| William Byrd I | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Byrd I 1652 Shadwell, London, England |
| Died | 4 December 1704 Westover, Charles City County, Virginia, British America |
| Ethnicity | English |
| Religion | Anglicanism |
| Children | William Byrd II, Susan, Ursula, Mary and Maurice |
| Parents | John Byrd, Grace Stegge |
William Byrd I (1652 – 4 December 1704) was a native of Shadwell, London, England. His father, John Byrd (c. 1620-1677) was a London goldsmith with ancestral roots in Cheshire, England.
William Byrd came to Virginia in the late 1660s. On October 27, 1673, he was granted 1,200 acres (5 km2) on the James River. Byrd became a well-connected fur trader in the Richmond, Virginia area. Byrd's land became (after his death) the site of modern day Richmond, Virginia. About 1673, he married Maria Horsmanden, a native of Lenham, England. They would become the parents of two sons, including William Byrd II, and three daughters.
Their daughter, Ursula married Robert Beverley, Jr., Major Robert Beverley's son. They had five children including William Beverley (1696-1756). Colonel William Beverley married Richard Bland's daughter, Elizabeth Bland. They had four children. Their son, Robert married Maria Carter on February 3, 1763. Her parents were Landon Carter and Maria Byrd.
The Beverleys were lineal descendants of Thomas Rolfe, Pocahontas and John Rolfe's son.
In 1676, Byrd was a sympathizer of Nathaniel Bacon in Bacon's Rebellion, but probably took no active part in the rebellion. He later allied himself with the Governor and became a prominent citizen.
Also in 1676, Byrd established the James River Fort on the south bank of the James River in what is now known as the Manchester District of Richmond. He was active in Virginia politics, serving many years on the council of the Virginia House of Burgesses.
Byrd died on 4 Dec 1704, at his plantation home of Westover, in Charles City County, Virginia. He is buried near the original site of the Westover Church.[1]