University of Virginia Library

JAMES PLEASANTS.

The founder of the excellent Pleasants family of Virginia, John
Pleasants, was a member of the pacific, prudent and upright Society of
Friends, and many of his descendants have consistently held the same
tenets to the present day. He was a native of Norwich, England,
from whence, in 1665, in the twenty-fifth year of his age, he emigrated
to the colony of Virginia, settling in Henrico County, on James River,
in 1668. During the period 1679-1690 he received grants of nearly
five thousand acres of land. He married Jane, widow of Samuel
Tucker, and died at his seat, "Curles," May 12, 1698. He had issue:
i. John, who married Dorothea Cary, was a patentee of nearly ten
thousand acres of land, and February 17, 1752, was appointed one of
the trustees of the town of Richmond, Virginia; ii. Elizabeth, married
James Cocke, and their numerous descendants number the names of
Harrison, Poythress, and many others equally estimable; iii. Joseph,
patented nearly two thousand acres of land, married Martha Cocke.

Of the issue of four sons and three daughters of Joseph and Martha
(Cocke) Pleasants, the second son, John, of "Pickanockie," married
Susanna, the sixth child of Tarleton[8] and Ursula (Fleming[9] ) Woodson,

of the fourth generation in descent from John Woodson, of Dorsetshire,
England, who accompanied Sir John Harvey to the colony of Virginia
in 1624, according to tradition, "in the capacity of surgeon to a company
of soldiers." Of the issue of six sons and two daughters of John
and Susanna (Woodson) Pleasants, the third son, James, of "Contention,"
married Anne, widow of John P. Pleasants and Isham Randolph,
of "Dungenness," Goochland County, who was the son of the emigrant
William Randolph, of "Turkey Island," James River, Virginia. Of
the issue of two sons and four daughters of James and Anne (PleasantsRandolph)
Pleasants, James, the subject of this sketch, was the first
child. He was born in 1769, and after a well grounded common school
education, studied law with the distinguished Judge William Fleming,
and entered on the practice with considerable success. In 1796 he was
elected to represent Goochland County in the House of Delegates of
Virginia, and in 1803 was chosen the clerk of the body, which latter
position he filled most acceptably until some time during the year 1810,
when he was elected a member of the United States House of Representatives,
in which body he faithfully and efficiently served from 1811
to 1819. December 1, 1822, by election of the General Assembly of
Virginia, he succeeded Thomas Mann Randolph as Governor of Virginia,
and thus served by annual re-election, with great acceptability,
until December 1, 1825, when, being by the constitution no longer
eligible, he was succeeded by John Tyler. Mr. Pleasants subsequently
served as a member of the distinguished and important State Constitutional
Convention of 1829-1830. This was his last public service, for
though twice appointed to judicial position, such was his rare modesty that
he declined acceptance from a distrust of his qualifications. He died
November 9, 1836, in Goochland County, universally esteemed for his
public and private virtues. Governor Pleasants married Susanna Lawson,
second daughter of Colonel Hugh Rose,[10] of "Geddes," and his
wife, who was Caroline Matilda Jordan, of "Seven Islands," Buckingham
County, Virginia.

The issue of Governor James and Susanna (Rose) Pleasants was:
i. Marianna, married Granville Smith; ii. Caroline, married Thomas
Curd, M. D.; iii. John Hampden, a journalist of conspicuous talents,
who founded the Richmond Whig, and was its chief editor for twenty-two
years. He was a poignant thorn in the side of the Democracy, and
a fearless antagonist of the Richmond Enquirer, its organ, which was
founded and conducted by the famous Thomas Ritchie, "the father of
the Democratic party." His trenchant pen led to a duel between himself
and Thomas Ritchie, Jr., in which he was fatally wounded, dying
February 25, 1846, in the prime of manhood, in the midst of usefulness
and the full assurance of the most brilliant career. His death
was profoundly deplored, and his friends have never ceased to deprecate
the agencies instrumental to it. It was regarded, as was the death
of Alexander Hamilton at the hands of Aaron Burr, as an immolation
upon the altar of partisan spirit; iv. Marella, married Marcellus Smith;
v. Susanna Lawson, married John Morris, M. D., of "Green Springs,"
Louisa County, Virginia; vi. Hugh Rose, a distinguished journalist,
long connected with the press of Richmond, died April 27, 1870; vii.
Charles James; and viii. Anne Matilda, married Dr. Ealam, of Chesterfield
County, Virginia. John Hampden Pleasants was twice married;
first to Ann Irving, and secondly to Mary Massie. He had issue:
James Pleasants, a prominent lawyer of Richmond, and Ann Eliza, who
married Douglas H. Gordon. The descendants of John Pleasants, the
founder of the family in Virginia, are so numerous and so widely connected
with the prominent families of the State and Union as to render
any enumeration of names injudicious here.