Longwood College - Virginian Yearbook (Farmville, VA)

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Eev. Paul Whitehead, D. D., was born September 13, 1830, near Lovingston, Nelson County. He was educated chiefly at New Glasgow Academy, in Amherst County. During four years spent in the County Clerk ' s office in Lynchburg and Norfolk he studied law with the expectation of making it his life work. He was licensed, and was offered a partnership, but decided to devote himself to the ministry. His long life of distinguished service in his church is well known. He served fifty-one years as secretary of the Virginia Conference, the only man in American Methodism, so far as is known, who ever filled that responsible office so long. In early life he was called to the presidency of the Wesleyan Female College, at Murfreesboro, N. C, serving here seven years. In 1873, taking his faculty and officers with him, he opened a college for young women in Farmville, Va. Here he remained eight years, making a total of fifteen years in educational work, and he himself regarded these years as perhaps the most useful of his life. He retired from the Farm- ville College — which afterward became the State Normal School — in 1881, and spent the rest of his life as a presiding elder. Dr. Whitehead was elected delegate to the General Conference nine times, a distinction without a parallel in Southern Methodism, making him a member of every General Conference but two for forty years. He Avas for thirty-one yeara a trustee of Randolph- Macon College, for six years a member of the Board of Visitors of the Uni- versity of Virginia, and six years a trustee of the State Normal School. In 1875 he received the degree of D. D. from Eandolph-Macon College. He was a member of the Ecumenical Conference that met in London in 1901. He died April 3, 1907, in St. Luke ' s Hospital, Richmond, and was buried in Maple- wood Cemetery, Charlottesville, Va. Rev. Henry Herbert Harris, D. D., was born December 17, 1837, in Louisa County, the inheritor of Welsh, Scotch, and English blood. He was indebted to an older sister for his early education. ,He entered Richmond College in 1854, graduating in 1856. After teaching aryear in Louisa County, he Avent to the LTniversity of Virginia, taking the M. A. degree in 1860. In 1861 he joined the Confederate Army, but on the disbanding of his company, January, 1862, he entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, at Greenville, S. C. After one month he reenlisted in the field artillery under Stonewall Jackson, and served until Lee ' s surrender. After teaching a year in Albemarle Female Institute, he served on the alumni committee which urged the Virginia Baptist Association to reopen Richmond College. He became Professor of Greek and German in the College, and was chairman of the

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First Board of Trustees GKX. WILLIA M BOOTH TALIAFERRO, eldest smi „f ll•nel• T. Taliaferro and Frances Booth, was Imni at lii ' llvilje, !lnueester County, December 2S, 18 ' 22. Tie was an alnnnms of AVilliani and Mary College, and afterwards studied law at Harvard. He served in the Mexican War, in the K inth Regiment. Later he was in ennniiand nf the Virginia Militia, and commanded the State troo])s at Charlestowii during the trial (if John Brown and his men in IS, ,!). When Virginia seceded, he was ordered to Xerfulk tn take charge of Virginia foi-ees there. By January 1, 1862, he was in eommand of a brigade under Oen. Stimewall Jackson, with whom he served brilliantly until wounded at Secend ilanassas. He sei ' ed elsewhere until the close of the War, when he retnnieil tn his home and took uj) the practice nf law. Genera] Taliafen-e married Miss Sally Lyons, of RielniKind. jirinr to the War. Like General Lee, he was deeply interested in the ediicalien (.f the sons and daughters of ex-Confederate soldiers, and of the youth of Virginia. As a member of the Boards of William and Mary College and of the State formal School, he did much, by his interest and wise counsel, to bring these institutions to their present efficiency. He was second jiresident of the Board of Trustees at Farmville. It was his proudest boast that he never missed a meeting of the Board. The last time he attended, he was so feeble as to need an attendant, but his affection for the institution was undiminished liy liis failing strength, and his great faith in her future undinuned. He dieil at his home Dunham- massie, February 28, 1898, after a long life of eons])ieuoiis service for his fellow-men. John L. Bucii.vnax, LL. T)., is a nati -e of Smith ( ' onnl ' . He graduateil from Emory and Henry College, laler spi ' nding a year at llie ruiv ' rsity ol ' Virginia. He held umny imjiortant ]iositions in his ]irofossioual career, being at various times Professor of Ancient Languages at Emory and Henry, Presi- dent of the Vii ' giiiia Pnlyte(d!iiie Instiliite, Professor of Latin in Vanderbill Fuiversity, PresidenI of Kiiiory mid Henry College, President of .Martha Washington College, Slale Snpei ' iiiiend-nl of Pidilie rnstriietion one term. Professor of Latin at Randol]ili- liienn ( ' iillege, and President of the Pniversity of Arkansas. He is one of the tlii-ee surviving members of the original Board, and is at present with his daughter at Sweetwater, Tenn. 17

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faculty from 1S85 to 1SS9. Ho was ordained to the miiiistrv July 4, 1869. He traveled extensively in Mexico, Europe, and the Orient. He was once editor of the Jouiiuil of Education of Virginia, of the Foreign Mission Journal, and of the Religious Herald. He was Professor of Polemic Theology and Biblical Introduction in the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ivy., from June, 1895, to the time of his death, which occnrrod at Lynchburg, February 4. 1897. Hon. Riciiaed Ratcliffe Farr was born at Farr ' s Crossroads, Fairfax County, November 30, 1845. In October, ISi;:!, he joined the Confederate forces under command of Colonel Mosby, and was severely wounded in what was known as the Second Blazer Fight, in November, 18(i4. He entered Roanoke College in October, lS(i. ), leaving in .Tune, 1868, and locating in Fairfax, Va., where he followed siir ( ' ying ami taught school a while. In 1869 he went to read law with Judge II. W. Thomas, was appointed sheriff of Fairfax County under the enabling act in t he spring of 1870, and during that year admitted to the bar. He was elected County Treasurer, in Novemlier, 1870, and after serving out his term, was appointed County Surveyor. In 1877 he was elected to the House of Delegates, and retiirned to the Legislature in 1879 and 1881. During his term in the House, he was elected State Super- intendent of Public Instruction, serving one term, during which he was e.v-officio a member of the Board of Trustees of the State Normal School. In 1888 he Avas appointed U. S. larshal, which ]ii)sition he held at the time of his death, October 10, 1892. Judge Francis Nathakikl Watkixs was born in 1812, and spent his entire life in Prince Edward County. He was a member of the Virginia Legis- lature in 1867-68, and Judge of the Coimty Court of Prince Edward fourteen years. He was secretary and treasurer of the Board of Union Theological S eminary forty years, of Hampden-Sidney College fourteen years, and of the State Normal School the first year of its existence, his valuable services to this institution being cut short by his death in 1885. He was alreaily an ardent friend of education, especially nf the ennnnon school system. Me. Geoecje 0. CoNEAD was born at Conrad ' s Store, now Elkton, June 20, 1823. The family moved to Harrisonburg in 1836. The yming man learned the trade of a silversmith, which he followed until his death. In 1850 he married Miss Diana S. Yancey. He served several terms as mayor of his town before the outbreak of the War. Early in the War ] [r. Conrad enlisted in the Churchville Cavalry, which afterward became Company I, Fourteenth Virginia