Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/741

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

1071

James V. K. Walker. James V. K. Wal- ker, late of Portsmouth, \'irginia, was a grandson of Vincent Walker. Columbus W. Walker, son of Vincent Walker, had three children: James V. K., of further mention below ; Lee \\'ood \\'alker, married Anna Low, and had three children ; C'olum- bus W. Walker, Jr.

James V. K. \\'alker was born April 3, 1871, in Portsmouth, where he continued to make his home through life, and died De- cember 7, 1895. In his brief career he gained a leading position among the merchants of the city, and enjoyed the esteem and good will of all who were privileged to know him. After a few years' attendance at the public schools, he entered the academy in Portsmouth, conducted by Professor Stokes, where he made rapid advancement, utiliz- ing to the fullest extent possible the oppor- tunities afforded him. He began his busi- ness career in the service of the Seaboard Air Line at Portsmouth, where he continued a few years, being most of the time an air brake inspector. Soon after attaining his majority he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness in his native town, dealing in gents' furnishings, and became deservedly popular with the public, and therefore unusually successful in business. He was a man of broad mind and warm svmpathies, and most naturally affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, whose teachings were made the practice of his every day life. He married, February 27. 1893, Mary P>ooth. born 1872, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Brinkley) Booth, who survives him. She is a grand- daughter of Nathaniel Booth, of Nansemond county, \'irginia, and his wife, Mary Griffin. The Booth family is a very old one in Vir- ginia, having been founded by Thomas Booth, who was born in 1663, and came from Barton, Lancashire, England, settling on the Ware river, in Gloucester county, Virginia, where he died in 1736. He was a descendant of W'illiam Booth, who was liv- ing in England in 1279, a son of Adam de Booth. Thomas Booth was a son of St. John Booth, whose father, John Booth, was a son of George Booth. Another son of George Booth, William, was the father of George Booth, first lord of Delamere, whose son, Henry Booth, was earl of Delamere. Nathaniel Booth was a successful planter and active citizen, esteemed and respected in the community where he lived. His son,

Joseph Booth, born April 15. 1832, died March 29, 1882, in Nansemond county, Vir- ginia ; in early life he was a planter, and be- er me president of the Farmers Bank of Nansemond. He was very successful as an agriculturist, as well as a business man, and enjoyed the confidence and neighborly good will of a great number of people. Fle mar- ried Mary Brinkley, born January 3, 1839, (lied .Ajiril 15, 1877, and they were the parents of two children : Joseph Nathaniel, who died at an early age, and Mary, born 1872, wife of James V. K. Walker, as above noted. She is a lady of refinement and intelligence, and is much esteemed in the society of her home city of Portsmouth.

Edward Wren Hudgins. The family of which Edward Wren Hudgins, of the law firm of McNeal, Hudgins & Oglin, of Chase City, Mecklenburg county, Virginia, is a member, is one old in Virginia annals. It has furnished men for each emergency of the state and nation, whether the call has come from civil or for military duty. In the war between the states the name was numerously represented in the Confederate .States army, Robert Henry, father of Ed- ward \\'ren Hudgins, and his uncles, Reu- ben B., George, and Thomas, participating actively in that conflict. Reuben B. Hud- gins was a non-commissioned officer in the brigade of General "Stonewall" Jackson, and was woimded at the second battle of Manassas. He was once taken prisoner by the Federal troops and confined in the prison at Elmira, New York, making his escape from that place and rejoining his regiment at the front. Dr. Thomas Hudgins was at- tached to the medical corjis of the army, and had a son, fohn, who held a lieutenant's commission in the United .States navy, serv- ing in the Spanish-.American war. Lieuten- ant John Hudgins was stationed on the United States steamer Kearsarge when the terrible explosion occtirred, and lost his life in a heroic attempt to rescue his comrades.

Robert Henry Hudgins, father of Edward Wren Hudgins, was born in Buckingham coimt}', \^irginia, in 1846, and has been a farmer all of his life. During the Civil war he was for three years a member of the Home Guard, and was in active service for ten months. He married Lucv Ann Wren, born in Buckingham county. \'irginia, in 1855, granddaughter of Colonel Barber, of