Whitmell P. Tunstall
Encyclopedia
Whitmell Pugh Tunstall was a lawyer and state legislator in Chatham, Virginia
. He was the long-time advocate most responsible for the creation of the Richmond and Danville Railroad
which was completed in 1856.
. He was educated at Danville Academy and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
.
A railroad was a revolutionary idea in the 1830's, which had the confidence of very few people at the time. However, the greatest opposition in the southern portion of Virginia came from those along the Roanoke River
who ran the Roanoke Navigation Company and its system of canal
s. They feared a rival in the transportation business.
A lawyer by profession, Tunstall was admitted to the Virginia State Bar in 1832. He was a member of the Railroad Convention that met at Danville
, October 5, 1835, and at Richmond
June 11, 1836.
Tunstall served in the Virginia General Assembly
in both houses. He was a delegate in the House of Delegates from 1836 to 1841, a senator in the State Senate in 1841 and 1842, and a delegate again from 1845 to 1848.
On April 13, 1838, he introduced a bill to charter the Richmond and Danville Railroad
(R&D) with an impassioned speech. No action was taken at that time, and he was to fight tirelessly for creation of the R&D in the Virginia legislature for almost a decade. It was not until 1845 that petitions were again introduced. Finally, after a struggle of nine years, the charter was granted on March 9, 1847. Records reveal Tunstall's dedication to the cause in this statement made to a friend, "Tis the proudest day of my life, and I think I may now say that I have not lived in vain."
Whitmell Pugh Tunstall died on February 19, 1854 of typhoid fever, 2 years before the railroad he had long sought was completed.
has had several schools named in his honor. Founded in 1878 as a two-room school, in 1918 the Whitmell Farm-Life School became the first rural consolidated school in Pittsylvania County.
In 1964, Whitmell High School and Brosville High School were merged to form Tunstall High School, which is located in Dry Fork, Virginia in the center of the Tunstall magisterial district on Tunstall High Road.
Two Virginia Historical Markers were established relating to Whitmell P. Tunstall:
Chatham, Virginia
Chatham is a town in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, United States. Chatham's population was 1,338 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Danville, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. Chatham is home to Chatham High School and Hargrave Military Academy. It is also home to Chatham Hall , an...
. He was the long-time advocate most responsible for the creation of the Richmond and Danville Railroad
Richmond and Danville Railroad
The Richmond and Danville Railroad was chartered in Virginia in the United States in 1847. The portion between Richmond and Danville, Virginia was completed in 1856...
which was completed in 1856.
Biography
Whitmell Pugh Tunstall was born in Pittsylvania County, VirginiaPittsylvania County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,745 people, 24,684 households, and 18,216 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile . There were 28,011 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
. He was educated at Danville Academy and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
.
A railroad was a revolutionary idea in the 1830's, which had the confidence of very few people at the time. However, the greatest opposition in the southern portion of Virginia came from those along the Roanoke River
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
who ran the Roanoke Navigation Company and its system of canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s. They feared a rival in the transportation business.
A lawyer by profession, Tunstall was admitted to the Virginia State Bar in 1832. He was a member of the Railroad Convention that met at Danville
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
, October 5, 1835, and at Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
June 11, 1836.
Tunstall served in the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
in both houses. He was a delegate in the House of Delegates from 1836 to 1841, a senator in the State Senate in 1841 and 1842, and a delegate again from 1845 to 1848.
On April 13, 1838, he introduced a bill to charter the Richmond and Danville Railroad
Richmond and Danville Railroad
The Richmond and Danville Railroad was chartered in Virginia in the United States in 1847. The portion between Richmond and Danville, Virginia was completed in 1856...
(R&D) with an impassioned speech. No action was taken at that time, and he was to fight tirelessly for creation of the R&D in the Virginia legislature for almost a decade. It was not until 1845 that petitions were again introduced. Finally, after a struggle of nine years, the charter was granted on March 9, 1847. Records reveal Tunstall's dedication to the cause in this statement made to a friend, "Tis the proudest day of my life, and I think I may now say that I have not lived in vain."
Whitmell Pugh Tunstall died on February 19, 1854 of typhoid fever, 2 years before the railroad he had long sought was completed.
Posthumous honors
Pittsylvania CountyPittsylvania County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,745 people, 24,684 households, and 18,216 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile . There were 28,011 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
has had several schools named in his honor. Founded in 1878 as a two-room school, in 1918 the Whitmell Farm-Life School became the first rural consolidated school in Pittsylvania County.
In 1964, Whitmell High School and Brosville High School were merged to form Tunstall High School, which is located in Dry Fork, Virginia in the center of the Tunstall magisterial district on Tunstall High Road.
Two Virginia Historical Markers were established relating to Whitmell P. Tunstall:
- Whitmell P. Tunstall (L-48) marker is located about one mile south of ChathamChatham, VirginiaChatham is a town in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, United States. Chatham's population was 1,338 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Danville, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. Chatham is home to Chatham High School and Hargrave Military Academy. It is also home to Chatham Hall , an...
in Pittsylvania CountyPittsylvania County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 61,745 people, 24,684 households, and 18,216 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile . There were 28,011 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
. It is on the east side of U.S. Highway 29 at TightsqueezeTightsqueeze, VirginiaTightsqueeze is an unincorporated community in the center of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, United States. It is included in the Danville, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
just south of the Fairview Road intersection. The marker text reads "One mile east stands Belle Grove, the home of Whitmell Pugh Tunstall (1810-1854). Educated at Danville Academy and the University of North Carolina, Tunstall was admitted to the bar in 1832. He served in the House of Delegates (1836-1841; 1845-1848) and the Senate of Virginia (1841-1842). As a delegate representing Pittsylvania County, he fought for a decade to charter the Richmond and Danville Railroad (part of the present-day Norfolk Southern Railway). He served as the company's first president from 1847 until his death. Tunstall is buried at Belle Grove. Department of Historic Resources, 1993"
- Whitmell School (U-38) marker reads "Founded in 1878 as a two-room school and named for state senator Whitmell P. Tunstall, in 1918 the Whitmell Farm-Life School became the first rural consolidated school in Pittsylvania County. Sarah Archie Swanson Beverly, who between 1916 and 1951 taught there and served as principal, believed that "the country school must be the center of community life." Under her leadership, Whitmell School attained that goal as a model progressive school. In 1920, the National Conference on Rural Education and Country Life was held here, followed in 1923 by the Virginia Rural Life Conference, which Gov. E. Lee Trinkle and U.S. Sen. Carter GlassCarter GlassCarter Glass was a newspaper publisher and politician from Lynchburg, Virginia. He served many years in Congress as a member of the Democratic Party. As House co-sponsor, he played a central role in the development of the 1913 Glass-Owen Act that created the Federal Reserve System. Glass...
addressed."