Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/680

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

ISaptist church, of which denomination his father was a deacon.

He married, October 22, 1907, Agnes Lun- ing, and has children; Hilda Lee, born in 1908; Mary Elizabeth, born in 1910; Dana Augusta, born in 1912.

Washington Lee Powell, son of Littleton Green and Elizabeth (Kirk) Powell, was born in Southampton county, Virginia, in 1873. In his youth he attended private schools, and completed his studies in Roa- noke College, being graduated from that in- stitution in 1890. Five years after his grad- uation he became associated in business with his brother, Albert Littleton Powell, ten years his senior, forming with him the firm of Powell Brothers, which established in Newport News as bankers, and real estate and insurance dealers. Upon the incorpora- tion of this business ten years later Mr. Powell became vice-president of the com- pany that succeeded Powell Brothers, the Powell Trust Company, and continues in that office to the present time. Mr. Powell is also vice-president of the Colonial State Bank, vice-president of the Ivyton Corpora- tion, and vice-president of the Riverside In- vestment Land Company. He is a member of the board of directors of the Newport News Realty Company, and, like his brother Albert L. Powell has held the presidency of the Newport News Chamber of Commerce. In this last named office his thorough fam- iliarity with the industrial and trade con- ditions and his close connection with the financial centers of the city made him a valuable executive, and his administration was one of progress and achievement. Mr. Powell ranks high among the foremost fi- nanciers and business men of Newport News, and shares with his brother the honor for the upbuilding of an institution of such stability and usefulness as the Powell Trust Company. He is a member of the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks, and affili- ates with the Baptist church.

Charles Thomas Bland. To the city of Portsmouth, Virginia, the name Bland is a familiar one through the relation thereto of Charles Thomas Bland, commonwealth at- torney of Norfolk county, and his father, George Washington Bland, a veteran of the Civil war and until his death an employee of the city of Portsmouth, while throughout the Old Dominion it ranks with those

known as the foundations of Virginia's greatness. Norfolk county has long been the home of this line of Bland, Thomas Bland, grandfather of Charles Thomas Bland, having resided at Clarion. He was a land and slave owner, at his death be- queathing two slaves to his son, George Washington, of whom further.

In the person of Charles Thomas Bland the family has in Portsmouth a worthy present day representative of the illustrious Ime, the legal profession the field of his achievement. His present incumbency of the office of commonwealth attorney is the direct result of the reputation he gained in private practice as a learned, fearless and skillful lawyer, and for ten years, as a member of the Virginia house of represen- tatives, he displayed statesmanship and leg- islative talent of the highest order. Ports- mouth has no citizen more justly popular and well-regarded, for his interests are many and into each he enters with enthusi- asm.

George Washington Bland, father of Charles Thomas Bland, was born in Nor- folk county, Virginia, in 1836, and died in December, 1912. He completed his studies in the public schools, and until the outbreak of the war between the states was employed as fireman, then becoming a private in Com- pany D, Ninth Regiment Virginia Volun- teer Infantry. Armistead's brigade, Pickett's division, and Longstreet's corps. He re- mained in the service until the final sur- render, being taken prisoner and confined ar Point Lookout, later receiving his parole. At the cessation of hostilities he made his home in Portsmouth, and was in the service of that city until his retirement. He was a Democratic sympathizer, and a communi- cant of the Methodist Episcopal church, a man of quiet life, passed in accordance with principles of uprightness and honor. He married, in January, 1857, Louisa Frances, daughter of Andrew and Virginia Stewart, of Norfolk county. Virginia. Children of George Washington and Louisa Frances (Stewart) Bland: Charles Thomas, of whom further; Theresa, deceased; Sarah, Elizabeth, married (first) Frederick E. Fisher, (second) Thomas Simpson; Brite- marte, married Charles Elwell ; George \\'ashington, Jr. ; Leila Lee, married Samuel Etheridge.

Charles Thomas Bland, son of George