WERTENBAKER.
Christian Wertenbaker was of German extraction. His
first home was in Columbia, Fluvanna County, but he removed
to Milton, when that town was established. Subsequently
he became a citizen of Charlottesville, and in 1814
purchased from his brother-in-law, Joshua Grady, the farm
on the old Barracks Road, east of Ivy Creek, where he spent
the remainder of his days. He died in 1833. He married
Mary, daughter of Joshua Grady, and his children were William,
Edward, Thomas Jefferson, Elizabeth, the wife of John
Walker, who removed to Pickaway County, Ohio, Susan, the
wife of Patrick Martin, and Sarah Ann, the wife of David
Vandegrift.
William in his youth acted as deputy Clerk and deputy
Sheriff of the county, and was admitted to the bar in 1824.
Soon after he was chosen Librarian of the University,
and continued to be connected with the affairs of that institution
until his death in 1882. He possessed a marvellously
accurate recollection of all the students who had during his
time frequented its halls, and no figure associated with its
scenes dwelt more familiarly in their memory than his. He
retained much of the manners of the old school, and the
offer of his snuffbox was one of the acts of his stately courtesy
to the last. For many years he was a ruling elder in the
Presbyterian Church of Charlottesville. His wife was Louisa,
daughter of Lewis Timberlake, of Caroline.
