PROMINENT PERSONS
189
Taylor was one of the members of the first
board of visitors of the University of Vir-
ginia, serving from 1819 to 1822. He died
in Norfolk, April 13, 1834. He was a son
of Robert Taylor and Catherine (Curie)
Barraud.
Empie» Adam» born in Schenectady, New. York, September 5, 1775, son of John Empie, of Dutch descent He was educated at Union (New York) College, entered the Episcopal ministry and held charges in New York and North Carolina. After the death of Dr. Wilmer, in 1827, he was made presi- dent of William and Mary College, Wil- liamsburg, Virginia. Under him the college started on an upward course. In 1826, the last year of Dr. Smith's administration, the number of students was only twelve, which in 1836, the last year of Dr. Empie's admin- istration, had increased to sixty-nine. In 1839 the attendance reached one hundred and forty. He resigned the presidency to take the rectorship of the new chufch of St. James, in Richmond. There he con- tinued to serve acceptably until 1853, when, enfeebled by age and disease, he retired to Wilmington, where he died, November 6, i860.
Lyelly Thomas, born in Richmond county, Virginia, May 13, 1775, son of John and Sarah Lyell, members of the Protestant Episcopal church, but being isolated from the privileges of that church attended the Methodist church, hence the son was brought up a Methodist; in 1790, when only fifteen years of age, he began to exhort, and two years later to preach in Virginia and subsequently in Providence, Rhode Island; from 1797 to 1804 he served as chaplain of the United States house of representatives;
was admitted to the diaconate in the Protes-
tant Episcopal church by Bishop Claggett
in 1804, ^"d advanced to the priesthood by
Bishop Moore in the following year; was
rector of Christ Church, New York City,
from 1805 to 1848; secretary of the diocesan
convention, from 181 1 to i8i6; member of
the standing committee, from 1813 to 1848;
deputy to the general convention, from 1818
to 1844; trustee of the General Theological
Seminary, from 1822 to 1848; and senior
member of the board of trustees of the Prot-
estant Episcopal Society for Promoting
Learning and Religion in the State of New
York at the time of his death, which oc-
curred in New York City, March 4, 1848;
he received the honorary degree of Master
of Arts from Brown in 1803, ^^^ ^^at of
Doctor of Divinity from Columbia in 1822 ;
his first wife was a daughter Rev. Dr. Abra-
ham Beach, rector of Trinity Parish.
Arbuckle, Matthew, born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, in 1776; died at P"ort Smith, Arkansas, June 11, 1851. He entered the army as an ensign in 1799, became a captain in 1806, major in 1812, lieutenant- colonel in 1814, colonel of the Seventh In- fantry in 1820, and brevet brigadier-general in 1830. In 1817 he was successful in an ex- pedition against the Fowltoun Indians, and in 1846-47 served in the Mexican war. He commanded at New Orleans, Fort Gibson and Fort Smith. During much of his life he was brought constantly in contact with the Indians of the frontier, and, by his knowledge of their character, always kept their confidence.
Bledsoe, Jesse, born in Culpeper county, Virginia, April 6, 1776, died near Nacog- doches, Texas, June 30, 1837. When a boy
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