, ▁politician ▁and ▁diplom at ▁from ▁West ▁Virginia . ▁Both ▁before ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁( in ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁initially ▁a ▁war ▁correspond ent ), ▁St ro ther ▁was ▁a ▁successful ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁American ▁magazine ▁illustr ator ▁and ▁writer , ▁popular ly ▁known ▁by ▁his ▁pseud onym , ▁" P orte ▁C ray on " ▁( F rench , ▁porte - c ray on : ▁" pen cil / c ray on ▁holder "). ▁He ▁helped ▁his ▁father ▁operate ▁a ▁ 4 0 0 - gu est ▁hotel ▁at ▁Ber keley ▁Spr ings ▁which ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁sp a ▁accessible ▁by ▁rail ▁in ▁the ▁mid - At l antic ▁states . ▁A ▁Union ▁top ograph er ▁and ▁nom inal ▁caval ry ▁commander ▁during ▁the ▁war , ▁St ro ther ▁rose ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁bre vet ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁of ▁Vol unte ers , ▁and ▁after ward ▁rest ruct ured ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Military ▁Institute , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁served ▁as ▁U . S . ▁cons ul ▁to ▁Mexico ▁( 1 8 7 9 – 1 8 8 5 ). ▁ ▁Early ▁and ▁family ▁life ▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Mart ins burg , ▁Ber keley ▁County , ▁Virginia ▁( now ▁West ▁Virginia ) ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 6 ▁to ▁colon el ▁John ▁St ro ther ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Elizabeth ▁P end leton ▁Hunter , ▁David ▁St ro ther ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁their ▁eight ▁children ▁and ▁the ▁only ▁male ▁to ▁reach ▁ad ul th ood . ▁Both