1830 -1917

At "Eagle Oak" he wrote his published book of poems also named "Eagle Oak" containing many poems of Civil War days and his beloved Bland County and people of Indian Times. He was a most outstanding citizen as a representative, senator, soldier, farmer, poet and statesman.

Painter (Poets of Virginia, p. 308) notes that “this considerable body of verse” is “the first large volume coming from southwestern Virginia”.