Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/750

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

meats. In the house he was a worker, and at his funeral were twenty \-eterans from the Camp Soldiers' Home, for which Air. Toney had made a brave fight in the legis- lature in an efifort to improve conditions for these aged veterans of the Confederacy.

Mr. Toney was a member of Manches- ter Lodge, No. 14, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons ; Stonewall Jackson Aerie. Fraternal Order of Eagles ; Manchester Lodge, I'enevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of several other fraternal organ- izations.

Mr. Toney married (first) Ida B. Pearce, who died in August, 1904, leaving children : Chesley, David Lafayette and Edna. He married (second) Pearl Fuqua, of Chester- field county, Virginia, who survives him.

The death of Mr. Toney was a distinct shock to his wide circle of friends, as his illness only lasted from four o'clock in the morning until seven thirty in the evening. Funeral services were held in the Bain- bridge Street Baptist Church, which was crowded long before the arrival of the fu- neral cortege. Delegations were present from all fraternal and civic orders of the South Side, and the state of Virginia was represented by Lieutenant-Governor J. Taylor Ellyson and Speaker Edwin P. Cox, fellow members of the house of delegates and of the senate being present as honorary { all bearers. Out of respect for the mem- ory of Mr. Toney all moving picture houses in the city suspended business for five min- utes, the flag over the capitol was placed at half-mast ?nd his desk in the house draped in mourning for the period of thirty days. Amid a wealth of floral tributes, the services at the church were conducted by the Rev. John M. Kinchelow, assisted by Rev. James Reynolds, who was a school- mate of Mr. Toney in Powhatan county : the services at the grave were conducted by Mr. Toney "s brethren, according to the beautiful ritual of the Masonic order. Re- solutions of respect and regret were adopt- ed by the various bodies of which Mr. Toney was a member and in every way his memory was most beautifully remembered, judge Ernest H. Wells, of Hustings Court, part 2. and Justice H. A. Maurice, of ])olice court, part 2, lifetime friends of Mr. Toney, ])erhaps best voice the estimation in which he was held. Said Judge Wells: "Mr. Toney was a man of sterling character. 1

was associated with him in my boyhood. Before I reached the age of twenty-one I was an active worker for Mr. Toney in his campaigns and the first vote I cast was for him. His death is a distinct loss to the community."

Said Justice Maurice, "Mr. Toney was a most exemplary citizen. He was always ready to help in any charitable or good cause. I consider that in his death, South Richmond has sustained an irreparable loss. He will be greatly missed in this community and sorrow will be expressed wherever he is known."

Henry Taylor Jr. comes of a family, which for generations has been identified with Virginia, and is typical of all that is best in the history and traditions of that state; in which, perhaps, more than any other, the associations of the great past are still operative in the forming of men's char- acters to-day.

This family traces its descent from James Taylor, of Carlisle. England, who settled on York river early in the seventeenth cen- tury. Colonel James Taylor, of Caroline county, Virginia, General James Taylor, of Kentucky, and President Zachary Taylor were among his descendants. But more dis- tinguished than these was John Taylor, of Caroline, major in the Continental army, ten times elected to the legislature of Vir- ginia, twice to the senate of the C^nited States, member of the Virginia constitu- tional convention, distinguished lawyer and eminent agriculturist, and the author of five books upon politics and agriculture. John Taylor married the only daughter of John Penn, signer of the Declaration of Indepen- dence, and was the father of a large family. One of his sons was Henry Taylor, of Bel- videra, a country estate near Fredericks- burg, who married Julia, daughter of Thomas Leiper, of Philadelphia, and whose oldest living son is Henry Taylor II., for- merly of Montrose, Westmoreland county. Henry Taylor II. married Mary Minor, (laughter of James and Susan Morris \\'at- son, of Louisa county, and in 1865 he re- moved to Westend, the estate of his wife, in Louisa county, where he has since passed liis long and honored life.

His eldest son is Henry Taylor III., the subject of this sketch, who was born Sep- tember 22, 1854, at Westend, Louisa county.