276
VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
in a cotton factory in Manchester, after
which he was employed on the Richmond
>S Danville railroad, and sub.sequently
became a student in Washington and Lee
University, and during the sessions of
1881-82 studied law in the University of
V'irginia, and was admitted to the bar. l-'or
several succeeding years he practiced his
profession in Richmond, then moved to
Bedford county, \'irginia, and in 1898 was
elected by the legislature of Virginia judge
of the circuit court, which office he held un-
til by the reorganization of the circuits by
the constitutional convention of 1901-02, he
lost his position, when he again engaged in
his practice in Bedford county, residing in
Bedford city. He later served in the state
senate, and in 19 14 was apjiointed by Presi-
dent Wilson judge of the United States
Court for Alaska.
Kent, Charles William, born in Louisa county. X'irginia, September 27, i860, son of Robert Meredith Kent, of that county, and Sarah Garland Hunter, his wife. On his father's side he is descended from Abram Kent, who settled in Hanover county, Vir- ginia, from England, and established him- self as a planter. His father was a merchant until about 1850, when lie retired to his country home, where he lived the rest of his life, lieing past military life at the out- break of the civil war, he ser\ed the Con- federate government in a civil capacity. On his mother's side he is descended from Scotch ancestors who came to Virginia in the early part of the seventeenth century. His grand- father, John Hunter, was named after the famous Scotch surgeon of that name. George Hunter, one of his ancestors, was a surgeon in the continental navy during the revolu-
tionary war. His brother, the late Linden
Kent, a distinguished lawyer of Washing-
ti'ii. U. C, was adjutant to Col. R. T. W.
Uuke during the civil war, and was cap-
tured just before the surrender at Appo-
mattox, and imprisoned on Johnson's Island.
Professor Kent was educated in the private
schools of his native county, and at the
Locust Dale Academy. He entered the
University of Virginia in 1878, and gradu-
ated in 18S2 with the degree of Master of
.Arts. He recei\ed that )ear the debater's
medal from the Jefterson Literary Society,
making a unicjue family record, his brothers,
Linden and Henry, having already won
medals in the Washington and Jefferson
societies resjjectively. From 1S84 to 1887
he continued his advanced work in English,
German and philosophy in the universities
of Goettingen, Berlin and Leipsic. The
University of Leipsic conferred upon him.
in June, 1887, the degree of Doctor of Phil-
oso])hy (magna cum laiidc). Upon his return
home he was appointed licentiate for one
year in I'rench and German at his a!)iia
mater, and for the next four or five years he
held the professorship of English and mod-
ern languages in the L^niversity of Tennes-
see. In 1893 1'*^ ■^^■•^ elected professor of
h'nglish literature, rhetoric and belles
lettres in the University of X'irginia. Dr.
Kent is recognized as a lecturer of ability,
and possesses oratorical gifts of a high
order. His addresses on literature before the
Summer School of Methods, have attracted
scores of teachers whom he has delighted
and filled with enthusiasm. He has been
among the prominent lecturers at Mont-
eaglc, Tennessee ; Salt Springs, in Georgia ;
Tulane ITniversity ; the \'. P. I. at Blacks-
Inirg. and other sclmols and colleges. .Xs
