Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-04-06
JUDGE JAMES X. EpMoNpsoN.

one "a the most useful and most
loved members of this bar. ~.
At midnight on the 31st of Mar,
the soul of James X. Edmondson W
surrendered to his God.
He was born in this county sixty-s
.Iyears ago, on his fathers farm. abo,
two miles below Buena Vista. He a
tended schools In, the neighbo,hoot
and was subsequently a student {
Washington College. After leavip
college in 1853, he entered the Clerk
Office of Rockbridge County as tn
deputy for Charles Gu; fin The Clerk 0
the County
Owing to the death OF his fathe
when he was quite young, he was earl.
thrown upon his own resources ant
developed those inherited principle
of strict integrity, self-reliarce, ant
independence which he illustrated
throughout his ter life.
In 1860, he was made the Sergeant
and Clerk OF the Town OF Lexington il
which capacity lie served until tn,
breaking out of the war between the
States.
One of the first companies which
went TO The front in that great struggle
was the Rockbridge Rifles in which
young EdmondSon marched as leu
tenant. His Company was attached
first 10 the 4th aud at erwards 10 the
9th Regiment tf Virginia Infintry,
both regiments belonging to the COM
mand afterwards known as the Stone
wall Brigade, whose name will go down
the ages with the Macedonian Phalanx
of Alexandra, the Tenth Legion Of
Caesar, the Pfadins of Cbarlemagne,
the Ironsides OF Cromwell and the Old
Guard Of napoleon.
Even in that jllusirious command
bis skill and fidelity as an officer, and
his courage as an indomitable fighter,
were conspicuous-and he was SO rap
idly promoted that in 1863, he was
made the Colonel Of the 9th Virginia
-alrfady because Of its gallantry and
its heavy losses, known as "The Bloody
9th"
In The persistent and splendid on
slaught made On General Hooker's
Army at { haneellorsville in May, 1868, |
in which the Stonewall Brigade led,
Col. Edmondson received terrible
wound in his breast, and had his left
arm shattered above the elbow so
severely that amppfation at the shout
der socket became necessary.
He sur,iveythis critical and trying
'rdeal, AMI <as. upon his partial re-
'overy froythe shock TO his constitu- (
ion assigle TO duty as Commandant
# the 1tafySs st then established at
-ezagton.
subsequently, ON lie death Of Mr..
Lafin, he was appointed Clerk of the {
'amly Court Of Rockbridge, post on
D wGch he was afterwards elected by
ne peole, and which he held until
S6S. WIN he was removed by the
rider OF M'ior General Candy issued !
nder the Reconstruction Acts, He
as about this ime appointed Com
missioner in Chaacery of the Circuit
curt OF Rockbridse, an office which s
held and the dulles of which he 8
ischarsed with cOns'mmate ability for 4
Early thirty years. 6,
In 1869 he studied Law at Washing
n College, and in the following year o
rs elected the first Judge of the R
'unty Court Of Rockbriagp, "a position Ts'
which he was chosen foka second W
I'm in 1874-and from whish he re- r.
red at the end of that term after 8,
4 years OF most satisfactory service, I'll
enter upon the more active practices Y
bis profession. H.,
In 1898 he was chosen as one of the tf
representatives. from Rockbridge in
, General Assembly of Virginia, and
IS o member Of the Finance Com
tee of the House of Delegates dur.
the Session Of 1893-94, achieving
tinction as a most capable legislator.
From 1870 he was o member of the
srd Of Trustees Of Washington and 6,
} University, and rendered very T
liable service to that Institution, tc
ticularly in connection with the I
of its financial interests. Ia
[e vas also for some time member
he Board of Visitors, and of the
cutive Committee of the Western do
pital for the Insane at Staunton, an
was afterwards member If the pc
I'd of Visitors Of TIE Virginia Deal, III
Il IxeI.I.,I;op- taoci- NY