Adam Lewis BINGAMAN, Sr. was the son of Adam BINGAMAN and Charlotte Catherine
SURGET. He attended Harvard College and graduated with a B. A. degreee in Law
(Class of 1812). The year he graduated, he secretly married Julia Maria MURRAY,
daughter of Rev. John MURRAY (a reknowned Universalist minister) and Judith
SARGENT (a reknowned poet, author, and early women's rights activist).
Adam and Julia had 2 children: Charlotte (who died young) and Adam Lewis
BINGAMAN, Jr. Julia died shortly thereafter.
After Julia's death, Adam entered into a relationship with Mary Ellen WILLIAMS,
a free black. She died in Natchez, MS in 1861.
Adam and Mary had at least six children together: Frances Ann BINGAMAN/WILLIAMS
(wife of the reknowned horse trainer, John Benjamin PRYOR), Cordelia
BINGAMAN/WILLIAMS, Emilie BINGAMAN/WILLIAMS, Marie Sophie Charlotte
BINGAMAN/WILLIAMS, James Adam BINGAMAN/WILLIAMS (who was a casualty of the
Steamboat Fashion disaster, Dec. 1867) and Henriette BINGAMAN/WILLIAMS.
Adam was a prominent planter, and was a third-generation owner of the Fatherland
Plantation near Natchez, in Adams Co., MS.
Adam was one of the principle founders and owners of the Metairie Race Course,
which was later abandoned and redeveloped as the Metairie Cemetery.
Adam was an avid horseman, and at one time owned "Lexington", a famous racehorse
of the era. John Benjamin PRYOR (who later became his son-in-law), was a
reknowed horse trainer who trained and cared for Lexington (among other quality
racehorses). Mr. PRYOR also served as Adam's overseer of the Fatherland
Plantation.
Adam was a talented orator and politician. He served as a member of the
Mississippi House of Representatives (1833) and as President of the Mississippi
State Senate (1838-1840). In the latter capacity, he was privileged to give a
speach before Gen. Andrew Jackson (1840). He also served on the select
committee during the Nullification Crisis, one of the important historical
events which preceeded and eventually led up to the outbreak of the Civil War.
INFORMATION SOURCE: Kevin Bingaman, Find A Grave member
