Philip Ludwell
Philip Ludwell | |
---|---|
Virginia House of Burgesses representing James City County | |
In office 1698–1696 | |
Preceded by | Michael Sherman |
Succeeded by | Thomas Cowles, Henry Duke |
In office 1695–1696 Serving with Poynes Weldon | |
Succeeded by | Henry Duke |
Virginia Council of State | |
In office 1675-1679, 1680-1687 | |
Personal details | |
Born | c.1638 Bruton, Somerset, England |
Died | c.1723 Bruton, Somerset County, England |
Spouse(s) | Lucy Higginson Lady Frances Berkeley |
Children | Philip Ludwell Jr. Lucy Ludwell |
Occupation | planter, soldier, bureaucrat |
Military service | |
Branch/service | Virginia militia |
Rank | Colonel |
Battles/wars | Bacon's Rebellion |
Philip Cottington Ludwell (c. 1638 – c. 1723) was an English-born planter and politician in colonial Virginia who sat on the Virginia Governor's Council, the first of three generations of men with the same name to do so, and briefly served as speaker of the House of Burgesses. In addition to operating plantations in Virginia using enslaved labor, Ludwell also served as the first governor of the Carolinas, during the colony's transition from proprietary rule to royal colony.[1][2][3]
Early life and family
Philip Ludwell was born in Bruton, Somerset, England. He emigrated to Virginia circa 1661, where his brother Thomas Ludwell was secretary of the colony, and fellow Bruton native William Berkeley served several terms as governor, first under the London Company, and then pursuant to royal commission after Virginia became a royal colony.[4][5]
He married Lucy Higginson Burwell, the daughter of Captain Robert Higginson and widow of Major Lewis Burwell I and later of William Bernard. They had a son Philip Ludwell Jr. and a daughter Lucy who married future burgess Daniel Parke II, and whose daughter (also Lucy) would marry William Byrd II.[citation needed]
Career
In 1667, Philip Ludwell became captain of the James City County militia. After marrying his first wife and becoming the guardian for her son Lewis Burwell who had not reached legal age, he operated Fairfield, the Burwell family's plantation on Carter's Creek in Gloucester County, probably until about 1675 (both her death and when her son Lewis Burwell reached legal age and married for the first time).[4]
Ludwell patented large areas of land, and probably lived for a time with his brother Thomas at Rich Neck Plantation in James City County near Jamestown.[4]
In November 1674, Thomas Ludwell sailed to England, having authorized his brother to serve as the Virginia Colony's Deputy Secretary. In the mid-1670s, Philip Ludwell also appeared before Virginia's General Court to file audited accounts as well as filed lawsuits and present testimony, and also served as the colony's surveyor general. In 1675, he was named to the Council of State (both the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly and the advisory council to the governor) and would hold that position until 1677.[4][6]
In 1676, both Ludwell brothers remained among the strongest supporters of Virginia governor
Both Ludwell brothers remained prominent residents of what some called Middle Plantation until 1677--both when Governor Berkeley died in London and Thomas Ludlow died later in the year in Virginia. Ultimately, the colony's capital was reestablished very near Middle Plantation at Williamsburg, since stagnant water at Jamestown during summer months proved especially unhealthful.
Philip Ludwell had witnessed Governor Berkeley's will in March 1677, and three years later he became the third husband of Berkeley's widow,
Not only was Lady Berkeley known as opinionated, Ludwell's continued outspoken views also put him at odds with Lt. Governor Herbert Jeffreys until Jeffrey's death and Ludwell's re-instatement to the Governor's Council upon petition of other burgesses.[12] The conflict recurred later with Governor Francis Howard, so that Ludwell was again suspended from the Governor's Council in 1688 but sailed to England with a petition for relief signed by several burgesses.[4][13] Thus, although James City County voters elected both Ludwell and James Bray Sr. to represent them in the House of Burgesses that year, Ludwell was not allowed to be seated (his son-in-law Daniel Parke won the new election and was seated).[14] Ludwell would again carry a petition of Burgesses and Lady Berkeley to England circa 1791, and received a vote of thanks and 250 pounds sterling for his efforts.[15]
Despite her remarriage and moving for a time to the Ludwell plantation at Rich Neck, Lady Berkeley never relinquished her title as Lady Berkeley before her death (probably at Green Spring and probably in 1695, though she would be reburied at Jamestown). Since she had no surviving children from her prior marriages, nor the last, Ludlow inherited her property, including Green Spring, that she had inherited from Gov. Berkeley and from her first husband, North Carolina Gov. Samuel Stephens, and would in turn pass them onto his son by his first marriage, Philip Ludwell Jr.[4]
In 1684 and 1685, after Governor Howard arrived in Virginia, Ludwell was hired to build and remodel the statehouse and secretary's office in Jamestown. Around 1691, Ludwell became Lord Fairfax's agent for the Northern Neck Proprietary. He also bought lots in Jamestown.[4]
Through Lady Berkeley's efforts, the
Ludwell then returned to Virginia politics, won election as one of James City County's two delegates (alongside Poynes Weldon), and fellow Burgesses elected him as speaker in the 1695-1696 session before Ludwell again sailed to England.[18]
Later life and death
Although the date remains unclear, Philip Ludlow returned to England permanently after his wife's death, after entrusting his Virginia plantations and other property to his son.[5]
Now a gentleman, Ludlow died in England after 1704, possibly in his native Bruton in Somerset as late as 1723 according to a letter sent to Philip Ludwell Jr. by an English relative. He is buried at the family vault in the
References
- ^ a b "Ludwell, Philip | NCpedia".
- ^ "Ludwell, Philip | NCpedia".
- ISBN 978-0-8063-1872-1.
- ^ a b c d e f g h McCartney
- ^ a b c ncpedia
- ^ Cynthia Miller Leonard, Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978 (Richmond: Virginia State Library 1978) p. xx
- OCLC 123965653.
- ISBN 978-1-4276-1545-9.
- ^ "Berkeley, Frances Culpeper Stephens (1634–ca. 1695)". encyclopediavirginia.org. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ Grizzard
- ^ Encyclopediavirginia
- ^ Stanard pp. 297-299
- ^ Stanard p. 308
- ^ Leonard pp. xx, 49 and note
- ^ Stanard p. 313
- ^ encyclopediavirginia
- ^ Grizzard p. 26
- ^ Leonard p. 54