302
VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
Hereford, Frank, born in Fauquier
cdUiUy, \irginia, July 4, 1825. He studied
hiw, was admitted to the bar, and after be-
ginning practice in Virginia removed to
California, where from 1855 till 1857 he was
district attorney of Sacramento county. He
afterward settled in West Virginia, was
elected to congress, and twice re-elected,
serving from March 4, 1871, to December
4. 1876, when he took his seat in the United
States senate, having been appointed in the
place of Allen T. Caperton, deceased.
Tyler, Charles Humphrey, soldier, born in \'irginia in 1826. He was graduated at the United States Military Academy in 1848, and became second lieutenant in the Second Dragoons, April 25, 1849. He served in garrison in the cavalry-school at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on frontier duty, and in the Utah expedition of 1857-59. On June 28, 1861, he was promoted captain. He then entered the Confederate service, became a brigadier-general, and was killed ill battle at West Point, Georgia, April 17, 1865.
Thompson, Merriwether Jeff, born at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, January 22, 1826; was educated in the common schools. He was mayor of St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1859; was appointed brigadier-general in the Mis- souri state guard early in 1861, and in the Confederate army in October of that year. He was a scout and partisan officer, and ac- complished frequent successes over superior forces. He was held in high regard by Gen. Sterling Price and Gen. Leonidas Polk. He recruited his command personally, and usually clothed, armed, and subsisted them without expense to the Confederate govern- nient. He inxcntcd a hemp-hrcak, which is
now in general use, and an improved pistol-
l(;ck. He surveyed the greater part of the
ilannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, and a por-
tion of the Kansas & Nebraska road. He
died in St. Joseph, Missouri, in July, 1876.
Starke, Lucien Douglas, burn near Cold Harbor. Hanover county, Virginia, Febru- ary 9, 1826, son of Col. Bowling Starke and Eliza, daughter of Hon. Anthony New. He was educated for the law, but early entered upon a public career. He was collector of customs for the port of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, under the administrations of Presidents Pierce and Buchanan. He en- tered the Confederate service at the begin- ing of the civil war, as colonel of the Third Regiment, North Carolina Militia, and was the first officer assigned to the command at liatteras Inlet, while the fortifications there were being erected. Later he became as- sistant commissary of subsistence for the !-cventeenth Regiment, in Martin's brigade, but served at brigade headquarters as acting inspector-general, and was in the trenches and at the front in all the operations of the brigade, including the battles about Peters- burg, Bermuda Hundred, and the second Cold Harbor. For a time he served as ad- jutant-general to Gen. J. Johnston Petti- grew. He surrendered under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, at Greensboro, North Caro- lina, in April, 1865. He soon located in Norfolk, and engaged in latv practice. He served in the house of delegates. He mar- ried (first) Elizabeth F. Marchant ; and (second) Tabitha E. I'i]ii)en.
Cochran. John Lewis, born in .^taunton. \irginia. .\ugust 22, 1827, son of John Cochran, of Charlottesville, county court iudge, and Margaret Lynn, his wife. He
