Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/333

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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to the success of which he contributes his time and influence, realizing the good work to be done by such organizations. He has social gifts and is af^liated with several or- ganizations. He belonged to the Sigma Phi Greek letter society while at the Washington- Lee and Columbia universities and is now a member of the Bellevue Hospital Alumni Society. He is affiliated with Kane Lodge, No. 454, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of New York ; the Racquet & Tennis Club, Rockaway Hunt Club, Southern Society of New York, the \'irginians. Union Club, and the Confederate Cadets Association. Lie is associate surgeon of the \\'omen's Hospital of New York. He gives his stipport to St. Thomas Protestant Episcopal Church, of which Rev. Dr. Starr is pastor. Politically he is a Democrat.

Charles Bell Guyer. Dr. John Sigsworth Guyer. born in I^ngland in 1816, came to Virginia with the Bell family, of which his mother was a member. He had two half- brothers, George B. Larrick, who served in Stuart's cavalry, and Captain James Lar- rick, who was a student at Virginia Mili- tary Institute and at the battle of New- market fought with his company of cadets. The family settled in and around Middle- town. Virginia, the first home of the Bells after landing from England being in Alex- andria.

Dr. John S. Guyer became a student at the old Winchester Medical School at W^in- chester, Virginia, destroyed during the war 1861-65, and about 1847 obtained his degree of M. D. He practiced his profession in Frederick county for many years, was a magistrate under the old law, was at one time president of the Shenandoah X'alley Medical Association and a man highly es- teemed by all. He married Sophia .A.bbey, born at Middletown, Virginia, in 1830, died in 1896, daughter of Jonas and Barbara (Miller) Abbey, the former a veteran of the war of 1812 and both connected with old and influential Shenandoah Valley families.

Charles Bell Guyer. of Strasburg, Shen- andoah county, Virginia, was born in Mid- dletown, Frederick county, Virginia. Au- gust 23, 1857. son of Dr.' John Sigsworth and Sophia (Abbey) Guver. He attended the old Virginia field schools until fifteen years of age. then became clerk in a Lex- ington, Virginia, mercantile house. He was ambitious to become a lawyer and while

engaged as a clerk in Lexington began the study of law. Lexington, a seat of culture, offered opportunities for self-study, and there under the shadow of Washington-Lee University he pursued a course of private study until 1894. He then presented him- self before the board of state examiners, suc- cessfully stood the ordeal of their examina- tion and was admitted to the bar. He be- gan practice at Buena Vista, eight miles distant from Lexington, practiced success- fully until his health broke down, necessi- tating complete rest. He did not practice for five years, but in 1907 located in Stras- burg and returned to his profession. He has there built up a good business and con- tinues in active practice. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men. is a communicant of the Protestant church, and in political faith is a Democrat.

^Ir. Guyer married, in November, 1882, Mary Elizabeth Randall, daughter of Elisha Randall, of a New York family, and great- granddaughter of a Vermont revolutionary soldier. Her mother was a Miss Thorpe. Mary E. Randall was born in the state of Illinois and was educated at East Orange, New Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Guyer have an adopted son, Albert Minor Guyer.

William Robert Weisiger, M. D. The

six years of Dr. William Robert Weisiger's professional career have been divided be- tween Cumberland, Virginia, and Richmond, in which latter city he is now a medical practitioner. The failing ranks of the phy- sicans of the older school have been capably and readily filled in Richmond by those of the younger generation, and among the newer members of the medical fraternity of the city for whom the future looms bril- liantly is Dr. Weisiger.

Dr. Weisiger is a descendant of Samuel Weisiger, born in Germany about 1745, who settled in Chesterfield county, Virginia, when a young man. He spoke English but little and with difficulty, but attained pros- perity and owned lands. He married, No- vember 16, 1769, Mary Kendall, and from ihem. it is believed, are descended all of the \\'eisigers of Virginia and the South. Children: Daniel Kendall. John Kendall, Samuel, Daniel, David, a captain of the war of 1812: Jacob Power: Washington, great- grandfather of Dr. William Robert Weis- iger. of Richmond. Virginia : Richard Ken- dall, Jacob, and Elizabeth Kendall.