Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/388

 PROMIXEXT PERSONS

335

raft of trees and logs on which they crossed iii safety, but lost their horse. They wan- dered on toward the Kanawha, but suffered so much from hunger and exposure that the Dutch woman became crazed, finally mak- ing a deadly assault upon Mrs. Inglis, who went on alone, reached the banks of the Kanawha, and there finding an old Indian canoe, crossed over. The Dutch woman reached the same point, and begged to be carried over, but Mrs. Inglis dared not again trust herself within reach of the de- mented woman. She traveled up the Kana- wha, soon found a clearing and white set- tlers, who went back and brought in the Dutch woman. Mrs. Inglis had been over forty days on her journey through the wil- derness, and had traveled more than four hundred miles. One of her sons died in captivity, the other was ransomed after being held by the Indians for thirteen years. She was the mother of daughters who mar- ried men who became distinguished in the history of Virginia and Kentucky.

Gary, Mary, daughter of Col. Wilson Gary, of **Ceeleys," Elizabeth City county, Virginia, was born 1731-1738, married Ed- ward .Ambler (q. v.), of Jamestown, in 1754. She survived her husband, who died in 1768, thirteen years. A beautiful portrait of her is preserved. There was a very current story that she was once Washington's sweet- heart, but this is entirely discredited by the eminent antiquarian, Wilson Miles Cary. of Baltimore, who shows conclusively that the object of Washington's attachment was her elder sister, Sally Cary, who married George William Fairfax. Mrs. Ambler removed, when the revolutionary war broke out. from Jamestown to the "Cottage." in Hanover county, where she died in May, 1781.

Ambler, Jaquclin, son of Richard Ambler (q. v.), of Yorktown and Jamestown, Vir- ginia, was born in .\ugust, 1742. He was educated at William and Mary College from 1753 ^^ '760, and entered into business with his father at Yorktown ; he was coun- cillor of state during the revolution, and later was treasurer of the commonwealth, a position which he held till his death, Feb- ruary 20, 1798. He married Rebecca Bur- well, daughter of Lewis Burwell (q. v.), president of the council and acting governor. She was the young lady whom Thomas Jef- ferson called his "Belinda."

Irvine, William, born in Virginia, about 1750, died in 1820. He grew to manhood in Virginia, then, with his brother Christopher, went to Kentucky, and was among the earli- est pioneers of that state. They built and occupied Irvine station, in Madison county, in 1778, and took part in most of the fight- ing with the Indians. William Irvine was at Little Mountain, where Captain Estill and eighteen riflemen fought twenty-five Wyandottes, and he received a severe wound. In 1876 Christopher Inglis led a company under Col. Ben Logan against the Indians of northern Ohio, and was killed by a .savage he was pursuing, who in turn was killed by Irvine's men. William Irvine became clerk of the quarter sessions and county courts of Madison county ; later was clerk of the circuit court: was elected a member of the Virginia house of delegates from the district of Kentucky; was a dele- gate to the several conventions at Danville, looking to the establishment of Kentucky as a state, and was a member of the conven- tion which framed the second constitution of Kentucky. He was several times chosen presidential elector.

Digitized by

Google