University of Virginia Library

REV. ROBERT HUNTER BEAZLEY

Robert Hunter Beazley was born at Sparta, in Caroline county,
April 1, 1841. He was the son of John Beazley. At the outbreak
of the Civil War he enlisted in the Sparta Grays and saw service
under R. M. T. Hunter for whom he was named.

After the Civil War Mr. Beazley settled in Manchester, now
South Richmond and engaged in the mercantile business under
the firm name of Beazley, Ogden and Chiles. Upon the dissolution
of this firm he engaged in the shoe business in which he was
successful. He was Clerk of the Hustings Court of Manchester
during his business career in that city. He was also teacher of
the Men's Bible class in Bainbridge Baptist church and deacon
in the church until his removal to Halifax in 1876.

Upon removing to South Boston in Halifax county, Mr.
Beazley organized a Baptist Sunday school and superintended it
for several years. He was licensed to preach in the eighties by
the Dan River Association and served as pastor of several

churches, one of them being Musterfield, now Scottsburg church.
He was instrumental in organizing the church of South Boston,
now one of the strongest Baptist churches in that section of the
State.

Mr. Beazley became the editor of The News in 1890 and
remained editor until 1913. He died of apoplexy in 1914.
There are many interesting articles on Caroline, in the files of
The Free-Lance of Fredericksburg and The News of South Boston,
written by Mr. Beazley during his newspaper career. Mr.
R. C. Beazley, eldest son of Mr. R. H. Beazley, now publishes
The News.