Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/323

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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already won considerable appreciation from his emploj-ers, who had promoted him sev- eral times. By the end of that same period he had also saved, by dint of hard work and economy, sufficient capital to start in business on his own account. This he did, and opened a retail shoe establishment in 1891, prospering well from the outset. The business continued to flourish greatly until 1898. when Mr. Patrick received an ofi'er from the great shoe concern of Philadelphia, Werner, XVright & Walker, to become its representative in the southern states. This offer he accepted and from that time to the present has traveled throughout his district developing the business there. There could scarcely be imagined a set of circumstances better fitted for the special talent of Mr. Patrick, who has built up a very large trade and made himself invaluable to the Phila- delphia company. He was admirably pre- pared for this kind of work, for besides the natural ability to sell goods which was born in him, he also had a very large under- standing of human nature and its motives so that he could accommodate himself to meet all sorts and conditions of men, and he had a very complete knowledge of the shoe business besides which greatly in- creased his effectiveness. Twice a year he makes the rounds in his region, seeing his old customers and making sure of his hold on them and at the same time seeking new custom. In this matter he is very success- ful. Rarely indeed does he lose the trade of any one who has dealt with him, but he is continually extending his trade. He has by these means become a wealthy man, and owns a handsome residence at No. 383 Mal- lory avenue, Hampton. Both Mr. Patrick and his wife are conspicuous figures in the social life of the city and are noted as charm- ing and hospitable hosts. He is a prominent member of the Knights of Pythias, being a past department grand chancellor of the order.

Mr. Patrick is a very active member of the community, but, though interested keen- ly in political issues and problems, he has never, like his brother, Alonzo A. Patrick, taken an active part therein, and has rather avoided than sought public office. He is a strong Democrat, as was his father before him, yet is too independent in thought and act to allow partisan considerations to in- fluence his political conduct. Mr. Patrick is a man of strong religious views, yet tolerant

in his attitude towards those of others. He is a member of the Baptist church, and an ardent worker in its cause, supporting ma- terially the many benevolences in connec- tion therewith.

Mr. Patrick's character is a somewhat un- usual union of those sterling virtues of hon- esty, charity and industry, which are the basis of all true success, and the graces of personality which culture and refinement bring in their train. His manners are of that courtly character, which we like to think of as marking the true gentleman, a type which the modern world seems unable to produce, save occasionally, and then al- most as though it were a sport or reversion to an older, fairer type.

Cora Oliver McDonell, a native of Ports- mouth, Virginia, and a daughter of George Washington Russell and Adelaide Eugenia (Crismond) McDonell, of that place. Mr. McDonell was a prominent man in his com- munity, employed as a clerk in the Sea- board Air Line and later as a superintendent He was a distinguished soldier in the Con- federate army during the civil war, attaining the rank of captain in Grime's Batter}' and seeing much hard service. His wife was a daughter of James Crismond, of Gloucester county, ^'irginia, and they were the parents of three children. James C, Cora and Mrs. Patrick. The family was of Scotch origin, an ancestor, Aleck McDonell, having come from Scotland and settled in Portsmouth. To Mr. and Mrs. Patrick have been born two children, Ellis Oliver, July 9, 1895, ^"d Richard Woodfin, October 30, 1903.
 * \Ir. Patrick married, October 8, 1894,

Colonel James Carr Baker. The progeni- tors of Colonel Baker, of Stephens City. Vir- ginia, were men and women of highest char- acter, useful and prominent each in their day, while as citizen, official and lawyer, he has attained distinction in his own right. His grandfather, Samuel Baker, was a cap- tain of Virginia troops during the war 1812 to 1814, his grandmother a sister of Gov- ernor Gamble, of Missouri, was a daughter of Joseph Gamble.

Colonel Baker's mother. Susan E. (Glass) Baker, descends from both paternal and ma- ternal forbears who shared in the perils, pri- vations, suffering and triumph of the siege of Londonderry. In the old Opequon bury- ing ground near Winchester, Virginia, rises a solid shaft of blue limestone, reared to the