Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/404

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

the Trent to communicate with General Barton, a commission accomplished by Cap- tain Bright at great risk." In his report on the battle at Sailor's Run General Pickett mentions Captain Bright among those serv- ing with "Gallantry and untiring zeal." After the war Captain Bright settled at Williams- burg, Virginia, and was engaged in agri- cultural operations until his retirement. He died in 1907. He was a son of Samuel Bright, also of Williamsburg, Virginia. Captain Bright married Nannie, daughter of Colonel John D. Munford.

Robert Southall Bright was born in Wil- liamsburg, Virginia, May 24, 1872, son of Captain Robert Anderson and Nannie (Munford) Bright. After preparation in private schools he entered William and Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia, whence he was graduated Bachelor of .\rts, class of i8?8. In 1890 he began the study of law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was dul}' admitted to the bar in 1894, S"d has smce been in the general practice of his profession in .ill state and Federal courts of ihe Philadelphia district. He is a member of the American Bar Association and of the City and State Bar associations, and in his chosen profession has attained honorable position.

Ever an interested active Democrat, Mr. Bright in 1914 was selected by the Demo- cratic state convention that met in Harris- burg, June 3-4, as one of the candidates named by the convention for Congressmen- at-large. In ;m eloquent speech before the convention and on many platforms through- out the campaign he forcibly enunciated the principles for which he stood, but Pennsyl- •\-ania, rock-ribbed in her Republican loy- alty, again stood for the old order, the en- tire Democratic ticket being defeated. Mr. Brio'ht is president of the Democratic Club of Philadelphia and one of the strong men of the party. He is a member of Grace Prot- estant Episcopal Church, which he serves as vestryman, is a trustee of Lovett Memorial Free Library, and a member and ex-secre- tary of the Pennsylvania branch of the As- sociation for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. His college fraternities are Phi Beta and Kappa Sigma. His clubs are the ITniversity, Rittenhouse, Philadelphia Cricket, Lawyers', Huntingdon Valley Country, Southern of Philadelphia, and the Citv, of New York.

Mr. Bright married, October 15, 1895, '^ Grace Church, Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, Caro- line de Beelen Lovett, daughter of George S. and Caroline (de Beelen) Lovett, who at the time of their daughter's birth were re- siding in Grand Rapids, Michigan. An only son, Douglass Southall Bright, was born in Philadelphia, August 19, 1896.

William Roane Aylett, M. D. Dr. Wil- liam Roane .Aylett, of Newport News, de- scends from one of the pioneer settlers of \'irginia, and from a very old family in Eng- land. The name originally appeared in the latter country as Aylof?e, and is found in Braxted Magna, in Essex. In 1612, Sir \Vil- liam Ayloffe, of Braxted Magna, was knight- ed by King James I, and later created a baronet. He married Catherine Sterne, had three sons and four daughters, and was suc- ceeded bv his eldest son. Sir Benjamin Ay- loffe. About this time the spelling of the name is found in many forms, including: Aylifife. Ailett, Aylett and Aylofif. Sir Ben- jamin Ayloffe was a "high-minded, grand old English gentleman, of great nobilitie of soul, tenderness of heart in all things, and times, an unswerved Royalist to the last." He married three times and had issue only by the second wife, Margaret Fanshame, who died in 1662. They were : William, Benjamin, Henry, Captain John and Cath- erine.

The youngest son. Captain John Aylett, came to Virginia in 165(1. He had a wife Anne, and had three sons : Philip, men- tioned below; Benjamin, born 1660; Wil- liam, 1662 : and two daughters. Philip Ay- lett, son of Captain John and Anne Aylette, moved to King William county, Virginia, and founded the family seat at Fairfield. His onlv known child. Colonel William Ay- lett, of Fairfield, was clerk of the county court from 1702 to 1714, member of the house of burgesses. 1723 to 1726, and a ves- tryman of St. John's parish in 1731. He married Anne Taloe, and they had children: Philip, William, Benjamin, John, Elizabeth, Judith and Anne. The eldest son, Philip, resided at Fairfield, married Martha Dand- ridge, and had children: Unitv, William, Anne and John. Colonel William Aylett, senior son of Philip and Martha (Dand- ridge) Aylett, was born 1743, and was a very ]>rominent man of King William county, vestryman of St. John's parish ; a