Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1883-04-14
Major Henry BcdinSer.

We take the following sketch OF INC nv
of Major Henry Bsdinger, who was Wen
known to many of our citizens, from tne
Martinsburg Independent. Hon. u -
Faulkner is the author:
Major Henry Bedinger was born AZ
Little York, Pennsylvania, October lotn'
1884. His father emigrated to Berkeiey
County in 1853. In June, l775, he Voiuh-
teered in a company raised in the county
of Berkeley under the command OF capt
Hugh Stephenson, which marched in July
of that year to the siege of Boston. AT the
expiration of one year, their term OF SER
vice having then expired, this company
was disbanded. Immediately thereafter
a rifle regiment was organized OF whlch
Hugh Stephenson was appointed colonei
and Abraham Shepherd commissioned Is
senior captain Of one OF the companies
Young Bedinger was commissioned as
third lieutenant in this company, ana MS
original commission as such, signed by
John Hancock, President of Congress,
NAV be seen framed and hanging in the
house of his grandson, II. b. Davenport
ESQ. near Charlestown. After three
days' severe fighting at Kings Bridge
this regiment, then commanded by Col.
Rawlings, was forced to capitulate, ana
surrendered themselves as prisoners OF
war, in the capture of Fort Washington
This occurred on the 10th OF November,
TIT, and Lieut.. Bedinser was confined as
a prisoner OIL Long Island until the sum
mer of 1871. After having thus endured
the rigor of Imprisonment for four years,
he was exchanged, and returning TO the
army he was commissioned a captain IN
the 4th Virginia Regiment, and ordered
to Yorktown, but before he reached thas
point the surrender Of Lord CORVALLIS
and his army had taken place. AT the
close of the revolutionary war he return
ed 70 Shepherdstowu, then in the county
of Berkeley, and there entered into the
mercantile business. Upon the death OF
Moses Hunter, he was in August, l19S,
elected clerk Of the County Court Oh
Berkeley, when he removed to Martins
burg, its county seat. Prior to this time
he had been elected and served one year
as a member of the House of Delegates OF
Virginia. The validity Of his election az
clerk of the County Court was vigorously
contested BY Colonel David Hunter, his
connection for that office. This led to
protracted litigation, in which the aolest
counsel in the United States were en-
ployed-John Marshall, Luther Martin
and Walter Jones being of the number;
and party spirit then running very high,
Bedinger being JefIersonian republican
and Hunter an ardent and prominent fed
eralist, the contest excited deep interest
throughout the country. The venue oil
the trial of the case was changed by the
General Court of Virginia ut its Novem-
Der term, 1893, from the Winchester Dis
tricl Court to Staunton, but subsequently
sent back to Winchester. The suit re-
suited in judgment, rendered December,
1903, setting aside the election of Major
Bedinger and the transfer of the office to
his opponent, Colonel Hunter. Some OF
the remains of that litigation are to be
seen upon the records Of our courts as late
as 1880. He was member of the Society
of the Cincinnati, and his diploma as such,
handsomely framed, still aGorns the par
lor of one of his descendants. After his
removal from the office of clerk he remoy-
ed to his fine estate "Pro:umna," five
miles south of Martinsburg. He was
careful farmer and an enthusiastic Guilt
yator Of fine fruits. He possessed an ex-
traordinary memory, and delighted III his
hospitable mansion to dwell upon the in
cidents of our revolutionary war. He
could remember, with great distinctness,
even in very advanced life, the company,
regiment, rank and service of almost any
officer in the Virginia line; and it was
through his retentive memory that many
received that justice from their country
which otherwise, from lost and mutilated
records, they could never have obtain ed.
He bore the reputation Of n patriot and
gooG citizen up to the period of his death,
which occurred on the 18th Of May, 1913,
then nearly ninety years of age.