Patrick County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Biographies.....Martin, Ron July 25, 1900 - February 24, 1967
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ron Martin cindyandron@bellsouth.net June 28, 2024, 1:16 am

Author: Ron Martin

  Anyone who researches the history of Patrick County, it becomes obvious that 
one of the most influential women of the 20th century in the county was Mrs. 
Vergie Lee Thompson Tilley.  She eventually served in a capacity that during 
this era was male dominated but she served as a leader as well as a catalyst for 
progress and change in the educational structure of the county.  It was a 
fledging school system and she helped navigate the course to the system that it 
has become.  

  Vergie Lee Thompson or “Miss Vergie” as she was called, was born on July 25, 
1900, in Stuart, the first daughter of the Elder Samuel Amos Thompson and Martha 
Ruth Wright Thompson.  Her father was an Elder of the Primitive Baptist Church.  
He was also a prominent attorney in Stuart and was involved in many spectacular 
trials.   He served in the Virginia House of Delegates, he served as the Mayor 
of Stuart, and was a member of the Patrick County School Board.

  After graduation from high school, she began her educational career with the 
Patrick County Public Schools in 1920.  At the time of her employment, Patrick 
County had over sixty schools and many of those schools were one and two room 
schools that were in the communities as most students walked to school.  Some of 
these schools were almost impossible to reach via vehicle at times due to 
weather related events.  Many students walked to school as they served the 
communities in which they were located.

  After beginning her teaching career, she began attending Radford State 
Teacher's College in nearby Radford.  She graduated from Radford in the spring 
of 1930.   It should be noted that she continued to teach while she was pursuing 
her scholastic endeavors at Radford.  She also did her graduate work at Radford, 
Duke, and the University of Virginia.

  After seventeen years of teaching, Miss Vergie became the elementary 
supervisor of Patrick County Public Schools in 1937. This was a position that 
she held for the balance of her career.

  She was quite active in the societal circles in Stuart during her life as 
well. She was very active in the Stuart Book Club for decades as well as being 
involved with the Stuart Music Club, the JEB Woman's Club, and the Patrick 
County chapter of the Radford Alumnae Association. She was a past president of 
the Patrick County Educational Association, past president, vice-president, and 
secretary of the Appalachian Regional Supervisory Group as well as being a 
member of the Patrick Henry Mental Hygiene Clinic Advisory committee.

  She also wrote about the history of the Patrick County school system that was 
completed in 1955 that is much sought after for local genealogists.  

  On June 22, 1958, she married Thomas Isaac Tilley, her childhood sweetheart of 
nearby Lawsonville at the home of Elder James Fletcher Manuel in Sauratown and 
moved to Lawsonville with her husband.  However, she continued her work as 
elementary supervisor traveling from Lawsonville daily.

  She retired from Patrick County Public Schools in June 1966 where she had 
served admirably for 43 years.

  Sadly, she passed away just eight months later on February 24, 1967 at the age 
of 66 due to renal failure of an undetermined cause at the hospital in Stuart. 
Her husband Tom passed away just one month and six days later. Her funeral was 
held on February 26 at the Stuart Primitive Baptist Church. Moody Funeral Home 
served the family.

  Vergie was buried in the Stuart Cemetery on Sunday, February 26 and her 
husband Tom was buried beside her just over a month later.

  Later, the Stuart Book Club began a Vergie Thompson Tilley Scholarship fund 
which continued for many years.  


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