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the following is from "Hugenot Immigrants to Virginia":
William, son of John and Grace (Stegge or Stagg) Byrd of London, of the family of Brexton, Cheshire, England) was born in 1652, and came to Virginia as a youth, as the legatee of his uncle, Captain Thomas Stegge, merchant, landed proprietor and member of the Council. Colonel Byrd patented large tracts of land including the site of the city of Richmond; was a man of enterprise and influence;married Mary, daughter of Colonel Warham Horsemanden of " Purley;, in Essex, England"; member of the Virginia Council; receiver General of the Colony by appointment from December 24, 16878 until his death December 4, 1704, when he was succeeded by his son (the more distinguished of the family), born at "Westobver" the family seat, March 10, 1674, died August 26, 1744, and was buried there. The last was educated in England; "called to the bar in the Middle Temple", studied for some time in the low countries, visited the Court of France, and was chosen Fellow of the Royal Society, was thrice appointed public agent to the court and ministry of England and being 37 years a member, at last became president of the council. His genius is embalmed in our national literature as the author of the Westover Manuscripts which contain the history of the dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina as run 8in 1728-29; Colonel Byrd being one of the commissioners on the part of Virginia. He was the founder of Richmond, Virginia. He, too, like his father, was much interested in the settlement of Virginia by the immigration of European Protestants (his letters) establish his frequent earnest efforts to secure the emigration of Swill and German settlers, to whom he offered land, both in Virginia and North Carolina, on favorable terms. He was deeply interested in the development of the mineral resources of Virginia, and planted an extensive vineyard in 1735. He married twice. First Lucy, daughter of Colonel Daniel Parke, Governor of the Leeward Islands; secondly, May 9, 1724, Mrs. Maria Taylor, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Thomas Taylor of Kensington, England, "born November 10-, 1698; died Aug 25, 1771.p 1728 died 1 Jan 1777, was a member of the Virginia Council. In 1756 he served as a Colonel of the 2nd Virginia Regiment in the French and Indian War. He was married twice-first April 10, 1748, to Elizabeth, born 13 Oct 1731, died 14 July 1760, daughter of John Carter, of "Shirley", James River; secondly, January 29, 1761, to Mary, daughter of Charles and Anne (daughter of Joseph Shippen) Willing of Philadelphia, PA., who survived him. Charles Willing was the son of Thomas and Ann Willing of Bristol, England.

Summary of the life of William Byrd and his son, William Byrd II and his grandson, William Byrd III. This is found in Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography.