Revolution and thereafter became a member of the court, and, as such, ex-officio of the first Court of Appeals.

A chronicler has spoken of Dorothea Waller as a lovely girl.2 She was known by the abbreviation of that name, Dolly. It is interesting to note that this name was borne by the brides of Patrick Henry and James Madison. A girl she ever remained in the eyes and memory of Henry, as she died in the year 1777, just three years after the birth of her son and only child, Littleton Waller Tazewell, who himself rose to high distinction, becoming Governor of the Commonwealth and United States Senator from Virginia.

The following description of Henry Tazewell is made by Hugh Blair Grigsby:

"Tradition has handed down to us a glowing picture of young Tazewell in the first flower of manhood. Fortunately, an admirable portrait of the elder Peale sustains the impression which he made upon his contemporaries. At the court of Elizabeth or of the second Charles his mere physical qualities would have won his way to the highest offices in the State. His face was extremely beautiful. His bright hazel eyes shaded by long black lashes; his nose of Greek rather than Roman mould, his forehead full and high; his auburn locks, parted at the foretop and falling 'not beneath his shoulders broad,' presented a striking picture; while the tints of his skin, partaking more of the Italian than the Saxon hue, bespoke like his name, which though assuming an English form, was of French origin, the foreign blood in his veins. His carriage was altogether becoming, and blended the freedom of the cavalier with the more chastened demeanor of the scholar."

Tazewell began his long public career in 1775, at the age of twenty-two, when he represented his native county, Brunswick, in the House of Burgesses, a career which was ended only by death. So busy was he attending to the duties of the public offices which he held that he was rarely at one place for any ength of time. Probably the death of his young bride, and

the fact that he never remarried was partly the cause of this. His son, Littleton, was reared by Judge Waller, his father-inlaw. He made his home in Williamsburg until 1787 and then removed to Kings Mill, James City County.

In May, 1775, Lord Dunmore, the last royal governor of the colony of Virginia, received orders from Lord North and Lord Dartmouth to submit to the colonies conciliatory propositions known as "The Olive Branch." He therefore summoned the Assembly to meet. It was to this body that Tazewell was sent by the people of Brunswick County. As one of the youngest members of the House of Burgesses, it was a signal honor that he was designated by those in authority to prepare an answer to the propositions of Lord North. His answer received the sanction of two of the most learned members of the body, Nicholas and Pendleton; but by some trifling accident the answer proposed by Thomas Jefferson was accepted. It is interesting to note in passing that this meeting of the House of Burgesses was the last ever to convene. Lord Dunmore fled from Williamsburg on June 8, 1775, never to return. Henceforth Tazewell was to serve his people under a new sovereign.

When the roll of the convention that met on May 5, 1776, in Williamsburg was called it was found that Henry Tazewell answered as a representative of Brunswick County. His uncle, John Tazewell, in whose office he had studied law, was clerk of that body.

A historian has spoken in this manner of this convention: "The colossal work of the convention of the people which met at Williamsburg May 5, 1776, was without parallel." Three young men sat side by side in that convention. They were Edmund Randolph, James Madison and Henry Tazewell. Randolph and Tazewell were both tall, Madison short. Tazewell and Randolph had attended William and Mary College together and were well known to each other. Madison had attended Princeton. They have been spoken of as the triumvirate.

Tazewell was appointed on the Committee on Propositions and Grievances, and, together with his two friends, served on

the grand committee which drafted the Constitution and the Declaration of Rights.

The people of Brunswick county were well pleased with the work of Tazewell in both of these conventions, as they saw fit to return him to the House of Delegates under the new constitution for a period of ten years, until he was elevated to the bench. He never lost an election during his entire public career. The era between the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the adoption of the Federal Constitution was a critical and important one for Virginia. Many important topics were discussed and settled in her assembly hall. Among them were these: The law of primogeniture; the law of entails; paper money; taxes; the confiscation of British debts; the mode and means of conducting the war; the expediency of forming the Articles of Confederation, and subsequently amending them. No one could have hoped for a better school for a statesman and jurist. The training received there equipped Tazewell for service on the bench and in the United States Senate.

He

Nor was Tazewell's service to Virginia during the Revolutionary period wholly one in the hall of the Legislature. served during the war as captain of the Brunswick militia. He served his country both with sword and pen.

The story has been passed down to us that Tazewell was entertaining at tea. All of the guests arrived, but Tazewell was nowhere to be found. He was on a fox hunt. After waiting a long time, one of the guests exclaimed in despair:

“Oh, well, Colonel Tazewell can do as well without his tea." Tazewell rose to eminence at the bar. He enjoyed a lucrative practice, although very young in years. We are told that the Tazewell family of that day were people of means. Henry Tazewell specialized in the practice of law before the General Court. This court was one of appellate jurisdiction in criminal matters. His entire time outside of the Legislature was spent practicing before this court. His ability as an advocate was soon recognized by his associates. He was appointed judge of the General Court in 1885 by the Governor. The executive appointment was confirmed by the Assembly in that year. He was the youngest judge ever to serve in that court.