Letcher.
John Letcher came to this county from Fluvanna. He was an uncle to Robert P. Letcher, who was governor of Kentucky in 1840-44. After coming to Rockbridge, John married Mary Houston, an aunt to General Sam Houston, of Texas. Two of his sons remained in their native county, John, Jr., operating a tannery ten miles south of Lexington, and William H., living at the county seat and keeping a boarding house for students. John, a son of William H., was born March 28, 1813, and was educated at Washington College, afterward studying law at Randolph-Macon College. He was highly successful in his chosen profession, and won a renown that sent him to the Constitutional Convention of 1850. From 1851 to 1859 he was a member of the House of Representatives at Washington, where he sat in the Committee on Ways and Means. His Congressional career was conscientious and useful. It was here that he became known as "Honest John Letcher," and as the "Watch-Dog of the United States Treasury." In 1859, Mr. Letcher was elected governor of his state by the comfortable majority of 5,569, although he failed to carry the Eastern District. His administration covered the years 1860-63 inclusive, so that he was one of the war governors of the period. After this responsibility and trying experience, Mr. Letcher returned to his native town to resume the practice of law, but after the close of hostilities he was repeatedly sent to the General Assembly. Politically, Governor Letcher was a Democrat and for some time he was editor of the Valley Star. During the months of suspense prior to the firing on Fort Sumter, he was not one of the original secessionists and his views were conciliatory. Even after the wanton burning of his fine residence by order of General Hunter, and while the memory of it must still have been fresh, he could use these words in an address at the Virginia Military Institute, September 19, 1866: "The war has ended. We are again a united people. Let the passions, the prejudices, and the revengeful feelings, which have existed between the sections, and which were intensified by the civil war, be consigned in solemn silence to a common grave, there to sleep forever. The past is gone and should be forgotten. The present is upon us, and should be wisely improved with a view to the future and all it has in store for us." The governor's death took place January 26, 1884, closing a long period of invalidism. The wife of Mr. Letcher was Mary S. Holt, of Augusta county. The children born to the couple were William H., Elizabeth S., Ann H., Andrew H., John D., Mary K., Virginia L., Fannie P., and Greenlee D.
