The Civil War Scholars website features a post on Chapter 3 of the book “Bedinger Chronicles” by Charles Jameson, which focuses on the friendship between Henry Bedinger and Alec Boteler, two congressmen from the same district. The post highlights their shared love of art and their families, particularly Boteler’s marriage to Helen Stockton and the birth of their children. The post also mentions Boteler’s passion for drawing, which he inherited from his great-grandfather Charles Willson Peale, a famous portrait painter.
The post further delves into the story of how Bedinger met his wife Carrie Lawrence, the daughter of a fellow congressman, and their subsequent adventure as Bedinger became the first ambassador to Denmark in the 1850s. During this time, Boteler experienced a business calamity that led him to seek elected office, eventually winning Bedinger’s old congressional seat.
Throughout the post, the author emphasizes the bonds between friends and family, as well as the importance of art and creativity in the lives of these congressmen. The post ends with Bedinger’s return from Denmark and the family bringing the custom of the decorated Christmas tree back to Long Island and Shepherdstown.
Posted by Jim Surkamp on 2015-03-26 12:49:06