J. (Jesse) Harper Shelton, student 1845-1846

Shelton, a lawyer in  Sussex County, VA in the 1860 census, operated a school at Coppahaunk Springs near Waverly, VA when he enlisted on May 24, 1861 as a private in the Sussex Sharpshooters, Co. A of the 41st VA Infantry. He spent much of his time in service detailed as a clerk in the Quarter Masters Dept., and refused to reenlist in the spring of 1862 when his original term of enlistment ended, claiming exemption due to age. He was discharged in march 1862, only to be drafted back into his company in april 1862. He remained in service until he was discharged on September 6, 1862 as overage under the Conscript Act.

In 1866, Shelton became justice of the Sussex County Court. Censuses from 1870-1900 list him as a farmer. He served on the county Board of Supervisors from 1880-1882 and also taught school sometime in the early 1880s. Shelton died on Dec. 14, 1909 and is buried in Montrose Cemetery in Littleton, Sussex County, VA.

Thomas P. Atkinson, student in the preparatory dept. 1847-1848

Atkinson, son of a wealthy planter in Baldwin County, AL, attended the preparatory school in 1847-1848. It is unknown whether he continued his schooling at R-MC or elsewhere before enrolling as a freshman at the University of Alabama in 1851, only attending for one year.  He was a planter/farmer in Baldwin county at the outbreak of the war. Atkinson enlisted on April 24, 1861 as a private in the Mobile Rifles, which became Co. K of the 3rd AL Infantry. It is unknown how long he served in this unit. By October 1864, he was serving as 1st lieutenant in Captain English's Co., an independent mounted infantry company that operated in the area near Mobile, AL.

After the war, Atkinson returned to Baldwin County, AL and farmed. He died on August 1, 1907 and is buried in Montgomery Hill Cemetery in Tensaw, Baldwin County, AL.

Thomas F. Owens, student 1833-1837

Owens was a dry goods merchant in Norfolk, VA at the beginning of the war when he enlisted on April 19, 1861 as 2nd lieutenant of Co. H of the 12th VA Infantry, the Norfolk Junior Volunteers. He was elected captain of the company on May 1, 1862. In early 1862, he was hospitalized in Richmond, VA due to illness and in late summer was on detached service and serving as the regiment's quarter master. Owens was captured at the Battle of Chancellorsville on April 30, 1863 and taken to Aquia, VA and then sent on to Old Capitol Prison in Washington, DC on May 1, 1863. Owens was paroled on May 18, 1863. He was again listed as on sick leave in Dec. 1863, but had returned to the company by the spring of 1864. In late summer 1864, he had extra duty as acting assistant quarter master. He was paroled at Appomattox Court House, VA on april 9, 1865.

He returned to Norfolk, VA, where he became a founding member and first master of a masonic lodge named after him, the Owens Lodge. In 1869, Owens became the Grand Master of Masons in Virginia. He died on May 17, 1878 and is buried in Norfolk, VA in Cedar Grove Cemetery.

William J. Carter, student 1858-1861

Carter enlisted in Co. G of the 38th VA Infantry on May 18, 1861 as a sergeant. In January 1862, he applied for a commission as lieutenant or captain. Carter indicated in his letter requesting promotion that "circumstances are so unpleasant as to utterly preclude the possibility of my reenlisting in my present company."  He remained with the company and was promoted to 2nd lieutenant on April 29, 1862 and to 1st lieutenant on November 15, 1863. In the late summer of 1864, he was admitted to Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond, VA with onychia and paronychia, which are inflammation of the nail bed and surrounding area due to infection. He returned to duty in October, 1864. He surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865 and is listed as commanding the company.


After the war, he returned to Mecklenburg County, VA where he was a druggist in the 1870 census. by 1880, he was a teacher and eventually became a principal in the county schools. He died September 25, 1897 and is buried in Boydton, VA in the Boydton Presbyterian Church Cemetery.