{{short description|American lawyer and politician}} {{for-multi|the U.S. Representative from Kentucky|James D. Breckinridge|the U.S. Marine Corps general|James Carson Breckinridge}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = James Breckinridge | image = JamesBreckinridge.jpg | state = Virginia | district = 5th | term_start = March 4, 1809 | term_end = March 3, 1817 | preceded = Alexander Wilson | succeeded = John Floyd | office2 = Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Botetourt County | term2 = 1823<br />Alongside Allen Taylor | term3 = 1819–1820<br />Alongside Jesse Rowland, Thomas Burwell | term4 = 1806–1807<br />Alongside Charles Beale, Andrew Lewis | term5 = 1796–1801<br />Alongside Thomas Madison, John Miller, William McClanahan | term6 = 1789–1790<br />Alongside Robert Harvey, Martin McFerran | birth_date = {{birth date text|March 7, 1763}} | death_date = {{death date and age|May 13, 1833|March 7, 1763}} | birth_place = near Fincastle, Virginia Colony, British America | death_place = Botetourt County, Virginia, U.S. | spouse = | profession = Attorney | party = Federalist | alma_mater = College of William and Mary<br />Washington College <!--Military service--> | nickname = | allegiance = | branch = | service_years = | rank = Brigadier-general | unit = | commands = | battles = American Revolutionary War<br />War of 1812 | awards = }}
'''James Breckinridge''' (March 7, 1763{{spnd}}May 13, 1833) was a Virginia lawyer and politician and a member of the Breckinridge family. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates, as well as the U.S. House of Representatives. He also fought in the American Revolutionary War and served as a brigadier-general during the War of 1812.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Breckinridge_James_1763-1833|title=Breckinridge, James (1763–1833)|last=Gunter|first=Donald W.|website=Encyclopedia Virginia|access-date=May 4, 2016}}</ref>
==Family and early life== Breckinridge was born near Fincastle in Botetourt County in the Colony of Virginia. He was the son of Robert Breckinridge whose father had immigrated from Ireland. His mother was the former Leticia Preston.<ref>''Dictionary of American Biography'' Vol. 2, p 5</ref> His brother was John Breckinridge and he was the great-great-great-uncle of John Bayne Breckinridge. He married Ann Cary Selden (daughter of Wilson Cary Selden & Elizabeth Jennings) born 1770 died 1843.
He studied under private tutors and during the Revolutionary War, he served in Colonel Preston's rifle regiment under General Nathanael Greene. He attended Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) and graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1785. He studied law and was admitted to the bar and practiced in Fincastle in 1787.
He built Breckinridge Mill in 1822, to replace an earlier mill he built in 1804.<ref name=VAnom>{{cite web|url=http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Botetourt/011-0187_Breckinridge_Mill_1980_Final_Nomination.pdf|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Breckinridge Mill |author=Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff |date=May 1980}}</ref> It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, with a boundary increase in 2002.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>
==Political career== [[Image:TJtoBreckinridge.jpg|thumb|right|February 22, 1825 letter from Thomas Jefferson to General Breckinridge.]] Breckinridge served as a delegate to the Virginia House of Delegates intermittently between 1789 and 1824. He took a special interest in the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. He was then elected as a Federalist to the Eleventh Congress and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1817). He was an associate of Thomas Jefferson in the establishment of the University of Virginia and served as brigadier general in the War of 1812.
===Elections===
*'''1796'''; Breckinridge was a candidate for United States Senator, defeated by Democratic-Republican Stevens Thomson Mason<ref>{{cite web |title=VA US Senate |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=412445 |website=Our Campaigns |access-date=19 May 2024}}</ref> *'''1799'''; Breckinridge was a candidate for Governor, defeated by Democratic-Republican James Monroe *'''1809'''; Breckinridge was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 56.72% of the vote, defeating Democratic-Republican Alexander Wilson. *'''1811'''; Breckinridge was re-elected with 58.4% of the vote, defeating Democratic-Republican Thomas L. Preston. *'''1813'''; Breckinridge was re-elected unopposed. *'''1815'''; Breckinridge was re-elected unopposed.
==Death and burial== Breckinridge died at his country home, "Grove Hill," Botetourt County, Virginia, May 13, 1833, and was buried in the family burial plot on his estate near Fincastle.
==Legacy== Since his death, Breckenridge Elementary School in Fincastle<ref>{{cite web |title=Home - Breckinridge Elementary School |url=https://bres.bcps.k12.va.us/ |website=bres.bcps.k12.va.us}}</ref> and James Breckenridge Middle School<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rcps.info/breckinridge | title=James Breckinridge Middle School / Homepage }}</ref> in nearby Roanoke have both been named in his honor.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{CongBio|B000785}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{US House succession box | state= Virginia | district= 5 | before= Alexander Wilson | after= John Floyd | years= 1809–1817 }} {{s-end}} {{VirginiaRepresentatives05}} {{Kentucky Breckinridges}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Breckinridge, James}} Category:1763 births Category:1833 deaths Category:People from Botetourt County, Virginia Category:Members of the Virginia House of Delegates Category:Virginia Federalists Category:Virginia lawyers Category:Washington and Lee University alumni Category:College of William & Mary alumni Category:Continental Army soldiers Category:United States Army generals Category:American militiamen in the War of 1812 Category:United States Army personnel of the War of 1812 James Category:Federalist Party United States representatives from Virginia Category:18th-century American lawyers Category:19th-century American lawyers Category:People of Virginia in the American Revolution Category:19th-century United States representatives Category:18th-century members of the Virginia General Assembly Category:Candidates in the 1796 United States elections Category:Candidates in the 1799 United States elections