Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-03-12
.BHNJAMIN E. WASHINGTON.

:
editor, and politician, so we'll known and 70.
membered in this, his native community, seems
deserving of some more extended notice than.
we have hitherto given #.
Benjamin Franklin Washington was born
in this county in the year 1890. He was .
son of Thornton A. Washington Esq of Gee
dar Lawn" and grandson of Samuel, the
eldest brother of General George Washington
His mother was Elizabeth Bedinger, the
daughter Of Capt. Daniel Bedinger, and q
sister of the late lamented and gifted Henry
Bedinger, and a sister>in>law also, of the Hon.
William Lucas.
Col. Washington studied law, and COM
menced its practice in Charlestown, where he
continued to reside until 1849 In the mean.
time, in 1915, he married Gesrgiana II. Ran.
son, the Oldest daughter of the late James s.
Ransom of this county.
When the California gold fever broke out
in the Atlantic States in 1S49, Col. Wash-
ington was chiefly instrumental in organs
zlng an emigrant company destined for the
new Eldorado, by the overland route. He
was elected captain, and conducted them in
safety over the plains. Some of them, it is
true, were buried along the line of their un-
explored pilgrimage; others have since died
in California; and still Others, after irving
their fortunes in the new State, have returned
to old Jefferson. wiser aud healthier, if not
richer, men. The career OF Col Washington
was more brilliant than that of any of his com.
pany who remained in California. The pro-
cess OF digging out virgin gold from the
quartz-beds where Nature had planted it, was
not very congenial to him, and he is said to
have quit mining very soon, in disgust. He
visited Sacramento city, and obtained place
IN the post ofhce, and on the organization of
the city government in 1850, he was elected
Recorder of the city. TWAS while occupying
this position that the public attention of the
new State was attracted to him by the firmness
and brilliant courage which he displayed in
quelling the "squatter riots" He was found
to be composed of that material which fitted
him for leader in reducing to subordinatiou
the discordant and rebellious elements of border
life
After the expiration of his term as Recorder,
he recommended the practice of his profession,
and continued it until 1852. when, in connec-
ton with one Vincent E. Geiger, he became
joint proprietor, and sole editor, of the DEM
ocrdtfc State Journal. In 1858, he removed
to to San Francisco, and he and Geiger. and one
MIR. Kerr purchased the Times and Tran-
script, which he conducted until 1885,
While editing this paper, he became involved
in duel with Mr.. Washburne, a rival editor.
which resulted in the serious wounding of his
antagonist Not only his cool courage, but
his chivalrous magnanimity were conspicu-
ously displayed upon this unfortunate field of
honor. In 1855, he again retired from the
editorial life; and in 1857 he was appointed
Collector of the Port of San Francisco by
Mr. buchanan. In notifying him of his ap-
Pointment, the president took the precaution
to call his attention to the fact that all of his
predecessors had been involved in difficulties
10 their final settlement with the Government.
Such precaution was unnecessary to Col.
Washington. He associated with him, as
Deputy Collector, his brother George Wash
ineton, gentleman we'll known and highly
esteemed in this community ); and, true to Old
Virginia, they collected around them such
number of choice Virginia Californian spirits
that their political opponents called the Gus
tom house, in derisiou, the "Virginia Hos
pital." But this administration of customs
resulted in giving universal satisfaction to the
honest portion of the mercantile community,
and, secondly, in preserving the public funds
80 sacredly intact from speculation or robbery,
that on final settlement with the Government,
under succeeding administration, small
balance was found to be due Col Washington.
Before the expiration of his term as Collector
he was so unfortunate as to lose his beautiful
and accomplished wife, whose many virtues and
tacinating manners had contributed greatly to
increase his popularity, and whose smile was,
indeed, the star of his life When the late
civil war broke out, all of his sympathies being
with the South, he retired entirely from pub.
lie life to his large ranch in Tehama county.
where he remained grazing and farming until
June 1868, when he was invited to take edi.
torial charge of the San Francisco Examiner.
at the helm of which he remained until his
death. During this period he held the Office
OF Tide Land Commissioner under appoint-
ment OF Governor Haight, and discharged its
duties with conscientious regard for the pub
lie interest
These were the only Offices Col. Washing
ton ever held. His name was several times
prominently mentioned in connection with the
othces OF Governor and Tinted States Senate
but the appliances used to secure promotion
to Office in California were of that corrupt
character which, up to late day, were en-
tirely unknown in Virginia, and to which no
man raised in tho Virginia school could de-
scend This was the secret why Col Wash.
ington was outstripped in the contest for popu
lar favor by men who had been raised in the
North, or North West, and whose sensibili
ties had been blunted by the imperious force
of custom long prevalent in the communities
from which they had emigrated
When be left this country in 1910. Col.
Washington was of delicate constitution. and
slender form, but under the genial Influence
of Californian climate and atmosphere he
broadened and filled out into man of extra
ordinary size, and physical power, distin-
guished for his manly carriage, and graceful
symmetry. AS paragragh-writer it is con-
ceded that he had few equals in the United
States In politics he welded his pen like a
ponderous battle>ax, which hewed down his
opponents, while it cleaned aud sparkled in
the sunlight of his own genius. He was at
the same time by nature poet. His legiti-