Col. Richard Bingham (1740-1823)

He was married twice and lived at Melcombe Bingham (see images) which his Saxon family had held since since the late 13th century. He was an exceedingly popular officer as evidenced by his obituary in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1823: "Richard Bingham, Colonel of the Dorset Regiment of Militia... Before the breaking out of the American war, he accepted a company in the County regiment of militia, of which he was appointed Colonel in the year 1799. He was unremittingly zealous and always attentive to the duties of an officer, sacrificing every thing to the benefit of the corps, and suffering no private inclinations or interest to interfere in this particular. He had the singular good fortune, during the long period he commanded the regiment, to merit the commendation and approbation of those above him, whilst he secured, in an eminent degree, the love, gratitude, esteem, and affection, of every rank submitted to his orders. No man ever enjoyed a more universal or deserved popularity, which extended not only to the officers and soldiers of the regiment, but throughout the whole county, and wherever he was known; and the officers having requested him some years since to sit for his picture, an excellent likeness was taken by Bestland, a print from which is to be found in the house of almost every gentleman and respectable yeoman in the County of Dorset."