COLONIAL COUNCILLORS OF STATE
>cx county, the councillor and patriot, was
born probably about the year 1668. In 1691,
soon after his coming of age, he was appointed
clerk of the house of burgesses and held that
office until the year 1700, when he was elected
a member of the house from Gloucester
county. He evidently soon attained promi-
nence, for from 1702 to 1714, he was speaker
of the assembly, and in the former year, the
house, as a token of their esteem and gratitude
voted him an annuity of 10,000 pounds of
tobacco. Lrum 17 10 to 1723, he was treas-
urer of X'irginia, elected by the house of bur-
gesses. On Alay 2^, 1716, Gov. Spotswood
recommended for the position of auditor gen-
eial. John Robinson or Peter Beverley, the
latter of whom had been for several vears
si)eaker. and was then the country's treasurer.
Writing again on July 3, Spotswood said that
lu- intended to appoint as auditor pro tem Col.
Peter Beverley. On April 9, 17 19, the lords
of trade recommended to the King that "Peter
Beverley, a gentleman of good estate and abili-
ties, of fair character and well affected to his
majesty's person and government," should be
appointed a member of the Virginia council.
On June 20. 1720, the appointment was mafle.
Col. Beverley remained a member until -lis
dtath, his last appearance, as noted in the
journal, being June 13, 1728, in which year
he died. Besides the offices already mentioned
as held by him, w^ere those of visitor of Wil-
liam and Mary College and surveyor general
of Virginia. He married Elizabeth, daughter
of Maj. Robert Peyton, who was grandson of
Sir Edward Peyton, of Isleham, county Kent,
England, and left issue.
Robinson, John, ])resident of the council and acting governor ((|. v.).
Carter, John, was the eldest son of Robert Carter of "Corotoman," Lancaster countv. He
was a student at the Middle Temple and, in 1722,
was a barrister at law at the Inns of Court.
On June 23, 1722, Spotswood wrote tu the
lords of trade recommending "Air. John Car-
ter, eldest son of one of the council, and bar-
rister at law m the Middle Temple, and a
native of X'irginia" for the position of solici-
tor of X'irginia affairs in England. This posi-
tion was obtained by Air. Carter and held by
him until the next year, when, being appointed
to the office of secretary of state of Virginia,
he returned there. On Xov. i, 1723, Gov.
Drysdale recommends the then secretary to fill
a vacancy in the council. His father was al-
leady a councillor and if the affinity of father
and son was too close to be allowc'!. he then
recommended John Grymes, the King's re-
ceiver general, though his own inclinations
were for Mr. Carter. On Jan. 17, 1723-24,
Lord Orkney, governor of Virginia, recom-
mended to the lords of trade that John Carter
K<(\. be appointed to the council to succeed
\\"m. Bassett, deceased. On Jan. 23, the King
made the appointment and on .April 25, 1724.
Carter took his seat. Not long after this Car-
tel obtained the position of secretary, for
which, as was fre(|uently done, he is said to
have paid a large price. The great power
attaching to this office came under discussion
during Carter's incumbency and Gov. Drys-
dale laid before the lords of trade the fact
that the secretary had the appointment of the
several county clerks and, in virtue of their
membership in the house of burgesses, the
virtual appointment of one half of that body
which would be thus largely devoted to his
interests. He expressly stipulated that he was
rot reflecting upon the actions of the present
secretary, but merely desired to lay before
then this great change from the ancient con-
stitution. In a letter dated Jan. 22. 1726-27,
