CPT John Newton Opie was born 13 Mar 1844 at "Millview" in Jefferson County in what is now West Virginia to Hierome Lindsay and Ann (Locke) Opie. The youngest of their three children, John and his siblings were educated in the manner of the children of other wealthy farmers. His father's total estate was valued at $63,000 in 1860 or about $2.4-million in today's money.
John was still a student when Virginia voted for succession on 17 Apr 1861. He enlisted as a Private in L Company 5th Virginia Infantry on that same day but was discharged on 22 December 1861. John matriculated at Virginia Military Institue in Lexington, Virginia on 9 Jan 1862 but resigned in May 1862 at his father's request. He again enlisted as a Private, this time in D Company 6th Virginia Cavalry on 15 October 1862. He had intended to enlist earlier but as his father, then serving as the army quartermaster in Staunton, Virginia, was helping prepare to join the army he was injured by horse and died.
In service with the 6th Cavalry he was wounded on 11 Oct 1863 at Brandy Station. He was in invalid status when he volunteered and was chosen to command militia company to oppose General Hunter's forces at Piedmont, Virginia on 5 Jun 1864. He returned to duty after recovering and was captured on 5 Feb1865. As a POW he spent his time at Elmira from which he was paroled on 14 Mar 1865. He later took the oath of allegiance at Winchester on 8 May 1865.
Returning to Staunton, John began work as a lawyer and married Maria Isabella Harman, daughter of Major General Michael Garber Harman on 17 Oct 1866. The couple would have five children one of whom died in infancy. Isabella died of heart disease in 1877. John married Ida Walton Fletcher the next year. John was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1883 and served until 1885. John and Ida had seven children before Ida died at the age of 37 in 1896. John was elected to the Virginia State Senate in 1897 and served in that body until 1906. He died on 26 Jan 1906 just 16-days after leaving the Senate.
CPT Opie rests forever in Thornrose Cemetery in Staunton, Virginia.
Two of his sons, Hierome Lindsay Opie Jr and Evarts Walton Opie Sr, would later serve with and command the 116th Infantry Regiment.
NOTE: This memorial was published on the 100th anniversary of CPT Opie's death.