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KANAWHA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: LAIDLEY, James Madison Esq.
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
SSpradling@aol.com
September 19, 1999
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 282-284
JAMES MADISON LAIDLEY ESQ.
Though not ranking in age with others whom I have sketched in my memorial
history of the county, Mr. Laidley was so active and prominent in his earlier
life, in the political strifes of the county, that he merits no-tice at the
hands of the writer. He was born in Parkersburg, Virginia, January 9, 1809.
His father, James G. Laidley, who died at that place in 1822, was a lawyer;
the friend and associate of the late Philip Doddridge, of Brooke county, and
General Lewis Cass, who then resided at Marietta, Ohio. He was also a Major
in the war of 1812 with Great Britain, and served several years in the
Virgiiiia Assembly. His grandfather, Thomas Laidley, was a soldier in the
revolutionary war, a native of Scotland, and one of the earliest settlers of
Monongalia county; he died in 1838, at the residence of his son, the late
John Laidley, of Cabell county, who was one of the most prominent men of that
county in his day.
The mother of James M. Laidley was the daughter of Colonel Alexander
Quarrier, also a native of Scotland, who settled in this county in 18! I, and
died in 1827. Many of the older citizens of this county cherish vivid
recollections of the urbane gentleman and stately soldier, as he presided
over public meetings at that early day.
Among the most distinguished sons of Colonel Quarrier were Alexander W.
Quarrier and Captain Monroe Quarrier. The former was the widely-known Clerk
of the Circuit and County Courts of this county for thirty years, and was
reputed the best in the State. He was the rncst popular man of his day in
the county, and was distinguished for his courtly modesty and genial manners.
His brother, Captain Monroe Quarrier, was distinguished for no less noble
traits of character. He was Captain of several of the finest steamers that
navigated the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, between Louisville and New
Orleans, and also of steamers running into Mobile, Alabama. It was while he
was commander of a fine steamer in the latter trade, in 1848, that the City
Council of Mobile voted him a splendid silver tea-set, as a testimonial of
appreciation for his noble daring in leaving the wharf at Mobile, with his
steamer laden to the water's edge with cotton, to rescue those in peril on a
burning ship, seen by him at a distance of nine miles from the city, on which
occasion he was instrumental in rescuing more than a hundred lives from a
frightful death. Among the distinguished tokens presented to him, of high
appreciation, for his noble deeds, was a gold-headed cane, inscribed with the
words which he uttered as he gave orders for his steamer to hasten to the
burning vessel, "I will give all I possess to save one human life "-a
sentiment worthy to hand his name, with honor to those who bear it, down to
the latest posterity. - He died, without heirs, in 1836. His remains,
together with those of his father, Colonel Quarrier, and A. W. Quarrier, are
interred in Spring Hill Cermetery. Only one son of Colonel Quarrier is now
living-A. A. Quarrier, of Louisville, Kentucky; and the wife of Mr. Aaron
Whitteker, heretofore noticed, is a daughter of Colonel Quarrier. Mr.
Laidley's mother died in this city in the year 1875.
He has one brother, Major Alexander T. Laidley, who has been referred to in
this history. Mr. James M. Laidley was a member of the Virginia Legislature
in 1848-49. He was the Whig nominee for Congress from this District in i858,
when it extended to within six miles of Kentucky, thirty miles from
Pennsylvania, and a like distance frorn the Maryland line. His Democratic
competitor, the late General Albert G. Jenkins, in a Democratic District of
six thousand majority, was elected by the reduced majority of sixteen hundred.
In 1829 he edited and published the Western Register for one year in the town
of Charleston; it was a sprightly, interesting newspaper. In 1831-2 he
formed one of the late Judge Baldwin's class of law students at Staunton,
Virginia, and has continued in the practice of the legal profession, with
slight intervals, up to the present time.
Mr. Laidley is one of the most enetgetic men that we have ever known. He is,
in fact, a man of untiring energy and enterprise. He has been a hard worker
all his life, and although now past sixty-seven years of age, he is as
vigorous and industrious as he was years ago. He has acquired a considerable
estate by his industry, and I trust he may live many years to enjoy it.
He has given many years of his life to the study of finance; and although
classed with the "soft money" men in the present Presidential contest, yet
his articles are not only readable, but are marked both with ability and a
thorough knowledge of the subject. Mr. Laid ley was one of the Electors for
West Virginia on tile Cooper and Cary ticket, and was suggested by those of
his fellow-citizens who believe in the "greenback" doctrine, as an available
man for Governor of the State.
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