The Bingham Military School was the state of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

's first

military school A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...

, founded in 1826 by Capt. D. H. Bingham to provide more accessible training for military officers. The school opened its doors in January 1827, with Bingham as its superintendent and Capt. Patridge, who had served in the French Army, as its head instructor. The school relocated twice, first from Williamsborough to Littleton in 1829, and then later that year from Littleton to

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. The school initially opened to some popularity. However, it soon came under fire by the newspaper ''The Star'' due to its young educators and the frequent absence of Capt. Patridge, who was more qualified. The school moved again to

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

in 1831, shortly before Bingham left the school for a position with a railroad company in

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

in 1833. Finally, in 1836, the school moved to Wilmington. The school shut down fairly soon afterward. It is sometimes mistaken for the Bingham School or the Hillsborough Academy. It should not be confused with another school operating under the name established in

Mebane, North Carolina Mebane is a city located mostly in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States, and partly in Orange County. The town was named for Alexander Mebane, an American Revolutionary War general and member of the U.S. Congress. It was incorporated a ...

, in 1865. The Bingham School of Mebane split in 1891 after a disagreement between the brothers who owned the school, with the Robert Bingham School relocating to

Asheville Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...

and the Mebane-based branch becoming known as the William Bingham School.

Notable alumni

Nelson Phillips Nelson Phillips (May 3, 1873 – March 31, 1939) was a justice of the Texas Supreme Court from April 1912 to November 1921, serving as chief justice from June 1915 to November 1921. Born in Jefferson, Texas, Phillips' father was a veteran of t ...

(1873–1939), judge on the

Supreme Court of Texas The Supreme Court of Texas (SCOTX) is the court of last resort for civil matters (including juvenile delinquency cases, which are categorized as civil under the Texas Family Code) in the U.S. state of Texas. A different court, the Texas Court of ...

* Perry G. Wall II (1867–1944), businessman and mayor of

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...

George Francis Willis George Francis Willis (1880, Waynesville, North Carolina - July 20, 1932) was an American millionaire who made his fortunes with patent medicines. Biography Willis attended Bingham Military School in Asheville, North Carolina, and later moved t ...

(1880–1932), a millionaire who made his fortune in

patent medicines A patent medicine, sometimes called a proprietary medicine, is an over-the-counter (nonprescription) medicine or medicinal preparation that is typically protected and advertised by a trademark and trade name (and sometimes a patent) and claimed ...

References

{{coord, 36.430256, -78.431938, type:edu_globe:earth_region:US-NC, display=title Military schools in the United States 1826 establishments in North Carolina Defunct schools in North Carolina