Edward Barradall Explained

Edward Barradall
Office:Acting Attorney General for the Virginia colony
Term Start:1737
Term End:1743
Predecessor:John Clayton
Successor:Thomas Nelson
Office1:Member of the House of Burgesses
from College of William and Mary
Term Start1:1737
Term End1:1743
Preceded1:John Randolph
Succeeded1:Beverley Randolph
Birth Place:Kent, England
Death Place:Virginia, U.S.
Resting Place:Bruton Parish Church
Williamsburg, Virginia, U.S.
Nationality:British American
Children:1

Edward Barradall (c. 1703–1743) was a British attorney, admiralty judge and politician who represented the College of William and Mary in the House of Burgesses, served as mayor of Williamsburg and compiled the first volume of decisions of the general Court of the Colony of Virginia.[1]

Early and family life

Born in England to Henry Barradall and his wife Catherine Blumfield, who had married in 1676, Barradell studied law and was admitted to the bar at the Inner Temple.[2]

On January 5, 1736, in Virginia, Barradell married Sarah, the daughter and granddaughter of planters named William FitzHugh, and sister of Burgess William Fitzhugh. They had a son, Edward Barradall, Jr., orphaned as a child but who reached adulthood and had children.

Career

Barradall emigrated from England with his two brothers and sisters to the Colony of Virginia. He developed a successful legal practice in Williamsburg and Lord Fairfax, who had vast land claims sometimes known as the Northern Neck Proprietary was one of his clients.[3] Barradell succeeded John Clayton as the Attorney General of Virginia in 1737.[4]

That same year, Sir John Randolph who represented the College of William and Mary in the House of Burgesses (and was also its Speaker) died, and Barradell succeeded him as burgess for the next sessions, until his death. Barradell also served as Judge of the Admiralty Court.[5] and mayor of Williamsburg, Virginia (1736-1737).[6]

Edward Barradall is sometimes called Virginia's first law reporter, because a manuscript of his notes[7] concerning cases adjudicated by the General Court of Virginia between April 1733 and October 1741 was published long after his death, although the original manuscript is now lost.[8]

In 1739 one of Barradall's indentured servants, John Davis, a West Country man imported from Bristol, ran away, so Barradall advertised for his return, noting that since he had lived in Philadelphia he might be trying to run back there. Barradall offered a cash reward and a pistol for Davis' return.[9]

Death

Barradall died about 1743 in Virginia, as did his wife Sarah.[10] Both are buried together in the same tomb in the churchyard of historic Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Tyler . Lyon Gardiner . Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography . 1915 . Lewis historical publishing Company . 180 . December 3, 2022 . en.
  2. Book: Bryson . William Hamilton . Virginia Law Books: Essays and Bibliographies . 2000 . American Philosophical Society . 978-0-87169-239-9 . 96 . December 3, 2022 . en.
  3. Book: Sturtz . Linda . Within Her Power: Propertied Women in Colonial Virginia . November 5, 2013 . Routledge . 978-1-135-30196-5 . 209 . December 3, 2022 . en.
  4. Web site: Edward BARRADALL Attny General (ABT 1703 - ____) . September 16, 2006 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928025234/http://www.gbnf.com/GENEALOGY/lawler99/html/d0121/I7878.HTM . September 28, 2007 .
  5. Web site: Descendants of JOHN LEE . September 16, 2006 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20061105022647/http://www.octhouse.com/leereport.html . November 5, 2006 .
  6. http://www.ci.williamsburg.va.us/gen/history/govh7.htm History of Williamsburg, Virginia
  7. Barradall, Edward, and Randolph, John. Virginia Colonial Decisions. United States, Boston Book Company, 1909. pp. 15f.
  8. Web site: Bruton Church, Williamsburg VA; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 3, No. 3, 1895 . September 16, 2006 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20071119045348/http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/va/jamescity/churches/bruton.txt . November 19, 2007 .
  9. Web site: Flee for freedom . September 16, 2006 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20041016024510/http://discovery.coe.uh.edu/linkedf04/students/zhang_r/zhang_r_project1.htm . October 16, 2004 .
  10. Web site: W. H. Bryson: Publications . September 16, 2006 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20060913111020/http://law.richmond.edu/bryson/reviews.htm . September 13, 2006 .
  11. ad THE FITZHUGH FAMILY.