Virginia Vignettes

A struggle between England and France for control of North America was likely, but George Washington’s actions at the direction of Virginia governor Robert Dinwiddie clearly brought the crisis to a head. The British and Dinwiddie wanted to prevent any French move into the Ohio River valley and sent the twenty-one-year old militia major, George [...]

There were three William Byrds in Colonial Virginia. William Byrd I, the son of a London goldsmith, arrived in America in 1669. He inherited 1,800 acres from his uncle near the fall line on the James River and parlayed his good fortune into a profitable trading business and high political positions. At his death in [...]

In 1649, John Carter came to Virginia after service to King Charles I. He held seats in the House of Burgesses and on the governor’s council during the interregnum. His second son, Robert, starting with a modest inheritance of 1,000 acres, combined his political connections and a sharp eye for land development, notably in the [...]

Not many! An unmarried, divorced, or widowed woman possessed a legal personality as feme sole and was solely responsible for her affairs. She could own titles and sign contracts and wills. On the other hand, a married woman was under the cover of her husband’s authority as feme covert and had few property rights. Land she brought to the [...]