Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/450

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

burg. He was a colonel in the war_of the revolution, a member of congress, a mem- ber of the Virginia court of appeals, United States district judge, and professor of law at William and Mary College.

St. George Tucker's grandson, Nathaniel B. Tucker, father of the subject of this sketch, was a journalist and lawyer of note, who rendered important public service to the country and to the Confederate States. From 1857 to 1861 he was United States consul to Liverpool, England ; had previ- ously been printer to the United States sen- ate, and subsequent to the ordinance of se- cession of Virginia represented in Europe the cause of the Confederate States. He was a man of much force of character, genial, witty, kind hearted, and a lover of men in an unusual degree.

In his youth, Mr. Tucker was a strong, healthy lad, fond of books and sports, and ambitious to excel. A part of his boyhood was spent in England and Switzerland, in the schools of which countries he received his elementary education. Afterwards, he attended the University of Toronto for some time, and then, having the ministry of the Gospel in view, he entered the Theological Seminary of Virginia, in 1871, and was grad- uated therefrom in 1873. During the clos- ing years of the civil war, however, he had spent eighteen months in the Confederate service, with the infantry and artillery com- mands of the Army of Northern Virginia, and had taught school five years at ^^'in- chester, Virginia.

Immediately following his graduation from the seminary, Mr. Tucker was appoint- ed rector of Lunenburg parish church, Rich- mond county, Virginia, and continued a resi- dent of that county until 1882. In the lat- ter year, he became rector of St. Paul's Church, Norfolk, V'irginia, in whose service he has continued until October 3, 1906. He has served as examining chaplain of the Protestant Episcopal church for Southern Virginia ; deputy to the general convention of the Protestant Episcopal church ; mem- ber of the board of visitors of William and Mary College at Williamsburg, Virginia ; and trustee of the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary. He is now bishop coadjutor of Southern Virginia — his conse- cration to the latter position in the church having taken place on October 3, 1906.

Fraternally, Rev. Dr. Tucker is a mem-

ber of the Royal Arcanum, and chaplain of Pickett-Buchanan Camp, Confederate Vet- erans. In politics he has always been a staunch Democrat. He is the author of "Confederate Memorial Verses," "Scattered Essays and Poems," "Sketch of St.. Paul's Church," and a volume of verse entitled "My Three Loves," and many articles contrib- uted to the contemporary press. In 1897 he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from Roanoke College, Roanoke, Virginia.

In all the qualities that go to make up a man of the first order Dr. Tucker has few equals. He has what is rarely seen in preachers — a splendid practical business sense. He is eloquent in the pulpit and has a poetic and imaginative temperament. Some of his verses are as fine as any poetry which has been produced in Virginia. He is delightful in social converse and a staunch and faithful friend.

On July 22. 1873, he married Anna Maria Washington, daughter of Colonel John Au- gustine Washington, of Mount Vernon. They have had thirteen children, all of whom were living in 1906. Of the sons: Rev. Henry ' St. George Tucker, formerly president of St. Paul's College, Tokyo, Japan, and now bishop of Kyoto, Japan; lieverley Dandridge Tucker holds a Cecil Rhodes scholarship at Christ Church, Ox- ford, England, and Dr. Augustine Washing- ton Tucker is a medical missionary in China, in charge of St. Luke's Hospital, Shanghai.

The address of Dr. Tucker is 610 Court street, Lynchburg, Virginia.

Richard S. Thomas. The late Richard S. Thomas, who attained prominence in the legal profession in his native state, Virginia, becoming one of the most successful prac- titioners in Smithfield and in the surround- ing counties was a genial and entertaining companion, a true and reliable friend, and withal a Christian gentleman, conscientious in the discharge of every duty, mindful of the rights of his fellowmen, and faithful in the service of his Master.

Richard S. Thomas was born at his ma- ternal ancestral home. "Four Square," Isle of \\'ight county, \'irginia, March 15, 1837, died in Smithfield, Virginia, September ig, 1914. He was educated at the University of Virginia, where he had as classmates the late Professor Thomas R. Price, Captain