BIOGRAPHY, Rockbridge County, VA- "L" ********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ********************************************************************** LAIRD-- James Laird, Sr., was living in 1756 with John Craig in what is now Rockingham county. The house he built in 1760 on his purchase at the foot of Laird's Knob and at the head of Smith Creek is still an occupied dwelling and is in a good state of preservation. The pioneer died here in 1803. His children were James, David, and Mary. The first of these served in the French and Indian War and both were in the Revolution. In 1805, James, Jr., was living in Rockbridge near Fancy Hill. Mary a sister to James, Sr., married James Craig, Sr., who was a member of the Augusta court in 1771-78. David E. Laird conducted at Fancy Hill one of the best preparatory schools in Virginia. In central Kentucky is an emigrant branch of the Rockbridge Lairds, and it includes people of wealth and position. Source: A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, published in 1920. Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 ************************************************************************************** ISAAC D. LAM- son of William and Elizabeth (Crawford) Lam, was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, January 14, 1832. At the age of twenty-two years he made his home in Rockbridge county, and from this county he went into the Confederate army in the war between the States, serving in Company I, 10th Virginia Infantry. In this county, October 11, 1865, he was joined in wedlock with Mary L. Selby, and to them were given seven children: James E., born December 30, 1866; William H., May 11, 1868; Charles N., March 20, 1870; Samuel M., May 16, 1872; John B, August 28, 1874; Walter S., February 5, 1877; Ova M., August 5 1882. Walter died April 15, 1878, and the others are at home. Henry and Margaret (Flemings) Selby are the parents of Mary L. wife of Mr. Lam, and she was born in Rockbridge county, November 2, 1846. Isaac D. Lam's postoffice address is Rockbridge Baths, Rockbridge county, Virginia. Source: Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia (NY, Richmond, and Toledo: H. H. Hardesty and Company Publishers, 1884). Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 ************************************************************************************** LEE-- George Washington Custis Lee was the oldest son of General Robert E. Lee. In 1854 he came out of West Point at the head of his class, and was in the engineering corps until the outbreak of the war 1861. As a captain of engineers he was then employed on the forts around Richmond. In the summer of 1861 Jefferson Davis made him an aide-de camp with the rank of colonel of cavalry. Near the close of the war he had risen to the rank of major-general. He saw little active service, although this was not according to his desire. In the fall of 1865 he came to Lexington as professor of civil engineering and applied mechanics. February 1, 1872, he succeeded his father as college president, and was the first to preside over Washington and Lee University under its present mane. In 1897 he retired. As president emeritus he was offered $2,000 a year and the use of the house he was occupying. This was declined and he went to live at Ravenwood, a family estate in Fairfax county. There he died in 1913 at the age of eighty. General Lee was unmarried. Susan P. Pendleton, sister of General A. S. Pendleton, married in this county Edwin G. Lee, a native of Jefferson county, West Virginia. In conjunction with her father and sisters, she carried on a classical school in Lexington. Mrs. Lee, who wrote "A School History of the United States" and Memoirs of William N. Pendleton," died in Lexington in 1911, aged seventy-nine. Source: A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, published in 1920. Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 ************************************************************************************** LETCHER-- John Letcher came to this county from Fluvanna. He was an uncle to Robert P. Letcher, who was governor of Kentucky in 1840-44. After coming to Rockbridge, John married Mary Houston, an aunt to General Sam Houston, of Texas. Two of his sons remained in their native county, John, Jr., operating a tannery ten miles south of Lexington, and William H., living at the county seat and keeping a boarding house for students. John, a son of William H., was born March 28, 1813, and was educated at Washington College, afterward studying law at Randolph-Macon College. He was highly successful in his chosen profession, and won a renown that sent him to the Constitutional Convention of 1850. From 1851 to 1859 he was a member of the House of Representatives at Washington, where he sat in the Committee on Ways and Means. His Congressional career was conscientious and useful. It was here that he became know as "Honest John Letcher," and as the "Watch-Dog of the United States Treasury." In 1859, Mr. Letcher was elected governor of his state by the comfortable majority of 5,569, although he failed to carry the Eastern District. His administration covered the years 1860-63 inclusive, so that he was one of the war governors of the period. After this responsibility and trying experience, Mr. Letcher returned to his native town to resume the practice of law, but after the close of hostilities he was repeatedly sent to the General Assembly. Politically, Governor Letcher was a Democrat and for some time he was editor of the Valley Star. During the months of suspense prior to the firing on Fort Sumter, he was not one of the original secessionists and his views were conciliatory. Even after the wanton burning of his fine residence by order of General Hunter, and while the memory of it must still have been fresh, he could use these works in an address at the Virginia Military Institute, September 19, 1866: "The war has ended. We are again a united people. Let the passions, the prejudices, and the revengeful feelings, which have existed between the section, and which were intensified by the civil war, be consigned in solemn silence to a common grave, there to sleep forever. The past is gone and should be forgotten. The present is upon us, and should be wisely improved with a view to the future and all it has in store for us." The governor's death took place January 26, 1884, closing a long period of invalidism. The wife of Mr. Letcher was Mary S. Holt, of Augusta county. The children born to the couple were William H., Elizabeth S., Ann H., Andrew H., John D., Mary K., Virginia L., Fannie P., and Greenlee D. Source: A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, published in 1920. Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 ************************************************************************************** LEYBURN-- John Leyburn graduated from the College of New Jersey with two honors and prepared for the ministry at Union Theological Seminary. His first pastorate was at Gainesville, Ala. For nine years he was co-editor of "The Presbyterian", at Philadelphia. He was also secretary of the Publication Society of the Presbyterian Church. The Secession war found him traveling Europe and called him home. Just after the close of the war he was serving a church in Baltimore. In 1874 he again went abroad, having already visited the British Isles as a delegate to the Ter-Centenary Celebration of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. His wife was Mary L. Mercer, a granddaughter of General Hugh Mercer of the Revolution. There were no children. Doctor Leyburn was born in Lexington and in the evening of his life he wrote some very entertaining reminiscences for the Rockbridge papers. He died in 1893 at the age of seventy-eight. Source: A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, published in 1920. Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 ************************************************************************************** JAMES LINDSAY-born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, April 1, 1837, is a son of Andrew and Sallie (Davison) Lindsay. He was united in marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth (Armstrong) Cook, in this county on the 23d of December, 1875. Barton, their son and only child, was born in October, 1876. The wife of Mr, Lindsay is a daughter of Archibald and Elizabeth (McCutchen) Armstrong, and she was born in Augusta county, Virginia, in 1837. James Lindsay owns a fine farm of 220 acres in Kerrs Creek district, near Alone, Rockbridge county, which is his postoffice address. Source: Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia (NY, Richmond, and Toledo: H. H. Hardesty and Company Publishers, 1884). Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 ************************************************************************************** FRANKLIN LINKSWILER-born February 10, 1840, in Rockbridge county, is a son of Michael and Martha (Hatton) Linkswiler. He served in Company G, 58th Virginia Infantry, Ewell's Division, Early's Brigade, through the four years of of the civil war, having many narrow escapes in the faithful discharge of duty from both wounds and death. His brother Samuel was killed in the battle of Gaines Mills, June 27, 1862. In Lexington, this county, Franklin Linkswiler married Martha Mohler, and they have two little daughters, born: Dorthula, August 28, 1881; Aurora, June 7, 1883. Philip and Betsy (Hull) Mohler are the parents of Martha, wife of Mr. Linkswiler, and she was born in Rockbridge county, December 18, 1836. Franklin Linkswiler owns and carries on a farm of 600 acres on the headwaters of Kerrs creek. His postoffice address is Denmark, Rockbridge county, Virginia. Source: Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia (NY, Richmond, and Toledo: H. H. Hardesty and Company Publishers, 1884). Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 ************************************************************************************** LOCHER-- Charles H. Locher is a son of Charles H. Locher, Sr., a native of Maryland who came to Balcony Falls about 1852 to manufacture cement. This business he pursued on a large scale until the plant was demolished by a flood in the James. He died at Glasgow in 1889. The son, who is a younger brother to Harry O. Locher of Glasgow, obtained a very practical knowledge of railroad construction, and drifted into contract work in which he has made a nation-wide reputation. He is the owner of several patents, inclusive of an aerial dump used in excavation. The principal undertakings which Mr. Locher has carried to completion are these: the Chicago Drainage Canal; the Wachusett Dam in Massachusetts; the Shoshone Dam in Wyoming; the Livingstone Ship Channel in Detroit River; and the I. and O. Viaduct at Richmond, Virginia. Without his knowledge or solicitation. Mr. Locher was selected as manager to place a system of dams in the basin of the Miami River of Ohio. By an expenditure of $25,000,000, it is hoped to so impound the flood waters of that valley that such a disaster as befell the city of Dayton in 1913 is not all likely to recur. Mr. Locher is ingenious, a good organizer, rather careful in making a promise, but scrupulous in the fulfillment. Source: A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, published in 1920. Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 ************************************************************************************** LUSK-- William Lusk, a justice of this county, was a self-made man, and incidentally was and ingenious mechanic. Source: A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, published in 1920. Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 **************************************************************************************