school in the County of Louisa, with whom he studied theology. He
was licensed to preach in 1761, and ordained in the following year, when
he settled as pastor in Lancaster County. Here, about the year 1768, he
married Mary, daughter of Colonel James Gordon, of that county,[484:A] a
wealthy and influential man. In the division of the Presbyterian Church
Mr. Waddell was of the "New Side," as it was termed. The Rev. Samuel
Davies often preached to Mr. Waddell's congregation; as also did
Whitefield several times.

In the year 1776 Mr. Waddell removed from Lower Virginia, in very feeble
health, to Augusta County. His salary was now only forty-five pounds,
Virginia currency, per annum. In 1783 he came to reside at an estate
purchased by him, and called Hopewell, at the junction of Louisa,
Orange, and Albemarle--the dwelling-house being in Louisa. Here he again
became a classical teacher, receiving pupils in his own house. James
Barbour, afterwards governor of Virginia, was one of these, and
Merriwether Lewis, the companion of Clarke in the exploration beyond the
Rocky Mountains, another. Mr. Waddell resided in Louisa County about
twenty years, and died there, and was buried, according to his request,
in his garden. During his residence here he was, for a part of the time,
deprived of his sight; but he continued to preach. In person he was tall
and erect; his complexion fair, with a light blue eye. His deportment
was dignified; his manners elegant and graceful. He is represented by
Mr. Wirt, in the "British Spy," as preaching in a white linen cap; this
was, indeed, a part of his domestic costume, but when he went abroad he
always wore a large full-bottomed wig, perfectly white. Mr. Wirt held
him as equal to Patrick Henry, in a different species of oratory. In
regard to place, time, costume, and lesser particulars, Mr. Wirt used an
allowable liberty in grouping together incidents which had occurred
apart, and perhaps imagining, as in a sermon, expressions which had been
uttered at the fire-side. Patrick Henry's opinion of Mr. Waddell's
eloquence has been before mentioned. It was the remark of another
cotemporary, that when he preached, "whole congregations were bathed in
tears." It might also be said by his grave, as at that of John Knox,--

"Here lies one who never feared the face of man."

The late Rev. Dr. Archibald Alexander married a daughter of Dr. Waddell,
and the late Rev. Dr. James Waddell Alexander thus derive