FATHERS OF THE REVOLUTION
in bringing about the adoption of the pro-
test of May 8, 1769, and was the first person
tv. sign the non-importation agreement en-
tered into at that time. Although new
loaders after this sprang to the front, in the
persons of Patrick Henry, Richard Henry
I.ec, Thomas Jefferson and George Mason,
Bland continued an able support of the
cause of American liberty. In 1773 he was
appointed one of the committee of corre-
spondence, and in August, 1774. he was ap-
pointed a delegate to the first Congress
which met at Philadelphia, and was re-
elected till August. 1775, when he declined.
He was a member of the Virginia conven-
tion of March, 1775, ^"^ ^^ ^^^ organization
o^ the committee of safety, in July, 1775, he
was appointed one of its members. In De-
cember of that year he was a member of the
convention which sat at Richmond, and in
May, 1776. he was a member of the conven-
tion which declared for independence and
adopted the first state constitution. Thus he
held continued public service throughout the
whole revolutionary period — from the Two
Penny Act to the Declaration of Independ-
ence. He died in Williamsburg, October
28. 1776. He married twice, (first) Anne,
daughter of Peter Poythress; (second)
Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin Harrison.
Bland, Theodorick« son of Colonel Theo- dorick Bland, of "Cawsons,*' Prince George county, was born March 21, 175 1. At the age of eleven he was sent to England and studied at Wakefield, in Yorkshire, after- wards pursuing a medical course at the Uni- versity of Edinburgh, and in 1764 returned to America. He was among the first in Vir- ginia who opposed the practice of medicine without a license. When Lord Dunmore's
seizure of the colony's arms and ammuni-
tion occurred, Bland is said to have been
one of those who- succeeded in regaining
some of this property. Bland continued to
practice his profession until the outbreak of
the war of the revolution, when he volun-
teered and was appointed captain of the first
troop of cavalry raised in Virginia. As soon
a? a regiment had been completed he was
made lieutenant-colonel, and afterward colo-
nel. He distinguished himself at the battle
or Brandywine. and at Saratoga was placed
in charge of the British prisoners sent to
Charlottesville, Virginia. In 1779, Colonel
Bland was in command of the tr6ops sta-
tioned at Albemarle barracks. Virginia. In
1780 he was elected to Congress, and con-
tinued in that body three years. He then
returned to Virginia, and was a member of
the state legislature. In 1788 he opposed
the adoption ot the Federal constitution, be-
ing of the opinion that it was repugnant to
the interests of his country*. He was. how-
ever, chosen 10 represent the district in
which he lived, in the (first) Congress under
this same instrument. When the a.ssunip-
tion of the state debt was under consi-ler-
ation in March. 1790. Colonel Bland spoke
in favor of such assumption, in this respect
differing from the opinion of all his col-
le.igues. He is accredited with considerable
talent for poetical writing. He died in New
York City, June i, 1790. at the time of the
session of Congress. He was buried in
Trinity churchyard. He married (first)
Susan Fitzhugh: (second) Mary Dainger-
f^eld.
Braxton, Carter, son of George Braxton, a wealthy planter, and Mary Carter, his wife, daughter of Hon. Robert Carter, presi-
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