William CABELL III ¹

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  General Notes:

Col. William Cabell (Jody's 4th Great Grand Father), the younger, of "Union Hill," was born March 25, 1759. From 1765 to 1772, he was educated with his brother Sam. He boarded at Mr. John Nicholas (brother to the Hon. Robert Carter Nicho­las), and went to school to Mr. John Johnston from May 17, 1772, until the death of Mr. Johnston in August 1773.

In the spring of 1774, William Fontaine, the son of Col. Peter Fontaine, commenced teaching at "Union Hill," and taught Col. Cabell's children, his brother, James Fon­taine, John Nicholas, Jr., and one of Col. James Nevil's sons.

It seems well to say here that the custom with the landed gentry of this region with their minor children, before the Revolution, was this: First one and then another of a circle of friends would employ a tutor, and take the young sons of the others as boarders. Thus, in 1768-1769, the tutor was at "Union Hill;" in 1770-1771, at Col. Peter Fon­taine's; in 1772-1773, at Col. John Nicholas'; in 1774-­1775, again at "Union Hill." From these private tutors, or from such classical schools as those of the Rev. Mr. Maury or the Rev. Mr. Douglas, the boys were sent to William and Mary College, or to England, or to Scotland, to complete their education.

William Cabell, Jr., remained under the Rev. Robert Buchan's tuition until the summer of 1777. From August 1777, to April 1779, he was at Hampden Sidney Academy, in which school his father had been interested since March 1775. From May 1779, to September 1780, he was a stu­dent at William and Mary College, and while there he was treasurer of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

(JBR Note: Research "Nancy" vs "Ann") On November 18, 1780, he set off on his way to Col. Paul Car­rington's to marry his daughter Nancy. His marriage bond, sealed in the presence of Samuel W. Venable, with Thomas Read as his security, was given on November 20. He was married at the residence of the bride's father in Charlotte County, the 21st of November, and came to "Union Hill" with his wife on December 4.

For some time, William Cabell, Jr., had been major of Lieut.-Col. John Pope, Jr.'s battalion of Amherst militia.

June 12 1781. Lafayette was under the Southwest Mountain, near the Rivanna River. June 13. He was near the head of Licking-Hole Creek, and on the same day Cornwallis left the Point of Fork and marched toward the lower coun­try. July 14, Lafayette follow him. On the 16th, Cornwal­lis arrived in Richmond; the 19th, Lafayette join Steuben; and the 21st, Cornwallis was at Bottom Bridge.

There exists a list of militia ordered into service from Amherst County, under Lieut.-Col. John Pope, Jr., and Maj. Wil­liam Cabell, Jr. The list contains the names of five captains, six lieutenants, three ensigns, and 277 non-commis­sioned officers and privates, and is indorsed on the back, --

"March to join the army commanded by the Honorable Major-General the Marquis de la Fayette. DANIEL GAINES, Colonel Militia, Amherst. "June ye 21st 1781. "

Major William Cabell was then on the march to join Lafayette. On the 25th, Cornwallis was at Williamsburg.

Cornwallis landed at Yorktown on August 2; Gen. O'Hara and the rest of the British army on August 22, and they surrendered on October 19. Lafayette and the Vir­ginia militia were generally almost in sight of the earl from the time that he first crossed James River to the fall of Yorktown. Although I have no particular account of the Amherst militia, I know that Maj. William Cabell was under fire, and I have no reason to suppose that his com­mand did not do their duty. Darkness was over the land of Virginia for the greater part of 1781; but the sun rose clear and bright at Yorktown, and shone over "The United States."

On the 6th of October 1783, William Cabell, Jr., was appointed surveyor of Amherst County by William and Mary College, which office he continued to fill until De­cember 1, 1788, when he resigned, "and procured the appointment of Col. James Higginbotham."

In October 1783, the house in which he had been living in the "Union Hill" yard since January 1781, was moved to its present location on "the Colleton" estate, which had been previously given to him by his father, and he moved there on October 25. July 5, 1784, he qualified as one of the justices of old Amherst County, an office which he continued to hold un­til the county was divided in 1808. He was a contributor to the James River Company prior to 1787. He was a mem­ber of the General Assembly in 1789, 1790, 1791, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, and possibly after; but political life was never congenial to him. Like his father and uncles, he was fond of fine horses, and was a patron of the War­minster and New Glasgow race courses when he was a young man.

On March 1, 1792, Judge Paul Carrington, Sr., con­veyed by deed 2000 acres of land in Lincoln and Nelson counties, Ky., to William Cabell, Jr., and Samuel W. Ven­able (whose wives were daughters of Judge Carrington). John Breckenridge attended to this land for them, which I think they sold prior to 1800. One who knew William Cabell, Jr., wrote of him that "college friendships in general are not lasting, but many of his fellow students were his friends through life." He was one of the trustees of "The College of Washing­ton in Virginia" in 1796-1797. On August 11, 1796, William Cabell, Jr., was appointed sheriff of Amherst County. He was again appointed No­vember 16, 1797, and continued to hold the office until August 1798. The gross amount of muster fines (28th and 90th regiments), Amherst militia, in 1796, was $355.25; in 1797, $373.25. The revenue tax for 1796, due in 1797, was, on land, $1235, and on other property, $1335.89; total, $2570.89. For 1797, due in 1798, on land, $1868.10, on other property, $1832.15, and on merchants licenses, $265; total, $3965.25. I do not know when he became a lieutenant-colonel; but he was addressed as Col. William Cabell, Jr., as early as 1791. In 1798, at the time of the threatened difficulty with France, he was lieutenant-colonel, commanding the 28th regiment of Virginia militia; and in the summer and fall he was active in drilling his men, teaching them a proper knowledge of discipline, the use of arms, etc., in order to be prepared for the emergency. After the death of his father, in 1798, and the removal of William H. Cabell to Midway in 1801, Col. William Cabell, Jr., removed, about 1803, from "Colleton" to "Union Hill," and his widowed mother lived with him.

Col. William Cabell, Jr., was one of the subscribers to the original endowment of the "Central College," which was afterwards expanded into the University of Virginia. He died November 22, 1822, and the following notice appeared in "The Richmond Enquirer" of December 12: "Died on Novr 22d. in the 63d. year of his age, Col Wil­liam Cabell of 'Union Hill' in the county of Nelson. Sel­dom has a man lived so highly respected, or died so deeply regretted by all who knew him. His moral character was purest among the pure. In all the private relations he was conspicuous for his virtues; the most dutiful son; the most affectionate husband; the most tender father; the kindest master; the most friendly neighbor. His manners were bland, dignified, and prepossessing. His judgment was strong, clear, and uncontrolled by passion or prejudice. His mind, naturally vigorous, was embellished by classical education, improved by subsequent study, and strength­ened by experience."

William married Ann "Nancy" CARRINGTON, daughter of Paul CARRINGTON and Margaret READ, on 21 Nov 1780 in Charlotte County, Virginia, USA. (Ann "Nancy" CARRINGTON was born on 9 Jun 1760 in Charlotte County, Virginia, USA and died on 30 Mar 1838 in Union Hill, Prince Edward County, Virginia, USA.)