University of Virginia Library

WILLIAM ELISHA PETERS

Peters Hall is named in honor of William
Elisha Peters, Professor of Latin from
1866 to 1902 and Emeritus Professor until
his death 22 March 1906. He was born 28
August 1829 in Bedford County, Virginia,
the son of Elisha and Cynthia (Turner)
Peters. He attended New London Academy
in Bedford County and graduated from
Emory and Henry College. After two postgraduate
years (1850–1852) at the University
of Virginia, he was invited back to
Emory and Henry College as Professor of
Greek and Latin. He continued there until
1861, except for two years of study in Germany.
But immediately upon Virginia's
secession in April 1861, Professor Peters
enlisted as a private in the Southern forces.
In active service he was promoted through
the ranks to Colonel, and was three times
wounded, twice seriously. In 1864 he was
in the campaign into Pennsylvania. Being
ordered to burn Chambersburg, he refused,
firmly stating that he had not enlisted to

fight women and children. Other officers
outranking him did execute that command,
but General Lee upheld Colonel Peters'
refusal, and he was not court-martialed.

In 1866 when the School of Ancient Languages
at the University of Virginia, which
had been taught by Professor Gildersleeve
unassisted through the war, was divided,
Colonel Peters became Professor of Latin.
In his teaching he maintained the qualities
of earnestness, strict accuracy, and courage,
and he also had a deep personal interest in
those he taught; "Old Pete" was greatly
respected by generations of students. To
his faculty associates he was a valued friend
and a firm and wise counsellor. In the religious
life of the University he manifested
an effective concern.

In 1858 he married Margaret Sheffey of
Marion, Virginia. Some years after her
death he married (in 1873) her sister, Mary
Sheffey. At the University he lived on West
Lawn, first in Pavilion III and later in
Pavilion IX. After thirty-six years of occupation
of his chair of Latin, he voluntarily

resigned in 1902; four years later he succumbed
to an attack of pneumonia. He was
buried in the Sheffey family cemetery in
Marion. Much of his private collection of
books on classical subjects was presented to
the University Library by his sons, James
White Sheffey Peters, a lawyer in Washington,
and Don Preston Peters, a physician
in Lynchburg.