208
VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
Denver, James W., was born in Winches-
ter, N'irginia, in 1818. He received a public
school education, emigrated in childhood
with his parents to Ohio, removed to Mis-
souri in 1 841, where he studied law and
was admitted to the bar. He was appointed
captain of the Twelfth Infantry in March.
1847, and served in the war with Mexico
till its close in July, 1848. Removing to
California in 1850, he was appointed a mem-
ber of a relief committee to protect emi-
grants, and was chosen a state senator in
1852. While a member of this body in 1852.
he had a controversy with Edward Gilbert,
ex-member of congress, in regard to some
legislation, which resulted in a challenge
from Gilbert, that was accepted by Denver.
Rifles were the weapons and Gilbert was
killed by the second shot. In 1853 Mr. Den-
ver was appointed secretary of state of Cali-
fornia, and from 1855 to 1857 served in con-
gress. He was appointed by President
P.uchanan commissioner of Indian affairs,
but resigned, and was made governor of
Kansas. Resigning this post in 1858, he
was reappointed commissioner of Indian
aflfairs, which ofifice he held till March, 1859.
In 1861 he entered the Federal service, was
made brigadier-general, served in the west-
ern states, and resigned in March, 1863.
Afterward he settled in Washington, D. C. to
practice his profession as an attorney. John
W. Forney, in his "Anecdotes of Public
jMen" savs : "Gen. Denver, while in con-
gress, as chairman of the committee on the
Pacific railroad, in 1854-55, presented in a
conclusive manner the facts demonstrating
the practicability of that great enterprise,
and the advantages to be derived from it."
Minor, Benjamin Blake, born at Tappa- hannock, Essex county, Virginia, October
21. 1818. son of Dr. Hubbard Taylor and
Jane (r)lake) Minor, grandson of Col.
'I homas and Elizabeth (Taylor) Minor, and
of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Aldridge)
Blake, and great-grandson of Thomas and
Alice (Thomas) Minor; he attended Bristol
College, Pennsylvania, during the sessions
of 1833-34, the University of Virginia, 1834-
2,J, graduating in several of its schools, and
subsequently entered William and Mary
College, graduating in moral and political
science and law in the class of 1839; prac-
ticed law in Petersburg, Virginia, 1840-41 ;
in Richmond, 1841-43; owned and edited the
"Southern Literary Messenger," 1843-47;
V. as principal of the \'irginia Female Insti-
tute, Staunton. 1847-48, and founded the
Home School for Young Ladies, Richmond,
1848; originated the historical department of
the Society of Alumni of the University of
Virginia, in 1845 : the same year was vice-
president of the commercial convention at
Memphis; in 1847 was a chief factor in the
revival of the Historical Society of Virginia
of which he was made a life member: was
made a corresponding member of the his-
torical i^ocieties of New York and Wiscon-
sin, and secretary of the African Coloniza-
tion Society of Virginia and of the Virginia
Bible Society, which antedates the Ameri-
can Bible Society ; resumed the practice of
law in Richmond in 1848 and the same year
was the mover and author of the memorial
tc the \'irginia legislature that led to the
erection of the Washington Monument on
Capitol Square ; was commissioned lieuten-
ant-colonel of the Nineteenth Virginia mili-
tia; was a warden, register and diocesan
delegate of St. James' Church, and one of
the founders of the Richmond Male Orphan
Asvlum ; on July 4. i860, he was elected
