Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/145

ginia, founding there a grocery business which he conducted for many years. He, as well as his son, served in the Confederate army during the civil war, in the First Virginia Regiment, and later as captain of Company C, Montgomery Guards, holding that office for four years. He was captured and made a prisoner of war, was wounded at Manassas, after which he performed scout duty around Richmond. He married Sarah Harrold, a native of Richmond, Virginia. Robert E. English, son of William and Sarah (Harrold) English, was born in Richmond, Virginia, July 6, 1846, and is now living there, retired. He served in the Confederate army during the civil war with Company D, Third Virginia Regiment, Captain Elfred Elery commanding. He owned and operated a wholesale and retail grocery business for many years in Richmond. He married Madeleine Augustine, and they had nine children, as follows: William J., deceased; Robert E. Jr., deceased; Edgar Bernard, of whom further; Louis, deceased; Joseph A., deceased; Harrold I., now of Los Angeles, California; Madeleine E., now Mrs. Granville Gray, of Richmond James V., deceased; Paul X., lieutenant in the Seventeenth United States Infantry, at present stationed at Fort McPherson, Georgia. Edgar Bernard English, son of Robert E. and Madeleine (Augustine) English, was born in Richmond, August 18, 1875. He obtained his education in the private schools of Richmond and afterwards at Richmond College, from which he graduated with the class of 1897 with the degree of B. L. Since that time he has been practicing law in his native city with marked success. He is a Democrat in politics, and is a member of the city council from Clay Ward. Mr. English is unmarried.

George Morgan Jones. From 1865 until his death a leading business man of Lynchburg, Virginia, president of the National Exchange Bank for twenty years, president of the first Cotton Manufacturing Company in that city, a leader in educational and philanthropic movements, George Morgan Jones left behind him a record of strict integrity, business ability, unalterable devotion to duty and public spirit seldom equalled. The story of his life from boy hood is of absorbing interest covering as it does so many phases of human life and activity. A remarkable feature of his life story is the unfailing courage with which he met life's difficulties and whether in the clash of actual battle or in the hardly less strenuous business conflicts, or in the struggle for health, he was always the true soldier uncomplaining, cheerful and always "on duty."

George Morgan Jones was born at Jeremy's Run, Page county, Virginia, May 4, 1824, died in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was the son of Wharton and Nancy (Follis) Jones, who brought the lad up in a manner that influenced his entire life, instilling the soundest principles of true manhood from which he never departed. He attended the county schools until fifteen years of age, then began business life as clerk in the general store near his home, owned and managed by Gabriel Jordan. He spent six years with Mr. Jordan, developing sound business traits that commended him to his employer and the patrons of the store. At the age of twenty-one years he encountered his first serious obstacle in his life's progress, ill health, which compelled him to alter his plans and meet this foe. He resigned his position and with his brother set out on a horse-back journey, thinking a summer spent in the open air would repair the damage done by his years of too close confinement. He spent six months roaming at will through the then little developed middle west, reaching Missouri, and from that state retracing his way to his Virginia home. This wandering summer restored his health and added greatly to his store of knowledge of men and places, broadening his outlook and enlarging his experience. On his return home he formed a partnership with his cousin, A. A. Jones, and again entered mercantile life, opening a general store at Peaksville in Bedford county, Virginia. Later this partnership was dissolved, George M. Jones retiring and engaging in business alone at Bedford City. Here he established a prosperous business and won the respect of that community to an unusual degree.

In 1855 he joined his cousin, A. T. Jones. in a most profitable mercantile venture at Salisbury, North Carolina, continuing there in the hardware business most successfully until the outbreak of the excitement immediately preceding the beginning of actual war between the states. His sense of duty, to his state decided his course, and closing out his business he returned to Virginia to fol-