Born near Boydton, Mecklenburg County to Thacker Burwell and his wife, the former Mary Armistead, Burwell was descended from the First Families of Virginia. He had an elder brother Edwin, who would move abroad.[1] Burwell graduated from the College of William and Mary. He married Letitia McCreery (variously spelled McCreary, McCroory or McCrury) of Baltimore, who bore a son, William McCreery Burwell (1809-1888) before Burwell died at age 40.
Careeredit
After moving to Franklin County, Virginia, in 1802, Burwell became involved in politics and thrice won election to represent Franklin County in the Virginia House of Delegates, serving in that part time position from 1804 to 1806 alongside Henry T. Callaway before being succeeded by John Callaway after his election to the U.S. Congress.[2] During that period, Meriwether Lewis retired as PresidentThomas Jefferson's private secretary to make his famous westward expedition, and Burwell would succeed him and move to Washington, D.C.
Burwell then sought election to the U.S. House of Representatives, and was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the United States House of Representatives to fill a vacancy. Burwell won re-election several times, serving from 1806 until his death.
In the 1810 census, Burwell owned 63 slaves in Franklin County[3] and a decade later the household included 71 enslaved and 5 free colored persons[4] about double the number owned by his cousin William Burwell of Frederick County to the north (son of Nathaniel Burwell).[5] Oddly, after his death in 1821, this William A. Burwell still shows up in the 1830 census as owning 96 slaves, probably because his only child would not reach majority until November 1[6]
In her 1974 biography of Jefferson, Fawn M. Brodie repeats a clergyman's claim that Burwell was an atheist and that he was expelled from New Jersey College for this reason and for "infidelity."[citation needed]
Death and legacyedit
Burwell died on February 16, 1821, in Washington, D.C., and was interred in the Congressional Cemetery. His Franklin County home, the Burwell-Holland House, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.[7] His son William M. Burwell was born in Botetourt County, and spent some time as an editor in New Orleans, Louisiana before returning to Virginia, where he followed his father's planter and politician traditions and married an heiress from Bedford County. Ten times (with gaps), Bedford County voters elected William M. Burwell as one of their two representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates. Although he owned far fewer slaves than his father (only owning 11 slaves in 1860[8]), he continued to serve as a legislator through the American Civil War. The younger Burwell secured subsidies for the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, which passed through his Avenel farm in the county seat (then called Liberty, but which would expand after the American Civil War onto that property). William M. Burwell had four daughters and vigorously supported the Confederacy. His eldest, Letitia M. Burwell (1831–1905), wrote two books supporting the Lost Cause, the most famous being A Girl's Life in Virginia Before the War.[9][10][11]
Other relativesedit
Another William A. Burwell, distantly related, owned slaves in and represented Patrick County, Virginia, in the Virginia House of Delegates after the death of this Congressman.
^Tarter, Brent (2013). The Grandees of Government: the Origins and Persistence of Undemocratic Politics in Virginia. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press. pp. 258–259. ISBN9780813934310.
william, burwell, william, armisted, burwell, march, 1780, february, 1821, nineteenth, century, virginia, politician, planter, served, presidential, secretary, democratic, republican, united, states, house, representatives, virginia, house, delegates, william,. William Armisted Burwell March 15 1780 February 16 1821 was a nineteenth century Virginia politician and planter who served as presidential secretary and as a Democratic Republican in the United States House of Representatives and the Virginia House of Delegates William Armisted BurwellMember of theU S House of Representativesfrom VirginiaIn office December 1 1806 February 16 1821Preceded byChristopher H ClarkSucceeded byJabez LeftwichConstituency13th district 1806 1813 14th district 1813 1821 Private Secretary to the PresidentIn office 1804 1805PresidentThomas JeffersonPreceded byLewis HarvieSucceeded byIsaac ColesMember of the Virginia House of Delegates for Franklin CountyIn office December 3 1804 November 30 1806Serving with Henry T CallowayPreceded byMoses GreerSucceeded byJohn CallowayPersonal detailsBorn 1780 03 15 March 15 1780Boydton Virginia U S DiedFebruary 16 1821 1821 02 16 aged 40 Washington D C U S Political partyDemocratic RepublicanSpouseLetitia McCrury BurwellChildrenWilliam M BurwellProfessionPolitician Secretary Contents 1 Early and family life 2 Career 3 Death and legacy 3 1 Other relatives 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEarly and family life edit nbsp William Burwell s graveBorn near Boydton Mecklenburg County to Thacker Burwell and his wife the former Mary Armistead Burwell was descended from the First Families of Virginia He had an elder brother Edwin who would move abroad 1 Burwell graduated from the College of William and Mary He married Letitia McCreery variously spelled McCreary McCroory or McCrury of Baltimore who bore a son William McCreery Burwell 1809 1888 before Burwell died at age 40 Career editAfter moving to Franklin County Virginia in 1802 Burwell became involved in politics and thrice won election to represent Franklin County in the Virginia House of Delegates serving in that part time position from 1804 to 1806 alongside Henry T Callaway before being succeeded by John Callaway after his election to the U S Congress 2 During that period Meriwether Lewis retired as President Thomas Jefferson s private secretary to make his famous westward expedition and Burwell would succeed him and move to Washington D C Burwell then sought election to the U S House of Representatives and was elected as a Democratic Republican to the United States House of Representatives to fill a vacancy Burwell won re election several times serving from 1806 until his death In the 1810 census Burwell owned 63 slaves in Franklin County 3 and a decade later the household included 71 enslaved and 5 free colored persons 4 about double the number owned by his cousin William Burwell of Frederick County to the north son of Nathaniel Burwell 5 Oddly after his death in 1821 this William A Burwell still shows up in the 1830 census as owning 96 slaves probably because his only child would not reach majority until November 1 6 In her 1974 biography of Jefferson Fawn M Brodie repeats a clergyman s claim that Burwell was an atheist and that he was expelled from New Jersey College for this reason and for infidelity citation needed Death and legacy editBurwell died on February 16 1821 in Washington D C and was interred in the Congressional Cemetery His Franklin County home the Burwell Holland House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 7 His son William M Burwell was born in Botetourt County and spent some time as an editor in New Orleans Louisiana before returning to Virginia where he followed his father s planter and politician traditions and married an heiress from Bedford County Ten times with gaps Bedford County voters elected William M Burwell as one of their two representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates Although he owned far fewer slaves than his father only owning 11 slaves in 1860 8 he continued to serve as a legislator through the American Civil War The younger Burwell secured subsidies for the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad which passed through his Avenel farm in the county seat then called Liberty but which would expand after the American Civil War onto that property William M Burwell had four daughters and vigorously supported the Confederacy His eldest Letitia M Burwell 1831 1905 wrote two books supporting the Lost Cause the most famous being A Girl s Life in Virginia Before the War 9 10 11 Other relatives edit Another William A Burwell distantly related owned slaves in and represented Patrick County Virginia in the Virginia House of Delegates after the death of this Congressman See also editList of United States Congress members who died in office 1790 1899 References edit Burwell family history at https archive org stream recordofburwellf01burw recordofburwellf01burw djvu txt Cynthia Miller Leonard The Virginia General Assembly 1619 1978 Richmond Virginia State Library 1978 pp 235 240 243 1810 U S Federal Census for Franklin County Virginia p 8 of 52 1820 U S Federal Census for Franklin County Virginia p 4 of 38 1820 U S Federal Census for Middletown Frederick County Virginia p 10 of 11 1830 U S Federal Census for Franklin County Virginia pp 19 20 of 120 033 0003 Burwell Holland House 1860 U S Federal Census Slave Schedule for Liberty Bedford County Virginia p 1 of 4 Letitia M Burwell A Girl s Life in Virginia Before the War Letitia Burwell 6 July 2008 Tarter Brent 2013 The Grandees of Government the Origins and Persistence of Undemocratic Politics in Virginia Charlottesville University of Virginia Press pp 258 259 ISBN 9780813934310 External links editUnited States Congress William A Burwell id B001160 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress William A Burwell at The Political GraveyardU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byChristopher H Clark Member of the U S House of Representatives from Virginia s 13th congressional districtDecember 1 1806 March 3 1813 obsolete district Succeeded byThomas M BaylyPreceded byMatthew Clay Member of the U S House of Representatives from Virginia s 14th congressional districtMarch 4 1813 February 16 1821 obsolete district Succeeded byJabez Leftwich Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William A Burwell amp oldid 1172673003, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
