History of Powhatan County Virginia United States of America

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Robert Mayo, author, was born in Powhatan county, Va., April 25, 1784; grandson of William Mayo, pioneer surveyor, who was born in England, 168?; was a surveyor in the Barbadoes, 1717-21, and in Virginia, 1723-44; ran the boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina, in connection with Alexander Irvin, 1728; survHed the disputed land claimed by Lord Fairfax and the crown on the northern neck of Virginia, 1737; laid out the city of Richmond, 1737; became chief civil engineer of Virginia, and died in Richmond, Oct. 20, 1744. Robert Mayo was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania, M.D., 1808, and practised in Richmond, 1808-30. He edited the Jackson Democrat in the presidential canvass of 1828; and was in the treasury department, Washington, D.C., 1860-64. He is the author of: View of Ancient Geography and History (1813); New System of Mythology (4 vols., 1815-19); Pension Laws of the United States, 1775-1833 (1833); Commercial and Revenue System of the United States (2 vols., 1847); The Treasury Department: its Origin, Organization and Operations (1847). He was preparing a genealogical history of the Mayo family of Virginia at the time of his death. He died in Washington, D.C., Oct. 31, 1864.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Robert William Hughes, jurist, was born in Powhatan county, Va., June 6, 1821. He was a student at Caldwell institute, 1837-40, and taught school at Hillsborough, N.C., 1840-42. He removed to Richmond, Va., where he was editor of the Examiner, 1842-57; a staff editor on the Washington Union, 1857-59; again editor of the Examiner, 1861-65; editor of the Richmond Republic, 1865-66, and contributor to the State Journal, 1866-71. In June, 1869, he fought a duel with William E. Cameron, editor of the Richmond Index, when Cameron was wounded. He was U.S. attorney for the western district of Virginia, 1871-73, by appointment of President Grant; unsuccessful Republican candidate for governor of Virginia in 1873, and U.S. judge for the eastern district of Virginia, 1874-98, when he retired. He wrote short biographies of Generals Joseph E. Johnston and John B. Floyd, published in Pollard's Lee and His Lientenants(1867) ; The Currency Question (1879); The American Dollar (1896), and four volumes of Federal decisions. He died in Washington Co., Va., Dec. 10, 1901.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Singleton Mosby, soldier, was born in Powhatan county, Va., Dec. 6, 1833; son of Alfred D. and Virginia I. (McLaurine) Mosby, and grandson of Catharine (Steger) Mosby and of Jane (Ware) McLaurine. His paternal ancestors were Welsh and his maternal, Scotch. He was prepared for college in Charlottesville and was graduated at the University of Virginia with honors in Greek, June 29, 1852. He then studied law and practised in Bristol, Washington county. He was married, Dec. 30, 1856, to Pauline Clarke of Kentucky, and they had six children, May, Beverley, John Singleton, Victoria Stuart, Pauline and Ada. In 1861 he enlisted in a company recruited by William E. Jones which formed part of the 1st Virginia cavalry, of which he became adjutant. Later he was employed as a scout at Gen. J. E. B. Stuart's headquarters, and guided Stuart's command in its movement in the rear of McClellan's army on the Chickahominy, June 14, 1862. In January, 1863, he recruited a force of cavalry in Northern Virginia with which, aided by friendly citizens of Fauquier and Loudoun counties, he harassed the Federal lines, out communications and destroyed supply trains. When not in active duty his men scattered for safety, with the understanding that they were to assemble at a given time and place to carry out a proposed raid. This system of warfare exasperated the Federal commanders who tried to capture the partisan leader and this failing, the searching party destroyed the crops and farmhouses belonging to citizens known to have harbored or abetted Mosby or his men. His frequent capture of outposts compelled the Federals to strengthen their pickets and contract their lines to evade capture or surprises. At Chantilly, March 16, 1863, he routed a superior Federal cavalry force, and at Dranesville, April 1, 1863, defeated a detachment of cavalry sent especially to capture him. During the battle of Chancellorsville he surprised a body of Federal cavalry at Warrenton Junction, but was obliged to retreat before overpowering numbers, which he did without loss to his command. He then procured a howitzer and passed in the rear of General Hooker's army; wrecked a railroad train laden with supplies; inflicted severs damage on the troop guarding the train, and finally cut his way through their lines and escaped. He captured a transport near Aquia Creek in May, 1864, while Grant was engaged in the Wilderness and the Federal commander was obliged to detach a cavalry force to protect his communications. With twenty-nine men he marched into Fairfax Court House on the night of March 7, 1863, captured Gen. E. H. Stoughton at his headquarters with a number of his staff and men and delivered them the next day as prisoners to Gen. J. E. B. Stuart. His command was known as the 43d battalion, Virginia cavalry, and he was commissioned successively captain, major, lieutenant-colonel and colonel, C. S. A. After the close of the war he engaged in the practice of law at Warrenton, Va. In 1876 he made public through a letter to the New York Herald his intention to support the candidacy of Rutherford B. Hayes for the presidency and in this letter first applied the phrase "the solid south." President Hayes appointed him U.S. consul to Hong Kong, China, in 1878, and he retained the office until 1885. Returning to the United States he began the practice of law in San Francisco, Cal., and became the counsel for the Southern Pacific Railroad company. On Sept. 23, 1899, a granite monument, 25 feet high, was unveiled at Front Royal, Va., by "Mosby's men," in memory of the seven comrades executed near the spot, Sept. 23, 1864, while prisoners of war in the hands of the Federal army. In July, 1901, he was appointed a special agent of the general land office, with headquarters at Sterling, Colo. He is the author of: "A Bit of Partisan Service and The Confederate Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign in "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War" (Vol. III, pages 148 and 251) and of Mosby's War Reminiscences and Stuart's Cavalry Campaign (1887). See "Partisan Life with Mosby" by Jobn Scott (1867); "Mosby and his Men" by J. M. Crawford (1867), and "Mosby's Rangers," by J. J. Williamson (1895).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Green Clay, soldier, was born in Powhatan county, Va., Aug. 14, 1757; son of Charles, grandson of Henry and great-grandson of Charles Clay, who, with his brothers Henry and Thomas, immigrated to America with Sir Walter Raleigh and settled in Virginia. He was educated as a surveyor, went to Kentucky about 1777 and engaged in locating lands, thereby acquiring an extensive estate. He was a delegate to the Virginia legislature, and a member of the convention that ratified the Federal constitution in 1789. He was a conspicuous political factor in the state constitutional convention of 1799, and was a member of the state legislature from its first session, serving as president of the state senate. He was a member of both branches of the Kentucky legislature, serving at one time as speaker of the lower house. As major-general of militia he marched in 1813 with 3000 state troops, to the relief of General Harrison at Fort Meigs, and afterward defended the fort against an assault by Tecumseh and General Proctor. At the close of the war he returned to his home and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He died on his plantation in Madison county, Ky., Oct. 31, 1826.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Powhatan County Virginia

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