HON. WILLIAM H. PETERS
Was born at Portsmouth, Virginia, on May 12, 1816, the son of Henry
Peters, who died in 1825, aged about forty-four years, and Martha
Peters, nee Meredith, who died in 1841. He went to school in Portsmouth,
and at the age of sixteen years entered the United States Navy
Yard at Gosport as clerk, and continued there until May, 1855, filling
the position of commandant's secretary most of the time. In June,
1855, commenced a mercantile business in which he continued until the
secession of Virginia, when he was appointed paymaster in the navy of
Virginia, and ordered to duty at the Gosport Navy Yard, in charge of
the pay department of that establishment.
Continuing there until Virginia joined the Confederacy (when he was
succeeded by a paymaster of the Confederate navy), he was then appointed,
by Governor Letcher, commissioner to report on the public
property taken possession of, in the name of Virginia, in and around
Norfolk, including the United States navy yard at Gosport. This duty
performed, he was appointed Confederate States naval store-keeper, by
President Davis, and took charge of the stores in the Gosport yard.
He continued there until the station was evacuated by the Confederates,
May 10, 1862, when he proceeded with such stores as could be removed,
to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he remained on duty until September,
1863. He was then appointed navy agent, and assigned to
duty in the blockade, with headquarters at Wilmington, North Carolina,
having charge of the steamers of the navy department engaged in
running the blockade, and of the purchase and shipment of cotton, on
government account, from Wilmington and other southern ports. The
duties of this difficult position he discharged until the fall of Wilmington,
and the close of the war.
He then resumed mercantile business at Portsmouth and Norfolk. In
1879 he became president of the Citizens' Bank of Norfolk, a position
he still holds. In Portsmouth, Virginia, May 16, 1838, Mr. Peters
married Mary A. Reed, of that city. The record of their children is
James H., married Susan Sadler, of North Carolina, Carrie V., married
Dr. J. Buxton Williams, of Oxford, North Carolina; William R.,
married Mary Freeman, of Portsmouth, Laura B. (now deceased),
married Dr. Edward M. Watts, Mattie R., married Judge Legh Richmond
Watts, of Portsmouth, Washington and Mary, still living at
home.
