Richard Thomas Walker Duke


Richard Thomas Walker Duke Sr. was a nineteenth-century congressman and lawyer from Virginia.

Early and family life

Born near Charlottesville, Virginia, he was the son of Francis Edward Duke, the Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates and Elizabeth Morris Kendrick. Duke attended private schools as a child and graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1844 and from the law department of the University of Virginia in 1850.

Career

Following his admission to the Virginia bar, Duke ran for election as the commonwealth attorney for Albemarle County, Virginia. Elected in 1858, he served as until 1869.
In November, 1859, Duke organized the Albemarle Rifles at Charlottesville. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Duke and his company were mustered into service as Company B of the 19th Virginia Infantry. Duke served with the regiment till he was not re-elected during the reorganization of the regiment and dropped in April, 1862.
Duke continued fighting for the Confederacy, as he was elected Colonel of the 46th Regiment, Virginia Infantry in May, 1862. He remained commander till he resigned in March, 1864, due to quarrels with his commander, General Henry Wise. In May, 1864, Duke became Lieutenant Colonel and commander of the 1st Virginia Reserves Battalion. Duke served in the defenses of Richmond and later the Appomattox Campaign and was later captured with his command at the Battle of Sailor's Creek.
After being released from prison in July, 1865, Duke returned to Charlottesville and resumed his law practice. He was elected a Conservative to the United States House of Representatives to fill a vacancy in 1870, defeating Alexander Rives, who ran as a Republican, who courteously and without his normal charge secured a pardon for his opponent in order to remove any taint of civil disability. Rives subsequently was appointed and confirmed as U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Virginia. Congressman Duke served until 1873. Voters elected him to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1879 and 1880.

Death and legacy

Duke died at his estate called "Sunny Side" near Charlottesville, Virginia on July 2, 1898 and was interred in Maplewood Cemetery in Charlottesville.

Electoral history

1870 - Duke was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives unopposed in a special election and was concurrently elected in the general election unopposed.