COLONEL JOHN B. CARY.
Colonel Cary was born in Hampton, Virginia, in 1819, a son of Col.
Gill A. Cary, of Hampton, who was born March 18, 1783, and died
in March, 1843; son of John Cary of Back River, Elizabeth City county,
Virginia, born 1745, died 1795; son of Miles Cary, "The Elder," owner
of "Peartree Hall," Warwick county, Virginia, who died in 1766; son
of Miles Cary who died in 1724, who was a grandson of Miles Cary,
"The Emigrant," who came to Virginia from Bristol, England, in 1640,
and died in Warwick county, Virginia, 1667. His mother was Sarah E.
S., daughter of Major James Baytop, of Gloucester county, Virginia
born September 18, 1789, died in April, 1879. He was educated at
Hampton Academy, and at William and Mary College, graduating
from that time honored institution July 4, 1839. For five years he
taught school, then was seventeen years principal of Hampton Academy,
which was disbanded April, 1861, on the secession of the State of Virginia.
He entered the Confederate States' service as Major of Virginia Volunteers;
was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel after the fight at Bethel,
and assigned to the 32nd Virginia Regiment was subsequently appointed
Assistant Adjutant and Inspector-General at the request of Gen. John
B. Magruder, and assigned to duty on his staff, serving through the
Peninsular Campaign, and the Seven Days' Fights around Richmond.
After Gen. Magruder's transfer to the Trans-Mississippi Department,
Col. Cary was transferred to the Paymaster's Department, in which he
served until the close of the war, on duty in Richmond.
After the evacuation of Richmond, and the surrender at Appomatox
C. H., he returned to Richmond, and was paroled April 24, 1865. He
farmed for one year: then in February, 1866, was elected General Agent
of the Virginia Penitentiary. He went into business also, as general
commission merchant, with the late W. A. Armistead, of the firm of
Armistead, Rice Cary & Co., later Armistead & Cary.
Colonel Cary was removed from his official position by the Commander
of Military District No. 1, December 24, 1868. In January, 1869,
he entered the Insurance business as General Agent of the Piedmont
Life Insurance Co. after a few months, he went to New York, as a member
of the firm of Morriss & Cary, but soon accepted an appointment
as General Agent of the Piedmont and Arlington Life Insurance Co.,
serving as such nearly two years. He was then for several years associated
with Gen. Harry Heth, as General Agent and Manager of the
Virginia Department of the Life Association of America, of which he
subsequently became sole manager, resigning this position at the close
of 1887. In January, 1878, he was appointed General Agent for Virginia
of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., of Milwaukee;
and in 1883, with his son (T. A. Cary,) under the firm name of John B.
Cary & Son, was appointed to the position they still hold as General
Agents of this Company for Virginia and North Carolina.
Colonel Cary served as Treasurer and Superintendent of the Democratic
City Committee, of Richmond, Virginia, for about six years, to
July, 1886, when he was appointed Superintendent of Schools for the
City of Richmond, which position he resigned in February, 1889. Himself
and family are members of the Seventh Street Christian Church,
Richmond.
At Seaford, Matthews county, Virginia, in January, 1844, he married
Columbia H. Hudgins, of that county. The record of their children is:
Gilliena, unmarried; John B., jr., died in August, 1861, aged thirteen
years, Lizzie E., married Wm. T. Daniel, of Richmond, Elfie M., married
John L. White, of Caroline county, Virginia, Sallie Campbell, married
Louis P. Knowles, of Pensacola, Florida; T. Archibald, married Maria
B. Abert, of Columbus, Mississippi.
