Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/476

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

an orphan three thousand miles from his homeland, and \\'illiam Consolvo became the ancestor of all of his name in the United States.

(II) After attaining man's estate William Consolvo made his home in Princess Anne county, on the Linkhorn Bay, where there is still a boat landing that bears the name of "Consolvo's Landing." He married, in Princess Anne county, Virginia, February 26, 1736, Elizabeth Pallette, and to this union five children were born, two dying in infancy and John Andrew, Francis, and Wil- liam, of whom further, reaching mature age.

(III) William (2) Consolvo, son of Wil- liam (I) and Elizabeth (Pallette) Consolvo, was born near Princess Anne Court House, February 18, 1769. died November 14, 1814, the only one of his father's sons to marry, so that through him alone the American line was continued. He married, in July, 1791, as a young man of twenty-two years of age, Sarah Wright, born May 10, 1775, died June 18, 1848. She possessed great inherited wealth, at one time holding title to a tract of five thousand acres of land and many slaves. In October, 1799, the family moved to what was then the borough of Norfolk, their residence on Church street, near Wood, later on Fenchurch street, William Con- solvo owning one-half of the block bounded by Wood, Charlotte and Fenchurch streets. To appreciate the narrowness of the town's limits at that day it is only necessary to state that Charlotte street formed one boundary, and that Williarn Consolvo regu- larly obtained fish and crabs from the waters of Newton's creek, west of Charlotte street, at Church street. After taking up his resi- dence in Norfolk, William Consolvo became a merchant tailor, his establishment being en East Main street, where he continued in successful business until 1813. In August of that year, with his son William, he enter- ed the volunteer service of the United States against Great Britain. They were stationed at Fort Barber, where breastworks were thrown up against the expected British ad- vance against Norfolk, the army of the enemy having landed at Virginia Beach, August 13, 181 3. I>y his marriage with Sarah Wright, W^illiam Consolvo was the father of eight children: i. William, born near Princess Anne Court House, in 1792, served in the war of 1812 with his father, was badly injured by a cannon, which

slipped from its carriage, and internal dis- orders caused by this accident was responsi- ble for his being a cripple until his death which occurred August 30, 1863. 2 and 3. Two children, born between 1792 and 1799, died in infancy. 4. Elizabeth, born in 1799, died in 1888; married, in 1816, George Blu- ford, and had two children : George W., born in 181 7, and Mary Anne, born in 1820, married Harry Daws, of Baltimore, Mary- land, and was the mother of George H., Mary Josephine and Elizabeth. 5. Thirza, born in October, 1804, died in 1890; married, in 1825, David E. Williams, of Portsmouth, Virginia, and had children : Luther, served in the Confederate States navy in the civil war, died in 1904; William, a soldier in the Confederate States army, killed in the battle of Malvern Hill; Samuel, a soldier in Pick- ett's division, fell in the second day's fight- ing at Gettysburg; Harriett, lives in Ports- mouth, Virginia ; Charles Consolvo, attach- ed to Grim's battery. Confederate army, killed in the second battle of Bull Run ; David E., of the Ninth Virginia Regiment, died in 1906. 6. David, born in 1805, died in 1893. 7. Sarah, born in April, 1806, died in August, 1855, the victim of yellow fever; she was familiarly known as "Polly" and was a woman of rare beauty and charm of manner ; she married (first) in 1824, Rev. Samuel Brown, a native of Princess Anne county, Virginia, a man of considerable wealth, who was well past middle age at the time of his marriage ; (second) in 1834, to Francis Herbert, of Portsmouth, Virginia, a widower with two children by his former marriage ; by her first marriage she had two children, by her second, four. 8. Charles Wright, of whom further. The father of the above enumerated children, William Con- solvo, was a gentleman of high standing in the community, and was widely known for ■the rectitude and purity of his life. So fre- quently was he asked his rule of life by his admirers that upon one occasion he gave the following precepts as his conception of a cleanly, upright life: "Never do an injury to your fellow man ; Never forsake the re- ligion of your ancestors ; Do not use to- l)acco ; Never lie to cause trouble ; Be brave in battle, never forsake your country ; By no means be a drunkard ; W'illingly forsake everything for the religion of Christ." These were the teachings that were instilled into the minds and hearts of his children, the