{{Short description|American politician (1754–1811)}} {{for|the seventh president of Virginia Tech (1913–1919)|Joseph Dupuy Eggleston}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Onesource|date=November 2022}} '''Joseph Eggleston''' (November 24, 1754{{spnd}}February 13, 1811) was an American farmer, soldier, and politician from [[Amelia County, Virginia]]. He represented [[Virginia]] in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Congress]] from 1798 until 1801.
He was the uncle of [[William S. Archer]].
== Biography == Joseph Eggleston was born in [[Middlesex County, Virginia|Middlesex County]] to Joseph (1721–1792) and Judith (Segar, 1729–1806) Eggleston. In 1759 his parents moved to the newly built plantation house named ''Egglestetton'' in Amelia County. Joseph was tutored at home and then attended [[College of William and Mary|William and Mary College]] where he graduated with honors in 1776.
=== Revolutionary War === {{Unsourced|section|date=November 2022}}
That same year he joined [[American Revolutionary War]] in the cavalry commanded by [[Henry Lee III|Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee]].
Eggleston became a captain when Lee organized his own irregular unit ([[Lee's Legion]]) of the [[Continental Army]] in 1778. He served with them throughout the war, but earned distinction in the Southern Campaign. He was cited for gallantry for his actions in the [[Battle of Guilford Court House]] on March 15, 1781. He won praise again in the siege of [[Augusta, Georgia|Augusta]] in June, as well as a promotion to Major.
The initial American success in the [[Battle of Eutaw Springs]] in September came from Major Eggleston's attack of the British advance units. Unfortunately the outcome of the battle was indecisive, even though the British casualties were twice those of the American forces.
==Personal life== After the war Eggleston returned home to [[Egglestetton]], and on February 23, 1788 he married Sarah "Sally" Meade. They had three children: Joseph Everard (1790), Charles (1791) and William (1792). When his father (Joseph Sr.) died in 1792 he inherited the family seat and {{convert|400|acre|km2}}. Over the years he would buy land and expand his holding to {{convert|730|acre|km2}}.
Sally Eggleston died in 1794. In 1798, Joseph remarried, to his first cousin, Ann Cary Eggleston (daughter of his uncle John). She gave him two more children: Francis (1798) and Sarah Meade Eggleston (1802, named after his first wife.{{cn|date=November 2022}}
Egglestetton was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1980.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>
==Political career== {{Unsourced|section|date=November 2022}} Eggleston was elected to the Virginia state House of Delegates several times as a representative for Amelia County. In all he served thirteen years in the House (1785–88 and 1791–99). He was in the state Senate when U.S. Congressman [[William Branch Giles|William B. Giles]] resigned that post on October 2, 1798. In a special election, Eggleston won the rest of the term. Then he won the regular election for the next term, to serve in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House]] in the [[Sixth United States Congress|Sixth Congress]].
=== Congress === Eggleston declined to be nominated in 1800, so his service in Congress extended from December 3, 1798 to March 3, 1801.
== Later career and death == He returned home, but was made a Justice of the Peace for Amelia County, and held that post until he died in 1811. Joseph died at home and was buried in the Churchyard of St. John's Episcopal Church. The church was also known as St. John's of Grub Hill, and the cemetery is now known as the ''Grub Hill Cemetery''.
== Legacy == The main house at ''Egglestetton'' still stands in Egglestetton Road (Route 630) about 4 km north of Amelia Court House. The home is on the National Register of Historic Places but is a private residence. The [[American Civil War|Civil War]] general, [[Joseph Eggleston Johnston]], was named for him, since Johnston's father had served in Eggleston's command in the Revolution.
==External links== {{CongBio|E000091}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{US House succession box |state= Virginia |district= 9 |before= [[William B. Giles]] |years= December 3, 1798 - March 3, 1801 |after= [[William B. Giles]]}} {{s-end}} {{VirginiaRepresentatives09}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eggleston, Joseph}} [[Category:1754 births]] [[Category:1811 deaths]] [[Category:People from Middlesex County, Virginia]] [[Category:College of William & Mary alumni]] [[Category:Continental Army officers from Virginia]] [[Category:Virginia lawyers]] [[Category:18th-century owners of plantations in the United States]] [[Category:18th-century owners of plantations in the Thirteen Colonies]] [[Category:Democratic-Republican Party United States representatives from Virginia]] [[Category:People from Amelia County, Virginia]] [[Category:18th-century American lawyers]] [[Category:18th-century United States representatives]] [[Category:Botetourt Medal winners]] [[Category:Owners of plantations in Virginia]]