Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/265

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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whose mother was Mary Abia Claiborne, descends from W'ilham Claiborne, the founder of the Claiborne family of Virginia, ■who came with Governor Wyatt in 1621. The Claibornes are traced through the cen- turies in England to the manor of Cleburne or Cliborne. lying in Westmoreland near the river Eden. The manor is named in Domesday Book (1086) and the family pedi- gree is definitely traced to Henrey, to whom Henry II. granted a moiety of the manor of Cliborne. In the old Cleburne church in Westmoreland are memorial tablets to Wil- liam Claiborne, the founder, and of Gen- eral Patrick R. Cleborne. Confederate States army, who was of the Irish branch.

William Claiborne, born about 1587, is first mentioned in connection with Virginia history in June. 1621, when the Virginia company engaged him to go to \^irginia as surveyor with a salary of thirty pounds yearly and house rent. That same year he came to Virginia with Colonial Governor Francis Wyatt. In 1625 Governor Yeard- lev appointed him secretary of state for the colony and member of the council, an office he was holding in i6fio, although he was out of the office from 1637 until 1652, when he was reappointed. On April 6, 1642, he was appointed treasurer of Virginia for life. He figured prominently in boundary line dis- putes with Maryland, and was a most able and influential public character of his day. He married Elizabeth Butler; had sons: William. Thomas, Leonard; daughters: Jane. Mary, who died in 1676. His sons, Lieutenant-Colonel William and Lieutenant- Colonel Thomas Claiborne, were distin- guished in the early \^irginia wars, the for- mer was the first governor of Mississippi, the latter being killed by an Indian arrow while in the service. October 7. 1683. Both married and each left a son, ^^Mlliam (3) and Thomas (2) Claiborne. Leonard, the third son. settled in Jamaica, W'est Indies. He left two daughters. Jane Claiborne, mar- ried Colonel Thomas Brereton, of North- umberland county, Virginia ; Mary Clai- borne, married (first) a Rice, (second) Rob- ert Harris, in 1660.

Dr. Howard Fletcher was born in War- renton, Virginia, September 18, 1875, son of Albert and .'^arah (Withers) Fletcher, the latter a daughter of Howard Withers. Al- bert Fletcher was a merchant and banker, a member of the Virginia constitutional con- vention, and a private of the Confederacy,

scr\ing in the \\';:rrei.ton Ritles, under Cap- tain J. S. Marr. who was the first Con- federate officer killed in the war, 1861-65.

After preparatory courses finished at Mt. Welcome high school in Culpeper county, X'irginia, Dr. Howard Fletcher entered Ran- dolph-Macon Academy at Bedford, Vir- ginia, and two years later, in the fall of 1891, entered Randolph-Macon College at Ash- land, \'irginia. He spent the three suc- ceeding years at the latter institution, win- ning honors and graduating Bachelor of Arts, class of 1894. The following year he took a post-graduate course in the gradu- ates' school, and in September, 1895, entered the medical department of Johns Hopkins University at Baltimore, and received his degree of Doctor of Medicine, with the class of 1900. The following year Dr. Fletcher spent in New York City, as interne at the New York Hospital, then located in Rich- mond, Virginia, practicing his profession there for two years, and lecturing in the medical college. In September, 1904, he located at Fairfax Court- House, where he is well established and popular. He is a member of the Southern Aledical, the Vir- ginia State ]\Iedical and Fairfax County ^ledical societies, and keeps fully informed with all medical and surgical modern thought, discovery or theory. He is a past master of Henry Lodge, No. 57, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is inter- ested in the social and public life of his town.

Dr. Fletcher married. October 8, 1902, Mattie Leigh (Parrish) Powell, born in Fluvanna county. Virginia, daughter of J. Samuel and Mary Leigh ( Morris) Parrish, and granddaughter of Frank M. and Martha .Swan (Hancock) Parrish. the latter a direct descendant of John Hancock, patriot, states- man and signer of the Declaration of Inde- pendence. Mary Leigh Alorris was a direct descendant of Secretary William Claiborne. Children of Dr. Howard and Mattie Leigh (Parrish) Fletcher: Sally Withers, born at Richmond, Virginia, July 12, 1903: Hugh, July 28, 1905 ; Laura Leigh, February 12, 1907; Howard (2), January 21, 1908; the latter three born at Fairfax Court House. Mrs. Fletcher married (first) September 6. 1893, Chapmon Powell, by whom two children were born: Chapmon, born June 16. 1895, ^'ifl Travis Leigh, born April 23, 1900.

Albert (2) Fletcher, brother of Dr. How-