Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797

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Carter Braxton (September 10, 1736 – October 10, 1797) was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, a merchant, planter, a Founding Father of the United States and a Virginia politician. A grandson of Robert "King" Carter, one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners and slaveholders in the Old Dominion, Braxton was active in Virginia's legislature for more than 25 years, generally allied with Landon Carter, Benjamin Harrison V, Edmund Pendleton and other conservative planters.

Born on Newington Plantation in King and Queen County, Virginia, Braxton was educated at the College of William & Mary. He established himself as a merchant, trading between the West Indies and American colonies and establishing relationships with Bayard & Son of New York and Willing & Morris of Philadelphia. Braxton began his long career representing King William County in the Virginia House of Burgesses, taking his seat in 1761. Although always considered a moderate or conservative politician, Braxton signed the First Virginia Association intended to protest the Townshend duties on tea and other products, but like his ally Landon Carter, not the Second Association which set up boycott compliance mechanism, nor the Third Virginia Association pledging not to purchase various East Indian commodities. However, in 1774 Braxton returned to Williamsburg as King William County's delegate (with William Aylett), and joined 108 others in the Fourth Virginia Association, which authorized local committees of safety as well as volunteer militia.

When Peyton Randolph died unexpectedly in Philadelphia in October 1775, fellow Virginia legislators elected Braxton to take his place in the Continental Congress. He served in the Congress from February 1776 until August, when Virginia reduced its delegation to five members. In that capacity Braxton signed the Declaration of Independence, although he had previously opposed it as premature in Committee of the Whole. Afterwards Braxton returned to the House of Burgesses, which thanked him and Thomas Jefferson for their service, although King William voters failed to re-elect the absent Braxton as one of their delegates. Between 1776 and 1785, Braxton served in 8 of the 11 legislative assemblies and attended 14 of 21 sessions, with a special concern for debt and tax moratoriums or other relief.

Braxton invested a great deal of his wealth in the American Revolution, incurring many debts as a result. On November 15, 1785, fellow delegates elected Braxton to the Council of State (which handled the executive functions formerly performed by the Privy Council). Receiving the paid position vacated by William Nelson, Jr., Braxton moved to Richmond; in 1786 Braxton sold a plantation and rented a smaller residence ("row-house") there. Braxton died, aged 61, in his Richmond home on October 10, 1797.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn John Norton & Sons. Papers, 1750-1902, bulk 1763-1798. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Ross, John, 1729-1800. Account books and ledgers, 1758-1791. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Holt, Henry Winston, 1896-1972. Braxton family genealogical notes. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Henry A. Willard II Collection, 1743-1888, (bulk 1770-1840) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Correspondence with Braddick and Butler, Richmond, merchants, concerning the disposal of Braxton's 1797 corn corp [manuscript] 1798. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Clinton, DeWitt, 1769-1828. Cocke Family Papers, [manuscript] 1689-1968 (bulk 1721-1949). University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Letters and documents of signers of the Declaration of Independence, 1750-1933. Houghton Library
referencedIn Corbin, Richard, ca. 1708-1790. Papers, 1746-1825. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. ALS, 1777, July 26, Delaware Town, to unknown. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
referencedIn George Meriwether letter, 1776 October 18 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Bayard, Richard H. (Richard Henry), 1796-1868. Papers of the Tayloe family [manuscript], 1756-1893. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Parke-Bernet Galleries. Signers of the Declaration of Independence, letters and documents [sales catalog 2569] [manuscript] 1967. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Bamberger, Louis, 1855-1944,. Autograph collection, 1683-1929. New Jersey Historical Society Library
referencedIn Robert Carter Wormeley Diary, 1766 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Gwathmey collection, 1708-1852 University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Palfrey family papers, 1713-1915 Houghton Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Carter Braxton letters and documents, 1759-1789 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Papers, 1780-1811. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Murray, James, fl. 1871-1873. Webb-Prentis family papers, 1735-1942. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Mercer family. Papers : of the Mercer family, 1656-1869 (bulk 1740- 1845). Virginia Historical Society Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Autograph letter signed : to W. Jonathan Hudson, 1777 Nov. 20. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Letter, 1788 September 12, n.p., to [Timothea?] Allen & [Alexander?] Montgomery and Gentleman Auditors, [Richmond, Va.]. William & Mary Libraries
referencedIn Adams family. Papers, 1672-1792. Section 17. Virginia Historical Society Library
referencedIn Bellamy Methodist Church museum collection [manuscript] 1822-1928. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Letters, newspaper clippings, and notes relating to Carter Braxton [manuscript], 1762-1788. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Banister, Anne Blair, 1746-1813. Blair, Banister, Braxton, Horner and Whiting Papers, 1765-1890. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Meriwether, George, fl. 1768-1792. Letter, 1776 October 18, Williamsburg [Va.] to William Meriwether, Louisa [County, Va.]. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Autograph letter signed : to Major Henry Gaines, 1766 Apr. 28. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Richard Corbin Papers, 1746-1825. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. ALS, 1778 September 21, [s.l.], to unknown. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. LS, 1788 May 11, [s.l.], to Alexander Montgomery. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Letter to [Landon Carter?], 1776 October 17. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn King, Walter. Petition of appeal, 1753 June 6 [microform]. Virginia Historical Society Library
creatorOf Rosenbach, A. S. W. (Abraham Simon Wolf), 1876-1952,. Signers of the Declaration of Independence autograph collection, 1756-1818. Rosenbach Museum & Library
referencedIn Carter, Robert Wormeley, 1734-1797. Diary, 1776. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Autograph letter signed : Richmond, to William Giles, Esq., 1789 Apr. 27. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Papers, 1742-1828. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797,. Prentis transcripts, 1774-1822. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Holt, H. W.,. Braxton family genealogical notes, 1676-1797. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Collection of documents concerning the American Revolution, 1740-1866 Houghton Library
referencedIn Jamieson, Neil. Papers of Neil Jamieson, 1757-1789 (bulk 1760-1776). Library of Congress
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Carter Braxton note, 1789. Library of Congress
referencedIn Legal brief in the case of King vs Braxton, 1753 June 6. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Letter, 1782 March 8, n.p., to Messrs. Wadsworth & Carter, Williamsburg, Va. William & Mary Libraries
referencedIn Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Correspondence with Braddick and Butler, Richmond, merchants, concerning the disposal of Braxton's 1797 corn corp [manuscript] 1798. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Autograph letter signed : to James Brown, Esqre., 1799 Oct. 25. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Braxton, Carter, 1736-1797. Letter to Benjamin Harrison, 1783 June 24. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Prentis family. Papers, 1742-1828. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adams family. family
associatedWith Allen, Timothea, b. ca. 1758. person
associatedWith Bamberger, Louis, 1855-1944, person
associatedWith Braddick and Butler (Richmond), corporateBody
associatedWith Brown, James, 18th cent, person
associatedWith Carter, Landon, 1710-1778, person
grandchildOf Carter, Robert, 1663-1732 person
associatedWith Carter, Robert Wormeley, 1734-1797. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf College of William and Mary. corporateBody
associatedWith Corbin, Richard, ca. 1708-1790. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Gaines, Henry, Major, person
associatedWith Giles, William, person
associatedWith Gratz, Michael, 1740-1811. person
associatedWith Harrison, Benjamin, ca. 1726-1791. person
associatedWith Holt, Henry Winston, 1896-1972. person
associatedWith Holt, H. W., person
associatedWith Hubbard, John, collector. person
associatedWith Hudson, W. Jonathan, person
associatedWith Jamieson, Neil. person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. person
associatedWith John Norton & Sons. corporateBody
associatedWith King, Walter. person
associatedWith Lee, Henry, 1729-1787. person
associatedWith Mercer family. family
associatedWith Meriwether, George person
associatedWith Meriwether, George, fl. 1768-1792. person
associatedWith Montgomery, Alexander. person
associatedWith Montgomery, Alexander, b. ca. 1757. person
associatedWith Morris, Robert, 1734-1806. person
correspondedWith Palfrey family. family
associatedWith Parke-Bernet Galleries. corporateBody
associatedWith Prentis family. family
associatedWith Prentis Family. family
associatedWith Ragsdale, Drury. person
associatedWith Richard Corbin, ca. 1708-1790 person
associatedWith Robert Wormeley Carter, 1734-1797 person
associatedWith Rosenbach, A. S. W. (Abraham Simon Wolf), 1876-1952, person
associatedWith Ross, John, 1729-1800. person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Taylor, John. person
associatedWith United States. corporateBody
associatedWith Wadsworth & Carter. corporateBody
associatedWith Washington, George, 1732-1799. person
associatedWith Willard, Henry A. (Henry Augustus), 1902- person
associatedWith Willing, Morris and Company corporateBody
associatedWith Willing, Thomas, 1731-1821. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
King and Queen County VA US
Williamsburg VA US
Richmond VA US
King William County VA US
Subject
Merchants
Merchants
Tobacco industry
Occupation
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Merchants
Planter
Activity

Person

Birth 1736-09-16

Death 1797-10-10

Male

Britons,

Americans

English

Information

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