Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/467

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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tion of music lovers. He is a member of the Board of Governors of this club, and is like- wise chairman of the music committee. His other clubs are the Commonwealth and the Business Men's. His political views are Democratic, and he affiliates with the Pres- byterian church.

Mr. Call married. September 30, 1903, Eileen, daughter of Daniel S. and Cleo M. Hearon. Of their three children, two are now living, Eileen and Daniel.

William Graham Gwatkin. While the detailed history of a community is best found in the biographies of its famous men, this list but too generally contains the names of only those who have achieved greatness as statesmen or in military or professional life. Far more is frequently achieved by those who have lived and worked in a quiet and unassuming manner, and even when called to public office performing the duties of this without unnecessary parade. Among the men of this class the late William Gra- ham Gwatkin, of Richmond, Virginia, takes a high rank. The fact that he was success- ful in business never interfered with his devotion to the highest purposes of life, and is the strongest proof of his possession of a commanding intellect and a capacious and loving heart. His fidelity to principle and his industry and energy are amply illus- trated in his career, and his life serves as an example well worthy of imitation. De- scended from an old and honorable family, he was the son of Charles A. and Mary (Blackford) Gwatkin; a nephew of the late Dr. Benjamin Blackford, for many years superintendent of the Western State Hos- pital, at Staunton : nephew of William H. Blackford, of Baltimore, president of the Maryland Life Insurance Company, and very prominent in his day ; nephew of the late William H. Blackford, of Baltimore, for whom he was named, and a brother of Charles Otey Gwatkin, of New York, Mrs. Charles P. Stokes, of Richmond, Mrs. Louis F. Marshall, of Washington, Mrs. Frederick Curtler, of Worcester, England, and Eliza- beth Gwatkin, of Washington.

William Graham Gwatkin was born in Richmond, \'irginia. May 18, 1866, and the greater part of his life was spent in that city, where his death occurred at his resi- dence, No. 400 .A.llen avenue, in the summer

of 1914, He was the recipient of excellent educational advantages, these being obtained at the Episcopal High School and the Vir- ginia Military Institute, Upon the comple- tion of his education Mr. Gwatkin formed a connection with the old wholesale dry goods firm of M. Millhiser & Company, and when this business passed into the hands of M. Cohen, Son & Company, Mr. Gwatkin re- mained with the new firm until its voluntary retirement from business in February, 1912. The public affairs of the city had always engaged more or less of his attention, so that when he was appointed a division dep- uty under Collector of Internal Revenue M. K. Lowry, on January 16, 1914, he was well fitted to assume the responsible duties of this position. In fact, so excellent was his performance of these duties that he was notified of his promotion to the office of deputy collector of internal revenue under the income tax appropriation, only a few days prior to his death. He had been ill but a short time, and his death came as a great shock not only to his immediate family and friends, but to the entire community, which had already had an opportunity of judging of his sterling worth. His body was in- terred in Hollywood Cemetery, and among the honorary pallbearers were some of the best known men of the city.

Mr. Gwatkin married, October 28, 1890, Carlotta E. Smith, born in Richmond, Vir- ginia, August 8, 1872, daughter of the late Isaac Tower Smith, granddaughter of the late Hiram M. Smith, and a niece of Hiram M. Smith Jr., of Richmond. Isaac T. Smith was a native of Richmond, Virginia, and was a member of the old firm of H. M. Smith & Company. He married Philomena Marie De Goulard (the Countess De Ver- vanse) born at Barcelona, Spain, died in the year 1902, aged fifty-eight years, Mr. and Mrs. Smith had eight children, four of whom are living at the present time (1914) : Carlotta E. Gwatkin, Rosalie Harris. Ru- dolph A. Smith, Natalie E. Goodwin, of Bal- timore, Maryland, wife of Percy H, Good- win. Mr. and Mrs. Gwatkin were the par- ents of two sons: James G. and Charles A.

Mr. Gwatkin was a man of noble char- acter and bearing. Dignified and reserved, he yet won the confidence and love of all with whom he came in contact by the kindly nature which was apparent in every word