Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/193

 COLONIAL COUNCILLORS OF STATE

i6i

morning after Henry's famous resolutions were adopted by the house of burgesses, he came to the capitol before the session of the house began, and saw Col. Peter Randolph, of the council, sitting at the clerk's desk and jxammmg the journals to hnd a precedent July 8, 1767, too early to see the result of the revolutionary spirit, which he opposed.
 * 'or expunging a vote of the house. He died,

Dawson, Rev. Thomas, was a younger brother oi the learned and good Commissary William Dawson, of whom a sketch is given above. He came to \irginia at an early age and was educated at William and Mary Col- lege. In 1738 he was master of the Indian school there and at the same time was study- ing divinity under the guidance of his brother, then a professor at the college. In!May, 1740, he went to England to be ordained, carrying with him a letter of introduction to the bishop of London, written by Commissary Blair and describing him as "a young man of sober, regular life" and with "a very good character." Three years later Air. Dawson was elected to succeed Dr. Blair as rector of Bruton parish. In 1752 he was appointed commissary and member of the council to succeed his brother. He enjoyed a high place in Gov. Dinwiddle's favor. The new commissary at first declined the seat in the council, forseeing trouble in regard to his brother's estate, but his objec- tions were overruled and the records show him to have been a frequent attendant at the ses- sions as long as he held the office of commis- sary. Thomas Dawson presided and preached ai: the convention of the clergy of \^irginia in 1754, and the following year succeedetl Stith as president of William and Mary College. His administration fell upon years of religious and political strife, when the professors of the college and the board of visitors were divided viR-11

into factions. Dawson became very unpopu- lar with the faculty, but retained the friend- ship of Gov. Dinwiddle and his successor, Francis Fauquier. At the last he fell into habits of intemperance and confessed the fact before the whole board of the college man- agers, at which time he had the honor of hav- ing an excuse made for him by his iriend, Gov. l-'aucjuier, who said that it was no won- der that he had resorted to drink since he had bten teased to desperation by persons of his own cloth. He did not long survive, dying Dec. 5, 1 761, leaving issue.

Byrd, William, the third of that name, of Westover, Charles City county, was the son of Col. William Byrd, of the same place. His collegiate education is believed to have begun at William and Mary College, and to have been completed in England. When he reached manhood he inherited what was probably the greatest estate in Virginia, and the prestige attached to one of the most distinguished names. He at once entered public life, becom- ing a member of the house of burgesses in 1753 and 1754, and in the latter year a mem- ber of the council, an office he held until the end of the colonial government. In 1758 the exigencies of the French and Indian war re- (iuired that another regiment be raised in \'ir- ginia, and William Byrd was appointed its colonel, going at once into service. Some thought that he showed even greater talents as a military man than Col. W'ashington. Al- though, so far as the records show. Col. Byrd filled his various public offices in a satisfactory manner, he was sadly imprudent in his private concerns and dissipated to a large extent the splendid estate he had inherited. He died Jan. I, 1777. He married twice: (First) Eliz- abeth Hill, only daughter of John Carter, of "Shirley," and (second) Mary, daughter of