Braxton was the younger of two sons of George Braxton (d. 1749) and Mary Carter Braxton and was born on September 10, 1736, at Newington, the King and Queen County estate of his grandfather George Braxton (ca. 1677–1748), a prosperous immigrant merchant and planter. His mother, who died as a consequence of his birth, was the youngest daughter of the fabulously wealthy Robert "King" Carter.
When his elder brother died in October 1761 Braxton inherited the remainder of the family estate, but both brothers had lived extravagantly, and he was burdened with large debts. Even after selling land to satisfy some of his many creditors, he owned more than 12,000 acres and about 165 slaves during the 1770s and engaged in large-scale tobacco planting and the transatlantic tobacco trade. As a well-connected member of the landed elite, Braxton served on the vestry and as a justice of the peace and sheriff. He was elected to represent King William County in the House of Burgesses in 1761 and attended sixteen of the nineteen meetings of the General Assembly between then and 1775. He served on the Committee of Propositions and Grievances from 1764 to 1775, joined the Committee for Religion in 1768, and was appointed to the Committee for Trade in 1769.
During the imperial crises that led to the American Revolution, Braxton sided with moderate critics of British policies and usually opposed such bold leaders as Patrick Henry. On May 3, 1775, Braxton alone confronted Henry and a large company of volunteer militiamen who were marching on Williamsburg to demand restoration of or reimbursement for Virginia gunpowder that the royal governor had removed from the colony's powder magazine. Braxton's pledge to have the powder paid for out of his father-in-law's royal accounts probably averted a violent clash.
In the spring of 1776 Braxton wrote and published a pamphlet, An Address to the Convention of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia, on the Subject of Government in General, and Recommending a Particular Form to Their Consideration. Intended as a corrective to what he perceived as excessively democratic ideas in John Adams's Thoughts on Government of the same year, the pamphlet, together with rumors that Braxton's wife and father-in-law were Loyalists, brought him severe criticism from many of the Revolutionary leaders in Virginia. The Convention of 1776 reduced the number of Virginia delegates to Congress late in June 1776 in order to remove Braxton and his friend Benjamin Harrison (1726–1791) from the delegation.
Braxton returned to Virginia and sat in the House of Delegates from King William County in nearly every assembly between the autumn of 1776 and January 1786. When present, he held influential committee appointments. In 1776 and 1777 he served on the Committees of Privileges and Elections and of Propositions and Grievances and was chair of the Committee for Religion, and in 1777 he became ranking member of the Committee of Trade. He chaired the Committee of Privileges and Elections in 1779 and 1780 and in 1783 was ranking member of the Committees of Propositions and Grievances and of Trade.
After a fire destroyed the dwelling at Chericoke on December 19, 1776, Braxton moved to a smaller but elegant house in the town of West Point, where he lived and conducted his business until 1786. During the Revolutionary War Braxton and Robert Morris, of Philadelphia, financed the Phoenix, a privateer that seized a Portuguese vessel illegally. The resulting lawsuits cost both investors dearly. In a separate disaster in 1779, Braxton lost a £40,000 tobacco ship to the British. Though still owning large tracts of land, he was virtually insolvent by the end of the war.
In the autumn of 1785 Braxton sought appointment to the Council of State, the governor's executive advisory board and a salaried office. The General Assembly duly elected him, and he served from January 23, 1786, through March 30, 1791, and again from May 31, 1794, until his death. By the time he joined the Council Braxton had made his political peace with Patrick Henry, and they worked together harmoniously while Henry was governor in 1786. Braxton served as a commissioner of the Pamunkey Indian lands and a lay delegate to the founding convention of the Episcopal Church in Virginia. Although not a delegate to the Convention of 1788, he supported ratification of the United States Constitution. Carter Braxton died in Richmond on October 10, 1797, and was buried either in that city or at Chericoke.
Major Work
- An Address to the Convention of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia, on the Subject of Government in General, and Recommending a Particular Form to Their Consideration (1776)
Time Line
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September 10, 1736 - Carter Braxton is born at Newington, the King and Queen County estate of his grandfather George Braxton.
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July 16, 1755 - While attending the College of William and Mary, Carter Braxton marries Judith Robinson, a niece of John Robinson, the powerful Speaker of the House of Burgesses.
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December 1757 - Judith Robinson, wife of Carter Braxton, dies giving birth to the second of her two daughters, after which Braxton travels to Europe for two years.
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May 15, 1760 - Carter Braxton marries Elizabeth Corbin, daughter of Richard Corbin, a member of the governor's Council and deputy collector of the royal revenue in Virginia. They will have ten sons and six daughters.
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1761–1775 - Carter Braxton represents King William County in the House of Burgesses and attends sixteen of the nineteen meetings of the General Assembly.
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October 1761 - Upon the death of his elder brother, Carter Braxton inherits the family estate. Nevertheless, he is burdened with large debts due to extravagant living.
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1764–1775 - Carter Braxton serves on the Committee of Propositions and Grievances in the House of Burgesses.
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1768–1775 - Carter Braxton serves on the Committee for Religion in the House of Burgesses.
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1769–1775 - Carter Braxton serves on the Committee for Trade in the House of Burgesses.
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May 3, 1775 - Carter Braxton alone confronts Patrick Henry and a large company of volunteer militiamen who are marching on Williamsburg to demand restoration of or reimbursement for Virginia gunpowder that the royal governor has removed from the colony's powder magazine.
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July–August 1775 - Carter Braxton represents King William County in the Revolutionary Convention and is elected to the Virginia Committee of Safety, which oversees the arming of the colony.
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December 15, 1775 - The Revolutionary Convention of 1775–1776 elects Carter Braxton to the Continental Congress.
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1776–1777 - Carter Braxton serves on the Committees of Privileges and Elections and of Propositions and Grievances and is chair of the Committee for Religion in the House of Burgesses.
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February 23, 1776 - Carter Braxton begins his service in the Continental Congress representing Virginia. He serves until the first week of August.
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Spring 1776 - Carter Braxton publishes a pamphlet, An Address to the Convention of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia, on the Subject of Government in General, and Recommending a Particular Form to Their Consideration. Intended as a corrective to John Adams's ideas, it brings him severe criticism from many Revolutionary leaders in Virginia.
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June 1776 - The Convention of 1776 reduces the number of Virginia delegates to the Continental congress in order to remove Carter Braxton and his friend Benjamin Harrison from the delegation.
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July 2, 1776 - Representing Virginia in the Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, Carter Braxton votes for independence. He is a supporter of and subsequently signs the Declaration of Independence.
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Autumn 1776–January 1786 - Carter Braxton represents King William County in the House of Delegates, attending every assembly.
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December 19, 1776 - A fire destroys the dwelling at Carton Braxton's estate Chericoke. Braxton moves to a smaller but elegant house in the town of West Point, where he lives and conducts his business until 1786.
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1777 - Carter Braxton becomes the ranking member of the Committee of Trade in the House of Burgesses.
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1779–1780 - Carter Braxton chairs the Committee of Privileges and Elections in the House of Burgesses.
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1779 - Carter Braxton loses a £40,000 tobacco ship to the British.
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1783 - Carter Braxton is the ranking member of the Committees of Propositions and Grievances and of Trade in the House of Burgesses.
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Autumn 1785 - Carter Braxton seeks appointment to the Council of State, the governor's executive advisory board. He is elected to the position by the General Assembly.
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January 23, 1786 - Carter Braxton begins service on the Council of State, the governor's executive advisory board.
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March 30, 1791 - Carter Braxton ends his service on the Council of State, the governor's executive advisory board.
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May 31, 1794 - Carter Braxton begins a second term on the Council of State, the governor's executive advisory board. He holds the position until his death.
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October 10, 1797 - Carter Braxton dies in Richmond and is buried either in that city or at his estate, Chericoke.
References
Further Reading
Cite This Entry
- APA Citation:
Dill, A. T., & the Dictionary of Virginia Biography. Carter Braxton (1736–1797). (2018, October 29). In Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Braxton_Carter_1736-1797.
- MLA Citation:
Dill, Alonzo Thomas and the Dictionary of Virginia Biography. "Carter Braxton (1736–1797)." Encyclopedia Virginia. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, 29 Oct. 2018. Web. READ_DATE.
First published: July 27, 2010 | Last modified: October 29, 2018
Contributed by Alonzo Thomas Dill and the Dictionary of Virginia Biography.