Carter Braxton
Carter Braxton (born September 16, 1736 on the Newington Plantation, King and Queen County , Colony of Virginia , colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain (now USA ), † October 10, 1797 ) was one of the founding fathers of the United States as a signatory of the Declaration of Independence for Virginia States .
Braxton studied at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. When he was 19, he married the wealthy heiress Judith Robinson, who died two years later after having two daughters together. He traveled to England for two years . He returned in 1760, married Elizabeth Corbinand and represented King William County in the House of Burgesses . He joined the Patriotic Security Committee in 1774 and represented his county in the Virginia Congress. When Peyton Randolph died in 1775, Braxton was nominated to take his place in the Continental Congress . He served in Congress from February to August 1776 when Virginia reduced its delegation to five members. He then belonged to the new Virginia House of Representatives for several terms (1776–1783, 1785–1786, 1790–1794) and later served on the State Executive Council.
Braxton invested a large part of his wealth in the independence movement . He lent money for this purpose and financed ships and privateers. The British destroyed Braxton's ship investments and several of his plantations were also destroyed during the war. Braxton accumulated large debts during the war and never recovered financially. He was forced to sell his property in 1786 and move to a smaller one in Richmond .
The Braxton County in present-day West Virginia was named after Carter Braxton.
Web links
- Carter Braxton in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
- Carter Braxton in the database of Find a Grave (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Braxton, Carter |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American founding father |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 16, 1736 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | King and Queen County , Virginia |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 10, 1797 |