Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/76

 GOVERNORS OF THE STATE

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Cabell, William H., was born at ** Boston Hill/* Cumberland county. Virginia, De- cember i6, 1772. He was a grandson of William Cabell of Warminster. Wiltshire, England, and was son of Colonel Nicholas and Hannah (Carrington) Cabell. He at- tended a private school, and in February, 1785. entered Hampden-Sidney College. In February, 1790, he entered William and Mary College, as a student of law, under Judge Tucker, where he continued until July. 1793. He was a member of the as- sembly in 1796. and also in 1798, when he voted for the Virginia resolutions against the alien and sedition laws. He was a Re- publican, and was presidential elector in 1800 and 1804. In the last-named year he became again a member of the general as- sembly, but December i, 1805. became gov- ernor, in which office he continued three years, when he was succeeded by John Tyler, the first governor of that name. The trial of Aaron Burr for high treason, and the attack on the frigate Chesapeake by the British sloop-of-war Leopard, contrib- uated to make his administration mem- orable. In 1808 he was elected a judge of the general court, and in 181 1 he became a judge of the court of appeals. After the adoption of the new constitution, in 1830. Judge Cabell was again elected to the court of appeals, and January 18. 1842, he was elected president. He served until 185 1, when he retired. He died at Richmond. January 12, 1853, and was interred in Shock- hoe hill cemetery. The resolutions adopted by the court of appeals and bar ascribed to him *'much of the credit which may be claimed for the judiciary system of Vir- ginia and its literature." He married. March 11, 1805. Agnes Sarah Bell, eldest

daughter of Colonel Robert Gamble, of Richmond.

Tyler, John, governor, December i. 1808- January 11, 181 1 (q. v.).

Monroe, James, (2d term), January 11, 1811-December 5. 181 1 (q. v.).

Smith, George William, lieutenant and acting governor, was born at "Bathurst," Essex county, Virginia, in 1762, son of Meriwether and Elizabeth (Daingerfield) Smith. He was a lawyer, and was member of the house of delegates for Essex, 1791- 1794. He removed to Richmond City, where he was one of the leading lawyers, and a representative in the house of delegates in 1 802- 1 808. In 1805 he was captain of the Richmond Republican Blues. He entered the privy council in 1807. and as lieutenant- governor became the acting governor by reason of the resignation of James Monroe. December 5, 1811. On the 26th of the same month he lost his life in the fire that con- sumed the Richmond theatre. He married (first) February 7, 1793. Sarah, fourth daughter of Colonel Richard Adams, and (second) Jane, widow of Meriwether Jones, editor of the Richmond "Examiner," and daughter of Dr. Read, of Hanover county. He left issue by the first marriage.

Randolph, Peyton, lieutenant and acting governor, son of Governor Edmund Ran- dolph and Elizabeth Nicholas, his wife, daughter of Robert Carter Nicholas, was born about 1778 and graduated at William and Mary College in 1798. He was elected tc the governor's council, and as senior member was acting governor from the death of Lieutenant-Governor George Wil- liam Smith. December 26. 181 1. to January 3,

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