VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
he was almost alone the builder of the Rich-
mond & Danville Railroad, the controlling
center of what is now an immense system
of railways. He was its first president, and
during life its most earnest advocate. He
passed away at an early age, and with him
perished inuch of worth and genius. His
idea of the Richmond & Danville Railroad
was scoffed at by newspapers and many in-
dividuals, as utterly chimerical, but he per-
severed, and the soundness of his judgment
has been long since justified. Mr. Tunstall
entered upon the practice of law at an early
age, and was at once accorded the place due
his ability and worth, and was elected to the
legislature at an unusually early age. He
immediately sprang into public notice, and
all predicted for him a brilliant future. The
early death of his youthful bride caused him
great sorrow, and for a time seemed to
cloud his life, but in the passage of time his
bereavement receded, time softened and
mellowed the severity of the blow, the en-
ergies of his character and the astonishing
vivacity of his nature re-established him,
and he became an important figure in his
part of the state. He was successful as a
lawyer and a politician, and was among the
most genial of social companions. He loved
the excitement of forsenic discussion, and
was always impressive, often very happy in
his efforts before a jury. Bold and aggres-
sive, but perfectly courteous to his adver-
sary, with much information, with ready
repartee, with strong and pleasing elocu-
tion, he never made an enemy of a political
opponent, or of anyone else. There was
nothing of bitterness in his nature, and strife
and discord were far from his desires. His
varied accomplishments, his witty and en-
chanting conversation made him the life of
every circle in which he moved, but his
powers were not alone of a light and super-
ficial character ; he had much sound sense
and talent for important affairs. His early
demise caused him to be almost forgotten
by the present generation. This is too often
the case with worth and genius, and such is
life. We follow each other like the billows
of a troubled sea. As one bursts, another
takes its place, and its predecessor sinks for-
ever in oblivion. A writer said of him:
A plain headstone, much stained by the ravages of time, marks his last resting place in the family graveyard. It is simply inscribed with the date of his birth and death. The place is quiet, and its
solitude with the tall trees surrounding it and their
dark shade, together with the boxwood planted
there long ago by the hand of affection, and now
grown very large, impressed me with feelings of
deep solemnity, and called up many a memory of
the past. 1 was carried back to my own boyhood's
happy days when first I saw Mr. Tunstall. It was
on the streets in Danville a few days after his first
marriage with the beautiful Miss Goneke. I never
saw a more interesting couple. They were in the
flower of youth. She was a happy bride, and he no
less happy with ample fortune, with decided talent
and numerous friends. Perhaps at that time neither
had ever felt a sorrow or shed a tear, and they may
well have thought that for them, at least, life was
formed of sunny years. While musing at the grave
of Tunstall the recollection of many other friends
came to mind. Stuart, with his amiable temper and
fine analytical intellect; the accomplished, facetious,
ingenious and eloquent Taliaferro, the most inter-
esting and eloquent advocate I ever heard; Gilmer
with his great energy and power of labor and mind;
and glowing, genial, gifted, glorious Flournoy, with
a soul as big as the courthouse he often electrified
with his declamation — all came to mind, and I be-
stowed upon the memory of each, all I had, a trib-
utary tear. Alas, they all now sleep their last sleep.
Colonel William Risen. Colonel William Rison, of Danville, Virginia, born August 24, 1813, in Chesterfield county, was a de- scendant of the Freeh Huguenots (name originally spelled Raison), son of John and Jane (Foster) Rison, and died May i, 1902, in Danville, which had been his home since 1856. Colonel William Rison was one of the most remarkable men ever reared in that section of the state. As a youth he gave such marked evidence of his business quali- fications that Colonel William Tunstall, clerk of the court of Pittsylvania, employed him in his office as scribe. Here he served eight years as deputy clerk of the county court. This careful training under the close supervision of William H. Tunstall laid the foundation for Colonel Rison's life work, which was afterward performed in Danville. Virginia, in which city he made his home from 1856 to 1902, the time of his death. For twenty-seven years he was clerk of the corporation court of Danville, and no can- didate was able to defeat him in the contest for election to that position. His last elec- tion occurred after he had passed the age of seventy-five years, and he continued in the service until about a year before his death, when the infirmities of advancing age com- pelled him to resign his duties. This was done in the exercise of his own discretion and not because there was any question or even a hint relative to his efficiency, which
