CXIII.
CXIII. FREDERICK W. M. HOLLIDAY.
CXIII. Governor.
CXIII. January 1, 1878, to January 1, 1882.
Frederick William Mackey Holliday, of staunch
Scotch-Irish lineage, is descended directly from William Holliday,
who came from the north of Ireland to America with
his parents, at the age of fourteen. They settled first in
Pennsylvania, but afterwards located permanently in Winchester,
Virginia. Here the family attained prominence and
influence in the social and business world of that region.
Mr. Holliday, the subject of this sketch, son of Dr. Richard
J. M. Holliday, was born in Winchester, Virginia, February
22, 1828. After enjoying preparatory instruction at the
Academy of his native place, he entered Yale College, from
which institution he graduated with distinguished honors in
1847. Adopting the legal profession, he entered the University
of Virginia, and in one session graduated in law and
other high branches of education. His gifts as a speaker
were recognized in his selection as "Final Orator" of the
Jefferson Society, and he returned from college life well prepared
to enter the arena of legal, literary, and political debate.
Within a year after coming to the bar he was elected Commonwealth's
Attorney for the Courts of Winchester and
County of Frederick, and continued to hold this position by
successive re-election until the breaking out of the late civil
war. He went with the first troops to Harper's Ferry, and
on his return from that historic prelude to the great drama
about to be enacted, he assumed command of a Company of
Infantry raised in his native place. Captain Holliday
devoted himself now to the thorough discipline and drill of
his company, which, for a time, was employed in detached
service, but was subsequently assigned to the 33d Virginia
Infantry, "Stonewall Brigade." Captain Holliday, by successive
promotion, attained the command of the Regiment.
He participated in all the encounters in which his command
was engaged, including the sanguinary battles of McDowell's,
Winchester, Port Republic, and those around Richmond,
without being absent from duty for a single day, until August
9, 1862, when at the battle of Cedar Run, or Slaughter's
Mountain, he lost his right arm. This injury unfitting him for
service in the field, he was elected to the Confederate Congress,
of which body he remained a member until the close of the war.
Colonel Holliday now returned to Winchester, and resuming
his former profession took a high rank at the bar. Enjoying
from this time on, many positions of confidence and honor, he
was finally elected Governor of Virginia, and entered upon
the duties of the office January 1, 1878. His public acts during
his term are chiefly expressed in his various state papers,
and his faithful administration of the affairs of Virginia in a
season of peculiar trial, reflects great credit upon his purity
as an Executive, and upon his unfaltering devotion to the
honor and glory of his state. To a sound and broad education
he added personal ability of a high order, and the most
unflinching intellectual and moral courage. He had an
exalted standard of public life, and his services in the cause
of the State debt, rendered at every risk of political advancement,
specially distinguished his course as Governor of Virginia.
Governor Holliday has been twice married, but no children
survive by either marriage. Since the expiration of his
gubernatorial term his time has been chiefly devoted to foreign
travel, embellishing thereby a mind already stored with
unusual literary attainments.
Among Governor Holliday's published addresses are the
following:
"Oration before the Library Company and citizens of
Winchester, Virginia, July 4, 1850."
"Principle and Practice, an address before the Winchester
Library Company, April 14, 1851."
"Oration before the United Fire Department and citizens
of Winchester, Virginia, July 4, 1851."
"In Memoriam—General Robert E. Lee—Ceremonies at
Winchester, Virginia, January 19, 1871."
"The Higher Education, the Hope of American Republicanism,
an address before the Society of the Alumni of the
University of Virginia, June 29, 1876."
"Welcome Address, Yorktown, Virginia, October 19,
1881, by appointment of the Commission of the Congress of
the United States for the Centennial Celebration."
