Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/443

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY


331


day of my life and I think I may now say I have not lived in vain. It is regarded under all the circumstances as the greatest achie\ement ever made in the Legislature.

  • * * We ha\e had to fight singlehanded

and alone and against our own country.

  • * ■■• "Tis great indeed and shows what one

man can do. 1 think I may say that I have made Pittsylvania. Ilenry. I'Vanklin, Pat- rick, Charlotte, Nottaway and T'rince Ed- ward go in and go for and demand this improvement. Init 1 have carried it through the House by a line vote. '■■■ * '■■■ 1 have been very particular in the bill and it is the most fa\-orable ever granted by the Legislature." .Mr. Tunstall was elected the first vice- president of the road he so strongly cham- pioned, but did not live long enough there- after to witness its value to the state, nor to see the fulfillment of his prophecies as set forth in his speech.

Mr. Tunstall married (first) a Miss Donaghe ; (second) September 29, 1840, Mary Liggat. by whom he had three chil- dren : I. John L.. born November 4, 1845, died March 24. 1877. -■ Alexander Augus- tus, of whom further. 3. Nannie Whitmell. born July 9, 1853, died in November, 1892.

Alexander A. Tunstall, youngest son of \\' hitmell r\igh and Mary ( Liggat) Tun- stall, was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1850. He obtained his elementary and aca- demic education in the schools of his native place and in Bellevue Academy. Deciding upon the legal profession he entered the law school of the University of Virginia, in 1869, and was graduated Bachelor of Laws, class of 1 87 1. He began practice in the city of Richmond, later moved to Lynchburg, Vir- ginia, there continuing until 1888. Pie then located in Washington, D. C., where he was in active practice vmtil his retirement sev- eral years ago. His residence in Washing- ton is No. 1706 Nineteenth street, N. W. He married, October 24, 1876, Ida Gray, born October 12, 1851. Children: 1. Ben- jamin Gray, born November 13, 1877; treas- urer of the city of Norfolk ; married, Octo- ber 30, 1908, ]\Iary Franklin Duncan, and has a daughter. Lucy Dabney, born Decem- ber 7, 1910. 2. Sue Reid, born April 18, 1879; married, June 15, 1904, Barry Mac- Nutt, and has a son, Alexander Tunstall, born September 21, 1909. 3. Whitmell Pugh, of whom further. 4. Alexander Lig- gat, born September 30, 1883; married, Feb-


ruary 15, 1912. Maude M. Davis, and has a daughter, Lorrine Davis, born November i,

i';i4-

Whitmell Pugh (2) Tunstall, second son of Alexander A. and Ida (Gray) Tunstall, was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Novem- ber 10, 1880. llis early life was spent in \\'ashington, 1). C., where he passed through high school, lie then entered Lehigh Uni- versity whence he was graduated Civil Engi- neer, class of 1903. His first professional engagement was with the Baltimore (^ Ohio railroad as engineer, located in the state of Ohio. In 1905 he was engaged on the con- struction of the famed L^nion Station in Washington, 1). C. and from 1906 to 1908 as assistant to the chief engineer of the Capital Traction Company. From 1908 to 191 1 he was affiliated with the board of supervising engineers, Chicago traction re- habilitation, and in 1912 located in Norfolk, \'irginia, where he is in business as a con- tracting and consulting engineer. He is master of his profession along the lines he has chosen, and, with agreeable personality, is highly regarded socially. He is a mem- ber of numerous professional and fraternal organizations.

J. Fuller Robinson, D. D. S. J. Fuller Robinson, D. D. S., of Roanoke, Virginia, ranks among the most reliable, energetic and progressive professional men of his sec- tion of the country, and his skillful treat- ment of his numerous patients has gained for him an enviable reputation. He is a son of John Christopher Robinson, a prominent farmer and stock raiser of Middlesex coun- ty, Virginia.

Dr. Robinson was Ijorn at Homney, Mid- dlesex county, \'irginia, August I, 1885. His earlier education was acquired in the pub- lic schools of his native town, where he was graduated from the high school. This edu- cation was supplemented by attendance at the West F'oint (Virginia) Academy, and after his graduation from this institution in 1904, he entered the dental department of the Baltimore Medical College, at Balti- more, Maryland, and was graduated in the class of 1907 with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. While a student at this college. Dr. Robinson was a member of nu- merous organizations connected with it, and his influence in these activities was largely and beneficially felt. He served as vice-