Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1903-03-26
INTERESTING OLD LETTER.
CLAY, W. Va, Jan. q, 1908

Editor Charleston Daily Gazette
DEAR SIR:-Apropos of the discus
sion relating to James Rumsey and
his discovery of the application Of
steam to the propulsion of boats, l
have in my possession a copy Of let
ter written by Henry Bedinger to a
Mr.. Fleming, editor Of a newspaper
printed at Shepherdstown. The copy
is in the handwriting Of Mr.. Bedinger
and is dated January 7, 1926. Henry
Bedinger was born October l6, 1853:
he entered the service of the conti-
mental army June 5, l775, as a mem
Der of the first Virginia company that
crossed the Potomac river to take part
in the war Of the revolution he was
appointed a lieutenant July 9, l776,
and was promoted to captaincy May
25, 1871, he was appointed major of
the First battalion of the Fifty-ftth
regiment of Virginia militia May 6,
1898. l have this last commission
signed by Henry Lee, governor of Vir-
ginia. He was appointed clerk of
Berkeley county August q, 1898,
and served number of years. He
married Rachel Strobe, a daughter Of
James Strobe, who held a commission
as captain in the militia Of the county
Of Frederick. His commission, signe !
by William Nelson, president Of his
majesty 5 council, and dated April 20,
l771, is in my possession. Elizabeth,
the daughter of Major Bedinger, mar
ried Colonel Braxton Davenport, my
paternal grandfather, The letter to
Fleming was written from Protumna,
fine old place about five miles south
of Martinsburg on the Winchester
turnpike; it was the ancestral home
of the Bedingers. That Henry Bed
niger was a man of some prominence
is attested by the large number of
letters to him from distinguished men
of his day. In looking over his pa
pers, now in possession Of my family,
I find letters from the following per-
sons, all of them distinguished men
OF that day: John Marshall, after
wards chief justice; George William
Fairfax, a nephew Of Lord Fairfax
Edmund Randolph, Bushrod Wash
ington, a Justice of the supreme court
of the United States; Major John
Clark, Gen. Sam Findley, Gen. Sam.
Swearingen, James McHenry, secre-
tary Of war; Gen. Winfield Scott,
Stephen Thompson Mason, President
Monroe, Gen. Wm. Dsrke, Governor
Wood Of Virginia, Governor Worth
ington of. Ohio, Governor Miller Of
Missouri, John S. Barbour, Henry St.
George Tucker, Gen. Otho Williams
and many others Henry Bedinger
died in 1843, full Of years and honors.
I herewith enclose you copy Of the
letter referred TO-
l am very truly yours,
HENRY B. DAVENPORT.
Following is a copy Of the letter re-
ferred to;
PRoTUMyA, Jan. 7, 1926.
SRI have delayed answering
your letter of the 18th instant in the
hope of finding among my old papers
some statements to assist my memory
to elucidate and develop the subject
Of inquiry, but in all of which I have
failed, and must rely on feeble mem
ory alone.
Some time prior to the Revolution
Mr.. Rumsey and family migrated from
the Eastern shore Of Maryland and
settled in Shepherdstown he brought
with him three sons, James, Charles
and Edward. James, the subject Of
this inquiry, remained with his father
until about the commencement Of the
war; he then being but lad, built at
Mr.. Vim. Shepherds, S, now John Lines
saw mill, light skiff or boat in which
be set out and proceeded by way Of
the Potomac to the eastern shore from
whence the family had migrated,
where be married, and some years
thereafter, but during the war, re-
turned to Shepherdstown with his wife
and family. He soon after erected a
saw mill near the mouth Of Sleepy
Greek, but resided in Shepherdstown.
Mr.. James Rumsey had from his ear
lest youth shown that he possessed
extraordinary mechanical skill and a
spirit of enterprise. After the RevO-
lutionary war he was employed BY The