I can never have a birthday without thinking of my grandfather. On April 19, 1971 I was a birthday present to then 65 year old Honorable Judge Harold B. Singleton of Amherst VA, representative to the Virginia House of Commons. I was first grandchild to a Charter Member of the National Honor Society when he graduated from EC Glass High School in 1925. He attended Lynchburg College and during that time found a matchbook in a restaurant that contained an advertisement for law books on the cover. He ordered them and became the youngest person to ever pass the Virginia state bar exam on his first attempt. In 1938 he opened a law firm with Lucien Shrader and in 1941 he was elected to the Virginia House of Commons for 14 years. He authored and sponsored the legislation that made it legal to buy soft drinks in Virginia and the 1950 revisions to the state code regarding the retirement plan for Virginia state employees.
In 1964 he was appointed Judge of the Amherst District Court. Later he became the Chief Judge of the 24th District Juvenile and Domestic relations court. In 1957 and 1958 he was elected National President of the Lynchburg College Alumni Association and National President of the Ruritan National Civics organization in 1963. A lifetime of great achievements and I did not learn the full extent of them until after his passing in 1994, my last year of college. Although he took me to coat and tie lunches to shake hands with US Congressmen, growing up he was just Pop. Although I saw him in the courtroom on a couple of occasions, something I believe none of his other grandchildren ever did, I spent most of my time with him in his extensive garden at Green Lawn, accompanied by our favorite dog Blanc. I will return to the house on the road I knew as Rural Route 40 very soon, although it is now called Father Judge Road in his honor, to visit my 94 year old grandmother who still resides in the only home I’ve ever known my grandparents to live in.
God only knows how I stumbled onto your website. I am originally from Amherst/Lynchburg but I’m now living in the Bay Area of CA. I knew your grandfather as a child growing up in Amherst and later as a young attorney practicing before him. He was the finest example of a gentleman that anyone could ever hope to find, much less count as a friend. I could write a book about the dozens of cases I tried before him, as well as my recollections of he and Lucien, when I was a boy.
I stumbled up on this while doing research on the Sara Henry Manor of Amherst. Apparently your grandfathers library was donated to the home, the last residence of Patrick Henry’s mother Sarah. Was actually owned by her son in law Col. Samuel Meredith. The library is very impressive and If you’ve not been by please come by and see it. I am going to give them this great post of your so they can make a plaque to you “Pop”.
I knew the Sarah Henry Manor as Winton. Spend many Sundays there after church. Met Congressman L.F. Payne Jr. and I’m sure some other prominent politicians there.
Hi there,
I finally have gotten around to trying to do my family tree and your grandfather the judge was my grandmothers brother. Mary L Singleton. She had another brother named Philip. Both have passed away in CA.
Anyway, it was nice to stumble upon this and it was a great read.
Thank you,
Maureen
My grandmother, Florence Royal Nance as sister to Mary Leighton Nance, your great grandmother. Would like to have further contact with you regarding further family linkages.
My full name is Sarah Porter Cheatwood Phillips Booker