370
Thc Green Bag.
borrowing money and being responsible for the acts of its agents as a private corpora tion, is still quoted as authority all over the United States. Hon. Wood Bouldin was born at Golden Hills, in Charlotte County, Va., on the 2Oth day of January, 1811, and died at Roanoke, his residence, in the same county, on the loth day of October, 1876. He was the son of the Hon. Thomas Tyler Bouldin and Ann Lewis, and was, by his father, connected with the Tylers of Virginia; his grandparents on his father's side being Wood Bouldin and Johanna Tyler, the sister of Judge John Tyler of Revolutionary fame. Thomas Tyler Bouldin resided for some time in the city of Richmond, where he rose to distinction in the profession of law, and afterwards was appointed judge of the circuit which em braced the county of Charlotte. He was a man of eminent ability, and later in life succeeded the celebrated John Randolph of Roanoke, as the member of Congress from the Charlotte district. Arising to address the house during the excited debate on the removal of the deposits of the government, he commenced his speech with an allusion to John Randolph, who had lately died; and before he had finished his remarks concern ing his predecessor, he himself dropped dead in his seat. The early youth of the Hon. Wood Bouldin was spent in Richmond, where he was sent to a school conducted by Mr. Turner. Afterwards he was sent to New London Academy, Bedford County, then under the charge of Rev. Nicholas Cobb, afterwards the distinguished Bishop of Ala bama. At this celebrated school he com pleted his academic course, and upon returning to his home, then in Charlotte County, taught a school in the neighbor hood for a year. Having determined to devote himself to the law, he removed to Halifax Court House, where he prepared himself for his profession, under the direc tion of the Hon. William Leigh, one of Virginia's greatest jurists. That able and
upright judge ever afterwards cherished a warm attachment to, and a high admiration of his pupil. Upon coming to the bar Mr. Bouldin found his business capacity tested to the utmost in administering upon the estate of his father, who had been the personal representative of Frederick Ross, one of the most extensive traders of his day, and whose large estate had been left at his death in great embarrassment. It became the duty of the young attorney to close up the accounts of this large and complicated estate. This task was performed, however, with an integrity and ability which at once made the reputation of Mr. Bouldin, and assured his success in his profession. Settling at Char lotte Court House, he practised his profession with great success in that and the surround ing counties until his removal to Richmond, in the year 1842, where he entered into a law partnership with Robert Stanard, one of the most eminent lawyers of his day. Mr. Bouldin was personally very popular in the county of Charlotte, and some years before his removal to Richmond was the candi date of the Whig party for a seat in the Legis lature; and although the county had been largely Democratic, and his opponent, Wil liam M. Watkins, was a man of great ability and influence, young Bouldin came within a few votes of election. His canvass was said to have been very brilliant, and the older citizens of the county delight to talk about it to this day. Upon his removal to Richmond he at once took his position in the front rank of his profession in that city; and Grattan's Reports of the Decisions of the Virginia Court of Appeals record many cases which attest the ability and learning of his arguments. In 1853 he was tempted to return to his native county by the sale of the fine planta tion upon Staunton River on which John Randolph of Roanoke had formerly resided. This he bought, and added to Randolph's original building a handsome residence. The return of Mr. Bouldin was welcomed by
