The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-25
FIRST AND LAST LIVING INSANE TOWN
Portraits and History Of Pres.
idents Pro TEN. of Senate
Of Virginia, Gathered
by Mr.. Hanger.

Some highly interesting facts touch
ing the history of the Office OF pres
ident pro tempore OF the Senate of
Virginia, and the men who have filled
1t since its creation by the Underwood
convention. have been compiled by Mr..
o. V. Hanger. assistant clerk of the
body, who placed the data, along with
photographs of the entire number at
the disposal of The Times Dispatch.
Mr.. Hanger made the collection in or
der to secure complete group of por-
traits of these former officials for the
Senate clerks office.
OF the eight men who have held this
distinguished position, four are now
living, and it is a coincidence that
these include the first and the last
Hon. Joseph a. Waddell G870-l87D. and
Hon. Edward Echols (190S) both OF
whom reside in the cit yof Stanton.
The other two who are still living
are Hon. John L. Hurt, of Pittsylvania,
and Hon. Henry T. Wickham. of Han
over. The dead are Hon. Henry w.
Thomas, of Loudoun; DR.. ". D. Quisen-
berry, of Caroline; Hon. Wyatt NJ. Ell
| lott, of Buckingham, and Hon. William
Lovenstein, of Richmond.
Veteran Still Active.
Although the first president pro tenn,
Mr.. Waddell, is now far advanced in
| age, he is still active, both mentally
and physically. and watches the trend
4 Of public affairs with much interest
! He is author of complete history OF
| Augusta county, and possesses fine
store of valuable information con-
corning events in Virginia of pub
lie nature. Here is a letter written
to Mr.. Hanger in Mr.. Waddell's hand:
|
| Mr.. O. v. Harris,
Dear Sir,-My tern. OF office us Presi-
dent pro tenn of the Senate was quite
| unevcntful. I can think OF nothing
/ worth relating. In consequence OF the
\ absence of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
/ presided much of the time, and never
enjoyed myself more thnn while sit
4 ting In the .chair(D. Il was treated
with great courtesy and kindness by
the members, and ns far ns I rcmem-
her, my rulings were never reversed.
Sorry I can't tell you more.
Very truly,
Political AliEnments,
Party lines were not very clearly
drawn when Mr.. Waddell presided over
the Senate but in the reign or the
other seven they had become more
| distinct,
A Judge Thomas the second President
4 pro tenn of the Senate, was q 5conserVa-
" tive in politics, and DR.. Quiesenberry
the third was Democrat OF the oio
school. Mr.. Elliott came In on the
.Readiustcr move. and his service was
under the Mahone-Cameron reign
Mossrs. Hurt Lovenstein, Wlckhan,
and Echols all subscribed to the
Democratic faith this party haVlns
controlled the Legislature since the
+, carly eighties
Judge Thomas, who served from 1870
to 1874, was, before that time CIR
cult Judge. and later succeeded to the
position of Lieutenant Governor.
: DR. olnesenberry was the tlol OF th'
Democracy OF his section of the state
: and was very popular here during his
I service In the Senate, He ROUNDED
i out his public career as member @
a the House from Caroline In the SEES
q sion of 1S97-S, and shortly thereatte'
! died at his homo in that county
, Mr.. Elliott, who was President pr
tom under the Malone regime, was to
a long time editor OF the Rlchmont
Whig, and although figuring consp1cu
ously in the political field during tina
strenuous period he Is said to hap'
been one of the most courtly ana even
, tempered men of his time. he wa
! clerk of the United States court 9
$ Lynchburg at the time of his death
q MI. Hurt has retired from publi
7 life, and Is pursuing the quiet walk
. Iof a farmer In Pittsylyania, and III
: successor Mr.. Lovcnsteln, OF this CITY
i died here a number az years ago
\ The record of former Senator WICK
ha I'm. Of Hanover, who served from lS9