John Johns Trigg John Johns Trigg ( 1748 – May 17 , 1804 ) was an American farmer and politician from Bedford County , Virginia . He fought with the Virginia militia in the Revolutionary War and represented Virginia in the U . S . Congress from 1797 until 1804 . Life . Family life . John was born on his father ' s farm near New London in Lunenburg County , Virginia . He was one of the eight children of William Trigg ( 1716 – 1773 ) and Mary ( Johns ) Trigg ( 1720 – 1773 ) . His father , William served as a judge in Bedford County ( which was formed from part of Lunenburg County in 1754 ) for many years . His brother , Abram , would serve with him in congress . The Trigg and Johns families both arrived in Virginia from England in the mid - seventeenth century . Mary Johns was , in fact , a descendant of Captain John Fox of London , a tobacco merchant and ship ' s captain who received a land grant from his patron King Charles II in 1667 . The Triggs were from Cornwall . John married Dianna Ayers on December 17 , 1770 , and they settled on their own plantation " Old Liberty " near what became the town of Liberty ( now Bedford , Virginia ) . The family would grow to include seven children : Stephen , William , Nancy , Daniel , Theodosia , John Johns Jr . , and Mary ( Polly ) . Dianna survived John , living until some time after 1807 . Military service . Virginia expanded her militia as the conflict with Great Britain loomed . Trigg raised a new militia company in Bedford County in 1775 and led it as its lieutenant . He remained with this unit throughout the war , and saw several local actions . The state ' s House of Delegates named him as a captain on March 23 , 1778 , and a major in 1781 . He was a major of artillery at the Siege of Yorktown later that year , and was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis . After the war Trigg continued his service in the Virginia militia . He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1791 , and in 1793 served as a major in the Second Battalion of the Tenth Regiment of the Virginia militia . In 1796 and 1802 , he was commander of the 91st Regiment of the Virginia militia . Political career . Trigg ' s political service started around 1781 when he became a Justice of the Peace in Bedford County . He was elected to represent the county in the Virginia House of Delegates , and served there from 1784 until 1792 . In 1788 he represented Bedford County in the Virginia Convention that ratified the U . S . Constitution . Trigg voted with Patrick Henry and the Antifederalists against ratification . He served in the Virginia Senate from 1792 until 1796 . He was elected in the United States House of Representatives in 1796 as a Jeffersonian Republican . Trigg was re - elected three times , and served in the Congress from 1797 . He died at home on May 17 , 1804 , on his farm near Liberty in Bedford County and was buried in a family plot there . The Fifth Congress . Trigg arrived on the second day the Fifth Congress of the United States convened , Tuesday , May 16 , 1797 , and was in time to hear the new President ' s speech to Congress about his position in regards to France . At this time , Trigg , a Democratic - Republican / Anti - Federalist was in the minority party , as the House was majority Federalist , as was John Adams , the President of the United States . After the President ' s speech , which caused an uproar among Anti - Federalists as not being sympathetic enough to France and too hawkish , the House debated until May 31 on their response to his address . Their response , with an amendment , basically supported the President ' s speech . Trigg voted against the response , while his brother Abram voted for it . Other votes during this session : When the second session for this Congress returned in November , Trigg arrived three days late on November 16 , 1797 . Votes during this session : Electoral History . 1797 Trigg was elected to the U . S . House of Representatives unopposed . 1799 Trigg was re - elected with 98 . 31 % of the vote , defeating Federalist George Hancock . 1801 Trigg was re - elected unopposed .