U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Stephenson, James (1761-1833) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Aler's History of Martinsburg and Berkeley County, West Virginia by F. Vernon Aler, 1888 Printed for the Author by The Mail Publishing Company, Hagerstown, MD. CHAPTER VIII. Historical Pen Sketches of the Early Residents of Berkeley County by the late Hon. Chas. James Faulkner. Page 127, JAMES STEPHENSON Was born on March 20, 1761. He commanded a company in the disastrous defeat of General Arthur St. Clair in 1791, when thirty- eight officers and five hundred and ninety-three men were slaughtered by the Miami Indians, and twenty-one officers and two hundred and forty- three men were badly wounded. He was present at the quelling of the whiskey insurrection in Pennsylvania, and was promoted to the office of Brigade Inspector. He served in 1800, 1801 and 1802 as a delegate from Berkeley County to the Virginia Assembly, and was a representative in Congress from this district from 1803 to 1805, from 1809 to 1811, and again from 1822 to 1825. He raised a large and interesting family of children, boys and girls, and lived in the house now owned and occupied by D. H. Conrad. He died in August, 1833. An anecdote is told of an arranged duel between Major Stephenson and General Darke, both men of tried and approved courage. They were to fight with swords. Stephenson, who was a small man, came to the ground armed with a rapier. Darke, a man of gigantic proportions, brought with him a broad sword, as large as an ordinary mowing scythe. When the seconds were about to place them in position for the combat the disparity of size of both the men and of their weapons was so irresistibly ludicrous that the seconds burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, which soon communicated its effect to the principals; the duel was averted, all points of honor settled and the two brave old soldiers shook hands and continued warm friends the rest of their lives. ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Berkeley County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/berkeley/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------