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62-581: The name of the river was first recorded by William Byrd II in 1728, during an expedition to survey the Virginia border, though Byrd did not explain the reason for the name. A variant name is "South Branch Roanoke River". In 2014, a large amount of coal ash , a byproduct of coal combustion, spilled into the lower Dan River in Rockingham County, near Eden, North Carolina , prompting a cleanup process costing an estimated $ 300 million. Dan River

124-495: A 14-week tour of England with Sir John Perceval , who was the nephew of Sir Robert Southwell. Byrd was 26 and Perceval was 18. By this time Byrd had a number of aristocratic friends and knew a lot about England. He introduced the teen to gentlemen, clergymen, borough officials, and merchants. Byrd was interested in the commerce, art collections, libraries and architecture of the places that they visited. During his time in England, he

186-624: A British warship. In 1776 the House of Burgesses ended. The final entry in the Journals of the House of Burgesses is "6th of May. 16 Geo. III. 1776 … FINIS." Edmund Pendleton , a member of the House of Burgesses (and President of the Committee of Safety) who was present at the final meeting, wrote in a letter to Richard Henry Lee on the following day, "We met in an assembly yesterday and determined not to adjourn, but let that body die." Later on

248-523: A London agent in May 1718. Spotswood had Byrd deposed from the council. Byrd promised to seek a reconciliation with Spotswood and to return to Virginia, which he did in February 1720 and reconciled with Spotswood. In 1721, he was appointed a paid agent for the House of Burgesses and returned to England. In 1726, he returned to Virginia. On April 28 of that year, he resumed attendance at the council. In 1728, he

310-645: A commission with commissioners and surveyors to lay out the Northern Neck Proprietary . Byrd wrote the report that was sent with the survey in August 1737 to England, but after his death a report from another commission was chosen. He was the senior councillor by 1743. Byrd courted Lucy Parke, daughter of Jane Ludwell Parke and Daniel Parke (1664–1710), who was Governor of the Leeward Islands . Lucy lived near Colonial Williamsburg at

372-678: A delegate in the Virginia House of Burgesses. He pursued reforms to slavery and introduced legislation allowing masters to take control over the emancipation of slaves in 1769, taking discretion away from the royal Governor and General Court. Jefferson persuaded his cousin Richard Bland to spearhead the legislation's passage, but the reaction was strongly negative. In 1769 the Virginia House of Burgesses passed several resolutions condemning Britain's stationing troops in Boston following

434-475: A flourish." Their arguments often involved their slaves. Byrd notes in his diary entry for July 15, 1710 that Parke, "against my will caused little Jenny to be burned with a hot iron, for which I quarreled with her". Based on his diary, Byrd was singularly focused on treating his wife as a subordinate and did not foment closeness with their children. He often left his family for long periods of time. Their children were: Evelyn Byrd, for whom Evelynton Plantation

496-803: A limited say in the management of their own affairs, including their finances. A House of Assembly was created at the same time in Bermuda (which had also been settled by the Virginia Company, and was by then managed by its offshoot, the Somers Isles Company ) and held its first session in 1620. A handful of Polish craftsmen , brought to the colony to supply skill in the manufacture of pitch, tar, potash, and soap ash, were initially denied full political rights. They downed their tools in protest but returned to work after being declared free and enfranchised, apparently by agreement with

558-695: A series of resolves that became known as the Virginia Resolves , denouncing the Stamp Act and denying the authority of the British parliament to tax the colonies, since they were not represented by elected members of parliament . Newspapers around the colonies published all his resolves, even the most radical ones which had not been passed by the assembly. The assembly also sent a 1768 Petition, Memorial, and Remonstrance to Parliament. From 1769–1775 Thomas Jefferson represented Albemarle County as

620-601: Is also the name of the southeastern political district of Pittsylvania County, where a small section of the river serves as the boundary between Pittsylvania County and the city of Danville . On June 25, 2021, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law adding the river's paddle trail in Stokes and Rockingham Counties as its eleventh State Trail . William Byrd II William Byrd II (March 28, 1674 – August 26, 1744)

682-591: Is now featured regularly in textbooks of American Colonial literature. Through The Secret History , the societal stereotypes and attitudes of the time are revealed. According to Pierre Marambaud, Byrd "had first prepared a narrative, The Secret History of the Line , which under fictitious names described the persons of the surveying expedition and the incidents that had befallen them." Many of his works were in manuscript form and published after his death. His major works include: William Byrd II died on August 26, 1744, and

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744-796: The American Revolutionary War for safety reasons. The House of Burgesses became the House of Delegates in 1776, retaining its status as the lower house of the General Assembly , the legislative branch of the Commonwealth of Virginia . Through the General Assembly and House of Burgesses, the Virginia House of Delegates is considered the oldest continuous legislative body in the New World . In honor of

806-557: The British colonial gentry and an emerging American identity. Byrd led surveying expeditions of the border of Virginia and North Carolina . He is considered the founder of Richmond, Virginia . Byrd expanded his plantation holdings and commanded county militias during his life. His enterprises included promoting Swiss settlement in mountainous southwest Virginia and iron mining ventures in Germanna and Fredericksburg . A member of

868-646: The College of William and Mary , while the Capitol was under construction. When the Capitol burned in 1747, the legislature moved back into the college until the second Capitol was completed in 1754. The present Capitol building at Colonial Williamsburg is a reconstruction of the earlier of the two lost buildings. In 1779, and effective in April 1780, the House of Delegates moved the capital city to Richmond during

930-667: The Crown -appointed colonial governor and the Virginia Governor's Council , the upper house of the General Assembly. When Virginia declared its independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain at the Fifth Virginia Convention in 1776 and became the independent Commonwealth of Virginia , the House of Burgesses was transformed into the House of Delegates , which continues to serve as the lower house of

992-631: The Massachusetts Circular Letter of the previous year; these resolutions stated that only Virginia's governor and legislature could tax its citizens. The members also drafted a formal letter to the King, completing it just before the legislature was dissolved by Virginia's royal governor. In 1774, after Parliament passed the Boston Port Act to close Boston Harbor, the House of Burgesses adopted resolutions in support of

1054-607: The Royal Society , Byrd was an early advocate of variolation to counter smallpox . He may be best known for his writings in his diary and the narratives of his surveying, some of which have been published in American literature textbooks. Byrd recorded his exploits, which are notable for its openness on issues such as sex and Byrd's brutal treatment of his slaves . William Byrd, the eldest child of Mary Horsmanden Filmer Byrd and her second husband, William Byrd I ,

1116-445: The judicial system . By 1643, the expanding colony had 15 counties. All of the county offices, including a board of commissioners, judges, sheriff, constable, and clerks, were appointed positions. Only the burgesses were elected by a vote of the people. Women had no right to vote. Only free and white men originally were given the right to vote, by 1670 only property owners were allowed to vote. In 1642, Governor William Berkeley urged

1178-764: The 18th century. The statehouse in Jamestown burned down for the fourth time on October 20, 1698. The General Assembly met temporarily in Middle Plantation , 11 miles (18 km) inland from Jamestown , and then in 1699 permanently moved the capital of the colony to Middle Plantation, which they renamed Williamsburg . The French and Indian War in North America from 1754 to 1763 resulted in local colonial losses and economic disruption. Higher taxes were to follow, and adverse local reactions to these and how they were determined would drive events well into

1240-526: The Boston colonists which resulted in Virginia's royal governor, John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore , dissolving the assembly. The burgesses then reassembled on their own and issued calls for the first of five Virginia Conventions . These conventions were essentially meetings of the House of Burgesses without the governor and Council, Peyton Randolph the Speaker of the House would serve as the President of

1302-532: The General Assembly. Burgess originally referred to a freeman of a borough , a self-governing town or settlement in England. The Colony of Virginia was founded by a joint-stock company , the Virginia Company , as a private venture, though under a royal charter . Early governors provided the stern leadership and harsh judgments required for the colony to survive its early difficulties. Early crises with famine, disease, Native American raids,

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1364-517: The London agent for the Virginia Governor's Council in 1698. His father held the combined offices of auditor- and receiver-general, which Nicholson had attempted to separate. In this position, Byrd was able to thwart Nicholson's efforts. In 1702, he attempted to have Nicholson removed from office, but the petition was rejected by the Crown and Byrd lost his position on the council. In 1701, he went on

1426-606: The Parke's Queen's Creek plantation in York County, Virginia with her mother and her sister Frances. Her father, who lived with his mistress, forbade the women from entertaining male callers and did not provide the money for them to have clothes of their station. This made it difficult for Frances and Lucy to have suitors. Byrd, though, knew Parke and his aristocratic connections, and was favorably impressed with Parke's daughters, particularly Lucy. Byrd married Lucy on May 4, 1706, at

1488-585: The Queen's Creek plantation. Frances was married on the same day to John Custis (1678–after 14 November 1749). At the time of their marriage, Lucy Parke was 18 years old, and her mother was concerned that Daniel Parke's many romantic affairs and reputation for stinginess were hurting his daughter's marriage prospects. When Byrd wrote a letter to the Parkes asking to court Lucy, they immediately accepted. Byrd wooed her with passionate letters proclaiming his love. He

1550-633: The Virginia Company. On July 30, 1619, Governor Yeardley convened the Virginia General Assembly as the first representative legislature in the Americas for a six-day meeting at the new timber church on Jamestown Island , Virginia. The unicameral Assembly was composed of the Governor, a Council of State appointed by the Virginia Company, and the 22 locally elected representatives. The Assembly's first session of July 30, 1619,

1612-484: The assembly were to be levied. Still, most Virginia colonists were loyal to Prince Charles and were pleased with his restoration as King Charles II in 1660. He went on to directly or indirectly restrict some of the liberties of the colonists, such as requiring tobacco to be shipped only to England, only on English ships, with the price set by the English merchant buyers; but the General Assembly remained. A majority of

1674-562: The burgesses, meeting in conventions, listened to Patrick Henry deliver his "give me liberty or give me death" speech and raised regiments. The House of Burgesses was called back by Lord Dunmore one last time in June 1775 to address British Prime Minister Lord North's Conciliatory Resolution . Randolph, who was a delegate to the Continental Congress, returned to Williamsburg to take his place as Speaker. Randolph indicated that

1736-401: The capitol where I sent for the wench to clean my room and when I came I kissed her and felt her, for which God forgive me ... About 10 o'clock I went to my lodgings. I had good health but wicked thoughts, God forgive me. In addition to the passages recounting his many infidelities, the diary also contains a record of the lives of slaves held by Byrd and his subsequent punishment. Byrd often beat

1798-655: The colonies. A network of secret organizations known as the Sons of Liberty was created to intimidate the stamp agents collecting the taxes, and before the Stamp Act could take effect, all the appointed stamp agents in the colonies had resigned. The Massachusetts Assembly suggested a meeting of all colonies to work for the repeal of the Stamp Act, and all but four colonies were represented. The colonists also increased their non-importation efforts, and sought to increase in local production. In May 1765, Patrick Henry presented

1860-486: The colony except it be aiding and assisting the same against any foreign or domestic enemy." Especially after the massacre of almost 400 colonists on March 22, 1622, by Native Americans , and epidemics in the winters before and after the massacre, the governor and council ruled arbitrarily , showing great contempt for the assembly and allowing no dissent. By 1624, the royal government in London had heard enough about

1922-550: The condition that she remain unmarried and living in Westover. The first diary runs from 1709 to 1712 and was first published in the 1940s. It was originally written in a shorthand code and deals mostly with the day-to-day aspects of Byrd's life, many of the entries containing the same formulaic phrases. A typical entry read like this: [October] 6. I rose at 6 o'clock and said my prayers and ate milk for breakfast. Then I proceeded to Williamsburg , where I found all well. I went to

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1984-537: The convention, and they would elect delegates to the Continental Congress . The First Continental Congress passed their Declaration and Resolves , which inter alia claimed that American colonists were equal to all other British citizens, protested against taxation without representation, and stated that Britain could not tax the colonists since they were not represented in Parliament. In 1775

2046-523: The creation of a bicameral legislature which the Assembly promptly implemented; the House of Burgesses was thus formed and met separately from the Council of State. In 1652, the parliamentary forces of Oliver Cromwell forced the colony to submit to being taken over by the English government. Again, the colonists were able to retain the General Assembly as their governing body. Only taxes agreed to by

2108-618: The end of the year, many colonies were practicing non-importation, a refusal to use imported British goods. In 1765, the British Quartering Act , which required the colonies to provide barracks and supplies to British troops, further angered American colonists; and to raise more money for Britain, Parliament enacted the Stamp Act on the American colonies, to tax newspapers, almanacs, pamphlets, broadsides, legal documents, dice, and playing cards. American colonists responded to Parliament's acts with organized protest throughout

2170-479: The image of a more submissive wife, accepting Byrd's authority over the household. She was certainly well-mannered, and epitomised the upper-class lady that he desired, without any record of passionate " flourishes " to quell arguments or threatening the servants. Despite Byrd's renewed sexual advances on other women, Taylor kept the household in good order. More recently, Allison Luthern has suggested that 'a closer examination of sources reveals that Maria [Taylor] Byrd

2232-481: The least fright, and was persuaded she would live… Gracious God what pains did she take to make a voyage hither to seek a grave." Byrd married Maria Taylor (1698-1771), daughter of a Kensington gentleman, on May 9, 1724. She was 25 years of age and Byrd was 50. Taylor, an heiress of a wealthy family from Kensington , was a different character than Parke. Her rare appearance in Byrd's diary has left some historians with

2294-505: The members of the General Assembly of 1676 were supporters of Nathaniel Bacon . They enacted legislation designed to further popular sovereignty and representative government and to equalize opportunities. Bacon took little part in the deliberations since he was busy fighting the Native Americans. In 1691, the House of Burgesses abolished the enslavement of Native peoples; however, many Powhatans were held in servitude well into

2356-473: The military. In 1619, based on the instructions, Governor Yeardley initiated the election of 22 burgesses by the settlements and Jamestown. They, together with the royally appointed Governor and six-member Council of State, would form the first General Assembly as a unicameral body. The governor could veto its actions and the Company still maintained overall control of the venture, but the settlers would have

2418-595: The need to establish cash crops , and lack of skilled or committed labor, meant the colony needed to attract enough new and responsible settlers if it were to grow and prosper. To encourage settlers to come to Virginia, in November 1618 the Virginia Company's leaders gave instructions to the new governor, Sir George Yeardley , which became known as "the great charter." It established that immigrants who paid their own way to Virginia would receive fifty acres of land and not be mere tenants. The civil authority would control

2480-496: The next decade. In 1764, desiring revenue from its North American colonies, Parliament passed the first law specifically aimed at raising colonial money for the Crown. The Sugar Act increased duties on non-British goods shipped to the colonies. The same year, the Currency Act prohibited American colonies from issuing their own currency. These angered many American colonists and began colonial opposition with protests. By

2542-533: The original House of Burgesses, every four years, the Virginia General Assembly traditionally leaves the current Capitol in Richmond and meets for one day in the restored Capitol building at Colonial Williamsburg . The most recent commemorative session (the 26th) was held in January 2016. In January 2007, the Assembly held a special session at Jamestown to mark the 400th anniversary of its founding as part of

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2604-467: The problems of the colony and revoked the charter of the Virginia Company. Virginia became a crown colony and the governor and council would be appointed by the Crown . Nonetheless, the Assembly maintained management of local affairs with some informal royal assent, although it was not royally confirmed until 1639. In 1634, the General Assembly divided the colony into eight shires (later renamed counties ) for purposes of government, administration, and

2666-552: The receiver generalship for £500 to a Virginian. Spotswood sought approval for the Tobacco Inspection Act of 1713—which regulated the quality and sale of tobacco exports—and the Indian Trade Act of 1714—which established a monopoly over commerce with Native Americans. Both were passed by the Virginia General Assembly, but it received a royal veto, which Byrd considered a personal win. Byrd was appointed

2728-591: The resolution had not been sent to the Congress (it had instead been sent to each colony individually in an attempt to divide them and bypass the Continental Congress). The House of Burgesses rejected the proposal, which was also later rejected by the Continental Congress. The burgesses formed a Committee of Safety to take over governance in the absence of the royal governor, Dunmore, who had organized loyalists forces but after defeats, he took refuge on

2790-539: The role of the former House of Burgesses. In 1619, the General Assembly first met in the church in Jamestown. Subsequent meetings continued to take place in Jamestown. In 1700, the seat of the House of Burgesses was moved from Jamestown to Middle Plantation, near what was soon renamed Williamsburg . The Burgesses met there, first (1700 to 1704) in the Great Hall of what is now called the Wren Building at

2852-622: The same morning, the members of the fifth and final Virginia Revolutionary Convention met in the chamber of the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg and elected Pendleton its president. The convention voted for independence from Britain. The former colony had become the independent Commonwealth of Virginia and the convention created the Constitution of Virginia with a new General Assembly , composed of an elected Senate and an elected House of Delegates . The House of Delegates acceded to

2914-406: The slaves he held and sometimes devised other punishments even more cruel and unusual: September 3, 1709: I ate roast chicken for dinner. In the afternoon I beat Jenny for throwing water on the couch. December 1, 1709: Eugene was whipped again for pissing in bed and Jenny for concealing it. December 3, 1709: Eugene pissed abed again for which I made him drink a pint of piss. While William Byrd

2976-569: The summer of 1696. Due to his education and his father's influence, he was elected to the House of Burgesses in the fall of that year, but he withdrew in October to return to London, where he practiced law. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn October 1697 and soon after defended Governor Sir Edmund Andros in a hearing at Lambeth Palace that unseated Andros for impeding the establishment of the College of William & Mary and replaced him with Francis Nicholson as Governor of Virginia. He became

3038-505: The time. All but two of his early literary works remained in manuscript form after his death at Westover in 1744, only appearing in print in the early 19th century and later receiving "dismissive commentary" by literary critics. It was not until the last quarter of the 20th century that his writings were assessed with any critical enthusiasm. The History of the Dividing Line is Byrd's most influential piece of literary work and

3100-402: Was a social man who focused on developing wordsmanship and polite manners. His father died in 1705 and Byrd returned to Virginia. He was the primary heir to his father's fortune, making him one of the wealthiest men in the colony. He became the receiver general; the post was separated from the auditorship following his father's death. On September 12, 1709, nearly four year after he applied, he

3162-410: Was an American planter, lawyer, surveyor and writer. Born in the English colony of Virginia , Byrd was educated in London , where he practiced law. Upon his father's death, Byrd returned to Virginia in 1705. He served as a member of the Virginia Governor's Council from 1709 to 1744. Byrd was also the House of Burgesses 's colonial agent in London during the 1720's. His life reflected aspects of both

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3224-590: Was an avid planter, politician, and statesman, he was also a man of letters. He collected books written in English, French, Italian, Dutch, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin on a wide range of subjects. Considered one of the greatest colonial libraries, he had 3,500 volumes, including biography, history, architecture, science, divinity and law. He also had books about gardening, art, medicine, drama, and etiquette. A prolific writer, Byrd wrote essays, histories, and speeches. He also wrote caricatures, poetry, and diaries. He corresponded with noted naturalists, statesmen, and writers of

3286-679: Was appointed to a seat on the Virginia Governor's Council , a position he held until his death. Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood reorganized the collection of quitrents in order to enlarge the royal revenue. Byrd felt that he was responsible for the operations of the receiver's office and had objected to Spotwood's actions and saw it as a personal affront. Byrd sailed for England in March or April 1715 at least in part to have Spotswood removed from office. Soon after, his wife joined him in England and died of smallpox . Within two months, he began to look for women to court. While in England, he sold

3348-399: Was appointed to survey the Virginia and North Carolina border by the next Lieutenant Governor Sir William Gooch . The Tobacco Inspection Act of 1730 was passed and Byrd's land was chosen for construction of a warehouse, of direct benefit to him. He is responsible for the establishment of the cities of Petersburg and, on his own land, Richmond, Virginia in 1733. Gooch appointed Byrd to

3410-596: Was born on March 28, 1674, in Henrico County, Virginia . His father was a planter , public official, and a Native American trader. When he was two, his mother took him with her to visit relatives in Purleigh , England. He was in England and living with his mother's relatives in 1681, when he was enrolled in Felsted School , where he studied Hebrew, Italian, and French. It was his father's goal that Byrd

3472-642: Was buried at Westover Plantation in Charles City County. House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses ( / ˈ b ɜːr dʒ ə s ɪ z / ) was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It existed during the colonial history of the United States when Virginia was a British colony . From 1642 to 1776, the House of Burgesses was an important feature of Virginian politics alongside

3534-501: Was cut short by an outbreak of malaria and adjourned after five days. On the third day of the assembly, the assembly's Journal noted "Mr. Shelley, one of the Burgesses, deceased." Twenty-two (22) members were sent to the assembly from the following constituencies: The latter two burgesses were excluded from the assembly because John Martin refused to give up a clause in his land patent that exempted his borough "from any command of

3596-407: Was educated to become a gentleman and had first-hand experiences with aristocrat. He was an apprentice in London and Rotterdam for two years for tobacco trading companies, where he learned about commerce. During that time, he acquired the social graces of a gentleman. He then studied law at Middle Temple from 1692 to 1695, when he was admitted to the bar to practice law. The following year he

3658-424: Was elected as a Fellow in the Royal Society with the support of Sir Robert Southwell , his father's friend. By this time, Byrd spent much of his childhood in England, but born in Virginia, where he was expected to return, he was not accepted as an Englishman. This made it difficult for him to marry into an aristocratic family or become a politician in England. After a 15-year absence, he returned to Virginia in

3720-406: Was named, and Wilhelmina Byrd, who married Thomas Chamberlayne. Despite the couple's differences, aspects of their relationship appear tender and romantic. Following Byrd to London, she died of smallpox in 1716. Byrd suffered greatly, blaming himself for her death. He wrote of the "insupportable pain in her head… the smallpox… we thought it best to tell her the danger. She received the news without

3782-451: Was not as easily governed by these powerful men as William Byrd II... indicates.' Their children were: Anne Carter, Maria Taylor Carter, Colonel William Byrd III , and Jane Page. Taylor appears to have tactically bided her time as Byrd aged, controlling the education of their children together and preparing to take control of Westover in her widowhood. She outlived Byrd by 37 years, supported by an annual pension in Byrd's will for £200 on

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3844-492: Was promised a £1,000 dowry when he married Lucy, but rather than delivering it upon their marriage, he was bequeathed the amount at Parke's death. Byrd assumed debts of the Parke estate, which was a financial burden throughout the rest of his life. In exchange for accepting the debts, he took over lands that had been left to his wife's sister. Byrd and Lucy Parke Byrd quarreled frequently. Byrd sometimes noted that after these arguments, they made up and he "rogered her" or "gave her

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