John Quincy Adams Nadenbousch

Early life

Nadenbousch was born in Berkeley County, Virginia (later West Virginia), and later, in 1848, married Hester Jane Miller. Early in life he had worked as a carpenter and proprietor of a lumber yard in Martinsburg, and, by 1852, expanded his business affairs with the purchase of the Beeson flour mill, and soon established a distillery on the north side of Tuscarora Creek.

Militia Service and Harper’s Ferry

Nadenbousch was instrumental in forming the Berkeley Border Guards, a pre-Civil War local militia unit. When John Brown attacked the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, on October 16, 1859, Nadenbousch’s company was one of the first to respond.

American Civil War

Following Virginia’s secession, Nadenbousch’s company was called into service and became Co. D, 2nd Virginia Infantry, which was part of the Stonewall Brigade under General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, and first engaged at the First Battle of Manassas. Following the battle, Nadenbousch personally brought home the bodies of three of his men, and buried them in the Old Norbourne Cemetery, in Martinsburg. Later the commander of the regiment, Nadenbousch was twice wounded; first at the Second Manassas, in August, 1862, and, less than a year later, at the Battle of Chancellorsville, in May, 1863. On account of impaired health, and at his own request, Nadenbousch was relieved later that summer, from duty in the field, and assigned to the command of the post at Staunton, Virginia. He later resigned on April 12, 1864, and began his return to civilian affairs before the war concluded.

Postwar Business, Civil Duty, and Politics

After the war, Nadenbousch continued work as a miller and distiller, in Berkeley County, with interests in the Nadenbousch & Roush, at Union Mills and, (as a subsidiary to the Hannis Distilling Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), at Hannisville Mills. Nadenbousch also became active as a hotel proprietor in Martinsburg. In 1876, he purchased the lot, in Martinsburg, on which the United States Hotel had stood. There, he constructed the Grand Central Hotel, which opened in December 1877, operated it for about one year, and then rented it out to other proprietors. J. N. Woodward (formerly proprietor of the American Hotel in Staunton, Va.) operated the hotel for Nadenbousch for several years after 1878.

Nadenbousch also maintained an active life as Marshall (appointed in 1870) of the Martinsburg Fire Company, and as an officer with the Berkeley County Agricultural and Mechanical Association.

Politically, he served as mayor, councilman, and trustee of Martinsburg. He also maintained membership in the Tuscarora Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

He died in 1892, and was buried in Old Norbourne Cemetery, in Martinsburg.