Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/71

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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was born in Manchester (Richmond). \'ir- ginia, March 17, 1883. He was educated in the pubHc schools, finishing his preparatory study at the high school. He became a pro- ficient stenographer, and from 1900 to 1902 was employed as such in the law office of Wyndham R. Meredith. He later entered the Medical College of Virginia, receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine from that institution in 1906. He spent the following year in post-graduate work at Philadelphia Polyclinic, and in 1907 became interne at Richmond Memorial Hospital. In 1908 and 1909 he was surgeon for the Crane Creek Coal & Coke Company, and in 1910 began private practice in Richmond, where he is becoming well known as a skillful, reliable and honor- able physician. In 1913 he became associate professor in orthopaedic surgery at the Medical College of Virginia. He has made special investigations in "tropical diseases" and is yet a hard student and investigator along medical lines, with fixed and steady purpose. He is a member of the Aledical Society of Virginia ; Richmond Academy of Medicine and Surgery ; president of the Chesterfield County Medical Society ; Alumni Society, Medical College of Virginia ; Pi Mu, Greek letter medical fraternity ; the Masonic order ; of the Eastern Star (past patron) ; Richmond Young Men's Christian Association ; a communicant of the Presby- terian church, and a Democrat in politics. His favorite recreations are horseback rid- ing and motoring, forms of recreation he finds most helpful as well as enjoyable. His cheerful manner and kindliness of disposi- tion win him many friends, while his manly upright character holds them always to him.

Bishop Thomas Campbell Darst. 1lie ecclesiastical career of Rev. Thomas Camp- bell Darst, bishop of the diocese of Eastern Carolina, has been one of exceptional activ- ity, and he has performed service in several fields. Upon the completion of his course in divinity at the Virginia Seminar}- he was ordained a deacon of the Protestant Epis- copal church, entered the priesthood in the following year, filled dift'erent assistant posi- tions and full charges, and on October 8, 1914, was made bishop of the diocese of Eastern Carolina. Bishop Darst is rector of St. James' Parish of Richmond, Virginia, having previously, 1905 to 1909, been identi- fied with St. Mark's Church, of this city, and

in Richmond, as in the other places whither his ministry has taken him, is loved and honored as an ecclesiastic of sincerity and purpose, one who lives the creed he cham- pions.

(I) The family of which Bishop Darst is a member has been long resident in \lr- ginia, its early home in Rockbridge county, where was born Benjamin Darst, grand- father of Bishop Darst. Benjamin Darst was owner of large lands, which he devoted to agriculture and stock raising, prospering in his operations and acquiring a generous competence. He was a soldier in the Amer- ican army in the war of 181 2. Benjamin Darst married Elizabeth Welsh, born at the noted Fancy Hill, Rockbridge countv, \'ir- ginia, then owned by her father, and among their children was Thomas Welsh, of whom further.

(II) Thomas Welsh Darst, son of Benja- min and Elizabeth (Welsh) Darst. was born in Rockbridge county, \'irginia, in Septem- ber, 1817, and died in 1882. His active years were passed in farming, and during the war with the states he held the rank of major of militia, while both of his sons of his first marriage, soldiers in the Confederate States army, met death at the front. Thomas Welsh Darst married (first) Margaret Miller; (second) in 1859, Margaret Glendy, born in Augusta county, Virginia, Novem- ber 25, 1830, daughter of John Glendy, a native of Londonderry, Ireland, and his wife, Mary Wilson (Larue) Glendy. John Glendy was brought to" the United States by his parents in infancy and was reared in Augusta county, Virginia, where he resided until 1835, in that year moving to Pulaski county. \'irginia, where he farmed on an extensive scale. Other than the two sons who were killed in battle. Thomas Welsh Darst had two children by his first marriage, the others Elizabeth, married W. F. How- ard, of Pulaski county, A'irginia, and Mary, married John W. Wilson, of Pulaski county, Virginia. Children of Thomas Welsh and Margaret (Glendy) Darst: Gillie Wilson, married D. P. Martin, of Salem. Virginia ; James C. a resident of Norfolk, Virginia ; Margaret, deceased, married Robert Brown, of Pulaski county, Virginia; Frank ]\I., de- ceased ; Thomas Campbell, of whom fur- ther.

(HI) Rev. Thomas Campbell Darst, youngest of the five children of Thomas