Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/53

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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as high sheriff of Mecklenburg county for a number of years and was afterwards county treasurer ; Richard P., served as commis- sioner of the revenue for several terms ; Joseph D. and James T., who were soldiers in the civil war.

Herbert Farrar Hutcheson. son of Joseph Collier and Ann Goode (Farrar) Hutcheson, was born in Mecklenburg county, \'irginia, March 20, 1869. He was educated in the public schools of his native county, a pri- vate school conducted by Dr. W. J. Carter, and Emory and Henry College, attending the latter institution during the years 1887- 88. He is largely interested in agriculture, being the owner of a large Roanoke river plantation and several farms. He has spent a very large part of his life in the public service. He was elected county magistrate in 1891, being then but twenty-two years of age, and held that office and county sur- veyor until he was elected county clerk in 1905 ; was also elected delegate to the Demo- cratic State Convention from Mecklenburg county in 1891 and has never missed that honor from that date until the present ; was a member of the house of delegates for the regular terms of 1899, igoo and the short session of 1901 ; since 1905 has held his present position of county clerk ; is now (1915) in his third term as chairman of the Democratic County Committee, and in his second term as a member of the Democratic State Central Committee. He is well known among the leaders of his party in the state and is influential in party councils, and in his own county is a recognized leader, true to the best traditions and principles of his party. He is not self seeking, but labors at all times and in all things for the best interests of his state and county. In fra- ternal circles he is affiliated with the Masonic Blue Lodge at Boydton, of which he is an honored past master, and the Hali- fax Royal Arch Chapter at South Boston, Virginia.

Mr. Hutcheson married, October 25, 1893, Mary Hutcheson Young, born in Mecklen- burg county, Virginia, September 30, 1872, daughter of John Wesley and Alice Neblett (Love) Young, granddaughter of Adelle Francis (Hutcheson) Love, daughter of Charles Sterhng Hutcheson, brother of Joseph Collier Hutcheson, aforementioned, and a descendant of the distinguished Young family, one of the oldest and most

prominent families of Southside Virginia, children of Mr. and Mrs. Hutcheson, all horn in Mecklenburg county, X'irginia: i. Charles Sterling, born July 23, 1894; now a student at William and Mary College. 2. John Young, born July 7, 1896. 3. Herbert Farrar Jrr, born January 17, 1899. 4. Na- thaniel Goode, born August 2, 1901. 5. William Chiles, born November 20, 1903. C> Joseph Collier, born July 23, 1906. 7. Mildred Alice, born August 4, 1908. 8. James Love, born May 25, 1912.

Mr. Hutcheson's high personal standing is shown by the ofificial positions which he has held and is still holding. He is pos- sessed of the qualities of personal magne- tism, a high degree of courtesy and kind- liness of spirit. His people have been serv- ing Virginia for ten generations, and he is doing his duty, in his day, to the Old Do- minion with the same fidelity which has characterized the preceding generations.

Roger Aylor Bickers. The Bickers of Virginia spring from a Scotch ancestor, Nicholas Bickers, who came from Scotland, settling first in Orange county, but later moving to Louisa county, Virginia. He was the founder of a numerous family, now found in different counties of Virginia and in other states.

Roger Aylor Bickers is a son of Dr. Wil- liam Andrew Bickers and grandson of James and Catherine (Crump) Bickers. Dr. William Andrew Bickers was born in Cul- peper county, Virginia, in 1836, died in 1905. He prepared for the practice of medi- cine at the University of Virginia, receiving his degree of M. D., class of 1859. During the war period, 1861-65, he served as as- sistant surgeon in the Confederate army, being attached to General Longstreet's divi- sion, also serving under the command of "Stonewall" Jackson. After the close of the war he resumed private practice, locating in Madison county, Virginia, later in Cul- peper county, where he practiced with suc- cess for many years. He was a skillful phy- sician, a high-minded Christian gentleman, possessing the qualities that endeared him to those whom he treated professionally, and to those who knew him as friend, neigh- bor anrl citizen. Dr. Bickers married Ann Flizabeth Aylor, born in Madison county, Virginia, in 1848, died 1910, daughter of James Parker Aylor ; nine children were