Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/538

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404


VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY


and Elizabeth (Jones) Luttrell. married Maria, daughter and heir to Sir Nicholas Lawes, governor of Jamaica, and had issue: Henry Lawes, his heir; Temple Simon; John, who married a daughter of Lord Wal- tham, taking his name and title; James, commander of the ship "Mediator," which did no little damage to the American cause in their war for independence; and a daugh- ter. Lady Anne, who became the wife of Wil- liam, duke of Cumberland, brother of George the Third and of whom Junius wrote, "Let parliament see to it that a Luttrell never wears the crown of England." All of these left no issue and the title became extinct about 1829, while just previous to this the large estate of Luttrellstown (1821) passed into the hands of Luke White, of Dublin, ancestor to the present owner, Lord Annaly. Henry Lawes Luttrell, second earl of Carhampton. represented Middlesex just previous to the period of the American revo- lution, and was the agent of the government acting under Lord North during these stir- ring times. The overthrow of Wilkes, who was a vigorous champion of the well-known "Letters of Junius," and the giving of his seat to Luttrell, caused such an outcry from the English populace that Luttrell was a number of times threatened with his life. Lord North stubbornly held his position against the English i)eople who wanted to give the American colonists their demands, and made Luttrell the tool in bringing to completion those nefarious schemes which culminated in the declaration on the part of the colonists of their independence, and the throwing ofT of the rule of the mother coun- try. It is quite within the range of possi- bility that the war might have been averted had Wilkes represented the people at this vital time.

The American branch of the famous Lut- trell family traces its descent from Robert (J) Luttrell, of the Irish line (see genera- tion \'1I), who married his cousin Anne, daughter of Viscount Gormanston, and came to America in the early part of the eighteenth century, and settled in Prince W illiani county. \'irginia. He had a large family including three sons : Simon, Thomas, Rich.ird. .'^imon's descendants live in Ken- tucky, where one. Lucien Simon Luttrell, died (|uite recently. Thomas died while in search of health in Jamaica, where his cousin. Henry Lawes Luttrell (see Irish


branch of Luttrell family IX), had acquired lands from his mother.

(II) Richard, son of Robert (2) Luttrell, lived in Fauquier county, Virginia, near Prince William county. He married a Miss Churchill and had a son Richard.

(III) Richard (2) Luttrell. son of Rich- ard (i) and (Churchill) Luttrell,

was commissioned an ensign from the county of Fauquier by Thomas Jefferson at the time of the American revolution. The rank of ensign is what is known as lieuten- ant at present. This commission is still in the possession of the family. He married Frances Hambleton, and had a son Bur- well.

(IV) Burw^ell Luttrell, son of Richard (2) and Frances (Hambleton) Luttrell, married Hannah, daughter of Harmon But- ton, ancestor of the late Governor Fishbeck, of Arkansas, and had a son Richard.

(V) Richard (3) Luttrell, son of Burwell and Hannah (Button) Luttrell, married Elizabeth Bywaters, of Culpeper county, Virginia. He was a great fox hunter and always owned a large pack of hounds. His wife died when very young, and he being left alone devoted a great portion of his time to hunting. So much was he known for this favorite sport that he became famil- iarly known as "Dick Luttrell. the fox hunter." It was his custom during the hunting season to rise early and rouse the neighbors to join him in the chase. After the day's sport they would return to his house where he was accustomed to dispense the lavish Southern hospitality of ante bellum times in Virginia. He had a son Burwell Edmund.

(VI) Burwell Edmund Luttrell, son of Richard (3) and Elizabeth (Byw^aters) Lut- trell, was a soldier during the civil war. and served a great portion of the time as courier for General J. E. B. Stuart and for General Beauregard. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Strasburg and kept in prison until about the close of the war. He married Mary Ritchie, daughter of James Richard Nelson, of Culpeper county, Virginia, and there were born to them the following chil- dren : I. Capitola, married John S. Hughes, of Rappahannock county, Virginia. 2. Rich- ard Edmund, married Ada, daughter of James Browning, of Rappahannock county, Virginia. 3. Hugh, married Atlanta, daugh- ter of Albert Singleton, owner of Ivanhoe,