Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/729

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

io6i

the following year, and from then until his death, about the beginning of the year 1695, he continued adding to his estate. In 1671 he 'was a member of the vestry of Pets- worth's parish, Gloucester county, Virginia. He was also prominent in the civil affairs of the colony, acting as clerk of the county, and a member of the house of burgesses of the \'irginia colony in 1683. He was instru- mental in bringing the first printing press to A^irginia. Beside his extensive holdings in Gloucester county, he was also a large landowner in Rappahannock county. He was the agent of various London merchants in Virginia, and probably lived in London in early life. The records of St. Sepulchre's parish in that city show the marriage of John Buckner, bachelor, citizen and salter of London, July 10, i66i, to Debora Ferrers, of \\'est Wickham, Bucks, a village not far from Cumor, England. Her age was given as about nineteen years. John Buckner's chil- dren were: William. John, Richard, Thomas and Elizabeth. There is reason to suppose that Richard was the eldest son. He was the owner of five hundred acres in Rappa- hannock county in 1682, in a tract called "Golden Vale." Ten years following this date, Essex county was formed from Rappa- hannock, and Richard Buckner was clerk of the new county in 1703 and in 1712, presum- ably throughout the years between. In 1714 he was clerk of the house of burgesses. Tra- dition says he married Elizabeth Cooke, and his will shows her baptismal name to have been Elizabeth. They had children : Rich- and. Philip, John, William, Elizabeth, and perhaps others. These were founders in the Caroline county branch of the family. Philip Huckner was the ancestor of General Samuel Boliver Buckner, of Kentucky, who achieved distinction in the Civil war. Wil- liam Buckner, son of Richard Buckner. re- sided at "The Xeck" in Caroline county, and is probably the William who was justice of that county in June, 1768. His wife, Judith (Hawes) Ijuckner, believed to have been a widow at the time of marriage, was noted for her temper and family pride. Their known sons were : \\^illiam, Francis. Rich- ard, George and Thomas. Of these George, probably born between 1725 and 1730, at one time owned land in Fredericksburg, Vir- ginia. It is not certain whether his wife 1 was a Hawes or an Aylett. He had sons: I Richard Henry and George, and a daugh-

ter Elizabeth. Richard Henry Buckner was born before 1760, in Caroline county, and married Charlotte, daughter of Samuel and Ann Hawes, of King William county, born October i, 1766. He died before 17Q7, and she married (second) William .Aylett Buck- ner. a cousin of her first husband. Rich- ard IT. Buckner's children were: Washing- ton, Catherine, Charlotte, Elizabeth, Bailey, i\nn Hawes and Mary Hawes. The second son, Bailev Buckner, was born October 11, 1789, at "The Neck," and settled in Culpcper county, where he was one of the most popu- lar and [jrominent men of his time, an ideal .^outhern gentleman, of handsome face and graceful figure. Liberal and hospitable, a fluent and ready speaker, he was ably sec- onded in entertaining his friends at his home, "Wadefield," by his wife, noted as an excel- lent housekeeper. He became sheriff of Rap- pahannock county, and was a soldier in the Fifth Virginia Militia of Culpeper, in the war of 181 2, and was successively sergeant ensign and lieutenant, .'\fter the war he held a position of trust in the treasury department ac Washington. He died at "Wadefield," at the age of forty-three years. He married, in 18T4, Mildred, daughter of John and Helen (Piper) Strother, of "Wadefield." She died there in 1875. in her eightieth year. They had children : Elizabeth, .\ylett Hawes, John .Strother. Sarah Catherine, Richard Henry, George Walker, .^amuel ^^'ilson, Lucy Pen- dleton, and Caldwell Calhoun.

Major Caldwell Calhoun Buckner, young- est child of Bailey Buckner, was born Feb- ruary 9, 1829, at "Wadefield," and died May 22, 1898. He was educated at Rappahan- nock Academy, and engaged in mercantile business in Baltimore, Maryland. Later he became a partner with Charles Bayne, the father of Senator Howard R. Bayne, of New York, and soon after moved to Spottsylvania county. Virginia, residing at "Marengo." In 1858 he purchased "Island View," in Orange county, \'irginia, and engaged in raising thoroughbred stock, of which he was an ex- cellent judge. .Although a most loyal South- erner, he did all in his power to prevent the secession of his native state, but when war was declared, he decided to stand by his state, and became a member of the Seventh Virginia Cavalry, in General Rosser's bri- gade. He was a brave and efficient sol- dier, with the rank of lieutenant, and was in command of his company at Camp De-