Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/485

 VIRGINIA inOC^RAPIIY

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of Caroline county, who for a century and lialf were distinguished teachers. 'Jlirough his maternal grandfather, he is descended from the Ciardners of New England, and through his maternal grandmother, he is connected with the Edmondsons and Buchanans of Southwest Virginia, who took a prominent part in the revolutionary war, winning especial distinction in the battle of King's Mountain.

Judge Coleman attended the classical school of Mr. E. G. Gwathmcy, near Tay- lorsville, in Hanover county, Virginia, where he was prepared for college. After leaving Air. Gwathmey's school, he entered Richmond College, from which he was ■graduated with the degree of AI. A. He afterwards did special work at the Univer- sity of \'irginia. After he left college, he de- voted himself to teaching. He was for some time head master of Churchland Academy, at Churchland, Norfolk county, Virginia. A large number of the young men trained in this school occupy prominent positions as teachers, lawyers, doctors, and in other pro- fessions in Virginia and other states. Alany of Judge Coleman's friends think that he made a mistake in giving up teaching. After studying law under Professor John B. Minor at the University of Virginia, Judge Coleman was admitted to the bar in 1892. He has always taken a very decided interest in public affairs and has always been a consistent and persistent Democrat. He has, on many occasions, been nominated by the Democratic party in Norfolk county for important public offices. In 1910 he was chosen president of the Norfolk and Ports- mouth Bar Association. In 1913 he was elected judge of the first judicial circuit, composed of the populous and wealthy county of Norfolk.

In 1891 he was married to \'irginia Grif- fin, a daughter of John T. Griffin, of Nor- folk county, Virginia. Judge and Mrs. Coleman have one child, a daughter, Julia G.

Richard Beale Davis belongs to an old Virginia family which participated actively in the struggle for American independence. According to family tradition, three brothers by the name of Davis came from AX'ales to America before the revolution and settled in Isle of A\'ight county. One of them subsequently went to Alississippi.

\\'illiam Edwards Davis, born 1783, grand- father of Richard 1». Davis, was born in Isle of Wight county, and lived in Glouces- ter county, Virginia, all his life, dying there in 1857, aged seventy-four years. He was a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church. His wife, Mary (Hoomes) Davis, was a native of Spottsylvania county, and they were the parents of thirteen children. One of these, Williams Thomas Davis, born h>bruary 6, 181 7, died July, 1888. He was the founder of the Southern Female College of Peterslnirg, of which he remained presi- dent until his death. He was a member of the reserves which were engaged in the defence of Petersburg at the time o( the Kautz raid. He married Elizabeth Tayloe Corbin Beale, a native of Westmoreland county, Virginia, wdio died at Randolph- Alacon College, January 21, 185 1, aged thir- ty-six years. They were the parents of six children, namely : Alartha Emma, wife of William A. Shepard, is now deceased; Wil- liam Hoomes, died while a soldier of the Confederate army ; Hope Alice, is the wife of O. B. Morgan, residing in Richmond, Virginia ; Richard Beale, of further mention ; Joseph C, a resident of Danville, Virginia; Elizabeth Tayloe Corbin, widows of T. L. H. Young, lives in Dunn, North Carolina.

Richard Beale Davis was born February 5, 1845, ij^ Norfolk county, Virginia, and has resided in Petersburg since the fall of 185 1, when he came with his father to that city. His early education was supplied by Peters- burg schools, after which he entered Ran- dolph-AIacon College. Before completing his college course he became a Confederate soldier, joining Company E, Twelfth Vir- ginia Regiment, which became a part of 2\Iahone's brigade, which was surrendered at Appomattox. At the battle of Seven Pines Mr. Davis was wounded, and again at the battle of the Crater. After the war closed he became a student at the Univer- sity of Mrginia, from which he graduated in 1870 with the degree of B. L. While pursuing his college course he engaged in teaching for two years in order to maintain himself at college. Since 1870 he has en- gaged in the practice of law with gratifying success. In 1875 he w^as elected to the Vir- ginia legislature, and was subsecjuently city attorney, and in 1902 was again a member of the legislature. From 1912 to 1914 he was assistant attornev general of the state.