Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-11-02
ONE OF BEST KNOWN AND BEST
OFLATTER-DAY VIRGINIANS
Had Distinction Of Serving Ambassador From United
States to ltaly--Reunited Country During
World War.
CONTINUED From First Page,

literary pcnt HTSt became evident.
the student frequently making con.
| tribut!ous to the college paper. of
which he was later the editor. He
remained ut Washing ton College
tire" years. Later. he fought school
in Kentucky. In 1873. h. entered
the law school OF the University Of
NirSlnsa, where he studied a scssio n
| under Professor John u. Minor and
stephen o. Southall. graduating In
1874 with the degree Of bachelor OF
laws. He practiced law In Rich
Sl"nd until 1898. when ne removed
| to Washington.
pr. Pages literary reputation was
established with the appearance. of
"Mnrsc chan" Ills earlier stories
have been collected in hook form um-
cer TIA" title: In Ole Virginia" Ills
first novel. Red Rock" is regarded
as "a faithful dedication Of tie re-
construction period in the Souths
history. Among his other books are
ON Ncwfouud River" "Elskct and
oth"r stories" ''n"to' The war" 1in
collaboration with Arm!St"ad G. Cor
DOM; "Pas,!mc Stprics' The burial
OF tha Guns" Social Life In Old
Virginia" The Old Gentleman of
INC E.aCk stock" Two Prisoners. :"
~ Captured Santa Claus" Gordon
Keith" ''lired In the bone" Under
tn" Crust" Tile Old Dominion. Her
Making and Her Manners" and
robert Il. Lee. The Sou;hcrucr"
Member of Many Clubs
br. ras" VAS a member OF many
cimh. societies and traternitiea
throughout the country. lie was
twice married His first wifn was
MISS Ann" Seldom lsruce. OF ''Stauu-
ton Hill." Charlotte County, who
died in 1855. Ills second wife, whom
n" married Ia 1903. Was Mrs Flor
cncc l.athror Field. widow OF the
lat" Henry Field. az Chicago. and
great nice" OF Governor James bar
oour. OF Virginia. She died a little
over year ago.
The following sketch. written by
Miss Gilbcrta White. of Richmond.
for the Richmond Dispatch in 1897.
Was pronounced by Or. Page him
self the best sketch OF his life:
Mr.. Thomas Nelson Pag. is now
engaged writing 4 story Of the Re-
construction period. Although ne
mas been for 80 many years "a pron!-
nrnt figure Ia the world Of letter.
his published work occupies a very
Inconsidcrah;. space upon his library
shelves. Ten slender Volumes
handsomely bound edition gotten out
Tor ms "iir--co n,a.u all that he has
ever given To the public. Intervals
OF entire suspension o! literary EFFORT
nave been InterspcIscd throurhyu,
his career. Then. too. no writer j.
NOR. careful of hls reputation than
IS MI rage, and numbers OF COM
p!et"d manuscripts lie by him which
ne mas never offered for publication.
SiHp!! because they do not reach his
own high standard of excellence.
In the beginning Of his authorship
he wrote rapidly. Mars Chan. was
dashed OF in few evenings NOW.
however lac works more slowly. re-
tirine ever: nothing 10 MS den" in
NC upper part ot his beautiful.
M"SS.ni"S'on home, where he remains
at h:s GcsH until h" fees tagged
As The bride .: his youth was ,t.
inspiration Of HIS early efforts. so is
ia" present wife his able coadjUlor.
l" whom h. submits all tina. he
writes. and whose critical judgment
lie 'sGards as in.nuihIc
Mr.. rag" comes OF the best stock
an" boih hcrcd!ty ana environment
rave contributed To- make him VIVA,
he is The Nelson's from whom nn
IS descended through both parents
were distinguished for strong. com
mon sense and high religious prIn-
y'pls' whi!" from the Pages he in
merits his literary talents
II! his boyhu0d home ..o,lsr,,,
IN Hanover county Va. s!,unt.I
upon AN original grant from mo
crown 81 England to the Colonial
me nate. Thomas Nelson" ,h.r.
"'r" non" but good books and =,
'h!S. ana also TO the fac, ,b.,r
wa surrounded from his bir,h he
cultured people, he owes mos, a, his
carr! education. lie WAS ,aurb, he
ms auniS. later. learning Latin in n
ctsu!thrE fashion from his fo,b.r
ana acquired reputation in MS ov.,,
S"'"'! ':r"!" for his quickncss At
~ "''S' hc!hE frequently called upon
=" answer p.zIling questions n.
"hd ais" remarkably r,,cn,iv,
memory, and learned IN. co,l.n,.
- ana i'r. J"hnson--Dy merely r,,J-
ing them over
one Of his aunts ON tho s,,,
"H" had written novels. Int.rwn,..,,
MIN moral dissertations ana ma,
mn IRON her the hrst suggestion ar
authorship was received. This la,
"" a charming raconteur. delight.
'"E an VINO knew her with her i'm.
,'"''''" stories. hut her pen once i'm
" '"r i't deserted her. and her
S'SI' became" stun and s,il:nd Dur
| l,H tn" war, as the sis,cr-in.low ~
'th.fA! fcndleton--General Lees
'h'Si of ar,illery-shc was fro.
pu'h'iy with the army. and brought
III '"Hrh with those bearing a CON
/ Sp''""uS part in tho struggle. A
/ mary III which events were written
1 """h III the moment of transpira
''"h' was the result Of this cxperi-
"nce' n" account had all the charm
| 81 Sp"htHneity: and. as an accurate
record OF occurre noes, many OF which
we're not generally known. would
nave made an invaluable. addition IN
me history Of the period. After the
war however. with the intention Of
pu"'iShihS H. the author rewrote
rms account substituting for the
glowing narrative revised version.
/ '"""hcd In her most studied phrase
! "!"SN. The WORK was rejected. and
Wheh her friends asked for the Ms.
/ from which the account had been
taken they were told that she had
| destroyed IL.
ANOTHER person who exercised an
| lhhuehce over young Page during the
formative period was the original Of
My Cousin Fannie" "A clever. old :
maid cousin, who was in the habit OF
making annual visits to the neigh
b"rh"od. and who taught his broth
erS and himself 10 waltz, and intro
duced other "frivo!ities" among
| them.