Knowledge (XXG)

Theodorick Bland (congressman)

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1346: 598: 518:'s main armies; Bland wrote two separate dispatches, and Col. James Ross of the 8th Pennsylvania wrote another dispatch reporting on British troop movements. Both men's dispatches supported that of Col. Hazen. However, their dispatches were initially misinterpreted, until it was almost too late. Without the accurate contributions of Bland, Ross, and Hazen, a worse result might have befallen Washington's army at Brandywine. 286: 530:
relatives and friends. Bland had earlier retired from his active medical practice for the same health issues in the late 1760s, nearly a decade before the war had begun, and finally was allowed to retire from the military for health reasons in late 1779. He did, however, in 1785, accept a commission from Gov. Patrick Henry as the Prince George County Lieutenant, with military responsibilities.
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As a planter like his father, grandfather and namesake, Bland cultivated tobacco, indigo and wheat. In the 1787 Virginia tax census, he owned 18 enslaved Blacks at least 16 years old, and 13 under that age, as well as 11 horses, 21 cattle and a 4-wheeled chariot. As mentioned below, his father had
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Some later accounts have Bland's Virginia Horse subsequently assigned to scouting duty. In his 1922 biography of John Randolph, the historian William Cabell Bruce suggested that the Brandywine incident encouraged Washington to use his cavalries more for scouting rather than sitting in formation on
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After his father moved to Amelia County, Bland took over Cawsons (apparently about 1783-1784 after his return to Virginia from the Continental Congress and his father's death.) Bland then operated Kippax as an out-plantation. In 1786, Bland was elected to the Virginia House, where he served until
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Bland then returned to Virginia and began a medical practice, as well as following family traditions of political involvement and farming using enslaved labor. He married Martha Daingerfield in 1768 and they likely settled at Kippax about that time. (His parents had moved to Cawsons.) Thus Bland
559:, in which his father served in the Virginia Senate and Edmund Bland served in the Virginia House of Delegates. In 1780, the General Assembly named Bland as one of Virginia's delegates to the Continental Congress, where he served until 1783 and thus helped form the new United States government. 529:
over British officers taken prisoner. He also worked to keep Washington's officers and cavalry supplied with quality horses both from his own stables and from others. As a participant in the early American horse-racing community, Bland owned a large stable and had access to other horses through
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under the pseudonym "Cassius". In 1775 Bland joined the local "Committee of Intelligence" as well as helped locate arms and munitions for the patriot cause. In June 1776, Bland accepted a commission as captain in Virginia's cavalry. He rose quickly to Colonel and commanded the
503:, often cited as "Bland's Virginia Horse" in Revolutionary dispatches and correspondence. In the latter capacity Bland reported directly to General Washington. He would retire in 1779 from active cavalry service due to poor health, which he had suffered from his youth. 1385: 1410: 650: 934: 543:
after the conflict, but died before that tax census. Thus, his father's estate also owned 13 enslaved adult Blacks in Amelia County, Virginia, as well as 10 younger slaves and four horses.
478:. Bland retired from medical practice in the late 1760s, "in favor of farming and politics". He became active in politics before the war, serving as the Clerk of Prince George County. 1405: 627:
His wife Martha Bland survived him and married two more times. She was an independent woman, maintaining the Bland holdings by executing marriage contracts to control her own lands.
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to create a school to educate youth, but insisted that it be established within 15 years of his death, which bequest lapsed because no school was constructed.
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Bland's political career had begun before the Revolution, when he served as the Clerk of Prince George County, and had considerable contact with the
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Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florene Speakman Love, The 1787 Census of Virginia (Springfield, Virginia, Genealogical Books in Brint 1987) p. 908
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and Frances Elizabeth (Bolling) Bland. His mother was the only child and heir of Captain Drury Bolling and Elizabeth Meriweather of "
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grew on the site, it has recently been purchased by the Archaeological Conservancy, and archaeological excavations are ongoing.
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Cynthia Miller Leonard, The Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978 (Richmond: Virginia State Library 1978) pp. 162, 166, 170, 174
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At Gen. Washington's request, when Bland returned to Virginia to recuperate in 1779, he also served as Warden at
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His ancestors had settled in Virginia years earlier, became civic leaders (hence sometimes referred to as the
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the front lines, as they had at Brandywine. However, the lack of scouting had led to the Brandywine errors.
458: 427: 166: 1255: 618: 407: 398:) and prospered by operating plantations using enslaved labor. Like his father (who served in the initial 238: 1305: 149: 803: 574:. Bland voted against ratification, as he believed it yielded too much power to a central government. 494:
views aligned him with the rebels. He or his father published letters criticizing Lord Dunmore in the
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for his education, accompanied by an enslaved boy, Tom, as his body servant. Bland studied first in
1190: 1028: 698: 487: 997: 916: 892: 1325: 1315: 1150: 841: 638: 606: 552: 415: 210: 685:"National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Kippax Plantation Archaeological Site" 597: 1210: 1180: 388: 380: 1310: 1265: 1235: 1175: 1170: 1140: 1079: 631: 622: 443: 431: 273: 97: 1335: 1320: 1295: 1290: 1275: 1245: 1205: 511: 439: 399: 153: 343:. A major figure in the formation of the new United States government, Bland represented 993:
The Memorial History of the City of New York: From Its First Settlement to the Year 1892
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The Bland Papers: Being a Selection from the Manuscripts of Colonel Theodorick Bland, Jr
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At age 11, after being tutored at home as was customary for his class, he was sent to
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Frances Earle Lutz, The Prince George-Hopewell Story (William Byrd Press 1957) p. 73
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would precede him in being elected to state legislative posts as well as Congress.
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during the American Revolutionary War representing Prince George County and nearly
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In 1788, Prince George voters elected Bland and Ruffin as their delegate to the
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John Randolph of Roanoke, 1773-1833: A Biography Based Largely on New Material
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After the constitution was adopted, Virginia legislators elected to Bland the
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Although the buildings of Kippax Plantation are long gone, and the town of
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Members of the United States House of Representatives who owned slaves
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List of United States Congress members who died in office (1790–1899)
355:(until his death in office), as well as served multiple terms in the 1411:
Members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia
339:, was an American planter, physician, soldier, and politician from 426:) from 1661 until his death, probably in 1672. His grandfather, 1091: 630:
Bland bequeathed 2 acres of land on Blandford Hill next to the
335:(March 21, 1741 – June 1, 1790), also known as 909:
Lee, Richard Henry; Ballagh, James (compiled by) (1914).
617:). In 1828, his remains were moved and reinterred in the 510:
supplied General Washington with the correct location of
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Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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and correspondence between him and George Washington
457:. Next he went to Scotland to study medicine at the 312: 302: 294: 279: 269: 264: 256: 248: 234: 217: 193: 188: 172: 160: 125: 103: 91: 81: 50: 30: 1118:Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1406:Delegates to the Virginia Ratifying Convention 976: 974: 756:Lloyd Dobyns; Erik Goldstein (April 3, 2006). 430:, had married Elizabeth Randolph, daughter of 1103: 613:was designated in the late 20th century as a 8: 1063:U.S. House of Representatives 146:October 16, 1786 – October 18, 1789 121:November 1, 1780 – October 30, 1783 727:Theodorick Bland; Charles Campbell (1840). 687:. United States Department of the Interior. 367:(and unsuccessfully opposed ratification). 1376:People from Prince George County, Virginia 1110: 1096: 1088: 1041: 678: 676: 674: 672: 670: 668: 666: 605:Bland was originally buried in New York's 27: 875:Schreiner-Yantis and Speakman Love p. 353 379:in 1741 to a prominent planter family in 54:U.S. House of Representatives 596: 434:of Turkey Island. His uncle, also named 1391:Continental Army officers from Virginia 760:. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. 662: 805:Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution 683:Donald W. Linebaugh (March 12, 2007). 353:United States House of Representatives 1416:Burials at the Congressional Cemetery 1396:Continental Congressmen from Virginia 1120:Virginia's 9th congressional district 1069:Virginia's 9th congressional district 937:. Profiles in History. Archived from 846:noble sensible honorable and amiable. 758:"A new look at the Governor's Palace" 77:March 4, 1789 – June 1, 1790 19:For other people with this name, see 7: 996:. New York History Company. p.  722: 720: 718: 716: 935:"a letter to General George Weedon" 414:, who had served as Speaker of the 363:, which he also represented in the 1381:American people of English descent 933:Theodoric Bland (April 11, 1783). 699:"BLAND, Theodorick, (1742 - 1790)" 461:, graduating as a doctor in 1763. 14: 1401:18th-century American legislators 915:. The Macmillan Company. p.  1426:18th-century American physicians 1344: 1029:"Theodorick Bland (id: B000546)" 1013:Frances Earle Lutz, pp. 104, 107 912:The Letters of Richard Henry Lee 888:The Writings of Thomas Jefferson 733:. E. & J.C. Ruffin. xxviii. 601:Coat of Arms of Theodorick Bland 365:Virginia Ratification Convention 284: 38: 840:. G.P. Putnam's Sons. pp.  891:. G.P. Putnam's Sons. p.  501:1st Continental Light Dragoons 341:Prince George County, Virginia 307:1st Continental Light Dragoons 260:Planter, physician, politician 1: 1074:March 4, 1789 - June 1, 1790 1061:Member of the  1046:U.S. House of Representatives 834:William Cabell Bruce (1922). 418:in 1660 and also represented 107:Congress of the Confederation 579:First United States Congress 438:, his father's first cousin 412:Theodorick Bland of Westover 990:James Grant Wilson (1893). 385:Theodorick Bland of Cawsons 357:Virginia House of Delegates 129:Virginia House of Delegates 1447: 802:Benson J. Lossing (1850). 615:National Historic Landmark 572:United States Constitution 396:First Families of Virginia 317:American Revolutionary War 18: 1342: 1126: 1076: 1059: 1051: 1044: 885:Thomas Jefferson (1893). 821:The War of the Revolution 819:Christopher Ward (1952). 557:Virginia General Assembly 465:Early career and marriage 326: 184: 139: 114: 70: 46: 37: 1431:Physicians from Virginia 1421:Bland family of Virginia 1027:United States Congress. 506:Bland's observations at 442:, and his second cousin 371:Early life and education 459:University of Edinburgh 619:Congressional Cemetery 602: 410:), he was named after 239:Congressional Cemetery 609:in Lower Manhattan. ( 600: 570:called to ratify the 337:Theodorick Bland, Jr. 148:Serving with 589:completed his term. 587:William Branch Giles 377:Prince George County 361:Prince George County 349:Continental Congress 321:Battle of Brandywine 243:District of Columbia 207:Prince George County 134:Prince George County 87:position established 568:Virginia Convention 420:Charles City County 383:. His parents were 16:American politician 607:Trinity Churchyard 603: 553:House of Burgesses 416:House of Burgesses 375:Bland was born in 252:Elizabeth Randolph 211:Colony of Virginia 1353: 1352: 1086: 1085: 1077:Succeeded by 735:the bland papers. 482:Revolutionary War 381:colonial Virginia 330: 329: 150:Edmund Ruffin Jr. 1438: 1348: 1112: 1105: 1098: 1089: 1080:William B. Giles 1071: 1055:District created 1052:Preceded by 1042: 1038: 1014: 1011: 1005: 1004: 1002:theodoric bland. 987: 981: 978: 969: 966: 960: 957: 951: 950: 948: 946: 941:on March 2, 2007 930: 924: 923: 921:theodoric bland. 906: 900: 899: 897:theodoric bland. 882: 876: 873: 867: 864: 858: 855: 849: 848: 831: 825: 824: 816: 810: 809: 808:. Vol. III. 799: 793: 790:The Bland Papers 786: 780: 777: 771: 770:Lutz, pp. 77, 83 768: 762: 761: 753: 747: 744: 738: 737: 724: 711: 710: 708: 706: 695: 689: 688: 680: 623:Washington, D.C. 593:Death and legacy 496:Virginia Gazette 490:neared, Bland's 444:Thomas Jefferson 432:William Randolph 333:Theodorick Bland 290:Virginia Militia 289: 288: 287: 274:Continental Army 265:Military service 224: 203: 201: 189:Personal details 175: 163: 144: 119: 104:Delegate to the 98:William B. Giles 94: 84: 75: 56: 42: 32:Theodorick Bland 28: 21:Theodorick Bland 1446: 1445: 1441: 1440: 1439: 1437: 1436: 1435: 1356: 1355: 1354: 1349: 1340: 1122: 1116: 1082: 1073: 1067: 1065: 1057: 1026: 1023: 1018: 1017: 1012: 1008: 989: 988: 984: 979: 972: 967: 963: 958: 954: 944: 942: 932: 931: 927: 908: 907: 903: 884: 883: 879: 874: 870: 865: 861: 856: 852: 833: 832: 828: 818: 817: 813: 801: 800: 796: 787: 783: 778: 774: 769: 765: 755: 754: 750: 745: 741: 726: 725: 714: 704: 702: 697: 696: 692: 682: 681: 664: 659: 647: 595: 549: 536: 527:Charlottesville 512:Lord Cornwallis 484: 467: 440:Peyton Randolph 400:Virginia Senate 373: 319: 285: 283: 226: 222: 205: 199: 197: 173: 161: 156: 154:Edmund Harrison 145: 140: 131: 127: 120: 115: 109: 105: 92: 82: 76: 71: 57: 52: 33: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1444: 1442: 1434: 1433: 1428: 1423: 1418: 1413: 1408: 1403: 1398: 1393: 1388: 1383: 1378: 1373: 1368: 1358: 1357: 1351: 1350: 1343: 1341: 1339: 1338: 1333: 1328: 1323: 1318: 1313: 1308: 1303: 1298: 1293: 1288: 1283: 1278: 1273: 1268: 1263: 1258: 1253: 1248: 1243: 1238: 1233: 1228: 1223: 1218: 1213: 1208: 1203: 1198: 1193: 1188: 1183: 1178: 1173: 1168: 1163: 1158: 1153: 1148: 1143: 1138: 1133: 1127: 1124: 1123: 1117: 1115: 1114: 1107: 1100: 1092: 1084: 1083: 1078: 1075: 1058: 1053: 1049: 1048: 1040: 1039: 1022: 1021:External links 1019: 1016: 1015: 1006: 982: 970: 968:Leonard p. 174 961: 952: 925: 901: 877: 868: 859: 850: 826: 811: 794: 781: 772: 763: 748: 739: 712: 690: 661: 660: 658: 655: 654: 653: 646: 643: 611:Trinity Church 594: 591: 548: 545: 535: 532: 483: 480: 466: 463: 424:Henrico County 408:Surry Counties 372: 369: 328: 327: 324: 323: 314: 310: 309: 304: 300: 299: 296: 292: 291: 281: 280:Branch/service 277: 276: 271: 267: 266: 262: 261: 258: 254: 253: 250: 246: 245: 241:, Washington, 236: 232: 231: 225:(aged 49) 219: 215: 214: 204:March 21, 1741 195: 191: 190: 186: 185: 182: 181: 176: 170: 169: 164: 158: 157: 147: 137: 136: 126:Member of the 123: 122: 112: 111: 101: 100: 95: 89: 88: 85: 79: 78: 68: 67: 51:Member of the 48: 47: 44: 43: 35: 34: 31: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1443: 1432: 1429: 1427: 1424: 1422: 1419: 1417: 1414: 1412: 1409: 1407: 1404: 1402: 1399: 1397: 1394: 1392: 1389: 1387: 1384: 1382: 1379: 1377: 1374: 1372: 1369: 1367: 1364: 1363: 1361: 1347: 1337: 1334: 1332: 1329: 1327: 1324: 1322: 1319: 1317: 1314: 1312: 1309: 1307: 1304: 1302: 1299: 1297: 1294: 1292: 1289: 1287: 1284: 1282: 1279: 1277: 1274: 1272: 1269: 1267: 1264: 1262: 1259: 1257: 1254: 1252: 1249: 1247: 1244: 1242: 1239: 1237: 1234: 1232: 1229: 1227: 1224: 1222: 1219: 1217: 1214: 1212: 1209: 1207: 1204: 1202: 1199: 1197: 1194: 1192: 1189: 1187: 1184: 1182: 1179: 1177: 1174: 1172: 1169: 1167: 1164: 1162: 1159: 1157: 1154: 1152: 1149: 1147: 1144: 1142: 1139: 1137: 1134: 1132: 1129: 1128: 1125: 1121: 1113: 1108: 1106: 1101: 1099: 1094: 1093: 1090: 1081: 1072: 1070: 1064: 1056: 1050: 1047: 1043: 1036: 1035: 1030: 1025: 1024: 1020: 1010: 1007: 1003: 999: 995: 994: 986: 983: 977: 975: 971: 965: 962: 956: 953: 945:September 14, 940: 936: 929: 926: 922: 918: 914: 913: 905: 902: 898: 894: 890: 889: 881: 878: 872: 869: 863: 860: 854: 851: 847: 843: 839: 838: 830: 827: 822: 815: 812: 807: 806: 798: 795: 791: 785: 782: 776: 773: 767: 764: 759: 752: 749: 743: 740: 736: 732: 731: 723: 721: 719: 717: 713: 700: 694: 691: 686: 679: 677: 675: 673: 671: 669: 667: 663: 656: 652: 649: 648: 644: 642: 640: 635: 633: 628: 625: 624: 620: 616: 612: 608: 599: 592: 590: 588: 584: 583:New York City 580: 575: 573: 569: 564: 560: 558: 554: 546: 544: 542: 541:Amelia County 533: 531: 528: 523: 519: 517: 513: 509: 504: 502: 497: 493: 489: 481: 479: 477: 473: 464: 462: 460: 456: 452: 451:Great Britain 447: 445: 441: 437: 436:Richard Bland 433: 429: 428:Richard Bland 425: 421: 417: 413: 409: 405: 404:Isle of Wight 401: 397: 392: 390: 386: 382: 378: 370: 368: 366: 362: 359:representing 358: 354: 350: 346: 342: 338: 334: 325: 322: 318: 315: 311: 308: 305: 301: 297: 293: 282: 278: 275: 272: 268: 263: 259: 255: 251: 247: 244: 240: 237: 235:Resting place 233: 229: 228:New York City 220: 216: 212: 208: 196: 192: 187: 183: 180: 179:Richard Bland 177: 171: 168: 165: 159: 155: 151: 143: 138: 135: 130: 124: 118: 113: 110:from Virginia 108: 102: 99: 96: 90: 86: 80: 74: 69: 65: 61: 55: 49: 45: 41: 36: 29: 26: 22: 1130: 1060: 1054: 1032: 1009: 1001: 992: 985: 964: 955: 943:. 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Index

Theodorick Bland

U.S. House of Representatives
Virginia
9th
William B. Giles
Congress of the Confederation
Virginia House of Delegates
Prince George County
Edmund Ruffin Jr.
Edmund Harrison
Edward Bland
Richard Bland
Prince George County
Colony of Virginia
New York City
Congressional Cemetery
District of Columbia
Continental Army
1st Continental Light Dragoons
American Revolutionary War
Battle of Brandywine
Prince George County, Virginia
Virginia
Continental Congress
United States House of Representatives
Virginia House of Delegates
Prince George County
Virginia Ratification Convention
Prince George County

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