History of Sussex County Virginia United States of America

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Ferdinand Leigh Claiborne, soldier, was born in Sussex county, Va., in 1772; son of William and Mary (Leigh) Claiborne of Manchester, Va.; grandson of Nathaniel (of "Sweet Hall ") and Jane (Dole) Claiborne; great-grandson of Captain Thomas and Ann (Fox) Cleborne; great-great grandson of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas and ??? (Dandridge) Cleborne, and great-great-great grandson of Secretary William and Elizabeth (Boteler) Clayborne. He was appointed ensign of infantry, U.S. army, 1793, and was promoted captain in 1799. He resigned his commission in the army in 1802, and was chosen brigadier-general of the Mississippi militia in 1811, and when the Creek Indians began hostilities, he recruited a regiment of volunteers and was made its colonel. He was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers and commanded in the engagement at the "Holy Ground," December, 1813. He was elected to the Mississippi legislative council of 1815 and presided over that body. He was married in 1802 to Magdalene, daughter of Col. Anthony Hutchins, an officer in the English army. He died in Natchez, Miss., in 1815.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William Charles Cole Claiborne, senator, was born in Sussex county, Va., in August, 1775; second son of William and Mary (Leigh) Claiborne of Manchester, Va. He was educated at the Richmond academy and William and Mary college, Va., was admitted to the bar, and settled in Nashville, Tenn., where he was appointed judge of the supreme court of the territory. In 1796 he participated in the framing of the state constitution. As a Democrat he represented his district in the 5th and 6th congresses, 1797-1801, where his vote decided the issue in favor of Jefferson's election; and in 1801 he was appointed by President Jefferson governor of the territory of Mississippi, serving 1802-05. He was appointed, Dec. 12, 1804, one of the commissioners to receive the territory of Louisiana, ceded by France under treaty of Oct. 31, 1803; was appointed governor of Orleans by temporary commission, June 8, 1805; by permanent commission, Jan. 17, 1806; recommissioned Nov. 14, 1808, and Nov. 26, 1811. He was elected governor of Louisiana and served from 1812 to 1816, sharing with General Jackson in the famous defence of New Orleans. He was elected to the United States senate Jan. 13, 1817, to succeed Senator James Brown, but was prevented by illness from taking his seat in the 15th congress. Governor Claiborne was married three times: first to Eliza Lewis of Nashville, secondly to Clarisse Duralde, daughter of a Spanish officer and magistrate, thirdly to Suzette Booque, who afterward married John Randolph Grimes, the eminent New Orleans lawyer. Governor Claiborne died at New Orleans Nov. 23, 1817, and a monument was erected to his memory by the sculptor St. Gies.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Lamb, representative, was born in Sussex county, Va., June 12, 1840; son of Lycurgus Anthony and Elizabeth (Christian) Lamb; grandson of John and Mary (Emory) Moody Lamb and of the Rev. James Hendricks Christian, both of Charles City county, Va., and a descendant in the fourth generation from Joseph Christian, an officer in the American Revolution. His father, a school teacher, removed in 1845 with his parents to their home "Rural Shades" Charles City county, where the family had been established since about 1650. In 1855, upon the death of his father, John became the sole support of his mother, left with a large family of children. He engaged in the study of civil engineering during his leisure time. At the outbreak of the civil war he volunteered in the Confederate army as a private in the Charles City troop, which afterward became Company D, in the 8d Virginia cavalry, attached to Wickham's brigade. He served throughout the war and was twice severely wounded, and surrendered at Appomattox as captain of his company. He returned to Charles City county and engaged in farming. He was sheriff of the county, and was successively county treasurer, county surveyor and chairman of the Democratic county committee. He wasa Democratic representative from the third district of Virginia in the 55th, 56th, 57th and 58th congresses, 1895-1905.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Sussex County Virginia

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