Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/326

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244


VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY


The Beveridge family were living in Hen- rico county, Virginia, in the time of the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, that famous old county, whose name is so intimately connected with the stirring, per- ilous days, alike of the colonial period and of the revolution. This grandfather was William H. Beveridge, born in that county just mentioned, and as he grew older a farmer there. He was eminently success- ful in his farming operations and was a [)rominent figure in the community. He married a Miss Williams, also a native of the region.

John Williams Beveridge, son of William

1 1, and (Williams) Beveridge, was

born in Richmond, December 7, 1815, and I)assed his entire life in that city, dying December 24, 1896. As a young man he en- tered the grocery business and met with great success. His establishment became one of the leading ones in its line in Rich- mond, and Mr. Beveridge continued to con- duct it for a period of fifty years, and always at its original location on Brook avenue. Mr. Beveridge married (first) Mary Holmes, (jf Albany, New York, whose death left her husband six children, four of whom are still living. These are Elizabeth A., now Mrs. R. C. Carter ; Mary W., now Mrs. Charles H. Thompson; Irving L. and John H. ; all residents of Richmond. He married (sec- ond) Lucinda Carter, a native of Hanover county, Virginia, where she was born July 15, 1830. She was a daughter of Thomas Francis and Frances (Green) Carter, and a granddaughter of Robert and Keziah Car- ter, of Hanover county, Virginia, where Robert Carter was among the wealthiest of the residents. His son inherited his wealth and was himself a prosperous farmer in Hanover county. Of the six children born to him and his wife, who was the daughter of Macon Green, of Hanover county, all grew to manhood or woman- hood, and were given the advantage of the best possible education. His daughter, Mrs. Beveridge, is now dead. Two of Mr. Bev- eridge's uncles served in the Confederate army during the civil war, Robert C. Car- ter, in the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, and Thomas R. Carter in the I'ayctte Artil- lery. To Mr. Beveridge and his second wife were born three children, as follows : Ste- phen Taylor, of whom further; Frank D. and Edith Carter, all of whom are residents


of Richmond. Mr. Beveridge married (third) Mrs. Sarah Norvel, of Henrico county, who died in 1892 without issue.

Stephen Taylor Beveridge, eldest son of John Williams and Lucinda (Carter) Bev- eridge, was born October 16, 1856, in Rich- mond, Virginia. He received his education in his native city, attending the public schools, from which he graduated with the first class ever graduating from these in- stitutions, that of 1875. Some time later he was instrumental in organizing the alumni of the Richmond High Schools, which has as its first object that of procur- ing an adequate library for the use of the schools. After completing his preparatory courses in the high school, he went to Rich- mond College, and later matriculated at the Washington and Lee University. From the latter institution he graduated with the class of 1878, and at once proceeded to enter busi- ness, securing for himself, in the first place, a position in the house of Charles L. Todd, engaged in the grain business. With Mr. Todd he remained in a clerical capacity for a period of ten years, in the meantime learn- ing the entire business and mastering it down to the smallest details. When the ten years were completed Mr. Beveridge felt himself fully capable of engaging in the business on his own account, and having accumulated a capital sufficient to permit beginning this independent venture he with- drew from his association with Mr. Todd and established his present business, under the firm name of S. T. Beveridge & Com- pany. This was in the year 1887, and since then the concern has undergone a continual development, so that it is now one of the most prominent of its kind in the state of Virginia. The prominence which his great success has given him in the business and financial world of Richmond, and the reputation which he has won for himself for unimpeachable integrity and unusual ability have very naturally caused many leading concerns to desire the benefit of his powers, with the consequent as- sociation of his name with their man- agement. Lie is among other things, the vice-president of the Richmond Bank and Trust Company, a director in the Mc- Graw, Yarbrough Company, dealers in plumbers' supplies, and was at one time president of the Richmond Grain Exchange for several years. Mr. Beveridge is a prom-