in Richmond, Vir- ginia, October 5, 1876, daughter of Vernon E. and (jeorgie Winston (Joseph) Hodges. Children: Harry Hodges, died in infancy; Georgie Mariamna, born November 28, 1909; Flenry Smith (2), born in Bu^na \'ista, \^irginia, August 15, 1913.

George R. Cheves. x-\s editor and pub- lisher of the "Southwest Times and News Review" at Pulaski, Virginia, Mr Cheves wields an influence that is always exerted in behalf of the advancement and best inter- est of his community. He is a Virginian by adoption, having been born in the sister state of Kentucky, where he was educated and engaged in business until coming to Pulaski, A^irginia. But he descends from illustrious sires that in the state of South Carolina and in the nation ranked with the leading public men of the day, among whom was Langdon Cheves, lawyer, statesman and president of the United States Bank.

Langdon Cheves was born at Rocky River in what is now Abbeyville county, South Carolina, September 17, 1776, son of Alex- ander and Mary (Langdon) Cheves. Alex- ander Cheves, a Scotchman, was a small Indian trader, who during the war of the revolution moved to Charleston and en- gaged in business. At the age of ten years, Langdon Cheves was apprenticed to a ship- ping merchant as office boy. By his own efforts he acquired a fair education, and at the age of eighteen years began the study of law, being admitted to the bar at Charles- ton. He arose rapidly and in ten years from the date of his admission was recognized as at the head of his profession in South Caro- lina. In 1808 he was appointed attorney- general with a net income of twenty thou- sand dollars a year. He was three times elected to the South Carolina Legislature and in 181 1 was elected to Congress. Mr. Cheves was one of the famous "war mess," the other members being William Lowndes,