James Buchanan Richmond
James Buchanan Richmond | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 9th district | |
In office March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 | |
Preceded by | Auburn Pridemore |
Succeeded by | Abram Fulkerson |
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the Lee County, Virginia district | |
In office January 1, 1874 – December 3, 1875 | |
Preceded by | William P. Queen |
Succeeded by | Ira P. Robinette |
Personal details | |
Born | Turkey Cove Lee County, Virginia, U.S. | February 27, 1842
Died | April 30, 1910 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | (aged 68)
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Lizzie Duncan, Kate Morison |
Residence(s) | Gate City, Scott County, Virginia |
Profession | Politician, Lawyer, Judge, Banker |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() ![]() |
Rank | ![]() |
Unit | 15th Virginia Infantry 64th Virginia Mounted Infantry |
Commands | 64th Virginia Infantry |
Battles/wars | American Civil War |
James Buchanan Richmond (February 27, 1842 – April 30, 1910) was a nineteenth-century politician, lawyer, judge and banker from Virginia.[1]
Early and family life
Born in Turkey Cove, Lee County, Virginia on February 27, 1842 to Jonathan Richmond (1805 - 1871) and his wife Mary Dickenson Richmond (1808 - 1879), James Richmond had many brothers and sisters. He attended Emory and Henry College, then read law.
He married Sarah Elizabeth (Lizzie) Duncan (1845-1869) in 1864 and had a son (Henry C. L.Richmond) and daughter (Mary Elizabeth Richmond Cox Deisher) before her death. The year following Lizzie's death, Richmond married Catherine (Kate) Morison (1844-1911) of Scott County. His son, Henry C. L. Richmond, like his father became a lawyer and later married the daughter of Richmond's fellow 64th Virginia officer, Harvey Gray.[2]
Career
Richmond began his legal practice in the circuit and county court of Lee County and neighboring Scott and Wise Counties as well as in the court of appeals in Wytheville, Virginia.
Confederate service
As the American Civil War began, Richmond enlisted in the Confederate Army, as did his elder brothers William, Jonathan and Henry (although Jonathan died of typhus in August 1861). James Richmond initially served as an orderly sergeant and was promoted to captain of Company A of the 15th Virginia Infantry. When that was consolidated with the 64th Virginia Mounted Infantryin late 1863 (where his brother William was a Captain), James Richmond received a promotion to major and later another promotion to lieutenant colonel. He served under Col. Auburn Pridemore (whom he later defeated to represent the same Congressional district).
Political career
After Virginia surrendered and James Richmond and his brothers received pardons, he resumed his legal practice. Lee County voters elected him to represent them (part time) in the Virginia House of Delegates in 1873 and he served from 1874 until 1875. Richmond succeeded William P. Queen and was succeeded by Democrat Ira Robinette.
In 1878, advocating sound money, Richmond defeated Congressman Pridemore in the primary, and was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives. He served a single term, from 1879 to 1881, losing in the Democratic primary to fellow Confederate veteran Abram Fulkerson, who helped organize the Readjuster Party but retired after one term.
In 1886, the Virginia General Assembly elected Richmond judge for Scott County, Virginia. He served for six years, from 1886 to 1892. He then became chief counsel of the South Atlantic & Ohio Railroad Company for several years, and also engaged in banking. Richmond also represented Scott County at the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1902, which disenfranchised black and poor white voters, but attempted to modernize treatment of corporations.
Death and legacy
Richmond died at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, Maryland on April 30, 1910.[3] His widow would also be interred in Estill Cemetery in Gate City, Virginia the following year.[4] His son Henry C.L. Richmond, who also attended Emory and Henry College before becoming a lawyer, served as Commonwealth Attorney of Scott County 1891-1895, and again 1919-1920, resigning when elected mayor of Gate City in 1920. He was a Republican like Campbell Slemp and his son C. Bascom Slemp, who were both born less than a mile from James B. Richmond and represented the 9th Congressional district in the early 20th century. A Virginia highway marker near Seminary, Virginia recognized all three Congressmen born nearby.[5]
References
- ^
- United States Congress. "James Buchanan Richmond (id: R000234)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- ^ Lewis Preston Summers, History of Southwest Virginia (1903)
- ^ "Obituaries and Death Notices in Scott County, VA".
- ^ James Buchanan Richmond at Find a Grave
- ^ A Guidebook to Virginia's Historical Markers (University of Virginia Press 1994), p. 198
- Find a Grave template with ID not in Wikidata
- Articles with short description
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Articles without Wikidata item
- AC with 0 elements
- 1842 births
- 1910 deaths
- Members of the Virginia House of Delegates
- Virginia lawyers
- Emory and Henry College alumni
- Virginia state court judges
- Confederate States Army officers
- People of Virginia in the American Civil War
- Delegates to Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1901
- 20th-century American politicians
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia
- People from Lee County, Virginia
- 19th-century American politicians
- 19th-century American judges
- 19th-century American lawyers