Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/240

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

cation in the medical department of the Uni- versity of Maryland, at Baltimore, continu- ing his studies there until graduated M. D., class of 1912. After spending a few monchs as interne in Baltimore hospitals, he re- turned to Virginia, where, after passing the Virginia state board of medical examiners, he located late in 1912, in Eagle Rock, Bote- tourt county. Although young in experi- ence. Dr. Webb is thoroughly qualified for the practice of his profession and has already won the confidence and respect of the com- munity in which he has cast his lot.

Judge Alexander Wellington Wallace.

When Corporal Alexander Wellington Wal- lace, as the surviving ranking officer of Com- pany C, Thirtieth Regiment Virginia Volun- teer Infantry, Confederate States Army, surrendered his command at Appomattox Court House, he turned over three men to the victors, was paroled and on April 13, 1865, returned to his father's home in Fred- ericksburg, which had escaped destruction. There he found his three brothers, Wistar, Charles and Howson, who had returned from the army a day or two before, Charles bringing with him a horse that he had used in the cavalry service. With the old cav- alry horse as their sole capital the four boys determined to cultivate some of the acres of their father's country seat, "Liberty Hall," in Stafford county, Virginia. The old war horse refused to labor in such a peaceful oc- cupation as plowing and the four brothers separated, Wistar resuming law practice in Fredericksburg and at the present time is a retired wealthy resident of that city. Charles obtained a small capital from the sale of plug tobacco to Sherman's returning soldiers, en- tered mercantile life and at the time of his death was president of the National Bank of Fredericksburg. Howson, the youngest of the four, by the sale of food articles to the same soldiers, realized enough to join his brother, Charles, in business, and suc- ceeded the latter at his death in the presi- dency of the National Bank of Fredericks- burg. Alexander Wellington, the remaining brother, will have further mention.

These four boys were sons of Dr. John H. Wallace, who. at the outbreak of the war in 1861, was a wealthy man. then president of the Farmers' Bank of Fredericksburg, with a town house in Fredericksburg and a country seat, "Liberty Hall," in Staflford county. At the close of the war the town

house stood, having been saved from de- struction by fire by the daring fidelity of a colored slave, Fielding Grant. The house had been looted and only some plain furni- ture was in the house to which Dr. Wallace brought his wife and his mother, the former sixty years of age, the grandmother nearing ninety. These three people, with Fielding, the colored former slave and his wife, the faithful "Mammy" of the family, were oc- cupying the old home when the four boys, all unharmed, strong and healthy returned from the war and were received with as great joy, as if the same plenty and prosper- ity abounded in the old home as when they left it. Dr. Wallace was the first president of the old Farmers' Bank of Fredericksburg founded in 1830, that institution being suc- ceeded by the National Bank of Fredericks- burg over which his three sons, Charles, Howson and Alexander W. have ruled as president. His wife, Mary Nicholas Gor- don, was a descendant of Thomas Fitzhugh, of Stafford county. Virginia, and Samuel (lordon, of Scotland, the latter with his brother, Basil Gordon, being credited with having made the first million dollars made in trade in the United States. They were of Falmouth, Virginia, now almost a deserted village, and just prior to the war shipped several packet shiploads of tobacco to Liver- pool which they held for the fabulous prices that later prevailed. Dr. Wallace died honored and respected in 1879. His wife in 1887. The W^allaces of Fredericksburg de- scended from Dr. Michael Wallace, who came from Scotland to Staflford county, Vir- ginia, where he practiced medicine until his (ieath. He was of the eleventh generation in descent from Sir Malcolm Wallace, uncle of the Scotch patriot and friend of Bruce, Sir W^illiam Wallace, renowned in history, story and song. Dr. Michael Wallace, mar- ried one of the famous nine Brown sisters of Maryland from whom are descended the Wallaces. Scotts, Moncures. and Peytons, of Virginia, the Keys of Maryland, the Bul- lets of Kentucky.

Judge Alexander Wellington Wallace was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, August 20, 1843. He prepared in "Brookland School," Greenwood Depot, Albemarle county, Virginia, taking the gold medal for oratory when sixteen years of age. He next entered the law department of the Uni- versity of Virginia, class of 1861, but he did not finish the course, leaving before