ELIZABETH CITY COUNTY.
JUDGE JOHN BOOKER
Was born at Sherwood, Elizabeth City county, Virginia, April 14,
1849. His father, who died February 11, 1878, aged sixty-two years,
was George Booker, son of Richard Booker, son of George Booker, son
of Richard Booker, of Amelia county, Virginia. The mother of Judge
Booker lives now in Hampton, Ann Messenburg was her maiden name.
He married at Hampton, February 17, 1881, Sue C. Howard, and they
had one son, John, now dead. Mrs. Booker is the daughter of Harry
C. and Diana (Wray) Howard. Her father, born in York county, Virginia,
is of pure English lineage, his family closely descended from that
house of which the Duke of Norfolk is head. Mr. Howard was a graduate
under the famous Archibald Campbell of Bethany.
Before his studies were finished, Judge Booker served in the Confederate
States Army, entering the Signal Service, transferred to Gen. H.
A. Wise's staff as courier, later to Company F, 26th Virginia regiment,
with which he served until the close of the war. He attended school,
first in his native county, then Gordon McCabe's school in Petersburg.
In 1870-71 he was a student in Hampden-Sidney college, and in
1871-2 attended the University of Virginia. In the latter institution
he took the law course, and in 1878 he was admitted to the Bar, and
appointed Commissioner of Accounts and Deputy Sheriff, practicing in
Elizabeth City, York, Warwick and James City counties. On January
20, 1882, he took his seat on the Bench, judge of the county courts of
Elizabeth City and Warwick counties, serving until 1886. In May,
1887, he was elected clerk of the county and circuit courts of Elizabeth
City county, which position he is still filling.
CAPT. BENJAMIN F. HUDGINS,
Born in King William county, Virginia, November 12, 1831, is a son of
Robert Hudgins, who died March 31, 1860, and a grandson of Hon.
Holder Hudgins, many years a member of the Virginia Senate and
Lower House. The mother of Captain Hudgins, who died in 1871, was
Harriet Howard Jones before marriage. He married in Dinwiddie
county, Virginia, November 14, 1855, Rebecca B. Worsham, born in
that county, died February 20, 1885, aged fifty-five years. Their
children were: Edward B., deceased; Maria B., Benj. F. jr., Judith M.,
Worsham K.; Maud, deceased; Astley C. Dr. Henry C. Worsham, formerly
of Dinwiddie county, now deceased, and a son of Capt. Worsham,
was the father of Mrs. Hudgins. Her mother, whose maiden name was
Judith M. Bland, died in 1856.
Captain Hudgins was educated at John B. Cary's academy, Hampton,
and at the Virginia Military Institute, where he graduated in 1852.
For seven years immediately preceding the war, he was farming in
Elizabeth City county. He entered the Confederate States Army in
1861, captain of Company E, 32d Virginia regiment, with which he
served one year; was then aide on staff of Gen. Roger A. Pryor eight
months; staff of Brig-Gen. Beverly Robinson seven months; after that
served in the ranks till the close of the war. He was twice wounded in
service, at Gaines Mills and at Sharpsburg. From 1867 to 1885, Capt.
Hudgins was again engaged in farming, since the latter date has been
in his present business, dealer in coal and wood. He has served as
county supervisor, and seven years as school trustee.
EDGAR E. MONTAGUE.
Col. Edgar B. Montague, son of Lewis B. Montague, of Middlesex
county, Virginia, married Virginia Eubank, of that county. Their son,
Edgar E., was born in Halifax county, Virginia, in December, 1862.
He attended school at the Virginia A. & M. C., was graduated in law at
Cumberland University, Tennessee, June 6, 1886, admitted to the Bar
in the same month at Lebanon, Tennessee, and in the same year settled
in Hampton, where he is still practicing. He is captain in command,
Company D, 4th Virginia regiment, to which office he was elected September
10, 1888.
His father, Colonel Montague, commanded the 32d Virginia regiment
C. S. A., from April, 1861, to the close of the war between the States.
Colonel Montague died February 21, 1885, aged fifty-three years. His
widow survives him, living now in Middlesex county.
JUDGE G. M. PEEK.
The subject of this sketch was born at Hampton, Virginia, December
7, 1839. He is the son of Thomas Peek, who was born in February,
1803, and died in August, 1867. His mother, born in April, 1815, and
died in May, 1878, was Janet Meredith, daughter of Dr. William Hope,
who was a son of George Hope, of England, who settled at Hampton
in 1770. After attending the Hampton Academy, Judge Peek entered
the University of Virginia, which he left in the spring of 1861, to enter
the military service of his State.
In the fall of 1861 he became Assistant Professor of Mathematics
and Commandant of Cadets in Florence Wesleyan University, at Florence,
Alabama. He entered the Confederate States Army in March,
1863, and served as aide to Col. E. A. O'Neal, 26th Alabama Infantry,
commanding Rhode's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. In June,
1863, he was appointed Professor of Mathematics in the Confederate
States Navy, with the rank of Master, afterwards of 1st Lieutenant,
and so served until the close of the war.
After the war he returned to Hampton, taught school for one year,
then entered the law school at the University, where he took the degree
of Bachelor of Law. In September, 1867, he was admitted to the Bar
at Hampton. In the same year he was appointed by the court Commonwealth's
Attorney, to fill an unexpired term. Four years after he
was elected to that office by the people. He was the first county superintendent
of schools for his county and Warwick, under the present
public school system, and held that office until the republican party
gained control of the State in 1881. In December, 1885, he was elected
by the Virginia legislature Judge of Elizabeth City and Warwick counties,
which position he still fills. In 1881 he organized the Bank of
Hampton, of which he is the cashier. Judge Peek is an A. F. and A.
M., Knight of Pythias, a member of the I. O. O. F., and of the
Methodist Church.
In Hampton, at the residence of her mother, March 19, 1872, he
married Sarah K. Holt, who was born at Portsmouth, Virginia.
Their first-born son, John L., is now deceased, and their family consists
of two sons and two daughters, William H., Lavinia C., Janet H.
and George M. Mrs. Peek is the daughter of William Holt and Lavinia
Phillips. William Holt died at Portsmouth in 1856, and Lavinia, his
widow, died at Hampton in 1883.
HENRY C. WHITING,
The founder of the Whiting family in Virginia settled in Gloucester
county in 1609. Kennon Whiting, a lineal descendant, was born in that
county, August 14, 1796, and died in Hampton, Virginia, December 9,
1886. Kennon Whiting married Anne Wythe Mallory, who was born in
Norfolk, Virginia, March 3, 1803, and died in Hampton, June 23, 1876.
The Mallory family came to the colony of Virginia about 1617; settled
in Norfolk and Elizabeth City counties. Henry C., son of Kennon Whiting
and his wife Anne, was born in Hampton, December 24, 1832. At Roseland,
Elizabeth City county, October 29, 1856, he married Mary Simkins,
second daughter of the late Hon. Joseph Segar. The children of the
union were five: Segar, Kate Carlyle, Virginia Fairfax, Livingston Faison
and Mattie Kennon. The latter died April 10, 1882, at the age of
thirteen years. Mrs. H. C. Whiting died on December 10, 1884, in Hampton,
Virginia.
Mr. H. C. Whiting attended school at the Hampton Academy. At the
age of twenty years he engaged in a mercantile business, in Hampton,
which he has followed ever since, except during the years of the war, and
still continues. He is president of the bank of Hampton, and has been
since its organization in January, 1881; served as councilman of Hampton
in 1859, and has been school trustee since 1873.
He entered Confederate States service in April, 1861, as second lieutenant
in the 32d Virginia regiment, C. S. A., was appointed captain, P. A.
C. S., and assigned to staff duty, serving until the close of the war, with
Generals Magruder, McLaws, Whiting and Johnston, and surrendered
with General Jos. E. Johnston's army near Durham, North Carolina,
April 26, 1865.
Many whose names are illustrious in the annals of Virginia were of
the distinguished families from whom Mr. Whiting derives descent.
Among these may be mentioned his great grandfather, Col. Thomas
Whiting, who was president of the board of naval commissioners during
the Revolutionary war; Col. Charles K. Mallory, killed at or near Bethel,
in service in that war; Chancellor George Wythe, whose record appears
elsewhere in this volume, and who was a cousin to Mr. Whiting's mother,
and others.
