Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/524

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

burg school. He was a farmer and stock- man, a mason, and attended the Presbyte- rian church. In politics he was a Whig, as was his father before him, until the Whig party went out of existence, when they be- came Democrats. He married Emily Miller Campbell, youngest daughter of James Lyle and Rebecca liurns Campbell, of Berkley county, Virginia, January 19, 1856. A few years later he moved to Allegheny (now Gar- rett) county, Maryland, where he owned and operated a stock farm. Later he was en- gaged in merchandising and the lumber business. In the fall of 1872 he returned to the Shenandoah Valley and settled in Jefifer- son county. West Virginia, on a farm five miles west of Charles Town, where he spent the remaining years of his life. He died February i, 1904. The death of his widow occurred in 1908, and both are buried at Charles Town, Jefferson county. West Vir- ginia. His family consisted of four sons, Lyle Campbell, Charles Holmes, Benjamm Parker, and James Elliott. The daughters are: Mary Frances, Sarah Creighton, Re- becca Burns, and Margaret Virginia. Lyle Campbell married Jennie E. Delawder, of Oakland, Garrett county, Maryland, Octo- ber 24, 1889, and lives in Elizabeth City county, Virginia. Charles Holmes married Lillie Reynolds, of JefYerson county, West Virginia, December 30, 1893. She died in 1909, leaving two children, Charles Creigh- ton, and Mary Emily. James Elliott mar- ried Anna Lea Carter of Riverton, Virginia. November 27, 1912, and has one son, George Elliott. He with his brother, Benjamin Parker Tabb, own and operate the home farm near Charles Town, West Virginia

Thomas A. Wilkinson. For sixteen years connected with the postoffice force at Nor- folk, Mr. Wilkinson has advanced in that period from clerk to assistant postmaster, his appointment to the latter office dating July I, 191 1. No department of the gov- ernment comes in such close contact with all the people as does the postal department and nowhere is incompetence or neglect of even the smallest duty more quickly de- tected or more promptly reported. Hence continuation in the service argues efficient service and promotion means a great deal more than an increase in salary. A review of the career of Mr. Wilkinson reveals the fact that each duty assumed has been faith-

fully performed and that his record has been such that by successive steps he has reach- ed the highest position in the Norfolk post- office that can be obtained through merit alone, the office of postmaster everywhere still being conferred as a reward for party service.

Thomas A. Wilkinson is a son of Edwin Wilkinson, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, February 20, 1842, died' July 12, 1908, whose career in this country was an eventful one. While still a youth he came to the United States and on the voyage across the Atlantic formed the accjuaintance of the young lady who in later years became his wife. He set- tled in Pennsylvania and in 1862, enlisted in a Pennsylvania regiment of the Union army, serving until the battle of Gettysburg, in which he was desperately wounded. During the long months that intervened before he could again assume his place as a worker in any field, he improved the time by self study and careful reading, supplying in this man- ner some of the deficiencies of his early edu- cation. After his return to health he located in Bristol, Pennsylvania, entering the em- ploy of Grundy Brothers, carpet manufac- turers. Later he moved to W^est Point, King William county, Virginia, there re- siding until his death. He was a member of the Masonic order, a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church, and in politics a Republican. He was a man of strong character, determined and energetic, his Scotch ancestors having bequeathed him all the attributes of that race, whose sterling qualities partake of the nature of the rocks and mountains of their native land.

Edwin Wilkinson married at Philadel- phia, July 4, 1864, Jane Dyson, born in Eng- land, July 17, 1843. Children: Mary Han- nah, married Charles Barham, and resides in Nashville, Tennessee; Edwin (2), mar- ried Lydia Virginia Billups, and resides in Cairo, Georgia ; Elizabeth, married Charles W. Wcstbury, of Washington, D. C, an official of the Southern Railway ; Thomas A., of further mention; Walter V., married Estelle Wallace, and resides at Haddon Heights, New Jersey ; Joseph Wright, mar- ried Eva Weems, and resides at West Point, Virginia ; Alice Gertrude, married Fred I. Roberts, and resides in Savannah, Georgia ; Herbert Foster, married Hannah Long, and resides in Roanoke, Virginia.

Thomas A. Wilkinson was born in West