174
VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
court. Thomas H. Barnes was a student at
Kinsalc Academy in Nansemond county,
Virginia; Buckhorn Academy, Hertford
Academy, North Carolina ; matriculated at
the Universily of Virginia in 1849, study-
ing there three years ; then took up the
study of medicine at the Medical College of
X'irginia, and graduated with the class of
1853. In 1854 he commenced the active
practice of his profession, with which he
was occupied until 1888, at the homestead
where he was born. He was for a long time
chairman of the county Democratic commit-
tee, and was for many years a member of
the house of delegates and the senate of
Virginia. He was of imposing height and
dignity in bearing, and was known as the
"tall sycamore of Nansemond." For a long
time he served as a member of the board
cf visitors of the Medical College of Vir-
ginia, and that of William and Mary Col-
lege. He was a delegate to the constitu-
tional convention which assembled in Rich-
mond in 1901, was chairman of the commit-
tee on county government, and rendered
excellent service in the deliberations of this
body. In his earlier years one of his chief
recreations was found in fox hunting. He
never married.
Williams, John Langbourne, born July 13, 183 1, in Richmond, Virginia, son of John Williams, who was brought up in England, of Scotch-Irish descent, came to America in 1820, where he married Sianna Armistead r^andridge, daughter of William Dandridge, and granddaughter of Bartholomew Dan- dridge, a member of the house of burgesses and brother of Martha Washington. John L. Williams was educated in private schools and at the University of \'irginia. from
which he graduated with the degree of Mas-
ter of Arts in 1S51, having been distinguish-
ed in the school of mixed mathematics. He
taught school for a year at Loretto, Essex
county, \'irginia, and practiced law for a few
years in Richmond, where he subsequently
went into the banking business. During the
civil war he was a member of the firm of
Lancaster & Company, financial agents of
the Confederate States. After the war he
founded the banking house of John L. Wil-
liams & Sons, of which he became senior
partner. His firm had a large share in many
of the large financial operations in the
south ; in the establishment of the Georgia
(S- Alabama Railway, the S. A. L. Railway,
and in building and organizing city railways
and manufacturing industries. He never
held public office, but took a deep interest
in the welfare of the community. In politics
he was a Gold Democrat, and was an active
and interested member in the affairs of the
Protestant Episcopal church, belonging to
what may be called the conservative, or
Virginia school. He was for years a dele-
gate to the diocesan council, and was a
deputy to the general convention of the
church which met in San Francisco, Cali-
fornia. He was devoted to the classics, and
c'eemed by many to be one of the best
informed authorities upon the English clas-
sics in the state. He was always a wirm
friend of the University of Virginia, where
he educated his sons. In many ways he
showed his afifection for his alum muter.
having presented to her many valuable gifts,
which include contributions to her library
and the portraits of Chief Justice Marshall
and Commodore Matthew F. Maury. To
him also is due the completion of the capi-
tals of the pillars of the rotunda, which was
