Thomas Vaden McCaul was born in Charles City County,
Virginia, on November 25, 1878. He attended Richmond public schools, graduated
from Richmond High School, and entered Richmond College as a pre-law student
in February, 1898. In September of that year, "Uncle Tom" returned
to Richmond College as a ministerial student, being convinced of a call to
preach. He received his B.A. from Richmond College in June, 1902; the Th.M.
from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1905, and the M.A. from
the University of Virginia in 1908. The honorary degrees of D.D. were conferred
upon him by the University of Richmond and Stetson University.
While at Richmond College, Uncle Tom was
active in debates and oratorical contests. He won the writer's medal offered
by his literary society his senior year. He won the orator's medal at the University
of Virginia in 1907. Uncle Tom served as the first president of Virginia Alpha
in 1901-1902 and wrote the fraternity song, "Our Fraternity," in 1902.
In the fall of 1902, he visited Bethany College, West Virginia; Washington and
Jefferson College, Pennsylvania; and West Virginia University and formed a nucleus
for chapters in all three. He helped to establish Virginia Eta at Virginia in
1907 and Florida Alpha at Florida in 1925. He was appointed National Chaplain
in 1947 and served until 1959.
Uncle Tom served as pastor of Baptist
churches in Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida. After more than
26 years as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Gainesville, Florida, he retired
on January 1, 1949. He remained in Gainesville, frequently looking in on his
young Florida Alpha brothers. He continued to attend Conclaves, his last being
the 32nd Grand Chapter at Atlanta in 1971. On November 18, 1972, he died peacefully
at Gainesville at the age of 93. He was the Fraternity's last remaining founder.