John Paul (June 30, 1839 – November 1, 1901) was a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

from

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...

and a

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district cou ...

of the

United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia The United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia (in case citations, W.D. Va.) is a United States district court. Appeals from the Western District of Virginia are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth ...

Education and career

Born on June 30, 1839, near Ottobine, Rockingham County,

, Paul attended the common schools and

Roanoke College Roanoke College is a private liberal arts college in Salem, Virginia. It has approximately 2,000 students who represent approximately 40 states and 30 countries. The college offers 35 majors, 57 minors and concentrations, and pre-professional p ...

in Salem, Virginia. He received a

Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of ...

in 1867 from the

University of Virginia School of Law The University of Virginia School of Law (Virginia Law or UVA Law) is the law school of the University of Virginia, a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as part of his "academical v ...

. He served in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

from 1861 to 1865, attaining the rank of captain in the First Virginia Cavalry. He was admitted to the bar and entered private practice in Harrisonburg, Virginia from 1867 to 1877. He was commonwealth attorney for Rockingham County from 1870 to 1877. He was a member of the

Senate of Virginia The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the lieutenant governor of Vir ...

from Rockingham County from 1877 to 1880.

Military service

During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polic ...

, John Paul entered the

as a private in the Salem Artillery on May 1, 1861 along with his brother Paul (1846–1937), but by month's end, both had transferred to the

1st Virginia Cavalry The 1st Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia. Organization The 1st Virginia Cavalry co ...

where their brother Peter Paul Jr. (1842–1906) had enlisted. John Paul was wounded at Catlett's Station on August 22, 1862, returned to action and was promoted to 3rd lieutenant, then was wounded again and captured during the

Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 18 ...

on May 7, 1864 and imprisoned at

Fort Delaware Fort Delaware is a former harbor defense facility, designed by chief engineer Joseph Gilbert Totten and located on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River.Dobbs, Kelli W., et al. During the American Civil War, the Union used Fort Delaware ...

. He was released on June 16, 1865, and may have been promoted

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Congressional service

Paul was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1878 to the

46th United States Congress The 46th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1879 ...

. He was elected as a

Readjuster The Readjuster Party was a bi-racial state-level political party formed in Virginia across party lines in the late 1870s during the turbulent period following the Reconstruction era that sought to reduce outstanding debt owed by the state. Read ...

from

Virginia's 7th congressional district Virginia's 7th congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The district is currently represented by Democrat Abigail Spanberger, first elected in 2018. 2016 redistricting The Virginia ...

to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

of the

47th United States Congress The 47th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1881, ...

, serving from March 4, 1881, to March 3, 1883. He presented credentials as a member-elect to the

48th United States Congress The 48th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1883, ...

and served from March 4, 1883, until September 5, 1883, when he resigned, having been appointed to a federal judicial post. The election subsequently was successfully contested by

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

Charles Triplett O'Ferrall.

Federal judicial service

Paul was nominated by President

Chester A. Arthur Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. He previously served as the 20th vice president under President James A ...

on February 27, 1883, to a seat on the

vacated by Judge Alexander Rives. He was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and ...

on March 3, 1883, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on November 1, 1901, due to his death in Harrisonburg. He was interred in Woodbine Cemetery in Harrisonburg.

Family

Paul was the father of John Paul Jr. also a

from Virginia and a

of the

Legacy

Paul dedicated a new courthouse in Harrisonburg in 1896, and delivered a carefully prepared historical address concerning the local bar. Paul donated part of the family's farm in Ottobine, Virginia to become the Paul State Forest.

Electoral history

*1880; Paul was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 49.3% of the vote, defeating Democrat

Henry C. Allen (Virginia) Henry Allen may refer to: Politics *Henry Allen (Wisconsin politician), Wisconsin State Assemblyman * Henry C. Allen (1844–1925), American politician and farmer from Virginia * Henry C. Allen (Virginia politician) (1838–1889) * Henry C. Allen ...

and Republican William C. Moseley. *1882; Paul appeared re-elected with 50.2% of the vote, defeating Democrat Charles T. O'Ferrall (who was later declared the winner) and Republican James W. Cochran.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Paul, John 1839 births 1901 deaths Confederate States Army officers Members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia County and city Commonwealth's Attorneys in Virginia Judges of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia University of Virginia School of Law alumni Virginia state senators Readjuster Party members of the United States House of Representatives Readjuster Party politicians United States federal judges appointed by Chester A. Arthur 19th-century American judges People from Clarington People of Virginia in the American Civil War 19th-century American politicians