Robert Carter Berkeley papers

Robert Carter Berkeley (1837-1918) was born in Hanover County, Virginia to Robert Berkeley and Catharine Smith Berkeley. After Episcopal High School Berkeley attended the University of Virginia. Before completing his master’s degree at UVA he enlisted in the Confederate Army in August, 1861 but received his degree in absentia. Berkeley served in Company G, 11th Regiment, Kemper’s Brigade, Pickett’s Division, Longstreet’s Corps. After recuperating from being severely wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines he was transferred to the 7th Va. Regiment, as Quarter Master Sergeant for the remainder of the war. Berkeley was present at the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox Court House. After the war he conducted a small private school, Mount Vue, in his home in Amherst County, VA. Berkeley was elected Principal of Washington College in 1867 and served until 1872. Berkeley was trained in the old-fashioned triad of Latin, Greek and mathematics and accepted Macaulay’s dictum that a Greek scholar was one who could “read Plato with his feet on the fender”; and his ideal of education was to read Latin and Greek without a dictionary. He then was appointed professor of ancient languages and chair of Greek at West Virginia University; he was also was elected Chairman of the Faculty from 1886-1888. West Virginia University also conferred upon him the Doctor of Law. Robert C. Berkeley married Fanny C. Minor in 1863. Together they had five children. He died in New York City in 1918 at the home of his son, Dr. William N. Berkeley. Berkeley was buried in Lexington, VA.