Congressman Theodorick Bland, Jr.

Theodorick Bland (March 21, 1741 – June 1, 1790),[1] also known as Theodorick Bland, Jr., was a physician, soldier, and statesman from Prince George County, Virginia. He became a major figure in the formation of the new United States government, representing Virginia in both the Continental Congress and the United States House of Representatives.

Theodorick Bland, Jr. was born at Cawsons, on the Appomattox River, near Petersburg, Prince George County, Va., March 21, 1742. He was sent to Yorkshire, England to be educated and from there, studied medicine in Edinburgh and was admitted to practice. He married Martha Daingerfield in 1769 and probably settled at Kippax Plantation.

He returned to his home in 1759 and engaged in extensive practice, taking an active part in the Revolutionary War and formation of the United States:

• entered the Continental Army as captain of the First Troop of Virginia Cavalry
• was a Member of the Continental Congress 1780-1783
• was appointed by Governor Henry as lieutenant of Prince George County Militia in 1785
• was a member of the State house of delegates, 1786-1788
• a member of the Virginia convention of 1788 on the adoption of the Federal Constitution, where he was one of the minority which opposed its ratification, believing it gave too much power to the central government.
• elected as an Anti-Administration candidate to the First Congress and served from March 4, 1789, until his death.

Theodorick Bland, Jr. died in New York City June 1, 1790, the first member of Congress to die in office. Originally interred in Trinity Churchyard, in Lower Manhattan, New York City, he was later reinterred in the Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C. on August 31, 1828.

Maria Edmonds-Zediker, Volunteer Curator, 9/9/2011

Links to additional material:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodorick_Bland_(congressman)
• http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000546
• http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Hopewell/116-5021_Kipp...
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Bland&GSfn=Th...

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Burial

1. 1790 Trinity Churchyard, Lower Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
2. reinterred in the Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C., August 31, 1828

"Originally buried in Manhattan's Trinity Churchyard, Bland was reinterred with honors at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC in 1828."

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7460/theodorick-bland
• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Sep 14 2022, 23:29:03 UTC

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"The Bland papers : being a selection from the manuscripts of Colonel Theodorick Bland, jr. ; to which are prefixed an introduction, and a memoir of Colonel Bland" https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/221985-the-...