| 2. | Colonel William Evelyn Byrd, III was born in Henrico County, Virginia; died on 1 Jan 1777. Other Events and Attributes:
- Alt. Birth: 6 Sep 1728; Alt. Birth
- Alt. Birth: 6 Sep 1728, Williamsburg, Charles County, Virginia; Alt. Birth
- Alt. Birth: Between 6 Sep 1728 and 1729, Westover, Charles City County,; Alt. Birth
- Alt. Birth: 6 Sep 1729, Westover, Charles City County,; Alt. Birth
- Alt. Death: 1 Jan 1777, Westover, Charles City County,; Alt. Death
- Alt. Death: 1 Jan 1777, Unknown; Alt. Death
- Alt. Death: 1 Jan 1777, Charles County, Virginia; Alt. Death
Notes:
Of "Westover," Charles City Co, VA; Burgess for Lunenburg Co, VA; Col. of
the 2nd VA Regt
1758 and active on the frontier. William was an avid gambler to
the extent that he sold his lots in
Richmond and Manchester by lottery and left his widow with
great debt.
1777 WILL: Charles City Co, VA, dtd 6 Jul 1774, probated 5 Feb
1777. William asked that he be
buried by the tomb of his sister Evelyn in the old Church Yard.
He stated that through his own folly
and inattention to accounts, inept managers, and villany of
others, he was leaving great debt. He
ordered the sale of 100 Negroes, what part of plate and
household furniture his wife could spare,
together with his library and part of his stock as necessary to
cover his debts. He had a disputed
accont with Col. Chiswell, probably over the Chiswell mine in
Fincastle Co which he left to son
John. He left "Westover" and "Buckland" to his wife as well as
all else left after the sale. At her death
all was to be sold and divided among his Undisclosed children at
that time. To be deducted from the share
was what he had from his first wife and what her children may
claim from his deluded and insane
mother and his ungrateful son William, except the Ferry at the
Falls left to my son John by his brother
William, which gift I have confirmed. He deducted 500
poundssterling from dau. Elizabeth that he
had paid to her husband, Mr. Farley, that sum under the unjust
will of his insane Mother. His son
Tom was to have 400 pounds deducted as that amount had been
paid for his commission and and
further payment for his promotions to be deducted from his
dividends (commissions for officers were
bought in the English service). Tom was to get only one
shilling if he married Susannah Randolph,
dau of the Attorney General in 1774. He stated that if son
Otway should quit the Navy before his
widow's death, he was to get only one shilling (he did just
that in 1775 to join the Patriots and one
wonders if this order was executed}. He gave son Charles, who
had never offended him, 1,000
acres in Fincastle called Salt Springs. All of the children by
his second wife were given two or more
Slaves including his then unborn son, Richard; Elizabeth from
his first wife was given Rachel amd her
family. His son, William Powell Byrd, conceived after the will
was written was not listed but perhaps
there was a codicil. He wished that hisservant, Jack White, be
freed at the death of his widow and
that such be recommended to the Governor and Council as he had
not only been the best of servants
but had served him many times from the grave. Sources: (1)
Nancy Bright - October 31, 2001
Died by self-inflicted gunshot to the temple in the drawing room
at Westover Plantation which he inherited.
He was a godson of Benjamin Franklin.
Inducted in the Middle Temple 1/6/1746-47, educated in England
under his Uncle *Francis Otway*, returned to Westover in 1748,
later introduced horse racing to America and built the first
race track, "Tryal" first race horse, nearly lost all of his
accumulated wealth due to his gambling habits that he acquired
while in England.
Was a noted Indian negoiator with the Catawba & Cherokee
Indians. Sentto Ft. Loudon on TN river that was besieged by
Cherokee Indians that massacared nearly all of the garrison. Col.
Byrd resigned. Saw service in the northern Colonies and
Canada.
The first building of "Westover" nearly burnt to the ground
when William IV was born due to a housekeeper brewing a lotion
on the 3rd floof of the plantation
William married Mary Willing on 27 Jan 1761 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mary was born between 1730 and 1740 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
|
1751 - Yes, date unknown
