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 The Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia. and took practical views of the law. His judgment was sound and reliable, and he was more often consulted in chambers than the most celebrated members of the bar. He expressed his opinion always with great brevity and clearness. While he was yet clerk he continued to practise his profes sion in the county courts with success. He supported the Revolution, and in 1/77 was

made presiding judge of the Virginia Court of Admiralty, and thereby became one of the judges of the first Court of Appeals. He presided with dig nity in the Court of Admiralty, and his de cisions gave great sat isfaction; but he gave no reasons for his judgments, — a wise rule, which if carefully followed by some of his successors would have materially added to their reputations. He declined to at tend the sessions of the Court of Appeals after it was transferred to the city of Rich mond, alleging that he JOHN had agreed to accept the appointment upon condition that he was not to attend court out of Williamsburg. He died regretted by his friends and universally respected.1 William Roscoe Wilson Curie was born in Tidewater, Va., and bred a lawyer. He prac tised with reputation, and at the beginning of the contest with Great Britain supported his native country. Having been made a judge of the Court of Admiralty, he became

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a member of the first Court of Appeals; but having shortly afterwards died, his judicial character is little known. No other judge of the first court had four initials. He was probably the only man of his name in the colony, and it is not known that he left any descendants. Richard Gary descended from a respectable family in Elizabeth City County, actively sup ported the colony in her struggles for free dom, and having been made a judge of the Court of Admiralty, thus became a judge of the first Court of Appeals. He was bred a lawyer, and was a man of good under standing. His de scendants are yet nu merous in Virginia. He was fond of bo tanical studies, and had some taste for belles lettres. James Henry, a na tive of Scotland, stud ied law in Philadelphia, removed to the East ern Shore of Virginia, and was made a judge of the Admiralty TYLER. Court, and necessarily of the first Court of Appeals. He was a learned man, whose opinions were well reasoned and much re spected. He, Peter Lyons, and St. George Tucker enjoy the unique honor of being the only men born outside of the present limits of the State who have sat on the Supreme Bench. John Tyler, the father of President Tyler, a judge of Virginia's first Court of Appeals by reason of being on the State Admiralty 1 His grandson, Judge Waller Taylor, Chancellor of Bench, was born of respectable parents in the Territory of Indiana, and by appointment of the President Judge of the Territorial Court, was the first Charles City County, and studied law under United States Senator from that State. Robert Carter Nicholas. He was a zealous