- Henry A. Edmundson
Henry Alonzo Edmundson (
June 14 ,1814 –December 16 ,1890 ) was a nineteenth century congressman and lawyer fromVirginia .Early life
Born in
Blacksburg, Virginia , Edmundson attended private schools as a child and went on to graduate fromGeorgetown University . He later studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1838, commencing practice inSalem, Virginia .Politics
In 1848, he was elected as a Democrat to the
United States House of Representatives and served until 1861. He was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures on Public Buildings from 1853 to 1855.He accompanied
Preston Brooks when he brutally attackedCharles Sumner on the floor of theUnited States Senate onMay 22 ,1856 . A resolution to censure Edmundson was introduced for his involvement in the incident along with Brooks andLaurence M. Keitt , another accomplice, however, unlike for Brooks and Keitt, it was voted down.Military service
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Edmundson resigned from Congress and joined the newly-formed
Confederate States Army . He was elected alieutenant colonel in the 44th Virginia Regiment where he served as until 1862 when he was assigned to the command of the 27th Virginia Cavalry.Later life
At the close of the war, Edmundson returned to practicing law and subsequently in 1880 turned to agricultural pursuits.
He died at his home called "Falling Waters" in
Shawsville, Virginia onDecember 16 ,1890 and is interred at Fotheringay Cemetery in Shawsville.External links
CongBio|E000058 Retrieved on
2008-02-13
*findagrave|12133826 Retrieved on2008-02-13
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