JUDGE JOHN W. STOUT,
Born at New Hope, Augusta county, Virginia, on April 23, 1851, is a
son of Jas. M. and Sallie Stout. His father, born in Albemarle county,
Virginia, for a number of years a merchant and general business man
in New Hope, died in February, 1882, aged seventy-eight years: he was
a son of Isaiah Stout of Albemarle county, who died in 1860, aged
about ninety-three years. His wife, mother of John W., was born in
Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1810, and died in March, 1883; she
was a daughter of William Rice of Rockingham county. The wife of
Judge Stout, whom he married in Staunton, on February 26, 1884,
was Kate Rodes Nelson, born in Augusta county. Her father is
William J. Nelson, now a resident of Florence, Alabama, a son of
Franklin Nelson of Augusta county, and of the Nelson family eminent
in the annals of Virginia. Her mother was Sallie, daughter of Gen.
David Rodes of Lynchburg, Virginia, and sister of Major Gen. R. E.
Rodes, C. S. A.
Judge Stout attended the old field schools in and near New Hope until
1866; in 1866-7 the Mountain View High School at the "old stone
church," Augusta county, 1867-8 the high school in Harrisonburg,
1868-9 the classical school at Goshen, Rockbridge county, taught by
Prof. H. N. B. Wood and others; in 1869-70 part of session at
Aspen Hill Academy, in Louisa county; 1870-71 half session at University
of Virginia; 1872-3 the University of Virginia, in academic and
engineering courses, 1874-5, University of Virginia, law course. In
November, 1875, he was called to the Bar in Staunton, and has been in
practice there ever since. He has filled the office of commissioner in
chancery for the circuit court of Augusta county, and for the Hustings
court of Staunton. In August, 1884, he was elected County Judge of
Augusta county, to fill an unexpired term, and was re-elected to this
office, for the term beginning January 1, 1886, still serving. Judge
Stout is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
