The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-14

This historic academy or Nhlcn NOi.
| Cary was the last principal was found
| ed about lGl2 of which the October num-
hcr OF the William and Mary College
quarterly gives the following admirable
account I'm an article entitled Education
/ i'm Colonial Virginia
BENJAMIN Svms or Virginia. left tho
| first legacy by - resident OF the American
! plantation for the promotion or edura-
| ton. By his Will. made February u. 1884
| 80. he gave two hundred acres on the PO-
QuosOn. a small river which enters the
Chesapeake Bay. "a mile or less below
the mouth Of York river. with The milk
| and increase Of eight cows for the edu-
cation ana instruction OF the children OF
the adjoining parishes OF Elizabeth Ciiy
and kiuuotOn.
| bly, gave solemn sanction 10 Syms Will
| I'm l6ff. a few years later. we near from
an early writer that the school-house had
been erected. and the number OF pupils
greatly increased. This school was soon
succeeded by another. Thomas Eaton,
on March N. 1884. patented 30 acres NJ
the head of the Black river for the benefit
OF education Roth schools were undouot-
odly i'm operation at the time when Bcrk-
cley uttered his much-QuOted remark
about the free schools of Virginia.
After the Revolution the two Schools
lost their efficiency for time. Tor under
the changed state Of affairs the minis
ters and church wardens, and even the
Justices. doubted their true succession as
incorpOratOrs. At length. IN lNoo. the t~o
schools were Incorporated IN one as the
Hampton Academy and. aided ny new
constitutions. continued for many years
as "A prosperous institution for the Oene-
ft OF the children Of Elizabeth city ana
OF Poquoson. York county
THE LAST PRINCIPAL.
It was as the head. then. Of this IA
nous old school that col. Cary took
his place as the last principal IN iA,,
and continued In that position untll loo-'
when the fund of $1,000 provided Tor the
support Of the Hampton Academy, was as
ISOLATED with the public school system
adopted for nc county.
Thus the Old school went out of eN-
istence. but in its stead arose anotnfr
which won even greater renown. me
Hampton Military Academy. founded by
col Cary. To this school came boys
from every part or the south, ana lhe
fame Of the restitution spread tar ana
wide. With Cot. Cary as assistant pllu-
cipal. was associated Col W. u. tut-
shaw preseat city Engineer OF hlch-
mOnd. who was afterwards an instructor
i'm the Virginia Military Institute gar
| liant soldier who lost q limb In the de-
fence Of the South.
The academy grew and hourished until
the shadow Of war spread over the idiu'
but IL continued i'm operation until the
near approach of the enemy forced II
10 suspend. The Academy buildings ana
Colonel Cary's residence were burned Az
the evacuation. Most Of his pupils enlisted
I'm the army and col Cary himself went
D
Regiment Infantry. General Bankhead
Magruder's Division For two years he
was continually in the field making a
record for -saiantry Ia many a hard
/ fought Held. During this time ne was
promoted. being placed on the stan or
! General Magruder, with the rank OF
Lieutenant-C Colonel. his Office being that
OF Assistant rspector-General.
HE REMAINED IN VIRGINIA.
After the battles around Richmond
a Nff IA { ID
Trans Mississippi Department, ana re-
Qucsted col. Cary 10 accompany him.
hut the latter refused as II would m
volve "a long separation from his taml-
I Is. who were then staying Al the resi-
! denco of Mrs. SPOTS. sister or ms
wife on the Westham road not far from
/ Richmond.
! After the transfer Of Gen. Magrudor
/ 10 the Trans Mississippi Department Col.
Cary was placed I'm the Quartermaster
Department with headquarters IN Rich
mond. ana here he remained untll the
or col Carys bravery on the field OF
battle many stories are told by ms OLD
comrades.
col Cary said recently that the nrst
time h. ever saw the Colonel was IN tn"
spring of 1862. at Yorktown. inc narra-
I tor was then a boy. who had betn sent
10 the place on some errand FOR his Ia
/ thpr Just at the time when Mcclellan
was advancing up the Peninsula, ana
| the planet" WAS held at bay By the IN
trepid and in lefatigabie Magruder with
| his few thousands OF ubiquitous touleh-
crates who were required 10 put IN an
| appearance" an many places Inc same
day up and down the threatened lines.
There was peach orchard just below
! Yorktown on the York river side, and
considerable picket-iiring took place
| there the morning OF this boys Visit and
| col Cary was within the Yankee range.
| Soon after he rode into Yorktown and his
attention was called 20 the fact that just
/ behind the lower edge OF his saddle blan-
ket there was a significant red spot on
/ the side of his horse. who was almost
| perfectly white. The Colonel till then.
| was not aware that his horse had been
! fatally shot.
\ RESIDENT or RICHMOND.
After peace had been concluded Col.
! Cary took up his residence in this city.
! the first position filled by him being
/ general agent al the penitontary 20
which place he was elected by the Legis-
latGrc.
He next engaged for short time In
! the commission and grocery business on
| lower Main street. the firm name being
| Armistead. Rice. cary X co. Later ne
was connected I'm some venture with Mr..
! Charles Y. Morris. but his ala not con-
! tinue long before he took mp the business
] Of which he made such an unprecedented
| success and of which he was the head
! al tue iliut OF MS Ntdluf itdt oi vi Nliii
/ and North Carolina representative OF
! the Northwestern Mutual Insurance
! Company Of Milwaukee. Wis. Col. Cary
/ established this business alone, and
| worked IL up from comparatively Moth
! ing. TO its present immense proportions.
I IN 1858 he took into partnership his son.
/ Mr.. r. Archibald Cary. the firm name be-
ing changed to John Il. cary Son.
| SUPERINTENDENT or SCHOOLS.
| During Colonel Cary's life OF almost
| third OF "A century in Richmond he was
: the leader in all enterprises which re-
! bounded =, the good OF the city, and held
some OF the highest positions In the gift
Of his fellow citizens. In July, lSs6, he
was elected superintendent OF public
schools Of the city. filling that responsible
Cfiice until February l5 1859. when he re-
signed On account of pressing busin ;ss en-
gagements.
J How his administration was regarded
can best be told In the language OF Sc
ries OF resolutions prepared by Messrs.
George Bryan and W. NJ. Turpin on
March p. 1859. and spread upon the re-
cords OF the School Board, copy
| OF which was afterwards handsomely en-
crossed and presented TO Colonel Cary.
/ These resolutions wers as follows:
! Resolved That the members Of the
Board add their testimony TO that con-
| tailed i'm the records of the office. bearing
| witness To the thoroughness accuracy
and ger Cral efficiency with which $50 far
| as the healthy maintenance and mate
| rial progress or the schools are concern
| ed the all-important duties of the SUI
perlntel dents office have been met and
! discharged by him. IN a slngularly hap
| nv way ne has combined hrmness and