\IRG1X1A BIOGRAPHY
38:
1894, Annie Smith McConnal, born in Mas-
sachusetts. June 7, 1865, daughter of James
and Annie (Smith) McConnal, both natives
of Scotland, and l)oth deceased, he since No-
vember, 1900, she since January 4, 1913.
James McConnal was a stone mason by
trade, settled first in the South, serving in
the Confederate army as a guard at Belle
Isle, and in the engineering department as
a bridge builder. He learned his trade in
Scotland and in the United States followed
it throughout his active life. Four of his
large family are yet living, three of them in
Virginia. Dr. Frank Marshall and Annie
Smith (McConnal) Reade have a daughter,
Lida Fair, born in Richmond, August 4.
1895-
Kilby family. Among the early members of the family of Kilby. a name long identi- fied with Mrginia and borne by men of prominence in many walks of life, who is worthy of lengthy mention in conspicuous place, is John Kilby. who served under Commodore John Paul Jones on the "Bon Homme Richard" as gunner, and, after the sinking of that vessel in the historic battle with the English "Serapis," he served also on the "Alliance."
( I ) This early ancestor of the line here given was born in Vienna, Dorchester county, on the eastern shore of Maryland. September 15. 1758, death closing his event- ful career at his home in Hanover county, Virginia. February 9, 1826. He was a youth of eighteen years when he shipped as sailor on the privateer brig, "Sturdy Beggar," at Vienna, his birthplace, a vessel which, after an exciting and successful career in the American service, was captured by the Eng- lish. For about two and one-half years John Kilby and many of his shipmates were con- fined in "Fortune's Jail" at Spithead, Eng- land, a period whose ill treatment and suf- fering was livened by frecjuent attempts at escape. Being exchanged at the end of this time. John Kilby and his comrades went to France, at TOrient shipping under Commo- dore John Paul Jones on the "Bon Homme Richard." He served under this noted com- mander until the "Richard" met her fate in victorious battle, returning to America on the "Alliance." Augustus C. Buell, a well- known biographer of John Paul Jones, wrote of John Kilby : "He was an
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admirable type of the genuine American
sailor of those days — a type which, though
numerically a minority of the "Richard's"
crew, was the predominant moral and men-
tal factor and the leaven of daring enter-
prise and unconquerable resolution that en-
abled Jones to gain his immortal victory."
After the revolution John Kilby followed the sea in the merchant service, rose to the rank of master mariner, and became one of the most successful and competent captains of his day. At the earnest solicitation of a friend, Rev. Thomas Ritchie, he prepared, long after the close of the war, a narrative of his naval service in the American cause, an account remarkable for clearness and in- terest, w^onderful in his accurate remem- brance of names, dates, periods and events, and historically valuable for the intimate light it casts upon the chief of American sea heroes, Commodore John Paul Jones. John Kilby married, December 26, 1787, Eliza- beth Thompson, born August 19, 1763, and then retired from the sea.
(II) The line of descent from him is through his son, Turpin Kilby, born May 13, 1794, died December 29, 1832, who mar- ried, March 6. 1817, Martha Glazebrook, born March 28. 1796.
(III) John Richardson Kilby, son of Tur- pin and Martha ( Glazebrook j Kilby, was born December 31, 1819, and died Decem- ber 5. 1878. He came from Hanover county to Nansemond, and resided with his uncle, John Thompson Kilby. He attended school conducted by Air. Richard H. Riddick. com- monwealth's attorney for Nansemond county, and at the age of fourteen he began his business life work as an assistant to his uncle, aforementioned, clerk of court of Nansemond county. Having spent a few years in this position, he became deputy- sheriff of Nansemond county and then sher- iff of Norfolk county, Virginia. During this period, he zealously studied law and was admitted to the bar, December 9, 1845, ^"^ acquired a large practice, also entered prominently into public affairs and politics. John R. Kilby represented Nansemond county in the general assembly of Virginia in 1851-52-53; was a presidential elector in 1852 and cast his vote in favor of Scott and Graham, and four years later was a member of the Baltimore convention that nominated Millard Fillmore for the presidency. He was
