Colonel Nathaniel West Dandridge

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA. DAR Ancestor # A029516

The Colonel was in the Volunteer Cavalry Association 1756, and Captain in The Virginia Regiment.

Capt. Nathaniel Dandridge of Royal Navy; member of the House of Burgess, member of Assemblies of 1756-1758,1768-1761, 1760-61and 1761-65 for Hanover County, Virginia.

Capt. Nathaniel West Dandridge was born 7 Sep 1729. . He married, 18 Jun 1747, Dorothea, daughter of Sir Alexander and Ann Butler (Brayne) Spottiswoode, Governor of Virginia. H. Browning, of Ardmore, Pennsylvania, says, in his "Americans of Royal Descent," "Colonel Nathaniel West Dandridge and his wife Dorothea were both descendants of Norman and Plantagenet kings of England; Mrs. Dandridge through her father, Major General Alexander Spotswood, and Colonel Dandridge through the Wests, Lord Delaware." The Dandridge Coat of Arms, was on a seal ring belonging to Captain Dandridge which has been handed down by his descendants.

The following is from the family Bible record and was contributed by Mrs. Mildred Spottiswoode Mathes, of Memphis, Tennessee: "N. W. Dandridge II was married to Jane Pollard, August 3, 1779. "Mrs. Dorothea Dandridge departed this life 25th September, 1773.

"On January 16, 1786, fifteen minutes after 2 o'clock in the morning, departed this life Nathaniel West Dandridge, Sr., born 7th of September, 1729, in King and Queen County.

He married 2nd Jane Pollard, daughter of Joseph Pollard, Clerk of Goochland Co..

By his mother's will he acquired most of the land in the SW corner of Hanover which had been granted to his GF, Capt Nathaniel West, one of the original members of the Hanover Co. Court and a member of the House of Burgesses from New Kent 1705-06.

In 1764 he vacated his seat in the House by accepting the Office of Coroner for Hanover. Becoming a candidate for the House at the succeeding election, he was defeated by Col James Littlepage, the owner of South Wales on the South Anna. This was followed by the celebrated, but unsuccessful election contest before the House of Burgesses in which Col. Dandridge was represented by Patrick Henry.

The Colonel appears to have been a poor manager and always in debt. This may be seen from a number of Acts to be found in Henings' Statutes, and additional proof of this fact is to be found in the pages of "Virginia Migrations - Hanover County, Vol. I." For example, on 6 Oct 1768 he executed a deed of trust to William Dabney, William Macon, John Johnson and Robert Anderson of the County of Hanover, as trustees. This deed covered the tract on which the Colonel lived, lying on Allen's Creek containing by estimatin, 4,000 acres, and another tract on Turkey Crk, containing 1,400 acres, 165 slaves and large quantities of personal property. (see p 54-57). Prior to this deed he had mortgaged the Turkey Crk property to John Murdock & Co., of Glasgow, Merchants, by deed. In the Virginia Migrations, there are numerous references to the Colonel.

His home in Hanover Co was known as "Gold Mine" (actually, this was the home of Robert Anderson - his property was on "Allans Creek" or present day Shop Creek, per research conducted by Robert Szabo). Was a Captain in the Virginia Colonial Militia.

Capt. Nathaniel Dandridge of Royal Navy; member of the House of Burgess, member of Assemblies of 1756-1758,1768-1761, 1760-61and 1761-65 for Hanover County, Virginia.

Nathaniel West Dandridge was son of Colonel William Dandridge of the council, and Unity, his wife, only child of Colonel Nathaniel West, of West Point. He was a burgess from Hanover county from 1758 to 1764, when he was defeated for reelection by Colonel James Littlepage. He contested the election and his attorney, Patrick Henry, made a great speech, but he was not successful. He married Dorothea, daughter of Governor Alexander Spotswood, and died January 16, 1786, leaving issue.