Judge Edmund Pendleton[1]
1721 - 1803 (82 years)-
Name Edmund Pendleton Prefix Judge Born Sep 09, 1721 Gender Male Died Oct 23, 1803 Notes - "Judge Edmund Pendleton was born the year his father died, and four months after his death in 1721. His oldest brother, James3, was 20 years old and his brother Philip3, 18 years old. His mother was still a young woman and was married very soon to Edmund Watkins. We have no clue to the home life of this young boy, only he says in his biography that he had to support himself very young, and entered a lawyer's office in Caroline county. As that was the county seat of his mother's family, the Taylors, he may have been under their fostering care, and in that way been brought in contact with the influences that in middle life made him a leader among men. He was tall, with blue eyes, and manners of great sweetness. It was said of him that his face was of the first order of manly beauty; his voice clear and silver-toned and under perfect control, and his manner so fascinating as to charm all who came in contact with him." He married quite young, Elizabeth Roy, who died in one year. He married, second, Sarah Pollard. He had no children, but as he adopted into his large heart his many nieces and nephews, he had more honor than if he had been given a family of his own. To this day he is spoken of with love and reverence by their descendants. He was licensed to practice law in 1744, became county justice in 1751 and the following year was elected to the House of Burgesses; in 1766 he took a strong position against the Stamp Act in the House; was elected to the first Continental Congress in 1774. He would have been one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, but he was head of the government in Virginia at that time and could not leave; but in 1776 he was president of the convention and drew up a Declaration of Independence, the very words of which were put into the Declaration signed in Philadelphia. He was Speaker of the House and president of the Court of Chancery. In 1777 he was crippled for life by a fall from his horse. In 1779 he was made president of the Court of Appeals. He represented the cavalier element in Virginia and often clashed with Patrick Henry. A devoted and loving son of the Episcopal Church, he was at bitter odds with Thomas Jefferson. He and John Page were leaders of the party opposed to disestablishment. Both were devoted churchmen and represented the feelings and opinions of the great body of planters. The question of selling the glebe lands, closing the parsonages, losing donations already made, and even the right to keep the baptismal fonts and communion vessels, came before the Court of Appeals of which Judge Pendleton was president. He was intensely opposed to the sale of church lands and considered it a great wrong. But while he was writing his opinion, which might perhaps have changed the whole history of the church in Virginia, he suddenly expired. This was in 1803. Among the many men of whom Virginia is so justly proud Judge Edmund Pendleton takes first rank."
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Person ID I112439 mykindred Last Modified Jul 29, 2006
Father Henry Pendleton, b. 1683, d. 1721 (Age 38 years) Mother Mary Bishop Taylor, d. 1770 Married Aug 06, 1701 New Kent county, Virginia, USA 
- 8 Jun 1701, King and Queen County, Virginia
Notes - At the time of their marriage Henry Pendleton was eighteen years old and Mary Taylor thirteen.
Family ID F36837 Group Sheet | Family Chart
- "Judge Edmund Pendleton was born the year his father died, and four months after his death in 1721. His oldest brother, James3, was 20 years old and his brother Philip3, 18 years old. His mother was still a young woman and was married very soon to Edmund Watkins. We have no clue to the home life of this young boy, only he says in his biography that he had to support himself very young, and entered a lawyer's office in Caroline county. As that was the county seat of his mother's family, the Taylors, he may have been under their fostering care, and in that way been brought in contact with the influences that in middle life made him a leader among men. He was tall, with blue eyes, and manners of great sweetness. It was said of him that his face was of the first order of manly beauty; his voice clear and silver-toned and under perfect control, and his manner so fascinating as to charm all who came in contact with him." He married quite young, Elizabeth Roy, who died in one year. He married, second, Sarah Pollard. He had no children, but as he adopted into his large heart his many nieces and nephews, he had more honor than if he had been given a family of his own. To this day he is spoken of with love and reverence by their descendants. He was licensed to practice law in 1744, became county justice in 1751 and the following year was elected to the House of Burgesses; in 1766 he took a strong position against the Stamp Act in the House; was elected to the first Continental Congress in 1774. He would have been one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, but he was head of the government in Virginia at that time and could not leave; but in 1776 he was president of the convention and drew up a Declaration of Independence, the very words of which were put into the Declaration signed in Philadelphia. He was Speaker of the House and president of the Court of Chancery. In 1777 he was crippled for life by a fall from his horse. In 1779 he was made president of the Court of Appeals. He represented the cavalier element in Virginia and often clashed with Patrick Henry. A devoted and loving son of the Episcopal Church, he was at bitter odds with Thomas Jefferson. He and John Page were leaders of the party opposed to disestablishment. Both were devoted churchmen and represented the feelings and opinions of the great body of planters. The question of selling the glebe lands, closing the parsonages, losing donations already made, and even the right to keep the baptismal fonts and communion vessels, came before the Court of Appeals of which Judge Pendleton was president. He was intensely opposed to the sale of church lands and considered it a great wrong. But while he was writing his opinion, which might perhaps have changed the whole history of the church in Virginia, he suddenly expired. This was in 1803. Among the many men of whom Virginia is so justly proud Judge Edmund Pendleton takes first rank."
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Sources - [S1865] Gedcom - Viertel, Tony.
- [S1865] Gedcom - Viertel, Tony.
