PROMINENT PERSONS
163
iiess. At the close of the war Mr. Hotch-
kiss made his home in Staunton, Virginia,
there opened a school for no more than fif-
teen boys, and conducted this two years.
He then was civil and mining engineer for a
time, during which he made an exhaustive
study of the natural resources of Virginia.
When Gen. Lee became president of what
is now Washington and Lee University,
Maj. Hotchkiss took charge of the topo-
graphical department at his request, but the
death of Gen. Lee interfered with the pub-
lication of his maps. For the purpose of
making known the riches of the section he
had so thoroughly explored he made trips
to England in 1872 and 1874, also traveled in
the north and west of the United States,
with the same idea in view, and secured
millions of dollars from these sources for
the development of the mines and timber
resources. His contributions to literature
were also valuable. His "The Summary of
Virginia," 1875, contains valuable statistics
and maps ; he furnished the mineral statis-
tics for Virginia for the census of 1879, and
from 1880 to 1886, he published "The Vir-
gmias," a monthly magazine of facts con-
cerning the natural resources of Virginia
and West Virginia. Scientific journals in
this country and Europe also had the bene-
fit of articles from his pen. He represented
Virginia at the New Orleans Exposition, was
one of the judges of mines and mining at
the Chicago Exposition in 1893, and was fre-
quently in the government employ as ex-
pert topographer, being especially com-
mended for the service he rendered the
Battle Fields Commission of Antietam and
Fredericksburg. As a lecturer he was in
great demand, both here and abroad. He
was a member of the American Association
foi the Advancement of Science, the Na-
tional Geographic Society, the American
Society of Civil Engineers, the American
Philosophical Society, Stonewall Jackson
Camp of Confederate Veterans, and June
30, 1896, he was commissioned "brigadier-
general and chief of the engineer corps, staff
of Gen. J. B. Gordon," the commission be-
ing signed by Gen. Gordon "general com-
manding the United Confederate Veterans."
Maj. Hotchki&s had joined the Presbyterian
church while still young, and in Staunton he
was one of the founders of the Second Pres-
byterian Church, and was a leading spirit in
it many years, as well as serving as super-
intendent of the Sunday school for a long
time. The Young Men's Christian Asso-
ciation also had his hearty co-operation.
He died at his home, "The Oaks," in the
suburbs of Staunton, January 17, 1899. Maj.
Hotchkiss married, December 21, 1853,
Sarah Comfort, of Lanesboro, Pennsylvania,
and they had children : Mrs. George S.
Holmes, of Charleston, South Carolina, and
Mrs. Allen M. Howison, of Staunton.
Claiborne, John Herbert, born at Roslyn Castle, Brunswick county, Virginia, March 10, 1828, son of the late John Gregory Clai- borne, a distinguished lawyer and clergy- man of Brunswick county, Virginia, and Mary Elizabeth Weldon, his wife. On his father's side he was descended from Wil- liam Claiborne, the first settler of that name who came to this country from England. His great-grandfather, Augustine Claiborne, was clerk of the county of Surry before the revolutioTi. His grandfather, John Herbert Claiborne, served in the Surry troops under Light Horse Harry Lee in the revolutionary v/ar. Dr. Claiborne received his early edu-
