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William Addington was born in London, England in 1750. He lived with his parents until he was about twenty years old. Because his parents were wealthy, he was afforded excellent educational opportunities. William desired to come to the colonies in North America, but his parents tried to convince him to stay in England. Seeing that their persuasive efforts failed, William's father gave him money for the overseas passage and to supply his needs for some time afterward.[1]
William emigrated, by ship, to the American colonies from Great Britain. He was transported by Alexander Campbell in June 1773 [citation needed]. After landing at Norfolk, he traveled through eastern Virginia and North Carolina. He finally settled near Culpeper County, Virginia.
William volunteered to fight in the American Revolution and was appointed as a Commissary Officer in General George Washington's continental army. He held this position until the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown on October 19, 1781, which he witnessed. His name, Addington, has not been found on any records of that war. However, there is a William Edlington found on the soldier's list of those who were present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. Other documents have been found where William Addington signed his name as William Eddington. So, it is believed that the William Edlington on the soldier's list is our William Addington. Unfortunately, William died before Congress enacted the pension act for service in the Revolutionary War.[1]
William married Margaret Cromwell around 1774 in Cullpepper, Virginia.[2] Together they had the following children:
In September 1783, William ' moved his family to Caswell County, North Carolina. By the summer of 1785, William and 12 other families relocated to Russell County (some accounts say Washington County), in the valley, north of the mountain, near Hayter's Gap. The area they settled in is known today as Addington Cove, where a small stream named Addington Branch has its headwaters.[1]
On November 4, 1799 William withdrew his entry of 100 acres made on July 26, 1792 and reenters his 100 acres on the top of War Gap Ridge, near Jacob Crabtree. It is probable that this move was done to be nearer to Margaret's brother Charles Cromwell, who was also a resident of the War Gap Ridge Section, having moved there prior to 1785.
The 1802 Russell County Tax List is the last time William was mentioned in any of the Russell County Records.
It is believe that William's descent into the depression that lead to his hospitalization began when his application for a land bounty for his service during the Revolutionary War was denied.
On July 12, 1802, William was admitted to Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia, the first public facility in the United States constructed solely for the care and treatment of the mentally ill. His name appears on a list of patients at the hospital from 1800 to 1815. [citation needed] At the hospital, William was being treated for melancholy, today known as depression.
William Addington died on February 9, 1805, the hospital had two carpenters construct a coffin for him. He was buried in the hospital cemetery.[3] The hospital did not provide headstones for the patient's graves, thus the cemetery is basically a piece of well kept land. There is a wrought iron fence on the front of the cemetery, and immediately upon entering the gate there is a memorial monument area that was erected in 1986, consisting of five granite stones with the theme "Celebrating Their Dignity". One stone has the following inscription on it: "We erect this monument in memory of those persons whom we have known, loved and served through the years. While living they knew the suffering of inner pain, confusion and despair. Now they are at peace in the hands of God where no torment will ever touch them again." On the other four stones, the names of all laid to rest are inscribed, though not in alphabetical order or dated.
Y-dna data indicate that William Addington(1750-1805) of Virginia is descended from a Bedfordshire Addington line that dates to a Silvester Addington(1589-1651), Melchbourne, Bedfordshire.
Y-dna data indicate that William Addington of Virginia is not related to the Addington line of Anthony Addington, MD and Henry Addington, PC MP PM Source: Familytreedna
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Categories: Addington Name Study
William Addington born 1750 was not listed as a son of Dr. Anthony Addington in The Annals of the Addington Family by E. M. G. Belfield (pub. 1959), nor is he listed in Burke's Peerage under the section on the Viscounts of Sidmouth. No dna connection has been shown between the Addingtons of Scott Co., VA and the Addingtons of the Viscount Sidmouth line in England