Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/90

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

five of them eniinenlly distinguished for their services during tlie American revohition— Thomas Ludwell Lee. Richard Henry Lee. Francis Lightfoot Lee. WilHam Lee. and Dr. Arthur Lee— and two daughters. His death occurred at Stratfcjrd House, in Westmore- land county. Mrginia, Xovemher 14. 1750; and in the absence of a commissioned gov- ernor he was succeeded by Lewis Burwell, member of the council next in seniority.

Burwell, Lewis, president of the council, succeerlcd on Thomas Lee's death, November [4, 1750, as acting governor of Virginia, and remained such till the arrival of Governor Din- widdie, November 20. 1751. He was born in 1710, and was son of Major Nathaniel Bur- well, of Carter's Creek, Gloucester county, and Elizabeth Carter his wife, daughter of Colonel Robert Carter, acting governor in 1726. Nathaniel Burwell was the son of Major Lewis Burwell, member of the council in 1702, and of Abigail Smith, niece andj heiress of Nathaniel Bacon, Esq., president of the coun- cil. Then Major Lewis Burwell was son of Lew^is Burwell. sergeant-major of the colony in 1652, and Lucy Higginson his wife, daugh- ter of Captain Robert Higginson, who com- manded at Middle Plantation (now Williams- burg) in 1646. This last Major Burw^ell was the emigrant ancestor, who came to Virginia about 1642, and was son of Edward Burwell of Bedfordshire, England, and Dorothy, his wife, daughter of William Bedell, of Cats- worth. President Burwell was educated at the University of Cambridge, England, and was distinguished for his remarkable learning and scholarship. On his return to Virginia from England he was called to fill many im- portant oflfices ; was a burgess from Glouces- ter county in 1742; a member of the council

in 1743. and. a.s president of that body, suc- ceeded Thdnias Lee in the administration of afifairs. During his magistrac\- a contract was made for the repair of the governor's house or palace, and for the incoming governor a building near by was purchased of Dr. Ken- neth AIcKenzie. The capitol. which had been burned in 174^), was also nearly completed. Among other incidents of his administration was the visit of Gov. Ogle of Maryland to Wil- liamsburg, and the coming of a company of tragedians wlio had been jjlaying in New York and Philadelphia. On November 20. 1751, Col- onel Robert Dinwiddie arrived at Yorktown with his lady and two daughters, and the next (lay was sworn into the ofiice of governor. President ikirwell appears to have been in' feeble health during his administration, for there is a record of his visit which he paid in the spring of 1750 to the Warm Sulphur Springs, in Berkeley county. He survived, however, till May. 175^), when he died at his seat in Gloucester county, Virginia. He mar- ried, in October, 1736, Mary, daughter of Colonel Francis and Ann Willis.

Dinwiddie, Robert, governor of Virginia (November 20, 1751 to January, 1758). was born in 1693, at Germiston, near Glasgow. He came of an ancient Scottish family, and his immediate ancestors were denizens of Glas- gow. His father was a reputable merchant of that city and bore the same name. His mother was Sarah Gumming, daughter of Matthew Gumming, who w^as bailie of Glasgow in 1691- 96-99 and the owner of the lands of Garde- rock in the contiguous parish of Gadder. Rob- ert Dinwiddie, their son w^as brought up in his father's countinghouse and was probably for a time merchant in Glasgow. He was appointed December i. 1727. a collector of customs in