Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/143

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

the treaty abolishing the sound dues. He died in Shepherdstown, Virginia, November 26, 1858.

Beime, Andrew, born in Dengan, Roscom- mon county, Ireland, in 1771 ; emigrated to Virginia and settled in Union, Monroe county; was member of house of delegates in 1807-1808 ; member of Virginia constitu- tional convention in 1829-1830; state sena- toi, 1831-1836; presidential elector in 1836. He participated in the war of 1812 as cap- tain, and then as colonel of the Monroe County Rifles. He was elected as a \'an Buren Democrat to the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth congresses, serving from March 4 1837, to March 3, 1841 ; died March 16, 1845. in Gainesville, .\labama; his remains were interred at Union, Loudoun county, Virginia.

Bland, Theodorick, (q. v.).

Bocock, Thomas S. (q. v.).

Botts, John Minor, born in Dumfries, Prince William county, Virginia, September 16. 1802, son of Benjamin Botts, who was the youngest lawyer engaged in the defense of Aaron Burr. Soon after his birth, his parents removed to Richmond, and both perished in the conflagration of the Rich- mond Theatre, in December, 181 1. Young Botts was then only nine years of age. At various schools he acquired a knowledge of Greek, Latin, French and mathematics. At the age of eighteen, when he had studied law for six weeks, without an instructor, he was admitted to the bar, and it was said that Patrick Henry was the only other who had accomplished such a feat. After six years' practice in Richmond, he became dis- satisfied on account of office confinement.

arid removed to Henrico county, where he purchased a farm, which he cultivated with such success that in three years he was famed for producing the largest crops, acre for acre, of any farmer in the state. In 1833 he was elected to the legislature as a States Rights Democrat and opposed the Bank charter and a protective tariff. With most of the other prominent Virginia Democrats, he joined the Whig party in 1834. He served in the legislature from 1833 ^^ i^39» and was one of the "impracticable" Whigs, who supported John Tyler for senator in 1839 against William C. Rives, whose nomi- nation was privately supported by Mr. Clay. Soon after he was elected to congress and became a warm friend of that statesman, serving from 1839 to 1843. ^^'hen John Tvier tccame president in 1841, Botts, although formerly an ardent States Rights man and Tyler's personal friend, changed his views, adopted national policies, and became his bitter enemy. In the succeeding election he v;as defeated by John W. Jones, his Demo- cratic opponent. In 1847 he was again elected to congress. In the national con- vention of 1848 he sustained Clay for the presidency, but when success was hopeless, went with the Virginia delegation to Gen. Taylor. In 1852, he resumed his practice in Richmond. On the disruption of the Whig party, he joined the Know Nothing party, and was mentioned as its presidential can- didate. At the outbreak of the war between the states he adhered to the Union, and en- deavored to prevent the secession of Vir- ginia, and failing, retired to his farm. He was imprisoned for a time as a disaffected person. In 1866 he wrote a volume. 'The Great Rebellion, its Secret History, Rise,. Progress and Disastrous Failure" (1866).

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