CHISWELL DABNEY.
The paternal ancestry of Mr. Dabney is thus traced: He is the son of
Rev. John Blair Dabney, for many years attorney-at-law and commonwealth
attorney for Campbell county, Virginia, born in Hanover
county, Virginia, in 1794, died in Campbell county, at Vancluse, April
23, 1868, who was a son of Judge John Dabney, who was born in Hanover
county, and died at Vancluse in 1816, at age of forty-six years.
Judge Dabney was a son of George Dabney, of Hanover county, born in
that county in 1740, died there in 1824. George Dabney was a son of
Col. William Dabney, who was born in 1714, and died just before the
American revolution of 1776. The founder of the family in Virginia
was Cornelius Dabney, who emigrated from England to Virginia soon
after the establishment of the colony. The mother of Chiswell Dabney,
whose maiden name was Elizabeth Lewis Towles, was born on Christmas
Day, 1801, and lived to be nearly eighty-three years of age. Her father
was Major Oliver Towles, son of Colonel Oliver Towles, a lieutenant-colonel
of Continental infantry in the Revolutionary war. Her mother
was Agatha Lewis, daughter of William Lewis, who commanded a
company in the Virginia Contingent at Braddock's defeat, and who
was a brother of General Andrew Lewis, who commanded at Point
Pleasant.
Chiswell Dabney was born in Campbell county, at Vancluse, on July
25, 1844, and was married at Beaver Dam, Hanover county, Virginia,
April 3, 1873, by the Rev. W. A. Alrich of the Episcopal Church, to
Lucy D. Fontaine, who was born at Beaver Dam, on May 29, 1845.
Their children are six in number, viz: John C., born July 11, 1874;
Chiswell, jr., July 15, 1876; Louisa D., August 20, 1879; Lucy Fontaine,
October 31, 1881; Edmund F., February 28, 1884; Elizabeth
Towles, February 4, 1887. Mrs. Dabney is lineally descended from
Jacques de la Fontaine, an officer in the artillery of Francis I. of
France. He was born in 1500, and became a Huguenot. Her father was
Colonel Edmund Fontaine of Hanover, for many years president of the
Virginia Central Railroad, and his descent from Jacques de la Fontaine
is preserved in book form in the family from 1500 until now. Her
mother was Louisa Shackelford, of a family honorably identified with
Virginia's annals. Her parents are no longer living.
Mr. Dabney was in the Confederate States Army from October, 1861,
till the close of the war. He was commissioned first lieutenant and A.
D. C. to General J. E. B. Stuart, on December 20, 1861, and held that
position until, in the fall of 1863 when he was promoted captain of cavalry
and A. A. and I. G. and assigned to duty by the secretary of war
with Gordon's North Carolina Cavalry Brigade, afterwards Barrington's
brigade; and served with it until April, 1865. His brother, John
Dabney, was a private in the 28th regiment of Virginia Infantry, and
another brother, Charles E., was first lieutenant of cavalry, in the company
which entered service from Pittsylvania county. Chiswell Dabney
is an attorney-at-law, has been justice of the peace since 1885, and commissioner
in chancery of the circuit court of Pittsylvania county since
1871, and is still worthily filling these offices.
