The Strange Story of Harper's Ferry, with Legends of the Surrounding CountryBarry, Joseph
History
The Strange Story of Harper's Ferry, with Legends of the Surrounding Country
Barry, Joseph
Harpers Ferry (W. Va.) -- History; Harpers Ferry (W. Va.) -- History -- John Brown's Raid, 1859
George Turner, the third man killed (of the citizens) was a very fine
looking man, aged about forty years. It is said that he was educated at
West Point and that he was distinguished for great polish and refinement
of manners. He was unmarried and he left a good deal of property. He was
a native of Jefferson county, Virginia--now West Virginia.
Fountain Beckham, the fourth and last of the citizen's party killed, was
like the others, a tall, powerfully built man. His age was about sixty
years. He was a native of Culpeper county, Virginia, and a brother of
Armistead Beckham, heretofore mentioned as master-armorer. As before
stated, he had been for many years a magistrate of the County of
Jefferson and the agent of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad company at
Harper's Ferry. At the time of his death he was mayor of the town. He
was a widower and two sons and a daughter survived him. Mr. Beckham was
in many respects a remarkable man. It was said that he was the best
magistrate that Jefferson county ever had, his decisions being always
given with a view rather to the justice than to the law of the cases
and, in many instances, being marked with great shrewdness and soundness
of judgment. On the other hand he was sometimes very whimsical, and some
amusing scenes used to be enacted between him and "Haywood"--his
factotum. Frequently, the squire would give unreasonable or
contradictory orders to his servant who never hesitated on such
occasions to refuse obedience, and it was no uncommon thing to see
Haywood starting out from the railroad office with a bundle on his back
en route for Winchester, and swearing that he would not serve the squire
another day for any consideration. He never proceeded very far, however,
before he was over-taken by a message from his master conveying
proposals for peace and Haywood never failed to return. Notwithstanding
their frequent rows, a strong attachment existed between these two men
through life; and in death they were not parted. Mr. Beckham was very
respectably connected. His sister was the wife of Mr. Stubblefield, so
long superintendent of the armory, and his niece, Miss Stubblefield, was
married to Andrew Hunter, of Charlestown, one of the most eminent
lawyers of Virginia. Mr. Beckham's wife was the daughter of Colonel
Stevenson, of Harper's Ferry, and, thus, it will be seen that he was
connected with many of the most influential families of the Northern
Neck. Mr. Beckham's death was mourned as a public loss for, with many
oddities of manner, he had all the qualities that go to make a lovable
man and a good citizen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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