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 p9  Llewellyn G. Hoxton
No. 1893. Class of May, 1861.
Died, February 12, 1891, near Alexandria, Va., aged 53.

Llewellyn Hoxton, eldest child of William Wilmer Hoxton, M. D., and Eliza Llewellyn (Griffith) his wife, was born in Alexandria, Va., June 18th, 1838. His father had been a medical officer in the army, but had resigned and for many years previous to his death, in 1855, was a leading practitioner of Alexandria. His mother, whose death preceded her husband by eighteen months, was a grand-daughter of the Rev. Dr. David Griffith, sometime chaplain and surgeon in the revolutionary army. He was afterward rector of Christ Church, Alexandria, and the pastor and friend of Washington. Elected in 1786 first Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia, he could never command the funds necessary to go to England for consecration, and finally resigned the position to which he had been chosen. He died in Philadelphia in 1790.

Young Hoxton's entire preliminary education was in Alexandria. The excellent dame school of Mrs. Whiting — where ex‑Governor Lee, the Rev. W. F. Gardner, the late Dr. R. C. Powell and many others well known in the community were with him — was his first. He was afterwards taught by the Rev. Messrs. Heaton and Knighton, and lastly by Caleb Hallowell, still so well remembered as an instructor. From the death of their father, he and his brothers and sisters resided with their great aunt, Miss Sally Griffith, who survived until 1864. They  p10 were wards of the late Dr. Benjamin King, of Maryland. With this faithful guardian and friend — who was also a personal friend of President Pierce — young Hoxton called upon that gentleman and solicited one of the appointments at large to West Point. The reception was kind, though the reply was by no means encouraging. Subsequently, however, the coveted appointment was made and there is reason to suppose the personal application not without effect. The look of disappointment with which the president's first answer was received at any rate made an impression, for he told Dr. King that "that boy's face haunted" him. Soon after his appointment, the young cadet-elect on two occasions met the president in private, and he always recalled gratefully the gracious courtesy of his manner.

Among the changes introduced by the late Jefferson Davis when Secretary of War, was the extension of the course at West Point from four to five years. The second class to have this extended course — and, as it turned out, the last — was that which entered the Academy in 1856, and of this class, in the month of June, Llewellyn Hoxton, when just eighteen, became a member. His career as a cadet was marked by the same fidelity to duty which was the characteristic of his after life, a fact of which, were other evidence wanting, his standing would afford satisfactory evidence. Until his fourth year there were indications that he would at the least be second or third, but a month's incapacitation for work by sickness then depressed him as much as four places, so that he graduated sixth in a class of fifty, in May, 1861.

The War of Secession was already begun, and, as might have been expected, there was little hesitation on his part as to which side to espouse. Resigning his commission in the old army, he accepted service at once under the Confederacy, and was for a time engaged as an artillery drill-master among the troops near Fredericksburg. In July, however, he left Virginia for duty elsewhere. Of his faithful and gallant service in the western army it is not possible here to give even an outline. For two years he was chief of artillery of Hardee's corps, and in one  p11 important engagement — that at Franklin, Tenn., — he commanded all the guns opposed to General Schofield. In this memorable campaign he at one time remained on horseback with very slight intermission as much as forty-eight hours. He was with the troops who surrendered with General J. E. Johnston, in April, 1865, and immediately returned to Virginia, making his home temporarily with his sister, the wife of Rev. (now Bishop) A. M. Randolph, at that time rector of a church in Halifax.

In the following autumn he became engaged as instructor in mathematics in the school of Captain Chiffelle, at Catonsville, Md., where he remained until February, 1867. From then until the next September — the only time in his adult life — he was without definite employment. Then he accepted a position as assistant in the school of Dr. Merillat, at Govanstown, Md., where he remained three years. On the 14th of October, 1868, he was married to Miss Fannie Robinson, of Jefferson County, W. Va. In August, 1870, Mr. Blackford, who had just assumed charge of the Episcopal High School, advertised for a mathematical master, and he wrote to inquire about the place. The result was a meeting of the two at the school and the commencement of a connection with it on his part which terminated only with his life. From the beginning he always presided in the school room and was second in general control, discharging the duties of principal, on occasion; but it was only in 1886 that, on Mr. Blackford's earnest invitation, he accepted the title of Associate Principal and became also in name what in fact he had always been.

Though less robust during the earlier part of his connection with the school than afterwards, his regularity at the post of duty was always remarkable. From all causes combined he lost on an average during the entire period less than half a day each session. During the last few years he had enjoyed excellent health and never better than since last summer. For this and other reasons the past six months of his life were as happy as any he ever passed and his cheerfulness had been extraordinary.  p12 Sunday, the 8th ult., was a beautiful day, and at ten that morning in the seminary chapel he stood sponsor for the infant son of his colleague, Mr. Kern. An hour or two later he had the happiness of witnessing the confirmation of one of his own sons. Monday evening Mrs. Hoxton entertained some young company and his enjoyment of the occasion was keen. A social visit, the next evening from Bishop Whittle, then lecturing at the seminary, was spoken of by him as being specially enjoyed. Ash Wednesday was another lovely day, and after service at church he walked with Mr. Blackford, who remarked on his fine spirits and relish of the air and exercise. That afternoon he went over to the seminary to say good-bye to the young daughter of one of the professors about leaving home for school, and then passed the evening quietly with his family, not one of whom can recall the slightest premonition of the awful event of the next morning.

From the Monthly Chronicle (March, 1891),
of the Episcopal High School, near Alexandria, Va.

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