Peyton, John Howe, 1778-1847,

John Howe Peyton was born in Stony Hill, Stafford County, Virginian on April 3, 1778. He attended the College of New Jersey at Princeton, graduated in 1797. He passed the bar and became a lawyer in 1799, focusing on criminal law. He worked as deputy US Attorney for the western district of Virginia. He turned down several nominations, one to congress in 1820 and a judgeship in 1824. He later became a state senator (1839-45), and founder of the Virginia Female Institute at Staunton. In 1840, he was appointed a visitor to the United States military academy, and he wrote the report of that year. For ten years he was president of the board of directors of the Western Virginia lunatic asylum. He was a member of the Whig party. He died in 1847.

He married Susanna Smith Madison (1780-1820) in 1802, and after her death married Ann Elizabeth Lewis (1802-1850).

He had a son, John Lewis, born in Staunton, Virginia, 15 September, 1824, was graduated at the law department of the University of Virginia in 1845. born in Staunton, Virginia, 15 September, 1824, was graduated at the law department of the University of Virginia in 1845.

From the guide to the John Howe Peyton Letter, 1821, (Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.)

The following biographical sketch is not meant to be exhaustive but merely a brief genealogical sketch of the main contributors/creators of this collection. A more definitive source on the Beverly genealogy can be found in the book, The Beverley family of Virginia; descendants of Major Robert Beverley, 1641-1687, and allied families, by John McGill.

Robert Beverley (d.1800) was born in "Blandfield" Virginia. He received his education in England and was elected to the state legislature in 1780 but never took his seat. He married Maria Carter (1745-1817) of "Sabine Hall" Richmond County, Virginia. Together they had the following sixteen children: William Beverley (1763-1823), Maria Beverley (1764-1824), Robert Beverley (1766-1767), Robert Beverley (1769-1843), Lucy Beverley (1771-1854), Burton Beverley (1772-1781), Carter Beverley (b. 1774), Byrd Beverley (b. 1775), James Mills Beverley (1776-1779), Anna Munford Beverley (1778-1830), Munford Beverley (1779-1820), Peter Randolph Beverley (b. 1780), Evelyn Byrd Beverley (1782-1836), McKenzie Beverley (b. 1783), Jane Bradshaw Beverley (1784-1814), Harriet Beverley (1786-1829).

The fourth child of Robert Beverley (d.1800), Robert Beverley (1769-1843), like his father, was also educated in England. He married Jane Tayloe (1774-1816) and lived in "Blandfield." Together they had the following six children: William Bradshaw Beverley (1791-1866), Maria Beverley (d. 1822), Rebecca Tayloe Beverley (d. 1822), James Bradshaw Beverley (b. 1797), Jane Bradshaw Beverley (1805-1822), and Roberta Beverley. Three of the children contracted typhoid fever and died in 1822 upon a visit home to "Blandfield" to visit their parents.

The fifth child of Robert Beverley (d.1800), Lucy Beverley (1771-1854) married Brett Randolph (1766-1828) of "Curles Neck," Henrico County, Virginia in 1789. They had the following eleven children: a son Randolph (1790-1790), Capt. Edward Brett Randolph (1792-1848), Dr. Robert Carter Randolph (1793-1854), Richard Randolph (1795-1885), Victor Moreau Randolph (1797-1876), John Thomson Randolph (1800-1819), Benjamin Franklin Randolph (1801-1802), Benjamin Franklin Randolph (1803-1890), Ryland Randolph (1805-1853), Theoderick Bland Randolph (b. 1807), and Ann Maria Randolph (1811-1845).

From the guide to the Beverly Papers, 1796-1834., (Special Collections, Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary)