The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-14


he was not really unfriendly to the
American cause, the current was changed
and John Hook lived and died as c highly
respected citizen, leaving descendants who
arc worthy OF mis- name 1t Is no. slight
testimony IN favor of his high standing
and character that he was commissioned
aas Justice OF the peace by Patrick
Henry when he was Governorfo of Vii GINA:
The office OF clerk has been held In the
Steptoe family in Its llneal and col
lateral branches for moro than a hundred
years, and one Of his great grandsonsi
(Robert steptoe Quarlcs. is now the popu- 4
lar and efficient clerk of Bedford county.
Tho character Of James Steptoe may
he described in a few wordsA-intcgrity,
Independence and the strlctest form OF re-
publican simplicity; as to the last OF
which he seems 10 have made Mr.sJcffer-
son his model and prototype. Though de-
sccndcd, as will be seen above, from
long line OF the better class of English
gentry, he never alluded to 1t himself, IN
fact, It was unknown even to his family
until after his death, when they learned
iitsthrough his correspondence. While this
Is so, he had a high appreciation Of
blood IN horses, and throughout his life
kept some about him Of the best English
stock. He was maj, who held 5vciy
decided opinions on all subjects, and
would at times express them as to men
and public affairs in very nervous Lam
Eeuage. being strong in his friendships
and equally strong In his 8dislikes. Ii AS ~
clerk, he was everything that could be
desired: polite and oblging. Gas true
gentlemen always are) careful ana at
tent!ve in the business Of his office ana
in court, and ready at all times to give
Information and advice to those who need
ed 1t. {t3! s *
The engraved likeness which accom-
5panes this sketch Is a reduced copy OF
an OIL painting IN the posse ssion OF y.
j. taken BY Harvey Mitchell In 1876, the
year of he old gentlemen,s .death, an 1.L.'
the original Of THE Old Virginia Gem
tleman., in DR.. Bagby's admirable lecture.
Bacon and Green's where he describes 1o
the q. ". q SO naturally as sitting with
a book In his hand by the side OF his
Z open 8 secretary, with an ink-stand IN
which Is stuck a long goose-quil pen, and
where. besides HIS papers. he kept hl1iiss,
which Is stuck a. long goose-a VII PEN a ana
shoe nails. and other things, incipdlllhe
4 stick Of lickorice, which he always
kent by him as an expectorant-all exact
IL as / have often seen him, when a boy,
on visits to him with my bro Tiers. Inc
.picture on the wall Is that OF his me-
long friend, Thomas Jefferson. and tine r the
man Is one OF Fry and Jefferson re-
ferred TO in Jefferson's Notes on VIZ
rinia. A distant view Of the Peaks OF
Otter, as seen through the open Wlno.oW,
gives additional interest to the Il scene,
which is true to life in every particuiar.
sl; AS stated above, James Steptoe left
y "a n,ilvg OF I'VE sons-James G.. who sue
caeded his father as clerk; william, Who
became an eminent physician; George
whose son, John r. Steptoe, was the hfth
cler,. Eof BEDFORD = r ebert c. and Thomas;@
and four Observation-Disclosures P.,t VINO
j married Charles Johnston (fat Their OF the
present writer; Frances. who nl MARI
! Henry S. Langhorne; Lucy! VINO married E.ea
Robert Penn, and Sally. who married
William MassIe, Whose son, Thomas J
wns the third clerk of Nelson county,
~ S.-Since the foregoing was written,
81 have come into possession of the orlgl-
nal commission OF James Steptoe{ as c a!
OF Bed ford county, In the neat and scierlT
ticaI Handwriting of Secretary N eison,
which is here copied as q valued historiT
cal relic. II u. !,
come, Thomas Nelson. Esquire sendeth
greeting: Know We, that I. the SAID
Thomas Nelson. by virtue Of the powers
and authorities to me granted. py the
Honorable William Adair, Esquire. sec
rotary Of this His AIajesty's colony and
dominion Of Virginia. do by these pres.
ents nominate, constitute ana no appolnt
James Steptoe. Gentleman. to be clerk
of the county of Bedford: to have and
to hold the said place and office Of clerk
of said county, to him, the said lanes
Steptoe. with all fees, privileges, profits
and perquisttes Whatsoever to the SAID
place and ofFiceSin any wise appertatnins,
during plea sure; and do hereby revoke
all former commissions granted FOR me
said place. In witness, have hereunto
set my hand and affixed my seal. at
williamsburg. the seventeenth day OF
January, one thousand seven hundred
and seventy-two, in the twelfth year OF
the reign Of our Sovereign Lord King
go e. ~ ''rHos. NELSON
4 A handsome monument In the old bury,
ing ground near New London. Bedford
county, bears the simple inscriptions:
James steptoe, born in 1850; died in 1926,
For flfty-four years the clerk OF Bed
ford county.
Daniel.
request for the Daniel family was
made us some time ago with coat q arms ms
the English limo In connection with the
Virginia family, we fall to gain the exact
line OF descent from England, since there
were many lines OF Daniel In the OLD eou y,
fact Fact The the ,name Of Daniel is Jewish, as
derived from Holy writ, and we know g, tn. the
Jews In England We're never era nted coat coat
armour until that honor was conferred
upon Baron R9thschld TIE ., friend t %hq
place with his millions But really, g ', Jew
has an older pedigree than, any 4, e Gentlie.
Whether the Daniels Of this country are
Of Jewish extraction We do not know,
but they have a ways occupied a high and
most distinguished position
The Following Is gathered concerning
them: a0 g f ~ q (al ~ u
II IIayden's genealogy (pnge s0a) he
gives James Daniel SJames =, Of Is orange
ried 1853, Mary Killingham. They had
James Daniel, who married Sarah Emeri
Frances married Mr.. Henderson,; John
Daniel married - Gaines.
From Joseph I1abershanl's Historical
fdsS So IS? Il SCUM s
amongst the "LandgraYes,' Is Colonel
Robert Daniel, 1891 On p. 267 is asked
the ancestry and descendsnts q Robert
i7N (whoa was probably same as abtoy ye;