MRGIXIA lUOGRAPHY
39
and has won for himself a reputation as an
educator and scientific man of nation-wide
famiHarity.
( I ) Lewis Patrick Stearnes, the paternal grandfather of the Mr. Stearnes of this sketch, was a native of Franklin county, Massachusetts, where he was born Novem- ber 12. 1801. and died while still a young man. after a successful career as a merchant in Franklin county. Virginia, his adopted state. In the early part of the nineteenth century he moved south, finding a new and congenial abode among the beautiful moun- tains of southwest V^irginia, where the name was allowed to take on an additional "'e'" in it? orthography. He married Sarah Caba- niss, a native of Franklin county, Virginia, and by her had four children. One of these was Major Orren Darius Stearnes, who died a soldier in the Confederate army, during the civil war. and another. Dr. John Lewis Stearnes, of whom further. Two of the chil- dren died in infancy.
(II) Dr. John Lewis Stearnes, the fourth child of Lewis Patrick and Sarah (Cabaniss) Stearnes. was born in Franklin county, Vir- ginia. December 15. 1834. He studied medi- cine at the L^niversity of Pennsylvania, and after graduation began the practice of his profession at Dublin, Pulaski county, Vir- ginia. He became one of the leading phy- sicians of that section of the state, and during the civil war was appointed physi- cian of the post at the Dublin camp of instruction, by the confederate govern- ment. He later resumed his private practice, and in 1886 moved the scene of his operations to Salem. A'irginia, where he still has a flourishing private practice, besides serving as physician to the large Baptist Orphanage located in that town. Dr. Stearnes married Phoebe Ann McDermed, a native of Roanoke county, Virginia, where she was born in 1841. daughter of Daniel and Martha ( Rogers) McDermed. Mr. ]Mc- Dermed was also a native of Roanoke county, where his family had resided for many years, and where he was a prominent merchant in ante-bellum days. His wife, Martha (Rogers) ^McDermed. was a native of Ontario, Canada. To ]\Ir. and Mrs. Mc- Dermed were born two daughters. Phoebe Ann, now Mrs. Stearnes. and with her hus- band, a resident of Salem. A'irginia ; and Mary, who married Dr. John Barbour Bask- erville and is living at the home of her son-
in-law. J. Howe Kent, Esq., of near Dublin,
Virginia. Dr. and Mrs. John Lewis Stearnes
had eight children, as follows: i. James
Daniel, a physician of Dublin, Virginia. 2.
Orren Lewis, a resident of Salem, Virginia,
where he is a director of the Appalachian
Power Company and a member of the state
legislature. 3. Robley Stille, a resident of
New Orleans, Louisiana, where he is en-
gaged in the electrical contracting business.
4 Reaumur Coleman, mentioned below. 5.
Mary Lewis, now Mrs. J. V. Moore, of Cape
Charles, Virginia. 6. Lucy Jackson, a resi-
dent of Salem, Virginia. 7. Phoebe Rogers,
who died at the age of seventeen months.
8. Henry Cabaniss, who died in infancy.
(HI) Reaumur Coleman Stearnes, the fourth child of Dr. John Lewis and Phoebe Ann (IMcDermed) Stearnes, was born April 8. 1866, at Dublin, Virginia. He passed his boyhood in that picturesc|ue locality, and when he reached an age to begin his studies ^vas sent by Dr. Stearnes, his father, to Ny- sorton Academy, not far from Dublin. Here he obtained the elementary portion of his education, and prepared himself for the more advanced college courses which he had in anticipation. Of an unusually quick mind and a naturally painstaking disposition, he at once began to exhibit those powers which have appeared so conspicuously in after life. Having attracted the favorable notice of his instructors at the academy, and graduated therefrom with high honors, he matriculated at Richmond College, where he pursued with even greater distinction his career as a student. Again he won the honors from all competitors, and finally graduated with the class of 1887, with the degree of Alaster of Arts, winning the threefold distinction of being Greek medalist, philosophy medal- ist and class valedictorian. The love of the scholar's life was strong within him and he had determined to devote his life to the pro- fession of teaching. Accordingly he accep- ted a position as instructor in mathematics and science in the Alleghany Institute at Roanoke, Virginia. He began these duties at the age of twenty-one years, and in the next three years so distinguished himself that the regard of educators in that region began to be fixed upon him most favorably. It soon became apparent that the post of in- structor was only a stepping stone for one of the ideas entertained by Mr. Stearnes. who was already possessed of a theory of
