Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1212

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CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY.

was graduated in law at the university of Virginia, and practiced in Albemarle county before removing to Mississippi, where he resided the greater part of his life. William Mann was the son of Dr. John Randolph, and grandson of Thomas Mann Randolph. He married Margaret Smith Randolph, daughter of Thomas Jefferson Randolph, the son of Thomas Mann Randolph, governor of Virginia, whose wife Martha was the daughter of President Thomas Jefferson, whose wife was Martha Wayles Skelton. Thomas Jefferson was the son of Peter Jefferson, a native of Wales, and Jane Randolph, who was born in London. The wife of Thomas Jefferson Randolph was Jane Hollins Nicholas, daughter of Wilson Gary Nicholas, a governor of Virginia. A son of Capt. W. L. Randolph, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, born in Albemarle county, July 21, 1868, was educated at Charlottesville, McCabe's university school at Petersburg, and the university of Virginia, where he matriculated in 1886 and received the degrees of B. A. and B. Ph. in 1889, and the degree of M. A. in 1891. He then studied law with the late Prof. John B. Minor, of the university, and continued his reading while discharging the duties of instructor in modern languages in the Norfolk academy during the session of 1891-92. Admitted to the bar in 1892 he at once entered upon the practice. Mr. Randolph is a member of the State bar association, and is a sergeant of Company A, Fourth regiment Virginia infantry. He was married November 14, 1895, to Laura, daughter of Hon. Rufus E. Lester, member of Congress from the First district of Georgia.

John Daniel Ransome, a native of Matthews county, Va., was, previous to the war, engaged in mercantile pursuits. He enlisted in the spring of 1861 in a volunteer company formed in the county of Isle of Wight, which subsequently was assigned to the Ninth regiment Virginia infantry as Company E. The regiment was at first officered by members of the faculty of the Virginia military institute, President Francis H. Smith being colonel, and was subsequently commanded in succession by Colonels DeLagnel, Godwin, Gilliam and Owens. Private Ransome served with his company near Smithfield until the abandonment of that position, and was then transferred to Petersburg and thence to Richmond. They went to the front on the peninsula in Armistead's brigade, and participated in the battle of Seven Pines, where all but seven of the company were killed or wounded. Private Ransome was slightly wounded in the hand. He was with his command in the battle of Second Manassas, and then marched into Maryland. At Haymarket, in the latter State, he was taken seriously ill and his comrades were compelled to leave him. Since then nothing has been learned of his fate, but it is supposed that he died from his illness, and found a resting place in an unknown grave. The widow of this Confederate hero, whose maiden name was Eleanor J. Thomas, is yet living at Hampton. Two of their five sons survive, Albert and Marion C., now associated in business. During the war, with their mother, they took refuge in Smithfield, from the storm of war which swept over their home. After the close of hostilities they made their home at Hampton, where at eighteen years of age, Albert T. Ransome (born at Fortress Monroe, August 27, 1852) began his mercantile career as a