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Longtime Bath attorney passes
Editor's note: The following article was gleaned from Feb. 15, 1929 edition of The Recorder. It was reprinted from the Covington Virginian. H.B. Wood was publisher.
John W. Stephenson Jr., Commonwealth's Attorney of Bath County since 1919, and member of a prominent Virginia family, died at his ancestral home, "The Chimneys," Sunday morning, of cerebral hemorrhage.
Mr. Stephenson was taken ill Saturday night, but his condition was not considered serious. When he became seriously ill Sunday morning a physician was summoned, but he died before medical aid could reach him.
Mr. Stephenson was born at Warm Springs, Dec. 28, 1882, the only son of John W. Stephenson, who for many years represented Bath County in the House of Delegates, and Eliza Warwick Stephenson.
Mr. Stephenson was educated at Pantops Academy, near Charlottesville; Hampden-Sydney and the University of Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1909 and practiced in the courts of this section of the state, where he was a prominent figure in both political and civic affairs. He served with the 111th Virginia Field Artillery (Virginia National Guard) during the World War; and upon his return was elected Commonwealth's Attorney of Bath County.
Mr. Stephenson is survived by his widow, who was Miss Mary Stuart Palmer; and four sisters; Mrs. George N. Wise, Mrs. John W.C. Jones and Mrs. Henry Barrain, all of Newport News, and Mrs. Roy Campbell of Boston.
Mr. Stephenson was especially popular in Alleghany County. He frequently visited in Covington and his many friends always found a warm welcome when they visited him at his hospitable home at Warm Springs.
After he finished his education in law, at the University of Virginia in 1908, Mr. Stephenson was admitted to the bar in Bath County, and at once became a partner with his father in the firm of J.W. Stephenson and Son. The junior member left his law practice in August, 1917, and enlisted with the Rockbridge Battery of Artillery, commanded by Captain Greenlee D. Letcher. Later he was ordered to an officers' training school at Camp McClellan, Ala., but gave up thought of a commission and asked to be assigned duty with his old battalion, which had been ordered to France. He landed at Liverpool July 15, 1919, and served with the 111th Artillery in France until May 13, 1919, when he embarked for home at St. Nazaire. Upon his return he relieved his father of a great deal of the drudgery connected with their law practice. While still in France, he was nominated Commonwealth's Attorney of Bath and was elected without opposition.
Mr. Stephenson had many of the traits that made his father one of the eminent lawyers of the state. No one who every practiced at the bar of Virginia was trusted with greater confidence by his clients than John W. Stephenson Sr., or John W. Stephenson Jr. and they were accorded consideration and respect by the bench not surpassed anywhere in the state, because these gentlemen, no matter what the case at bar might be, invariably came into court with clean hands.
Father like son
There was much in common between John W. Stephenson Sr., and John W. Stephenson Jr., in their traits of character. It was most truthfully said of the elder Stephenson that he was noted for his prompt and vigorous attention to all matters entrusted to his care and for his untiring efforts to secure and protect the rights of his clients. The same was true of his worthy son. The elder Stephenson, as Commonwealth's Attorney of Bath County, was equally as considerate of the rights of the state and gave a most vigorous prosecution whenever it was deserved, not forgetful, however, to ask that justice be tempered with mercy when the circumstances justified such a course. And this admirable energy and excellent judgment seemed to have been inherited by the son when it finally became his duty to represent the commonwealth before the circuit court of Bath about a decade ago.
An old family The elder Stephenson was born at Monterey, Highland County, Va., July 24, 1850, the son of Adam Stephenson, who was made clerk of Highland when the county was formed. He graduated from Roanoke College in 1872, which a degree of master of arts. He graduated in law at the University of Virginia in 1874, and practiced with Col. Anett, at Wheeling, for a short time, but soon returned to Virginia and entered upon the practice of his profession at Warm Springs. He married Miss Eliza Gatewood Warwick, daughter of Judge James W. Warwick, of Bath County. She died in 1901. It was of this union that John Stephenson Jr., who died yesterday at the Warm, was born. The elder Stephenson, like his son, died suddenly, passing away at the Warm, September 11, 1921.
As chairman of the Committee on Courts of Justice in the Virginia House of Delegates, the elder Stephenson played a prominent role in the legislative affairs of the State. He represented for a number of terms the district composed of Bath, Highland and Rockbridge counties and displayed while there that reputation for a high moral courage and fine integrity which were also prominent traits in the character of his son and namesake, John W. Stephenson Jr.
The funeral will take place tomorrow at 11 a.m. (Tuesday) from the Presbyterian Church, at Warm Springs, the Rev. J.T. McCutcheon officiating.
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