 | A history of Caroline county, Virginia |  |
THE WALLER FAMILY
The family of Waller is one of the most ancient and distinguished
among English ancestry. There is an unbroken
male line from William the Conquerer down to the present time.
An English genealogist claims to have traced the name back to
the sixth century.
The English speaking branch of the Wallers was founded by
two brothers, John Henry David de Waller and Alfred de Waller,
Normans, who came into England with William the Conquerer
the year 1066 and fought with him at Hastings. John Henry
David was given lands in Nottingham county, Alfred in the
county of Kent. The American branch traces descent from Alfred
de Waller, of Kent, who died in 1083 (Domesday Book.)
David de Waller was Master of Rolls to Edward, III, for
thirty years. He dropped the "de."
Sir Richard Waller, of Speldhurst, Greenbridge, Kent, High
Sheriff of Kent, distinguished himself at the battle of Agincourt
1415, and Prince Charles, Duke of Orleans, detained him at
growing up between them. He was a benefactor to the Church at
Speldhurst, where his Arms still remain cut in the stone work
over the entrance. The arms of this ancient family are thus
described: Arms:
Sa. three walnut leaves or, betw. two bendlets ar.
Crest:
On a mount vert a walnut tree, ppr.; on the sinister
side an escutcheon pendent charged with the Arms of France,
with a label of three points ar.
Motto:
"Hic est fructus virtutis."
John Waller, gentleman, 1617-1688, a prominent citizen of
Newport Paganel, Buckinghamshire, younger brother of the Poet
m. Mary Key, or Kay, obtained a grant of land and emigrated
to Virginia in 1635. Settled in Gloucester county. "A wild
young fellow packed off to the colony of Virginia, there to take
his chances, rather than stay in England, where temptations
surrounded him."
John Waller, b. in 1673, gent., the 2d, third son of the immigrant,
m. Dorothy King. He was Sheriff of King and Queen
county 1702, represented King William county in House of
Burgesses, 1719-1721, first Clerk St. George's Parish, one of the
founders of Fredericksburg and organizers of Spotsylvania county.
He lived on his estate "Newport" in Spotsylvania, d. in 1754,
both he and his wife, Dorothy King, are buried at "Newport."
His tombstone bears the following inscription: "Sacred to the
memory of Col. John Waller, Gentleman, third son of John
Waller and Mary Key, who settled in Virginia in 1635, from
Newport Paganel, Buckinghamshire, England." Silver seal, suit
of horse arms, silver cap pistols, silver hilted sword and prayer
book of Col. Waller are still in existence, but in possession of a
family not of the name Waller (records show that all of the Wallers
belonged to the Church of England).
Issue of Col. John Waller, gent., of "Newport," Spotsylvania
in order of birth: Mary, who m. Zachary Lewis, a near relative
of Fielding Lewis, who m. Betty Washington; Edmund, 1st son,
m. Mary Pendleton of Caroline county. He was 2d clerk of
Spotsylvania county, 1742-1751. He is the ancestor of the late
Judge R. E. Waller, of Spotsylvania; the late Dr. Judson Cary
Waller, of Albemarle; the late Samuel Gardner Waller, of Front
Royal, his only son is Gen. Samuel Gardner Waller, of the Virginia
George Mason.
William Waller, 2d son, 1714-1760, m. Ann Becker or Beuckie,
3d clerk of Spotsylvania county, 1751-1759, was a prominent
lawyer and business man of his day, buried at "Newport."
Col. John Waller, 3d son, founder of "Cedar Point," on the
Pamunkey, now called North Anna river, in Spotsylvania county,
4th clerk of Spotsylvania, 1760-1774, m. Agnes Carr, dau. of
Thomas Carr, of "Bears Castle," Louisa county, brother of
Hon. Dabney Carr, who m. sister of Thomas Jefferson. John
Waller, 3d, died in 1774, buried at "Cedar Point."
Thomas Waller, 4th son of John Waller, gent., of "Newport,"
is the ancestor of the Wallers of Stafford county, among whom
may be mentioned the late Col. Thomas Waller, of Stafford,
C. S. A.; Col. 9th Virginia Cavalry at the end of the Civil war.
He strongly resembled Col. John Mercer Waller, of "Cedar
Point," and they were often mistaken for each other, although
cousins four generations removed.
Benjamin Waller, 5th son, was a prominent lawyer, and while
a young man he moved to Williamsburg and later became a celebrated
Judge. He served as clerk of the Council, Burgess from
James City county, 1744-1761, member of the Convention, 17751776,
judge of the General Court, 1779 to his death, 1788, m.
Martha Hall, of Bermuda, N. C. He is the ancestor of Major-General
Littleton Waller, U. S. Marine Corps and Page Waller,
of Norfolk, who m. a dau. of General J. E. B. Stuart.
Thomas Carr Waller, 1732-1788, son of Col. John Waller,
founder of "Cedar Point, m. Sarah Dabney, lived and died at
"Cedar Point." Succeeded by, Dabney Waller, 1772-1849, m.
Elizabeth Minor, lived and died at "Cedar Point."
Sons of Dabney Waller in order of birth: Thomas Carr Waller,
1799-1872, lived at Woodland, one of the farms composing
"Cedar Point," served as treasurer and Sheriff of Spotsylvania.
Cap. Dabney Washington Waller, 1804-1880, m. Caroline
Pleasants, dau. of Jordan Pleasants and Elizabeth Tyler, who was
a sister of Henry Tyler and great aunt of Ex-Governor James
Hoge Tyler. Jordan Pleasants was first cousin of the late James
Pleasants, Governor of Virginia, 1822, and brother of John
Hampden Pleasants, Editor of the old Richmond Whig, who was
killed in a duel by Ritchie, Editor of the Richmond Enquirer.
Col. John Mercer Waller, 1814-1876, lived and died at "Cedar
Point," and was the last of the name of Waller to own "Cedar
Point." At his death the estate was sold, and bought by Col.
Bigger, of the General Assembly of Virginia.
Col. John Mercer Waller was a prominent business man and
sportsman and one of the few practical farmers of his
day, a large slave owner and under his management "Cedar
Point" reached a high state of cultivation, was especially noted
for its splendid crops of wheat and clover. He also took an
active part in Spotsylvania politics, held several offices, was for
a long time Colonel of the Spotsylvania Militia. Married three
times and had three sons: Capt. William, C. S. A.; John Mercer,
Jr., Pvt. 9th Virginia Cavalry, killed in skirmish at Lebanon
church, Caroline county, age 18, buried at "Cedar Point, Spotsylvania
county. Thomas Carr Waller, moved to Missouri.
Capt. Dabney Washington Waller, son of Dabney Waller and
Elizabeth Minor, was born at "Cedar Point," Spotsylvania
county, January, 1804, received his early education from private
tutors at "Cedar Point," later graduated from Humanity Hall
Academy, Hanover county, had made preparations to enter the
University, when he was taken with the roving fever and decided
to go West. Accompanied by a servant, he rode as far as the
Mississippi River and was made several splendid offers to locate
out there, but returned to Virginia and on March 6, 1827, m.
Miss Caroline Pleasants. For the next nine years he rented the
"Red House," on the Pamunky river, an estate then belonging
to the De Jarnette family and conducted a private school for
young men. In 1837, he bought from a Mr. Wright, the Walnut
Hill Farm, located in Caroline county, western edge. At Walnut
Hill he opened a school known as Waller's or Walnut Hill
Acadmey, which he conducted for nearly fifty years and gained
quite a reputation as an educator. He was known as one of the
best grounded Latin and Greek scholar of his time; an expert
mathematican and surveyor, large slave owner and farmer, Capt.
in Caroline Militia, member of Rehoboth M. E. church, and known
far and wide for his truthful and upright character. Died at
Walnut Hill, Caroline county, August 16, 1880.
Capt. Dabney Washington Waller was succeeded by Dabney
Jordan, who was b. at Walnut Hill, June 29, 1841, educated at
Walnut Hill Academy and Randolph-Macon College, m. 1st,
Ann Catherine Waddy, dau. of Garland T. Waddy and Sophia
Lee, dau. of Robert Baker Lee, of "Laxfield Hall," Linstead
Magna, Suffolk county, England.
Walnut Hill farm is situated on the extreme western edge of
Caroline, lying partly in Spotsylvania, on the main road that
leads from Goodloes to Blantons, about half way between the
two places. Little is known of its early history. Dabney Washington
Waller purchased it in 1837, from a Mr. Wright, who
moved West. The old house was burned in 1880, it was a large
rambling frame house of the two and a half story type, with basement,
shed rooms in the rear and a large porch in front. There are
signs of a very old brick settlement. An ancient Goodloe family
was supposed to have lived there, the old Goodloe burying ground
being near by. Also from the number of relics that are found,
there must once have been an Indian village here. Arrow heads,
broken pottery, etc., were found. A few years ago, in digging a
ditch an Indian tomahak, stone hammer, part of a clay vessel
were found.
Descendants of John Waller, gent., of "Newport," Spotsylvania,
of the name Waller married into the following families:
Lightfoot, Carson, Breckenridge, Bibb, Aylett, Curtis, Custis,
Pritchett, Rowzie, Terrell, Waddy, Goodloe, Swann, Cowherd,
Pollard, Wheeler, Pettitt, Hancock, Carter, Crump, Harrison,
Carr, Marshall, Langhorne, Ware, Gresham, Alexander, Shelton,
Jennings, DeJarnette, Dew, Gordon, Knowles, McGruder,
Armstead, Buckner, Towles, Granville, Taylor, Page, Payne,
Tazewell, Smith, Greenshaw, Montague, Barrett, Barnett,
Johnson, Corbin, Griffin, Garland, DuVal, Caldwell, Coles,
Rutherford, Cabell, Moore, Littleton, Tunstall, Barkley, Lee,
Dabney, Minor, Tyler, Pleasants, Hart, Bently, Mann, Duerson,
Anderson and many others. (Records of the Waller Family.)
Dorothy Waller, of Williamsburg, became the wife of Henry
Tazewell and was the mother of Littleton Waller Tazewell,
1784-1860, U. S. Senator, Com. under Florida Treaty, Governor
of Virginia, 1834-1836. Governor Tazewell writing in 1823,
says of his maternal grandfather, Judge Benj. Waller, of Williamsburg,
son of Col. John Waller, gent., of "Newport," Spotsylvania:
"He was descended from Sir Edmund Waller, the Poet and traced
his lineage to the days of William, of Normandy. He often
spoke of the antiquity and respectability of his descent, saying
that one of his ancestors greatly distinguished himself at the
of France and that, in testimony of this, Henry, V, gave as a
crest the Arms of France, suspended on an English oak with the
motto, `Haec fructus virtutis,' which armorial insignia was suspended
in his great hall."
| A history of Caroline county, Virginia | |