VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

259

labors and his executive skill rest^ the whole great enterprise, nor could it rest upon a more secure foundation. It is not surpris- ing that with such a living monument to his ability, Mr. Wilson's skill should have been called into requisition by other concerns be- sides his own, and accordingly we find his financial and industrial affiliations to be very large. He is the president of the Richmond Corrugated Paper Company. But in spite of his large interests, Mr. Wilson does not confine himself solely to the conduct of these, a policy by which so many of the great figures in the financial world today narrow themselves untH they become mere money-getting mechanisms. C^n the contrary, Mr. Wilson takes a broadening interest in the life of the community generally, and there is no measure for the good of his native city which finds him unwilling in support. He gives generously of both his time and energy in the service of his fellow citizens, especially in the department of poli- tics, wherein he takes a keen and intelligent interest. He is a member of the Democratic party and takes an active part in local poli- tics, and is at present a member of the Gin- ter Park Council. He is an active member of all the business men's associations of the city, and is well known in social and Ma- sonic circles. Mr. Wilson has served for five years in the State Militia, being a mem- ber of the Richmond Howitzers, enlisting at the breaking out of the Spanish war, re- sponding to the call of President McKinley for volunteers.

Mr. Wilson married, November 27, 1901, in Richmond, Lillian Garnett Tomlinson, a native of that city, where she was born April 6, 1885. Mrs. Wilson was the daugh- ter of Isaac \\'. and Mary E. (Wharton) Tomlinson. Mr. Tomlinson was born in Norfolk, Virginia, but lived all his life in Richmond, where he met his wife, who was born in that city. Mr. Tomlinson's death occurred in 1899. but Mrs. Tomlinson is still a resident of Richmond. He was for many years the superintendent of the city pumping houses. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have been born four children, all of whom are living, as follows : Benjamin Watkins Jr., born November 7, 1902 ; Loulie May, born May 30, 1903 ; Evelyn Adams, born March 21. 1910; Anne Wellford. born March 17, 1914.

Colonel Alexander Cameron. I he entire active career of the late Colonel Alexander Cameron, of Richmond, Virginia, one of the heads of the enormous and world renowned Cameron tobacco interests, was distin- guished by exceptional business ability and sagacity. To his remarkably "wise and in- telligent direction was mainly due much of the success achieved by them. He ever took a keen, personal interest in all of their oper- ations, guiding their policies, and gaining their accomplishment with shrewd, unerring skill.

Colonel Alexander Cameron was born at Grantown, Scotland, a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Grant) Cameron, and came to America with his parents when a very young lad. His father died while the chil- dren of the family were small, and young Alexander came to Virginia with his mother, located in Petersburg, where he attended school. At a suitable age he entered busi- ness life. He found a position with David Dunlop, a prosperous tobacco merchant of that city, and with him learned the tobacco business in all its details. When he left Mr. Dunlop it was to become a partner in the firm of William Cameron & Brothers, the three members of the firm being Wil- liam, George and Alexander Cameron. The interests of this concern developed rapidly, and soon spread to all parts of this countrv as well as abroad. About ten years ago they were sold to the American Tobacco Company. The various branches were con- ducted independently, but as an allied con- cern, and the various heads under which they were operated were : Alexander Cam- eron t!^ Company, Cameron & Cameron, and William Cameron & Brother. Factories, warehouses and distributing plants were located in Richmond, Petersburg and other important cities, and the output was shipped to all parts of the world, very important connections being maintained with Aus- tralia. The business affairs of Colonel Cam- eron made such demands upon his time, that he was never desirous of entering into the political field, but his opinions on all public questions were held in high esteem by those best competent to judge of such mat- ters, and he was appointed a member of the official stafif of Governor J. Hoge Tyler, and was an imposing and commanding figure

in his colonel's uniform. While on a visit