Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/708

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

firm of Georg-e A. Lea cK: Company and as director in several other important enter- prises.

George Addison Lea was born in Caswell county, North Carolina, April 17, 1857, and in his youth attended the local schools, leav- ing home at the age of fifteen years to earn an independent livelihood. Coming to Dan- ville at that time he entered the tobacco business, and for two years was employed as flioor manager of the Cjrange Warehouse, after which he established in warehouse l)usiness for the sale of leaf tobacco, in part- nership with his brother, John G., and J. B. Anderson, under the firm name of Lea, An- derson & Lea. This relation continued for two years and was then succeeded by John G. and J. B. Anderson. Mr. Lea then en- gaged in the leaf tobacco business and estab- lished the firm of George A. Lea & Com- pany, at the present time holding the lead- ing ])osition in the direction of its business, which is extensive and profitable, measuring well with the other institutions of a similar nature in the city of Danville. He is a direc- tor of the Danville Knitting Alills, a direc- tor of the Danville Fair, and owns consider- al)le land in Caswell coimty. North Caro- lina, including the old homestead of his birth. He holds membership in the House Rock Wheel Club, and belongs to the First Baptist Church. He was a prime mover in the organization of the Roanoke Female Institute and active in securing funds for the erection oi the btiildings housing that institution. Mr. Lea's political activity has always been in behalf of the Democratic party, in whose principles he is a sincere be- liever.

He married Lmma AI. Betts, born in Hali- fax county, Virginia, daughter of Captain William S. Betts. Her father, whose wife's maiden name was Faulkner, was a captain in the Confederate army, serving through- out the four years of the war between the states. Of the nine children of Mr. and Mrs. Lea, five are living at this time: George A., Jr., engaged in the real estate business in Columbia. South Carolina; Fmma T.. mar- ried A. A. T'>ooth. of Richmond. \"irginia, cashier of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad ; Robert Emmett. a tobacco dealer of Dan- ville; Gladys W.. unmarried, lives at home; Daisy W. Through the military services of his ancestors Mr. Lea is a member of the

Sons of the Revolution, while Mrs. Lea is a Colonial Dame.

Samuel Mordecai Boiling. The Boilings of X'irginia descend from Robert Boiling, who came from. London to Virginia in 1660. He was a son of John Boiling, of "Boiling Hall," Yorkshire, of an ancient English fam- ily. A Robert Boiling, in the reign of Ed- ward the Fourth, of England, possessed Holling Hall and there many generations of his ancestors had lived.

(I) Robert Boiling, the first of his name in V^irginia, was born in London, England, December 26, 1646. He arrived in Virginia at the age of fourteen years, October 2, 1660, and in the year 1675 married (first) Jane, daughter of Thomas Rolfe, and granddaugh- ter of the Princess Pocahontas (wife of John Rolfe), and great-granddaughter of the In- dian Emperor Powdiattan. By her he had one son, John. He married a second wife. Anne, daughter of John Stith, by whom he had a large family. This Robert Boiling lived at Kippax, in Prince (ieorge county, where he died July 17. 1707, and is there buried.

(II j Robert (2) Boiling, eldest son of Robert (i) Boiling by his second wife, Anne (Stith) Boiling, of Brunswick county, Vir- ginia, was born in 1682, died 1749. He mar- ried Anne Cocke, of another prominent Vir- ginia family, who bore him sons and daugh- ters.

(III) Robert (3) Boiling, son of Robert (2) and Anne (Cocke) Boiling, was born in 1730, died 1775. He settled at "Boiling- brook." Petersburg, Virginia, and in 1765, 1768 and 1770 represented Dinwuddie county in the house of burgesses. He married (first) Martha, sister of Colonel John Ban- ister, of "Ballersea," a member of Congress. He married (second) in 1758, Mary Mar- shall, daughter of Colonel Thomas Tabb. of "Clay Hill," Amelia county, A'irginia, who died in 1844. Thomas Tabb was a member of the X'irginia house of burgesses from Amelia county in 1752 and in 1768.

(IV) Robert (4) Boiling, of "Centre Hill," son of Robert (3) I'olling and his sec- ond wife. Mary Marshall (Tabb) Boiling, was born in 1761. He married (first) in 1781. Mary Burton, only daughter of Colo- nel Robert Boiling Burton, of "Challowe." who died in 1787; married (second) in 1790,