Fleming, William, 1736-1824

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Judge William Fleming (July 6, 1736 – February 15, 1824) was an American lawyer, jurist and political figure from Cumberland County, Virginia. He served as a Delegate to the Continental Congress and as Chief Justice of Virginia.

Fleming was educated at The College of William & Mary and studied law, after which he started practicing law before the county courts. In 1772, he became a member of the House of Burgesses, representing Cumberland County as his father John Fleming had done before him, and remained in this position until that body was terminated by the revolution. When the new state government of Virginia was instituted, he went back to Williamsburg as a member of the first House of Delegates.

On December 10, 1778, he was elected a member of Continental Congress, but it was April 1779 before he reported there. In September, he took a leave of absence and returned to Virginia and the House of Delegates. In 1781, he was elected and began serving as a judge of the Virginia general court. Governor Beverley Randolph subsequently appointed Fleming to the Supreme Court of Appeals. When the court was reorganized in 1788, he was one of the five judges chosen for the new court. He became President and Chief Justice of the Court in 1809, a position he held until his death on February 15, 1824.

Judge Fleming was buried at his Summerville plantation. In the late 1980s most of the Summerville tract was built over by a housing development, including the area where the house would have stood and most likely the burial grounds of Fleming and his slaves.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. AL, 1779 June 8, Williamsburg, Va., to William Fleming. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. ALS, [ca. 1763 Oct.], Richmond, Va., to William Fleming. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Tazewell family. Papers, 1756-1931. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Gilmer, Francis Walker,. Letters : to Dabney Carr, 1818-1824. Library of Virginia
creatorOf Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. ALS, 1773 May 19, Goochland, Va., to William Fleming. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. AL, 1764 March 20, Williamsburg, to William Fleming. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Bland, Theodorick, 1742-1790. Papers of Virginia members of the Continental Congress, 1767-1820. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Harrison, Benjamin, 1726-1791. Letter, 1782 March 23. Library of Virginia
creatorOf Henry, Patrick, 1736-1799. Letter, 1777 November 19, Williamsburg [Va.] to William Fleming, Botetourt County [Va.]. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Stanard family. Papers, 1707-1950 (bulk 1762-1930). Virginia Historical Society Library
referencedIn William Fleming Collection, 1773-1802 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Fleming, William. William Fleming, papers, 1767-1802. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf William Fleming Collection, 1773-1802 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Taylor, Creed, 1766-1836. Papers of Creed Taylor [manuscript], 1791-1873. University of Virginia. Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Bolling, Thomas. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf College of William and Mary. corporateBody
associatedWith Craig, Adam. person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Fleming, John, d. 1767 person
associatedWith Fleming, Thomas. person
associatedWith Gilliam, Robert. person
associatedWith Gilmer, Francis Walker, person
associatedWith Harrison, Benjamin, 1726-1791. person
associatedWith Henry, Patrick, 1736-1799. person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. person
associatedWith Lewis, Warner, fl. 1796 person
associatedWith Lyons, Peter, 1734 or 5-1809. person
associatedWith Mayo, Daniel. person
associatedWith Mayo, William. person
associatedWith Nelson, Thomas, clerk of Gloucester County Court. person
associatedWith Pendleton, Edmund, 1721-1803 person
associatedWith Randolph, Beverley, 1754-1797 person
associatedWith Roane, Spencer, 1762-1822 person
associatedWith Sansum, Philip. person
associatedWith Servis, Warner. person
associatedWith Stanard family. family
associatedWith Stanard, Robert, 1781-1846 person
associatedWith Taylor, Creed, 1766-1836. person
associatedWith Tazewell family. family
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
memberOf Virginia. Supreme Court corporateBody
memberOf Virginia. Supreme Court of Appeals. corporateBody
associatedWith Wood, John, fl. 1797 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Williamsburg VA US
Cumberland County VA US
Chesterfield County VA US
Subject
African Americans
Occupation
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Jurists
Lawyers
Planter
State Supreme Court Judge
Activity

Person

Birth 1736-07-06

Death 1824-02-15

Male

Americans,

Britons

English

Information

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