Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-08

JUDGE BENJAMIN T. GUNTER.
shore stock and strong religious princ-
Mes being members OF the Baptist
church. Joseph Gunter began life as
r0or man. but by patient, well-directed
Industry he soon acquired a fine estate.
bis wife was a granddaughter of Cap
tain William Polk q soldier of the Rev
ouuon. who resided in Bradford's Neck.
on the seaside Of AccOmac. Joseph Gun
Ger died in 1894. and his wife survived
him only a few years. They left two
chnaren-Benjamin and his sister. Eliza
BETH who is the wife Of Thomas G.
Pitts, Esq, the present owner Of only"
near Onancock, once the home OF Henry
a. Wise.
After the death of their parents. the
Two orphan children went TO live in the
family Of their kinsman, Captain Samuel
NAPLES who had served in the war OF
ig2 and whose father had been an officer
500 The Revolution. Here the two chill
dren continued 10 enjoy the fine training
that had been begun at their home. After
attending a neighbOrhoOd school for a
number Of years they were sent away 10
school-Elizabeth TO Baltimore and Ben
jamin 10 Richmond College Young Gun
Ter subsequently, attended the University
81 Virginia, where he completed the
course of study in law before he was Of
legal age. Shortly after entering the
University he became desperately home
SEX and would have returned to his
home on the Eastern Shore, but there
was no railroad connection in those days
hstween the University and Eastern Vir-
ginia. and the hOmesick youth naturally
shrank from the thought Of making his
way alone back TO his native Eastern
shore through wide stretch Of un-
known country. and across the Chesa-
reake bay. Judge Gunter always con-
sldered this the turning point in his
career and thanked the kindly fates that
threw such obstacles in his way to pre-
vent his return home at this crucial
period OF his life. But the determination
% succeed in life had been strong in
young Gunter, and hope Of honorable
fame beckoned to him from affair."
Returning home from the University
Do was admitted TO the bar, and soon
thereafter was elected commemorative
Attorney for Accomac. Among the
famous lawyers then practicing in the
courts OF the Eastern Shore were Thomas
H. Bayly, Henry A. Wise, and Myers
49, Fisher Shortly after young Gunter
was elected Commonwealth Attorney
be had TO prosecute Tully Lilliston and
his paramour. Betsy Simpson for killing
Thomas Budd near Accomac Courthouse
Henry A. Wise conducted the defence
with all his ability, but the young Com
m0nwealth's Attorney made such a
plucky fight that he won the case and
succeeding in sending Tully Lilliston and
the woman TO the penitentiary for long
period. After the trial was ended Wise
was heard 70 say that there was nothing
that could daunt or shake the courage
of that young bulldog Gunter. who held
fast i'm he accomplished his purpose.
This legal tilt with so famous an advo-
cate as Henry A. Wise brought the
young attorney at once into prominence
and made his future secure.
soon after coming TO the bar he mar
lied Miss Ellen Fisher. a young lady Of
lovely Christian character. She was the
daughter Of John Fisher, Of Northampton,
and niece Of Myers w. Fisher,
who. with the late William II. b. Curtis,
represented the Eastern Shore in the
secession convention. From this union
sprang seven children-hve sons and two
daughters.
An UNCOMPROMIsING REBEL"
AS the civil war approached Judge
Gluter was elected colonel Of the Acco-
mac Volunteer Troops. and took an ac-