Of his early life, I, of course, knew nothing, but, as I grew into my teens, I used to hear much adverse criticism of him; but the real trouble, as I learned in my experience of him, was that he was a man ahead of his time—a worse fault than being behind the times, for the former frequently, if not always, means disaster, while the man behind the times is simply a sufferer without knowing it. The man ahead of his time usually gets himself and followers in bad repute by investing his and their money in enterprises, and then can find nobody to take the improved property off their hands so as to enable them to engage in other improvements, but have to hold unprofitable property while being eaten up by taxes of interest and by taxes. Alexander Duval, an amiable but weak man, and Richmond's first wholesale druggist (located at the upper end of Long Square), was reputed to have been ruined by following Mr. Exall's lead; and the report was probably true, because Mr. Duval sold out to Adie & Gray and disappeared from public view. Purcell, Ladd & Co. went out of Alexander Duval, and for years were our only wholesale druggists. They remained prominent in business circles until soon after the election of John L. Purcell to the presidency of the First National Bank, when he wound up the drug business, and the admirable name of Purcell, Ladd & Co. disappeared from the commercial firm. Mr. Exall fell into disrepute, but when, years after, I had much  Business with him as an architect, I found him upright and honorable, though of very poor judgment. 