Berkeley County, West Virginia    Biography of Charles James FAULKNER, Sr.

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Submitted by Sandra Reed <sandrar@emwv.com>, May 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 

Charles James Faulkner.  In that broad zone of interests and affairs where
the life of the community merges with that of the state and nation and the
local citizen becomes a power and influence in the web of a larger destiny,
one of the most interesting figures supplied by West Virginia was the late 
Charles James Faulkner of Martinsburg.  In his varied experience as lawyer,
legislator, diplomats and soldier he was of a rank and character that puts 
his name easily among the first in the "Great Men of the Virginias".  Hardly 
less distinctive, though wrought in the medium of a later and less turbulent
age, is the career of his son and namesake, familiarly known in Martinsburg,
his home, as Senator Faulkner. 

Charles James Faulkner, Sr., was born at Martinsburg in 1806, son of Major
James Faulkner and Sarah (Mackey) Faulkner.  The grandfather was a native 
of County Armagh, Ireland, whither the family had settled on leaving England
during the reign of William and Mary.  Major James Faulkner was born April 2, 
1776, and served as a major of artillery in the War of 1812, and was in command 
of the fortifications and American forces that defeated the British at Craney
Island, near Norfolk, Virginia.  He was a merchant by occupation, and spent
his last years in Martinsburg, where he died in 1817.  Major Faulkner married
in 1803 Sarah Mackey.  Sarah Mackey, who died in 1808, was a daughter of 
Captain William Mackey, who lived from 1738 to 1819, and his wife, Ruth 
Cromwell.  Ruth Cromwell was the daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth (Murray)
Cromwell.  Elizabeth Murray, whose second husband was Samuel Chenowith, was
the daughter of Josephus Murray by his second wife, Ruth Hawkins.  Josephus
Murray was the son of James Murray, of Baltimore County, Maryland, and his 
wife, Jemima Morgan, who married secondly Thomas Cromwell.  Jemima Morgan 
was the daughter of Captain Morgan.  Captain William Mackey commanded a 
regiment in the Revolution at the battle of Brandywine, was a member of the 
order of Cincinnati, and his membership diploma is now in possession of his
great-grandson, the oldest male descendant.  

Charles James Faulkner was only two years of age when his mother died and about
eleven at the death of his father.  With no relatives in this county, he was
reared among strangers.  The village doctor gave him a home.  At an early age
he began the study of law under Chancellor Tucker at Winchester, and he was
also a graduate of Georgetown University, near Washington.  He was admitted 
to the bar in 1829, and almost from the first was accorded recognition in his 
profession and in politics.  His first public effort was in behalf of the 
Constitution of 1830, and he led the campaign in his district for its adoption,
while Tom Marshall was bitterly opposed to it.  In the contests Marshall had 
the advantage of wit and eloquence, but Mr. Faulkner by his industry secured
for the constitution a large majority in Berkeley County.  Two years after his
admission to the bar, in 1832, he took his place in the  Virginia House of 
Delegates.  He was then a boy in age and appearance, but a man in mind.  While
in the Legislature he introduced a measure for the gradual abolition of slavery 
in Virginia, upon what was known the "post nati" principal, declaring that all 
children born of slave parents after July 1, 1840, should be free.  The 
proposition was defeated and it was used against him the following year when 
he was a candidate for the Legislature, but he was re-elected by a unanimous
vote.  In 1833 he declined re-election and was appointed a commissioner on 
behalf of Virginia to examine and report on the disputed question of boundary 
line between Maryland and Virginia.  He was successful in settling this dispute
and won a clear title for Virginia.  During the next 15 years he applied himself 
steadily to his profession, and from his practice acquired a fortune.  However, 
there were some interruptions even during this period of absention from politics.
In 1841 he was elected state senator, but resigned the following year.  In 1843
he was an advocate of the annexation of Texas and in 1846 a warm supporter of 
the Mexican war.  In 1848 he was elected to the House of Delegates, and during
the following session he introduced a series of resolutions which were passed 
by the Legislature and transmitted to Congress, where the bill became the basis
of the famous fugitive slave laws passed by Congress in 1850.  He was a member 
of the Convention for the revision of the State Constitution in 1850,  and 
worked hard for the interest of the Western Virginia, gaining for that section
the position in the Council of States to which it was entitled.  The compromise
of 1850 changed the political affiliations of many men, and Mr. Faulkner drifted
to the side of the Union and in 1851, when he was a candidate for re-election, 
this was an issue against him, but he won by a good majority.  He was elected a
member of Congress and in 1852 left the whig party, joining his political fortunes
with the democrats, by whom he was re-elected, and served four sucessive terms, 
from December 1st, 1851, until March 3, 1859.  During his first term he delivered
a speech in Congress entitled "The Compromise- The Presidency- Political Parties ".
This was a big effort in behalf of Franklin Pierce for the presidency, and more 
than 125,000 copies of the speech were printed and distributed.  He also took the
stump and carried his district for Pierce.  He was an active opponent of the 
" known nothing" party and worked for the election of Buchanan in 1856.  Buchanan
on becoming president in 1857 offered Mr. Faulkner the position of  Minister to
France.  But as he was in Congress and as Hon.  John Y. Mason, a personal friend,
was then Minister to France, he declined in favor of Mr. Mason.  On the death of 
Mr. Mason in 1859 Mr. Faulkner was nominated to fill his place and accepted.  He
was recalled in 1861 by President Lincoln, and on his return he was arrested in 
confined as a disloyal citizen.  He demanded of the Secretary of War upon what 
charge he had been arrested and detained, and received the following message from 
Simon Cameron, Secretary of War: "You are held as a distinguished citizen of 
Virginia, as a hostage for James McGraw, State Treasurer of Pennsylvania, who 
while searching for the dead body of a friend on the battlefield of Bull Run 
was taken and thrown into prison by the people of your state now in rebellion 
against the authority of the government, and, so help me God, you shall never
be relieved until James McGraw and his party are set at liberty and are safe".
He was confined in Washington one month, then transferred to Fort Lafayette,
and while there was offered his liberty if he would take the oath of allegiance 
to the United States.  This he refused, saying that he had been guilty of no 
offense and that he would submit to no conditions for his release.  Soon after 
this he learned that McGraw of Pennsylvania had been set at liberty, and he
again wrote to the Secretary of War, whose answer was: "You are no longer in 
my custody.You have been transferred to the Secretary of State as a political
prisoner ".  The charges against Mr. Faulkner now was that he had refused the
oath of allegiance.  Soon afterward he was removed to Fort Warren in Boston 
Harbor and finally was "exchanged" for a  Mr. Ely of New York, a congressman
who had been captured while a spectator at the Battle of Bull Run.  

Though then nearly sixty years of age, and exempt by law from military service, 
as soon as he was released he entered the Army as a member of the staff of 
General Stonewall Jackson, ranking as senior adjutant General and Lieutenant 
Colonel.  General Jackson referred to him as being of great service to him in
the making of his reports.  There are only 20 of these reports now in existence, 
and they were all written by Colonel Faulkner.  During his absence in the war 
his old home was ordered to be burned by General David Hunter, and an Officer
appeared to put the command into effect, giving the ladies of the household 
one hour in which to take their clothing and leave.  During that hour Mrs. 
Faulkner sent a telegram of appeal to President Lincoln and received an answer
in time to save the property.  Some years after the war Colonel Faulkner was 
debarred the rights of citizenship on account of having borne arms against the 
Government, but in 1872 his political difficulties were removed.  He was deeply
interested in the affairs of the new State of West Virginia and exercised a 
powerful influence in favor of incorporating the two richest counties of 
Jefferson and Berkeley in the new state.  He was the leading counsel for West
Virginia in this matter when the case was argued before the Supreme Court of
the United States in February, 1871, and decided in favor of West Virginia. 
He was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1872, and in 1874
was elected to Congress for the term which expired March 3, 1877.  He declined
re-election in order to become a candidate for the United State Senate, but
was defeated in the Legislature by a combination of Republicans with some of
the Democrats.  Later he was mentioned as candidate for Governor.  His last 
years were spent in retirement, and he died in November 1, 1884, at Boydville, 
West Virginia, and was buried with Masonic honors.  

In 1833 Charles James Faulkner, Sr., married Mary Wagner Boyd, daughter of
General Elisha Boyd and Ann (Holmes) Boyd.  Ann Holmes was the daughter of
Joseph and Rebecca (Hunter) Holmes.  Joseph Holmes was a son of Hugh Holmes.
Rebecca Hunter was the daughter of Paul Hunter, who was a son of William and
Martha Hunter.  William Hunter was a son of Andrew Hunter, of Cloghan Farm in 
County Londonderry, Ireland, and was born in 1640 and died in 1733.  He was a
descendant of the Hunters of Ayreshire, Scotland.