Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/182

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

Calder H. Herbert. Through the career of Captain Richard Leander Herbert, of whom further, this hne of the family of Herbert is well and favorably known in the city of Portsmouth, Virginia, and in the person of Calder H. Herbert, son of Cap- tain Richard L. Herbert, the family is worthily represented in the business world of the city. The ancestors of the family came from England and were among the early settlers of Portsmouth, Virginia.

Francis C. Herbert, grandfather of Calder H. Herbert, was born in Norfolk county, Virginia, in 1808, died in 1876. He married Mary E. Consolvo, daughter of William and Mary Consolvo, of Norfolk, Virginia, who were of Spanish descent. Mrs. Consolvo died of yellow fever in 1855, during the epi- demic of that dreaded disease. Mr. Herbert was a prominent business man of his town.

Captain Richard Leander Herbert, father of Calder H. Herbert, was born July 12, 1846. died November 20, 1909. He was edu- cated at the Webster Institute until he was fifteen years of age, in which year, 1861, he assisted in organizing the Junior Guards, an organization of boys about his own age. who armed themselves as best they could with a view toward entering the Confeder- ate army, but were not accepted by the Confederate government on account of their tender age. They afterwards acted as car- riers for General Beauchard who was in command of the department until after the evacuation of Portsmouth. After this young Herbert, who was determined to enter ac- tive service, ran the blockade through the Federal lines and made his way to Rich- mond for the purpose of joining Grimes bat- tery. When he reached there he met Cap- tain John H. Thompson, who was acting provost marshal, and was by him detailed for service in the ordnance department and became a private in Company A, Fourth Naval Battalion, under command of Major Miner, who was afterwards succeeded by Major Curling. Richard Ammon was cap- tain of the company. Young Herbert per- formed service in defense of Richmond against the raids of Dahlgren, Stoneman and Kilpatrick around the Chickahominy swamp. He continued in active service around Richmond until its evacuation, and was among the last troops to leave that city to join that part of General Lee's army on the south side of the James river, and was

captured en route and paroled. He re- tiirned home, April 18, 1865, and readily found employment. He was connected with the Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad until 1868, as machinist, and then until 1870 as locomotive engineer. In the latter year he became an engineer in the Portsmouth Vol- unteer Fire Department, from which posi- tion he resigned in 1883 to accept that of general superintendent of the Electric Light (.V Gas Company. This position he held for eleven years, during which period the first electric light plant in the Tidewater section was installed and other improvements made. During all this time he had taken an active part in political affairs and did yeoman service for his party, serving as chairman of the Democratic executive com- mittee from 1873 to 1893, holding a seat in the city council two terms and was a mem- ber of the house of delegates of Virginia from Portsmouth City during the session of 1887-88. On March I, 1894, having retired from the position of superintendent of the Electric Light it Gas Company, on account of failing eyesight, he received from Presi- dent Cleveland the appointment of post- master for the city of Portsmouth. In this important station he was zealous as usual in the interests of the public and succeeded in putting the office in the front rank of its class in character of administration and im- proved conveniences. In November, 1898, he was appointed by Judge A. S. Watts of the Hastings court, commissioner of the revenues for the city of Portsmouth to fill out the unexpired term of Virginius Rutt, deceased. In May, 1900, he was elected by the people to this same office, which posi- tion he held until his death. Captain Her- bert was made a Mason in 1868, was past master and was a Knights Templar. He was also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Royal Arcanum and Heptasophs. He was connected with the Portsmouth Volunteer Fire Department since 1866, and held the position of first and chief engineer for over twenty years. He was a devoted member of the Chambers Steam Fire Engine Company, No. 2, one of the oldest organizations of the state.

Captain Herbert married. May 25, 1S69, Mary E. Brown, daughter of Benjamin W. and Sarah (Wilson) Brown, of Portsmouth, the Wilsons a prominent family of Norfolk county, Virginia, and a granddaughter of