Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/142

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

and in him is found all of the loyalty to lofty principles that made his ancestors men of distinction and importance.

He married, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Decem- ber 28, 1899, Mary Holmes, born in that place, October 18, 1876, daughter of Rich- ard Bruyere and Mary B. (Meaney) Sin- nickson, her father a capitalist of Cincin- nati, Ohio. Thomas Jordan and Mary H"olmes (Sinnickson) Coles are the parents of: I. Mary Lavinia, born October 21, 1902.

2. Alice Sinnickson, born January 6, 1907.

3. Richard Sinnickson, bo.rn November 6, 1909. 4. Harriet Russell, born January 6,

In "A History of the Fenwick Colon)'" it is stated that the Sinnickson family is one of the oldest in South Jersey and is of Swedish origin. The name was first spelled Cinca, later Seneca, Sinaker. Sinnick and finally Sinnickson.

The American ancestor of the line was .\nders Seneca, who came to America with the Swedish colonists in 1638, settling in New Jersey. He had one son, Anders Sin- aker.

Anders (2) Sinaker married and had two sons, Sinnick, who married Margaret Vi- gorie, and John.

John, son of Anders (2) Sinaker, married Anne Gill Johnson, and had a son, Andrew.

Andrew Sinnickson, son of John and Anne Gill (Johnson) Sinaker, married Sarah Copner, and had a son, Seneca.

Seneca Sinnickson, son of Andrew and Sarah (Copner) Sinnickson, married Ruth Bruyere, a member of the Society of Friends, and lived near Salem, New Jersey. They had children : James, Joseph Copner, Richard Bruyere, of whom further, Sarah. Mary Holmes, Peter, Seneca. The Bruyere family traces a clear line for seven gener- ations, is of French origin, and among its American members owns several illustrious figures, among them Captain James Bruy- ere. who gained his rank in the Colonial ary in the war for independence.

Richard Bruyere Sinnickson, son of Seneca and Ruth (Bruyere) Sinnickson, born January 4, 1826, died March 3, 1914. He married Mary B. Meaney, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and had children: Mary Holmes, of previous mention, married Thomas J. Coles ; Ruth Bruyere. died at the age of six years : Sarah Dell, died aged four years; Seneca Richard. Mary B. (Meanev) Sinnickson is

a descendant of French ancestors, in one line from a family originally writing the name De La Pour. The family invaded Ireland and there the name exists at the ]jresent time in Limerick, Waterford and Wexford as La Pour, La Power, Power.

Thomas Sinnickson took an active part in the revolutionary war commanding a company in the Continental army. Because ol' his inflamed and bitter writings against British tyranny he was outlawed by Lord Flowe and a heavy reward was oft'ered for him, dead or alive. He was a member of the first Congress of the United States, also holding a seat in that body from 1796 to 1798. He married Sarah Hancock, daugh- ter of Judge Hancock, who was killed bv British troops in his home in 1778. There is a story of a Sinnickson in revolutionary times, who, being pursued by British troops, led them across a causeway that was under water, and they, not suspecting the trick, were sucked under by the soft sand about sixteen feet deep at that point, and were drowned.

William Dabbs Blanks. Honored in busi- ness and pulilic life, the life of William D. Blanks, of Clarksville, Virginia, may be with justice termed a successful one, but from his own standpoint much could have been accomplished had he possessed greater educational advantages. The greatest ele- ments of success in life, he deems a thor- ough education, supplemented by proper home training and a high purpose. Lack- ing only the former, he has pursued so per- sistent a course of private study that were it not for his own evidence the lack of college training could not be discovered. He ex- emplified in his own life the value of home training, private study, careful choice of companions, truth, honesty and high pur- pose, proving that with these a man can rise to any position to which he may aspire. His tastes were for a professional life, par- ticularly the law, for which he privately pre- I)ared, but believing his lack of a college degree a handicap, he decided upon a busi- ness career, a decision not regretted, as in the world of commerce he has established a name among the successful men of his com- munity.

Paternally and maternally Mr. Blanks de- scends from English ancestors, one of whom on the maternal side. Sir Richard Dabbs.