Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/620

 46.

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

tam, fighting in a \'irginia regiment of the Confederate army, and after the war ended died from the effects of his wound. Another brother, Thomas B. Claiborne, served four years in a X'irginia regiment of the Confed- erate army, later practiced law and was elected judge of the county court of Frank- lin county, X'irginia. George W. and Susan AI. (Claiborne) Wilson had sons: i. Nathan- iel Claiborne, born in Botetourt county, Virginia, in 1841 ; a graduate of Virginia Military Institute and of the law department of the University of Virginia; major of the Twenty-eighth Regiment Virginia Infantry, killed at the battle of Gettysburg at the head of his regiment, charging with Pickett's division on the never-to-be-forgotten day in julv. 1863, when the Blue and Gray proved to the world the incomparable quality of the American soldier. 2. XX'illiam H., born in Botetourt county. X'irginia, died in 1899; also served in the Twenty-eighth Virginia infantry, was wounded in battle, rose to the position of major on the staff of General Jul)al Early, serving until the war ended ; after the war he located in Colorado, wdiere he became an expert prominent mining en- gineer. 3. George XX'., born in Botetourt county, X'irginia. in 1844; now clerk of Montgomery county courts, residing at Christiansburg ; he was page and doorkeeper of the X'irginia house of assembly during the four years of the war, also served in a X'irginia regiment and participated in sev- eral battles incident to the defence of Rich- mond. 5. Thomas James, of further men- tion.

Thoma- James (i) XX'ilson, youngest son of George W. and Susan M. (Claiborne) XX'ilson, was born at Spring Brook, Bote- tourt county. X^irginia, June 29, 1858. He was educated in the old field schools of the county, and studied law under the precep- torship of his father and F. H. May, both eminent members of the Botetourt county bar. He was admitted to the bar in 1886, practiced in X'irginia and XX^est Virginia until about 1894. then retired, and has since been engaged in the real estate business and as justice of the peace at Clifton h'orge, Al- leghany county. X^irginia, a thriving town on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. He is a member of Clifton Forge Lodge, No. 166, Free and Accepted Masons, and in political faith is a Republican.

lie married Sue James, daughter of Hon.

( Ireen James, editor of the 'A^alley XX'hig," iniblished in I'incastle, X'irginia, before and during the war 1861-65. Green James repre- sented his county in the X^irginia house of assembly before and during the war and was secretary of the commonwealth of X^irginia. Mrs. XX'ilson's brothers. Captain John T. and Edward James, both served in the Confed- erate army in the Fincastle Rifles, Eleventh Regmient X'irginia Infantry, the former as captain. The latter, a lad of eighteen years, a private, gave his life for the cause, being killed at the battle of XX^illiamsburg. Chil- dren of Thomas James and Sue (James) XX'ilson : Floyd Archer, born at Fincastle, X'irginia, August 30, 1884; Thomas James, of further mention ; Mary Susan, born at Fincastle in 1891 ; Bernice Leigh, born at Clifton Forge, April i, 1894; Damaris, born in Clifton Forge, December 29, 1896; Kate, born in Clifton Forge, x'Xugust 30, 1898; Nathaniel Claiborne, born in Clifton Forge, October 20, 1901.

Thomas James (2) XXTlson, second son of Thomas James (i) and Sue (James) XVil- .'^on, was born at Hawksnest, XX'est X'irginia, February 25, 18S8. XX'hile still young his parents returned to X'irginia, locating at Clifton Forge, where he attended the public schools, preparing for college at Alleghany Institute, of which institution he was a student two years. In 1905 he entered Ran- dolph-Macon College, pursuing the aca- demic course and graduating with the class of 1907. After the graduation he entered the employ of the Southern Railroad, be- coming an auditor in the ticket department with offices in XX'ashington, D. C. During this same period he was a student at the "National University Law School" of XVash- ington, continuing study there until June, 1909, when he was graduated with his de- gree. Bachelor of Law, After passing an examination before the supreme court of X^irginia, he was admitted to the bar of X'ir- ginia. his preparation for practice having been made under the preceptorship of State Senator Edgar T. Brackett. one of the strong men of the Saratoga county bar and of the New York senate, under whom he studied at Saratoga Springs for six months. He did not practice in New York but returned to X'irginia, where he had been admitted to the bar, and at once began practice at Clifton Forge, the home of his parents. He con- tinued in private practice until November