Arthur Sinclair II (1780 - 1831)

Born 28 Feb 1780 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, USA

Husband of Sarah Short Skipwith (Kennon) Sinclair — married 21 Jan 1810 in Halifax Co., VA, USA

Descendants

Died 7 Feb 1831 at age 50 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA

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Arthur Sinclair II served in the United States Navy in the War of 1812
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Biography

Arthur Sinclair entered the US Navy as midshipman in November 1798. He commenced his long and distinguished naval service by taking part in the 1799 capture by the Constellation of the French Frigate L'Insurgente. He was promoted to captain in 1813 and received a sword from the State of Virginia for his gallant service as second in command at the Battle of Lake Ontario.

He married first, Elizabeth, daughter of General John Hartwell Cocke, of Mt Pleasant, Surry County. They had two children, twins, Robert Carter Nicholas d 1806 and Augusta (died 3 weeks after birth) b, 2 Mar 1802. These children died young and their mother died in 1803.

Arthur Sinclair married second on 20 Jan 1810 in Halifax Co, Sally Short Skipwith Kennon b 30 Oct 1790 d 21 August 1827, daughter of Colonel Richard Kennon of Conjurer's Neck, VA (Kennon house still stands. She was known as "Sally Short".) There are many pages of her letters to her friend in the Virginia Historical Society magazines. The letters are very interesting; included is the story of their courtship, what he looked like and her version of his naval service. They moved from Surry County to Norfolk, VA. The Virginia Historical Society has a portrait of her in their collection. Commodore Arthur Sinclair served in the U.S. Navy during the Quasi-War with France, the First Barbary War and in the War of 1812.

Arthur and Sally had seven children:

1. Arthur Sinclair b 29 Nov 1810, d 14 Jan 1865 Commander USN and CSN,

served on the Alabama, married, 20 Apr 1835, Lelia Imogene Dawley of Norfolk.

1. Elizabeth Beverly Sinclair Whittle (1811 - 1855) b 26 Jul 1812, married Captain William Conway Whittle, USN, CSN
2. Richard Kennon Sinclair (8 Nov 1814-7 Jul 1815)
3. George Tarry Sinclair, b 29 Sep 1816, d 25 Jul 1885, LT USN, CSN m 2 May 1843, Mary Thompson b 5 Jan 1825 in Norfolk, d 6 Nov 1888, Halifax, NS., dau William Henry Thompson (Tuckers Norfolk Marriages, p170)
4. Dr. William Beverly Sinclair b, 22 Jan 1818, d 27 Sep 1895,

surgeon, USN, CSN, a prominent physician, married 11 Nov 1844, Lucy Franklin Read Jones, dau Walter F. & Mary Eliza Taylor Jones of Norfolk (Tucker�s Norfolk Marriages, p 175, buried Cedar Grove, Norfolk)

1. Sarah Sinclair b,22 Jul 1820, died in infancy
2. Gilberta Fayette Sinclair, b 19 Oct 1824. married Dr. Conway

Davies Whittle, of Norfolk.

Lynchburg Virginian (Publication Monday, February 21, 1831) Died- On Monday last (Feb. 7), Commodore Arthur Sinclair, of the U. S. Navy. He entered the service as a Midshipman on Nov. 15, 1798, becoming a Captain July 28, 1813. He leaves several children.

Burial: Cedar Grove Cemetery Norfolk City, Virginia, USA Plot: CEDAR GROVE, Block 2ND A W, Lot 11

Sources

• Wikipedia:Arthur_Sinclair

• http://boards.ancestry.com.au/surnames.sinclair/1497.1.1.1.1.1.1/mb.ashx

• Find A Grave: Memorial #94673380

• http://sinclair.quarterman.org/archive/2001/06/msg00018.html