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George Wythe
Member From: 1754 - 1778
- Birth Date: 1726 Birth Place:Elizabeth City County, Virginia
- Death Date: June 8, 1806
- Gender: Male Race: Caucasian, English
- Spouse: Ann Lewis - married 1747, died 1748; Elizabeth Taliaferro - married 1755
- Children: 1 child, who died as an infant
- Religion:
- Education:
- Military Service:
- Occupation/Profession: College of William and Mary - Law Professor
- Additional Info: Armistead Burwell died before August 20, 1754 and was succeeded by George Wythe.
- Bio: GEORGE WYTHE of Williamsburg was the son of Thomas and Margaret (Walker) Wythe. His father was an outdoorsman. His mother, a scholar, taught him Latin, Greek, rhetoric, grammar and mathematics. He studied law in the office of his uncle-in-law, Stephen Dewey. He was a member of the bar at twenty years of age, being licensed to plead as an attorney February 13, 1746. He was Clerk of the Privileges and Elections and Propositions and Grievances Committees for the House of Burgesses in 1748 and was Attorney General under Governor Dinwiddie, 1754. He was a member of the House of Burgesses, 1754-56, 1758-69; author of the petition to the King in 1764 on the Stamp Act. Which was accepted in modified form; justice of the peace for Elizabeth City County, 1762-67; Clerk of the House of Burgesses, 1769-75; member of the Continental Congress, 1775-76; Signer of the Declaration of Independence; member of the committee to prepare a State seal; member of the 1776 Committee on Revision of Laws of Virginia; Judge of Chancery Court, 1778; member and Speaker of the House of Delegates 1777-78; first professor of Law at the College of William and Mary, 1779; Commissioner to Convention in Philadelphia to revise the Federal Constitution, 1788; Member of the 1787 Committee on Revision of Laws of Virginia ; member of the Virginia Convention of 1788; and sole Chancellor of the State, 1789. In 1790, he moved to Richmond and started a small law school of his own. He married firstly, December 26, 1747, Ann Lewis, daughter of Zachary and Mary (Waller) Lewis of Spotsylvania County ,and secondly, in 1755, Elizabeth Taliaferro, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Eggleston) Taliaferro of Williamsburg and James City County, leaving no issue.
While he was Speaker of the House, the Clerk was JOHN TAZEWELL. - Other Notable Service and/or Elected Offices:
Virginia Constitutional Convention: 1776, 1788
Acting Attorney General of Virginia - 1754, appointed acting attorney general by Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie on or shortly before January 29, 1754, served until sometime between January 20 and February 10, 1755; appointed acting attorney general by Lieutenant Governor Francis Fauquier sometime shortly after November 22, 1766, served until sometime between June 4 and 11, 1767.
Mayor of Williamsburg - 1768
Clerk of the House of Burgesses - 1769-1775
Continental Congress - 1775, 1776
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Judge - Virginia High Court of Chancery - 1778 until death in 1806
Speaker of the House of Delegates - 1777 - 1778
| Session | District | District Number | Party | Leadership | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1752-1755 | Williamsburg | Courts of Justice Privileges and Elections Propositions and Grievances |
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| 1758-1761 | College of William and Mary | Courts of Justice Privileges and Elections Propositions and Grievances |
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| 1761-1765 | Elizabeth City | Courts of Justice Privileges and Elections Propositions and Grievances Trade |
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| 1766-1768 | Elizabeth City | Courts of Justice Privileges and Elections Propositions and Grievances |
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| 1777-1778 | Williamsburg | Speaker of the House |
*The information within this interactive and searchable application has been researched extensively by the House Clerk’s Office. As with any historical records of this age and breadth, there may be discrepancies and/or inconsistencies within records obtained from a variety of credible sources. Any feedback is encouraged at history@house.virginia.gov.