Fitzhugh, William Jr. (?-1713/14)

Role in Ravensworth – owner Parcel 1.2

William Fitzhugh, Jr. was the oldest child born to William (the Immigrant) and Sarah (Tucker) Fitzhugh.

Insight into William’s early education is given in this passage from a July 10, 1790 letter his father wrote to his London business agent, Nicholas Hayward: “Sir this year I was designed to have sent home my eldest son to school there & did intend to request of your care of him & kindness to him but accidentally meeting w’h a french Minister, a sober, learned & discreet Gentleman whom I persuaded to board & tutor him, which he hath undertaken, in whose family there is nothing but french spoken which by a continual converse, will make him perfect in that tongue & he takes a great deal of pains & care to teach him Latin…”1

William married Ann Lee (1683-1732) circa 1699, daughter of Richard Lee of Westmoreland County. Sources report that they had five children:2

  • William Fitzhugh, III (about 1701-1716)
  • Elizabeth Fitzhugh (about 1703-1726)
  • Henry Fitzhugh (of Eagle’s Nest) (1706-1742)
  • Lettice Fitzhugh (1707-1732), married George Turberville
  • Sarah Fitzhugh (1710-1743), married Edward Barradall, who served as Attorney General of Virginia

The widowed Ann married a second time to widower Daniel McCarty; sources do not indicate that she had children with him.3 Her will mentions her own (Fitzhugh) children and two “sons” named McCarty.4 Apparently these were stepchildren from Daniel’s prior marriage, who would likely have been household members.

Although his date of birth is unknown, William was an adult by 1700. He was then a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses representing Stafford County. Other public offices he held at various times included clerk and high sheriff of Stafford County and a royal appointment to England’s Trade and Plantations Council.5

William Jr.’s half share of Ravensworth (approximately 11,000 acres) was one of six parcels of land totaling almost 21,000 acres that William (the Immigrant)’s will6 bequeathed to him in 1701. It included the family’’s residence plantation, Eagles Nest, which he was to share equally with his mother until her death.

 

  1. The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol 3 (1896) (Virginia Historical Society), William Fitzhugh letters, 9, (Google Books). ↩
  2. The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol 7 (1900), 318; Maddy McCoy, “Genealogical Research for Fairfax County, Virginia Slavery Inventory Database,” Slavery Inventory Database, LLC, http://www.slaveryinventorydatabase.com/, (Unpublished manuscript, 2009). ↩
  3. Daniel MCCarty, MasonWeb. ↩
  4. Louise Pecquet du Bellet, Edward Jaquelin, and Martha Cary Jaquelin, Some Prominent Virginia Families (J.P. Bell company (inc.), 1907), 560, (Google Books). ↩
  5. The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol 7 (1900) (Virginia Historical Society), 317, (Google Books). ↩
  6. For abstract of William Fitzhugh (the Immigrant)’s will, see page 276 in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol 7 (1900) (Virginia Historical Society) (Google Books). ↩