Charles J. Faulkner

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This article is about the Virginia and West Virginia congressman. For the author, see Charles Faulkner.

For his namesake son, see Charles James Faulkner.

Charles James Faulkner
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 10th & 8th district and West Virginia's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1859 March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877
Preceded by	Richard Parker Alexander Holladay John Hagans
Succeeded by	Zedekiah Kidwell Alexander Boteler Benjamin F. Martin
Born	July 6, 1806 Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), USA
Died	November 1, 1884 Martinsburg, West Virginia, USA
Political party	Whig, Democrat
Spouse	Mary Wagner Boyde Faulkner
Profession	Politician, Lawyer

Charles James Faulkner (July 6, 1806 – November 1, 1884) was a nineteenth century politician and lawyer from Virginia and West Virginia. He was the father of Charles James Faulkner.

Born in Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), Faulkner graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1822, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1829. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1829 to 1834 and was a commissioner from Virginia to handle the disputed boundaries between that Virginia and Maryland. He was a member of the Virginia State Senate from 1838 to 1842, served in the House of Delegate again in 1848 and 1849 and was a member of the Virginia Constitutional Convention in 1850. Faulkner was elected a Whig and Democrat to the United States House of Representatives in 1850, serving from 1851 to 1859. There, he served as chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs from 1857 to 1859. He was appointed by President James Buchanan Minister to France in 1860, serving until he was arrested in August, 1861 on charges of negotiating sales of arms for the Confederacy while in Paris, France. Faulkner was released in December after negotiating his own exchange for Alfred Ely, a New York congressman who was captured at the First Battle of Bull Run. Afterwards, he enlisted in the Confederate Army and was assistant adjutant general on the staff of General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. Faulkner engaged in railroad enterprises after the war and was a member of the Virginia Constitutional Convention again in 1872. He was elected back to the House of Representatives as a Democrat from West Virginia in 1874, serving again from 1875 to 1877. Afterwards, he resumed practicing law until his death at the family estate called "Boydville" near Martinsburg, West Virginia on November 1, 1884. Faulkner was interned in the family cemetery on the estate.

[edit] External links

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Charles J. Faulkner at Find A Grave

Preceded by Richard Parker	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 10th congressional district March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853	Succeeded by Zedekiah Kidwell
Preceded by Alexander Holladay	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 8th congressional district March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1859	Succeeded by Alexander Boteler
Preceded by John Y. Mason	U.S. Minister to France January 16, 1860 – May 12, 1861	Succeeded by William L. Dayton
Preceded by John Hagans	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from West Virginia's 2nd congressional district March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877	Succeeded by Benjamin F. Martin

This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.