Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/201

 IV— BURGESSES AND OTHER PROMINENT PERSONS

Abrahall, Robert, came to \ irginia about 1650 and settled in Xew Kent county, which he represented in the house of burgesses in i54 and i6<io. In the tirst year he was cap- tain in the Xew Kent mihtia, and in the last Ik was lieutenant-colonel. He used a seal hav- ing the arms of Abrahall of Herefordshire.

Abbott, Jeffrey, came to N'irginia in the "h'ood .Sui)ply'" in ir)o8; he had served as a soldier in Ireland and the Netherlands, and according to Smith was an excellent colonist. But rebelling against the tyranny of Sir Thomas Dale, he was executed in 161 1.

Acrill, William, was a member of the house o;- burgesses from Charles City county in 1736, and died in November. 1738. He married Anne Cocke, of Surry, sister of Richard Cocke and Benjamin Cocke. He left a son, William Acrill, Jr.

Acrill, William, Jr., was a member of the liGU>e of burgesses for Charles City county from 1766 to 1775, and of the conventions of i;74- ^77 5 'i"<l ^77^-

Ackiss, John, burge-s for l^rinccss Anne county in the assembl}' of .May. 17^)9. ami 1769-1771.

Adams, Richard, son of Ebenezer Adams, of New Kent county, \ irginia, and grandson of Richard Adams, of Abridge, county Essex, England, citizen and merchant tailor of Lon- don, was born in New Kent county. May 17. 1726; member of the house of burgesses from New Kent and Henrico from 1752 to 1775; Henrico county committee. 1774-75; X'irginia

C(-invcntion in 1775; house of delegates, 1776- 1778; N'irginia senate, 1779-1782. Died in Richmond, Aug. 2, 1800. He married Eliza- beth, (laughter of Leroy and Mary Anne Grif- fin.

Adams (Addams), Robert, was a member oi the house of burgesses, 1623-24.

Aitchison, William, was burgess from Nor- folk borough m the assembly of 1758-1761. lie was a prominent merchant of Norfolk, and died Nov. 15, 1776. His tombstone, with a coat-of-arms uimju it, is still standing. He left a son William.

Alexander, Gerard (Gerrard), was burgess from h'airfax county, session of 1752-1755. He was a great-grandson of John Alexander, the immigrant, and son of Robert Alexander, of Stafford county, and his wife, Anne Fowke, daughter of Col. Gerard Fowke, of Alexan- dria. .\t one time he resided at Holm's Island, Prince William count}. In 1753 he docked th.e entail of a tract of 6,000 acres left him by his father, and settled other lands in Frederic ar.d Fairfax counties to the same uses. His V ill was j^roved in h'airfax. Sept. 16, 1761. It names wife. Mary (Dent?), and six children, and disposes of houses and lots in Alexandria, chairs and horses, and land in Loudoun county.

Alexander, John, son of Capt. Fhilip Alex- ander, of King (jeorge county, was born Nov. 15, 1730, was burgess for Staftord county in the assemblies of Oct., 1765, 1766-1768, May, 1769, 1 769- 1 772. 1 772- 1 774. He married Lucy Thornton, daughter of William Tliornton, and died about 1775.