Ii6
VIRGINIA BIOGRAniV
the battle. He was at Malvern Hill, and
many other important engagements. While
in the army and at the front he was elected
attorney for the commonwealth, but the
duties of the yffice were performed by Judge
E. R. Watson, who kindly volunteered his
services, Col. Duke remaining in the army.
In 1870 Col. Duke was nominated again for
commonwealth attorney, but, before the
election, was nominated for congress, his
Republican opponent being the late Judge
Alexander Rives. While the canvass was in
progress, the Hon. Robert Ridgeway, the
sitting member, died, and Col. Duke and
Judge Rives were nominated for the va-
cancy. Col. Duke was elected and served
out Ridgeway "s term in the forty-first con-
gress and the full term of the forty-second
congress. He was not a candidate for re-
election, but returned to Charlottesville and
continued the practice of law. In 1877, dur-
ing the struggle between the debt paying
and readjusting element of the Democratic
party. Col. Duke was prevailed upon to be-
come a candidate for the Virginia legis-
lature, and was elected to the house as a
debt-paying Democrat. On July 26, 1846,
Col. Duke was married to Miss Elizabeth
Scott Eskridge, daughter of William S. Esk-
ridge. Col. Duke died in Charlottesville in
July. 1898, after a lingering illness of some
seven months.
Edmunds, Paul Carrington, born in Hali- fax county, Virginia, November i, 1836; trained by a private tutor ; attended the Uni- versity of \'irginia and was graduated in law from William and Mary College, Wil- liamsburg, Virginia ; was admitted to the bar; practiced in Jefferson City, Missouri; returned to Virginia in 1858; engaged in agriculture on his farm in Halifax county;
elected to the senate of Virginia in 1881,
and served four terms; re-elected in 1884;
delegate, to the Democratic National Con-
vention in Chicago in 1884; elected as a
Democrat to the fifty-first, fifty-second, fif-
ty-third congresses (March 4, 1889-March
3, 1895) ; died at Houston, Halifax county,
Virginia, March 12, 1899.
Ellett, Tazewell, born in Richmond, Vir- ginia. Januarx- I, 1856; attended the private school of John M. Strother until sixteen years old ; cadet in the Virginia Military Institute, and was graduated from that in- stitution in 1876 ; studied law in the Uni- versity of Virginia, and was graduated with the degree of LL. B. in 1878; practiced law in Richmond ; several years a member of the board of visitors of the Virginia "Mili- tary Institute; presidential elector in 1888 on the Democratic ticket ; elected as a Demo- crat to the fifty-fourth congress (March 4, 1895-March 3, 1897) ; resumed the practice of law in Richmond, Virginia, and New York City.
Epes, James Fletcher, born in Nottoway county, \'irginia. May 2^, 1842 ; attended the primary and private schools and the University of Virginia; served in the Con- federate army 1861-1865 ; was graduated from the law department of Washington and I ee University in 1867 ; was admitted to tlie bar and practiced law in Blackstone. Virginia; elected as a Democrat to the fifty- second and fifty-third congresses (March 4, 1891-March 3, 1895I ; retired to hi.« planta- tion, "The Old Place," in Nottoway county, \'irginia.
Epes, Sydney Parham, born in Nottoway county, Virginia, August 20, 1865 ; moved with his parents to Kentucky, where he
