Abram Trigg Explained

Abram Trigg
State:Virginia
District:6th
Term:March 4, 1803  - March 3, 1809
Predecessor:Matthew Clay
Successor:Daniel Sheffey
State2:Virginia
District2:4th
Term2:March 4, 1797  - March 3, 1803
Predecessor2:Francis Preston
Successor2:David Holmes
Birth Date:1750
Birth Place:New London, Virginia
Resting Place:"Buchanan’s Bottom", Montgomery County, Virginia
Death Date:Unknown
Death Place:"Buchanan's Bottom", Montgomery County, Virginia
Party:Democratic-Republican
Battles:American Revolutionary War
Rank:General
Branch:Virginia state militia

Abram Trigg (1750 – unknown) was an American planter, lawyer and politician who represented Montgomery County, Virginia in the Virginia Ratifying Convention and U.S. House of Representatives (1797-1809) after fighting with the Virginia militia in the Revolutionary War.[1]

Early life and family

Abram was born on his father's farm near New London in then vast Lunenberg County in what was then the Colony of Virginia, probably in a part that became Bedford County in 1754. He was one of the eight children of William Trigg (1716–1773) and Mary (Johns) Trigg (1720–1773). His father, William served as a judge in Bedford County (which was formed from part of Lunenburg County in 1754) for many years. His brother, John, would serve with him in congress. In 1779 Abram married Susannah Ingles, daughter of William Ingles and Mary Draper Ingles, who escaped from Indian captivity and walked 800 miles to return to her home in 1755.

Career

He completed academic studies, studied law and was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Montgomery County, Virginia. He lived on his estate, "Buchanan's Bottom", on the New River and held local offices, such as clerk and judge, and various other offices in Montgomery County. Abram married Susanna Ingles, daughter of William Ingles, and had ten children.[2] He served in the Revolutionary War as lieutenant colonel of militia in 1782 and later as general of militia in Virginia.

Trigg was a delegate to the Virginia ratification convention of 1788, and voted with Patrick Henry and the Anti-federalists against ratification of the United States Constitution.[3] He was elected as a Republican to the Fifth and to the five succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1809). He died and was buried on the family estate, death date unknown.

Like his father, brothers and others of his class, Trigg farmed using enslaved labor. According to the 1787 Virginia Tax census, he owned five enslaved teenagers in Montgomery County, as did Daniel Trigg, possibly a relative, who also owned enslaved adults and more livestock.[4]

Electoral history

References

Retrieved on 2009-02-26

Notes and References

  1. Book: Tyler. Lyon G.. "John Trigg" in Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography . 2. 131. 1915. Lewis Historical Publishing Co.. available at hathitrust.org
  2. https://books.google.com/books?id=wSpGQcJPLp4C Hale, John P. Trans-Allegheny Pioneers (West Virginia and Ohio): Historical Sketches of the First White Settlers West of the Alleghenies, 1748 and After. (1886) Heritage Books, reprint, 2009.
  3. Elliot, Jonathan, The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution... (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1891), 3:665.
  4. Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florene Speakman Love, The 1787 Census of Virginia (Springfield, Genealogical Books in Print 1987) pp. 451