Theodorick Bland of Westover

Theodorick Bland (January 16, 1629 – April 23, 1671),[1][2] also known as Theodorick Bland of Westover,[3] was an English politician, merchant and planter. He was the father of Richard Bland,[3] the grandfather of Richard Bland II,[3] the great-grandfather of Congressman Theodorick Bland, and the great-great-grandfather of John Randolph of Roanoke.

For other people with this name, see Theodorick Bland (disambiguation).
Theodorick Bland
12th Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses
In office
1660–1660
Preceded byEdward Hill, Sr.
Succeeded byHenry Soane
Personal details
BornJanuary 16, 1629
London, England
DiedApril 23, 1671
Virginia, English America
ResidenceCharles City County, Virginia
OccupationMerchant, planter

Born in London, he served as his family's business agent in Spain and the Canary Islands in his early twenties. He moved to the colony of Virginia in 1653, to replace his brother Edward, who had died. He represented Charles City County in the 1660 House of Burgesses session, serving as Speaker. In this role, he presided over the House during the transition from the Cromwell Protectorate to the restored government of Charles II. He served on the Governor's Council 1664–71.

Family

Bland was one of sixteen children, and the youngest of nine sons, born to John and Susan Bland.[2] He married Anna Bennett, the daughter of Governor Richard Bennett, and they had three sons:[2]

  • Theodorick Bland (born 1663); he married Margaret Man and had two sons, John and Theodorick.[1][2]
  • Richard Bland (born August 11, 1665); he married twice.[1][2] He first married Mary Swan and had seven children, who all died in their infancy.[2] After Mary's death, Bland's second marriage was to Elizabeth Randolph, the daughter of William Randolph I. The couple had five children including Richard Bland II and Theodorick Bland of Cawsons.[2]
  • John Bland (born February 8, 1668); he married twice.[1][2] He first married Mary Breckon, then had at least three children with his second wife, Elizabeth Dale: Richard, John (who was the grandfather of Chancellor Theodorick Bland), and Anna.[1][2] John moved to England, settling in Scarborough, North Yorkshire and was responsible for the construction of Bland's Cliff.

Other descendants of Bland include Roger Atkinson Pryor.[4]

Westover

Sir John Pawlett, by deeds of lease and release, demised most of Westover Plantation in 1665 to Bland for £170.[5] Bland lived on the property until his death in 1671 and was buried in the chancel of the original Westover Church which he built.[2] His eldest son, Theodorick, inherited the land and joined his brother, Richard, in its ownership.[5] The brothers eventually conveyed 1,200 acres of the property to William Byrd I in 1688 for £300 and 10,000 pounds of tobacco and cask.[5]

Although the church was moved from its original location, Bland lies buried in the graveyard near Walter Aston and Captain William Perry.[2][6]

In November 1687, Bland's wife, Anna, died in Wharton Creek, Maryland.[1][7]

Bland Family of Virginia

Theodorick Bland of Westover and his family were early prominent colonists in the state of Virginia. For this reason, the surname "Bland" is associated with the First Families of Virginia.

Notes
  1. Hunter, Joseph (1895). "Bland". In Clay, John W. (ed.). Familiae Minorum Gentium. II. London: The Harleian Society. pp. 421–427.
  2. Bland, Theodorick (1840). "Appendix". In Campbell, Charles (ed.). The Bland papers: Being a Selection from the Manuscripts of Colonel Theodorick Bland Jr. of Prince George County Virginia. I. Petersburg, Virginia: Edmund & Julian C. Ruffin. pp. 145–149.
  3. Bland, Richard (1922) [1766]. "Introduction". In Swem, Earl Gregg (ed.). An Inquiry into the Rights of the British Colonies. Richmond, Virginia: William Parks Club Publications. p. V.
  4. Sons of the American Revolution (1894). "Roll of Members". Yearbook. The Republic Press. p. 198.
  5. Tyler, Lyon G. (January 1896). "Title of Westover". William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine. 4 (3): 151–155. doi:10.2307/1914946. JSTOR 1914946. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  6. "Westover". Virginia's James River Plantations. jamesriverplantations.org. 1996. Retrieved December 9, 2010.
  7. Gundersen, Joan. "Anna Bennett Bland (d. 1687)". Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved 19 August 2015.

References
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