Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/382

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PROMINENT PERSONS


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ty, December 9, 1775, ^"d was in Stevens* brigade in 1780 and 1781. In 1790-91 he was a member of the Virginia legislature, and afterwards magistrate and high sheriff of Culpeper coimty. He married, in 1792, Mary Mennis, daughter of Charles Mennis. He died October 2, 1839. He was a brother of Lieut.-Col. John Jameson (q. v.).

Jameson, David, son of James Jameson, of Essex county, Virginia, was a prominent merchant of Yorktown, Virginia ; was treas- urer of the "Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge," organized at Williams- burg in May, 1773, with John Clayton, the botanist, as president, and there is a letter of John Page, who succeeded Clayton as president, giving the result of some experi- ments made by him and David Jameson with an instrument of their own invention on the fall of dew and rain — these experi- ments being the first that ever were made of their kind in America, indeed, as Page says, "the first with such an instrument in the world." In 1777 he became a member of Patrick Henry's privy council. In 1781 he was lieutenant governor, under Governor Thomas Nelson, and in 1783 a member of the state senate. His will, dated October 14, 1792, was proved July 22, 1793. He was uncle of David Jameson (q. v.) and John Jameson (q. v.).

Bowycr, Henry, born in 1761. Early in the revolution, as a lad, he was left in charge of a store at Fincastle, belonging to his uncle, Michael P»owyer. who went to the army. Shortly after his uncle was gone, he sold the goods for what they would bring, and joined a company of cavalry . under Washington. At Buford's defeat, he was an aide to that officer. He was a superb horseman, and


performed various startling feats during his army service. After the war, he was elected clerk of the county court of Botetourt coun- ty, and held the office for a period of about forty years, being succeeded by his son, Henry W. Bowyer. He died in 1833. He married a daughter of Thomas Madison, of Botetourt county ; she was a niece of Bishop James Madison, and her mother was a sister of Patrick Henry.

Moore, Richard Channing, born in New York City, August 21, 1762. His grand- father, John Moore (1658-1732), an eminent lawyer, was attorney-general and register- general of Pennsylvania under William Pcnn, and from 1704 until his death royal collector of customs for that colony. His father, John Moore (1686-1749), was a mer- chant in New York City and for some time a member of the provincial assembly. One of his uncles, Daniel Moore, served in the English parliament, and another, William (1699-1783), was a member of the Pennsyl- vania assembly, being also from 1741 until 1 78 1 president judge of the court of Chester county. He was a colonel of the militia, and so vigorously opposed some of the acts of the assembly that in 1758 an unsuccess- ful attempt was made to remove him from office. His residence, "Moore Hall,** near Valley Forge, is still a landmark. Richard Channing Moore was prepared for King s (now Columbia) College, but was prevented by the revolution from pursuing a collegiate course. Subsequently he studied medicine, received a degree and practiced for some time, but following an inclination for the ministry, he began theological study under Bishop Provost. Being ordained deacon and priest in 1787, he served for two years


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