Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-07-28

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ocratic nomination for Governor
In the primary next week, spen
five years Of his boyhood in Rock
bridge. He was born in Williams.
burg In 1848. His father dice
when he was an infant, aud hi
spent his early days in that his
toric city with his mother, who in
1852 married Preston Trotter, and
brought young Mann with her to
her new home at Brownsburg
There, Ho daes attended the
Brownsburg Academy, and grew in
to a sturdy boy of great independ
encs--a trait that has character.
lied him throughout his whole life
At the age of fourteen, he started
In life for himself. He has never
been to school or college since he
left the old Brownsburg Academy
in 1857. He started out then to fght
the battle of life en- hie own respor.
sibility, with the clothes be had on
his back and ten dollars in his
pocket. The struggle at first was
hard, but he never called for help.
He educated himself, and later, be-
tween the hours Of work, read law,
and soon after the war was admit
ted to the bar. the goal Of his
Youthful ambitions. He is now
regarded as one Of the ablest law
yers in Virginia, and one OF the
purest and best men.
Upon the breaking out of the war,
young Mann. who was then seven.
teen years of age, at once volunteered
in the 18th Virginia Regiment, and
until the end OF the war, except
for a short time when he acted rs
county clerk, served either with
that regiment or as scout in the
operations around Petersburg. He
was once captured inside the Fede-
raj lines, but escaped. He has
been for many years the command
er of the Pickett-Stuart Camp OF
Comic derate Veterans at Nottoway,
the members Of which camp, In
response to an attack made upon
him during the present guberna-
torial campaign, endorsed him In
ringing resolutions, concluding as
follows:
"Knowing Judge Mann as We do,
we take pleasure in declaring to
the people of this Commonwealth
THAT as soldier, Judge, sena'
tor, neighbor, friend, and Il
Christian gentleman, he has
measured up to the full standard
of all that we would requirs of
him; that his private and public
life have been clean and pure;
und that he enjoys the full conf
deuce, affection ard esteem Of bis
neighbors, his countynen. and all
who know him best"
Called to the bar soon after the
war, Judge Mann soon TOOK front
rank in HE profession and upon
the establishment of the county
court eystem in 1870, although but
81 years of age, he was elected the
first county judge Of Nottoway
He was three times reelected and
in 1892 declined reelection. Upon
his retirement from the beech, the
pee pie of No,toway gathered in
mass meeting, passed resolutions
of NEST commendatory nature
ard presented him with hard
some gold headed cane ss an evi.
dence of their affection and ee-
TEEN.
For the past ten years, Judge
Mans has been member OF the
State Senate, and has perhaps &C
complished more legislation of a
ger eral nature tending to the
public good than any member of
that body since the war. Among
the most important measures, he
has introduced and passed have
been the Mann Liquor Law, which
closed eight hundred country sa-
oons and on account of which the
liquor people are bitterly opposing
Dim today; and the Mann High
School Law, under which POL high
schools have been established In
The rural districts in the past three
years. When he entered the Sem
tie be was at once made chairman
# the Democratic Senate CaucuG,
IN honor never before perhaps con
erred upon new member. He is
low chairman Of the Committee
or Courts of Justice, and mem.
yer of the Finance Committee and
he Committee on Privileges and
elections, the three most import
mt committees of the Senate. He
vas ALEC chairman of the very i'm
'ortsnt joint committee which
dspted the statute law of the d
tate to the new constitution. II
Early in his life, Judge Mann :
onnected himself with the Presby- I
erian church, in which he has
cen for many years an elder, and :
as always been especially active
q church work. 1t Is interesting IL
, note, as stated by another news 9