History of Charlestowne, (Virginia Beach (city) County) Virginia United States of America

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Biographies:

Stephen Colwell, author, was born in Charlestown, Va., March 25, 1800; son of Robert and Sarah (Brown) Colwell, and grandson of Oliver and Abigail (Richardson) Brown. The following is a copy of the inscription on the tombstone of his maternal grandfather: "Col. Oliver Brown of the artillery of the Massachusetts line, Revolutionary war. Born in Lexington, Mass., 1752. He stood in front of the first cannon fired by the British on the Americans in the affray at Lexington. Witnessed the Tea Party in Boston Harbor. Was at the battle of Bunker Hill. Commissioned by congress, 16th of January, 1776. Commanded the volunteer party that bore off the leaden statue of King George from the Battery of New York and made it into bullets for the American army. Bore a conspicuous part in command of artillery at the battle of White Plains, Harlem Heights, Princeton, Trenton, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. After serving his country he entered in the Armies of the Son of God and surrendered to the last enemy on the 17th of February, 1846, in the full assurance of a never-ending peace." Stephen Colwell was graduated at Jefferson college, Pa., in 1819 and was admitted to the bar in 1821. He practised in St. Clairsville, Ohio, 1821-28, and in Pittsburg, Pa., 1828-36, removing in the latter year to Philadelphia, where he engaged in the practice of law, in which he acquired a large fortune. He gave liberal support to the Union cause, 1861-65, was one of the founders of the Union league club of Philadelphia and an associate member of the U.S. sanitary commission. After the war he examined the U.S. internal revenue system as special commissioner, and his report went far toward determining the financial policy of the government. He endowed a professorship of social science in the University of Pennsylvania and gave to the institution his valuable library. He was married in 1836 to Sarah Ball, daughter of Samuel Richards of Philadelphia. Under the name "Mr. Penn," he wrote: Letters to Members of the Legislature of Pennsylvania on the Removal of Deposits from the Bank of the United States by Order of the President (1834); under the name "Jonathan B. Wise": The Relative Position in our Industry of Foreign Commerce, Domestic Production and Internal Trade (1850); and under his own name: New Themes for the Protestant Clergy (1851, 2nd ed., 1852); Politics for American Christians (1852); Hints to a Layman (1853); Charity and the Clergy (1853); Position of Christianity in the United States in its Relation with our Political System and Religious Instruction in the Public Schools (1855); The South: a Letter from a Friend in the North with Reference to the Effects of Disunion upon Slavery (1856); The Ways and Means of Commercial Payment (1858); The Five Cotton States and New York (1861); and Gold, Banks and Taxation (1864). He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 15, 1871.

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

William Price Craighill, soldier, was born in Charlestown, Va., July 1, 1833; son of William Nathaniel and Sarah Elizabeth (Brown) Craighill; grandson of William P. Craighill and of James Brown; and a descendant of Robert Rutherford. He was educated at Charlestown academy and was graduated at the U.S. military academy in 1853, second in his class. He was assistant engineer in repairing various forts and defences, 1853-56; assistant to the chief engineer at Washington, D.C., 1856-59; principal assistant professor of engineering at the Military academy, 1859-68, and treasurer, 1861-63. He was promoted captain of the corps of engineers, March 8, 1863, and received the brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel, March 13, 1865, for faithful and meritorious service during the civil war, and particularly for services in the defence of Cumberland Gap and the ulterior operations of General Morgan's forces. He declined the brevet rank of colonel offered him on the same day. On Nov. 23, 1865, he was promoted major and was engaged as superintending engineer in various places, 1865-67, and as assistant to the chief of engineers at Washington, D.C., 1867-70. He was afterward engaged in surveys and improvements in various parts of the country. He represented the government in France and Great Britain, 1878 and 1889, in investigating the movable dams and other works of internal improvement. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel, Jan. 2, 1881; colonel, Jan. 10, 1887, and brigadier-general, chief of engineers, May 10, 1895. In February, 1897, he was retired from active service. He was elected a member of the American society of civil engineers; was a director, 1892-93, its president, 1894-95, and an honorary member from March 23, 1896. He was also elected to membership in the American association for the advancement of science, and in the American economic association, and in June, 1895, was made an honorary member of the Maryland historical society. Washington and Lee university conferred upon him the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1897. He is author of: Army Officer's Pocket Companion (1862); and translator of Dufour's Strategy and Tactics (1864); and (with Col. George H. Mendel1) Jomini's The Art of War (1862).

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