Edward Barradall

Background

The place of his birth is not known, nor is the exact date, but it may be confidently assumed that his parents were Henry Barradall and Catherine Blumfield, who were married in England, June 6, 1696.

Education

His education was received in England, and he was called to the bar at the Inner Temple.

Career

He emigrated to Virginia with his two brothers and two sisters, commenced the practise of law at Williamsburg. The early legal reports indicate that he enjoyed a large practise. In 1734, he became legal adviser to Lord Fairfax, Proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia, and drafted the act for the quieting of titles to land in the colony, which had been endangered owing to the dubious provisions of the will of Catherine Culpeper, Lady Fairfax. He was appointed attorney-general of Virginia, Nov. 18, 1737, becoming also judge of the court of vice admiralty, and representative in the General Assembly for William and Mary College. He continued a member of the General Assembly at the sessions of November 1738, May 1740, August 1740, and May 1742, and retained his official position till his death, which occurred at Williamsburg, June 19, 1743. He died childless, neither of his brothers or sisters married, and the family therefore became extinct.

Barradall was the author of "Cases Adjudged in the General Court of Virginia from April 1733 to October 1741. " They consist of notes of judicial decisions during the time he was practising law in the colony. It is doubtful if they were assembled with a view to publication, though great care is evinced in the statements of material facts, and the exact points decided. As had theretofore been the custom in the English reports, there are no head notes, and, since the General Court never delivered written opinions, there are almost invariably no stated reasons for the decisions, neither are the arguments dealt with adequately. Despite these defects the reports are very instructive, dealing with construction of wills or deeds relating to land, actions of trespass involving ownership of real estate, actions of detinue relative to ownership of slaves, and occasional suits for slander, thus giving a vivid picture of the course of litigation in the early days of the colony. After Barradall's death his manuscript passed through a number of hands, and the original is lost. The text, taken from a copy in the Virginia State Library, was published in Virginia Colonial Decisions, edited by Robert T. Barton.

Achievements

• Barradall is remembered mostly by his work "Cases Adjudged in the General Court of Virginia from April 1733 to October 1741. "

Works

More photos

• book

  • Virginia Colonial Decisions

    (Two volumes. Originally published: Boston: the Boston Boo...)

Connections

He married, on January 5, 1735/6, Sarah, daughter of William Fitzhugh of Stafford, Virginia, and grand-daughter of Col. William Fitzhugh.

Father:

Henry Barradall

Mother:

Catherine Blumfield

Wife:

Sarah Fitzhugh

References

• Virginia Colonial Decisions