James Philemon HOLCOMBE

September 25, 1820 (age 62)

Lynchburg, Virginia, United States, United States

He attended Yale College from 1837 to 1839 and studied law at the University of Virginia. He was a Presbyterian. Holcombe had six children by his marriage to Ann Seldon Watts on November 4, 1841. He practiced law at Fincastle, Virginia, prior to moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1844, where he wrote books on law. He was also a member of the Virginia Historical Society. In 1852, he became adjunct professor of constitutional and international law, mercantile law, and equity at the University of Virginia. He was promoted to full professor in 1854. As a states’ rights secessionist delegate to the Virginia convention, he helped to bring on secession. Holcombe served in the Confederate House of Representatives from 1862 to 1864 where he was a member of the Judiciary Committee. In 1864, he went to Canada and to Halifax, Nova Scotia, as a commissioner from the Confederate government to attempt to organize Confederate prisoners who had escaped to Canada. He was also a spy, and toward the end of the war he worked with Clement Clay and Jacob Thompson at the Niagara Conference to attempt to ascertain Lincoln’s plans for peace. When the war ended he returned to Virginia. In 1866, he founded Bellevue, a school for boys in Bedford County, Virginia. He later moved to Capon Springs, West Virginia.

James Philemon HOLCOMBE

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congressman Diplomat educator

Background

HOLCOMBE, James Philemon was born on September 25, 1820 in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States, United States. Son of the antislavery physician Dr. William James Holcombe and his wife Ann Eliza (Clayton).

Education

Private school, northern university, law school. University of Virginia.

Career

He attended Yale College from 1837 to 1839 and studied law at the University of Virginia. He was a Presbyterian. Holcombe had six children by his marriage to Ann Seldon Watts on November 4, 1841.

He practiced law at Fincastle, Virginia, prior to moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1844, where he wrote books on law. He was also a member of the Virginia Historical Society. In 1852, he became adjunct professor of constitutional and international law, mercantile law, and equity at the University of Virginia.

He was promoted to full professor in 1854. As a states’ rights secessionist delegate to the Virginia convention, he helped to bring on secession. Holcombe served in the Confederate House of Representatives from 1862 to 1864 where he was a member of the Judiciary Committee.

In 1864, he went to Canada and to Halifax, Nova Scotia, as a commissioner from the Confederate government to attempt to organize Confederate prisoners who had escaped to Canada. He was also a spy, and toward the end of the war he worked with Clement Clay and Jacob Thompson at the Niagara Conference to attempt to ascertain Lincoln’s plans for peace. When the war ended he returned to Virginia.

In 1866, he founded Bellevue, a school for boys in Bedford County, Virginia. He later moved to Capon Springs, West Virginia.

Religion

"Peculiar institution" of slavery was not only expedient but also ordained by God and upheld in Holy Scripture.

Politics

Stands for preserving slavery, states' rights, and political liberty for whites. Every individual state is sovereign, even to the point of secession.

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James Philemon HOLCOMBE

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