Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/16

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

FATHERS OF THE REVOLUTION


Barbara Overton, his wife, daughter of Cap- tain James Overton, was born October 26, 1743, was schooled at William and Mary College, showed great brilliancy of mind, and was elected to the assembly of 1772- 1774, from Louisa county. Here he pre- sented the resolutions for the appointment of committees of correspondence — the first great step towards a union of the colonies. His brilliant beginning was, however, cut short by death, May 16, 1773. He married, July 20, 17O5, Martha JeflFerson, sister of Thomas Jefferson, and was father of Judge Dabney Carr, of the supreme court of ap- peals.

Carrington, Edward* son of Colonel George Carrington, and Anne Mayo, his wife, eldest daughter of Colonel William Mayo, was born in Goochland county, Vir- ginia, February 11, 1749; was a member of the county committee in 1775-1776; served ix: the revolutionary army ; was a member of the Continental Congress, 1785-1786; ap- pointed by Washington, in 1789, marshal of the United States district court of Virginia ; was foreman of the jury in the trial of Aaron Burr for treason in 1807; died in Richmond, Virginia, October 28, 1810.

Carrington, Paul, was born in Virginia. March 16, 1733, son of George and Anne (Mayo) Carrington, and grandson of Dr. Paul and Henningham (Codrington) Car- rington. After 1748 he went to Lunenburg and studied law under Colonel Clement Read. He ocgan to practice in 1754 and was licensed in 1755 ^^ married, October I. 1755. Margaret, daughter of Colonel Clement Read. In 1756 he was appointed King's attorney of Bedford county. He was m.ijor of the militia in 1761, and colonel in


1764. He represented Charlotte county in the house of burgesses from its formation in March, 1765, until 1775. I" ^77^ he became county lieutenant and presiding justice of Charlotte county, and in the same year was clerk of Halifax county He was a member of all the conventions from 1774 to 1776, and chairman of the Charlotte county committee which endorsed the resolutions of the Con- tniental Congress. He was a member of the committee of safety, 1775-76. On January 23, 1778, he was elected judge of the first general court, and filled the office until 1807. He died in Charlotte county, January 23, 1818.

Carter, Landon, son of Robert Carter, president of the Virginia council, and Eliza- beth Landon, youngest daughter of Thomas Landon, of Crcdnal, county Hereford, Eng- land, was born June 7, 1709; educated at William and Mary College; resided at "Sabine Hall,** Richmond county, and was a member of the house of burgesses from 17.^8 to 1764 inclusive: was a strong de- fender of the Two Penny Act in 1757; en- gaged in a pamphlet war with Dr. John Camm, the head of the clergy, in which he took the ground that "necessity made its own law*'; in 1764 he was a member of the committee which reported the remonstrances

igainst the Stamp Act and claimed to have

been largely concerned in drafting these great papers. He spent the rest of his life in retirement at his splendid mansion, "Sabine Hall,'* in Richmond county, on the Rappahannock river. He frequently con- tributed articles on scientific subjects to the "American Philosophical Transactions/' and tc the newspapers, and kept a diary. He was chairman of the Richmond county corn-


Digitized by


Google