Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/340

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

growing up with a strong, healthy body, and gifted with a keen mind. He attended the University School of Richmond, Vir- ginia, and was subsequently a student at the Episcopal High School, near Alexandria, Virginia, where he completed the course in 1869, and also studied civil engineering. The following year his attention was turned from engineering by the offer of a clerkship in one of the banks of Petersburg, Virginia where in four years he rose to the position of assistant cashier. After filling this place for several years he resigned to engage in business on his own account. Mr. Zimmer has ever been active in promoting the gen- eral welfare and business of Petersburg, for more than twenty years a director of the Petersburg Savings & Insurance Company. In the city council he served as a member of the finance and other committees, was chairman of the police commissioners, and •member of the school board. He is a trus- tee of Bishop Payne Divinity School and is now retired from active business. He has ever been noted for his kindness to strug- gling young men, and has helped many along the road to education and usefulness. In politics Mr. Zimmer has always been a Democrat. He was a delegate to the con' vention at Indianapolis which nominated Palmer and Buckner for president and vice- president on a gold platform, in 1896. He is a member of various clubs and societies, including the Virginia Historical Society, and the National Geographic Society of Washington. Since the age of sixteen he has been a member of the Protestant Epis- copal church, and since he was twenty-one has served as vestryman of Grace Church. Petersburg, of which he was twenty years treasurer. He has also represented the church for many years in diocesan councils, and in tqoi he was deputy to the general convention of the Protestant Episcopal church of America held in San Francisco. He was one of the organizers of the Young Men's Christian Association of Petersburg, of which he was for several terms a direc- tor. His advice to young Americans is la- conic but valuable, "be temperate, honest, industrious, love God. and fear that which !s evil." ■ He married. November 4, 1874, Julia Nimmo Howland, of Portsmouth. Virginia, daughter of \\'illiam Jethro and Mary Jane (Watts) Howland. To her in- fluence and that of his mother Mr. Zimmer accredits all that he is and has accomplished.

She died early in life, leaving five small children, all of whom are now living.

Samuel Watts Zimmer. son of William Louis and Julia N. (Howland) Zimmer, was reared in Petersburg, receiving his educa- tion in the Episcopal High School of Vir- ginia, and the University of Virginia, class of 1908. He ^\•as ambitious to Iiecome a lawyer, and studied to this end. and after his admission to the bar began practice in Pe- tersburg, where he rapidly gained position, and in 1910 was elected a member of the \'irginia legislature. In 1914 he became commonwealth's attorney of Petersburg, and in that position he is serving his constitu- ency v,-ith credit and honor to himself and the satisfaction of the public. Ever since becoming a voter he has been a stanch sup- porter of the Democratic party, and exer- cises a large influence in its local councils. He is a member of Grace Protestant Epis- copal Church of Petersburg, and follows the precepts of his honored father in fur- thering all efforts to advance the interests of the community. He married, January 4, 1909, Mary Blair Pryor Walker, daughter of Frank T. and Mary Blair (Pryor) W^al- ker, granddaughter of General Roger A. Pryor. of New York, and his wife, Sarah Agnes (Rice) Prj'or, and General R. Lind- sav \\'alker and his wife, IMaria Eskridge \\'alker. Mr. and Mrs. Zimmer are the par- ents of two children : l\Iary Blair Pryor and William Louis HI.

Andrew Henry Christian. The close of the war with tlie states brought from his home in Chesterfield county, to Richmond, Dr. Andrew Henry Christian Sr., a medical practitioner, who followed his profession in this city until his death in 1890. Accrm- panying his parents to the city of Rich- mond, and here completing his education, came Andrew Henry Christian Ir., late of Richmond, a lifelong resident of this city. In the city of his early adoption -Vridrew Henrv Christian Jr. left a record that is indeed worthy of his brilliant intellect and masterful personality, for he rose to busi- ness prominence as president of the Rich- mond Paper Company and of the Southern Railway Supply Company, which positions he held at the time of his death ; was vice- president of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce : held high social position as president of the Westmoreland Club, and identified himself with the best moral in-