Walter COLES Esq.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Biography. WALTER COLES

Walter Coles, the eldest child of John Coles and Mary Ann Winston, was born in Hanover County November 14, 1739. Very little is known of his early life; he was less than eight years of age when his father died. He was brought up in the Anglican (Episcopal) Church, and was a student at the College of William and Mary (perhaps in its preparatory school) from mid-1753 to early 1755.

By the time he was in his early 20's, he was living in Halifax County. Until his death in 1780 he would be a useful, public-spirited citizen.

He was elected to represent the county in the House of Burgesses in 1765, serving from November 6 of that year until March 31, 1768. He was re-elected in 1769 and served until 1772. Again elected in 1777, he was sitting in the House at the time of his death.

Mr. Coles' name first appears as a member of the Vestry of the Antrim Parish <http://www.oldhalifax.com/county/HalifaxWalkingTour6.htm> on August 24, 1767, when he was one of 11 members present for a meeting. At that time, it was ordered that he, James Bates and Benjamin Dickson, or any two of them, view the church Allen's Creek recently built by James LeGrande and re-port "whether the same is done in a workmanlike manner."

At a meeting held November 30, 1767, he, Robert Wooding, Evan Ragland and William, Thompson, or any three, were appointed to purchase someplace "as they shall think proper for a Glebe for the Parish," and report to the next meeting.

He was also present at meetings of the Vestry held April 2, 1768, and January 17, 1769. On December 20, 1769, Coles was one of the Vestrymen appointed to view work done on the Glebe buildings. After this, his name does not appear in the Vestry book.

Mr. Coles served as a Justice of the Peace for the county in various years from 1764 to 1776. In 1776 he was one of the gentlemen Justices sitting "for the purpose of examining several natives of North Britain, subjects of George III, residing within the county." The men were Scottish merchants doing business in Halifax, and as a result of the hearing they where ordered to leave.

In August of 1765, he appeared in Court and "produced a Commission from His Honour the Governor" appointing him Major of the Militia for the county. "By virtue whereof he took the usual oaths to His Majesty's person and government."

In May of 1768 he was appointed to take the list of tithables for the county, and received the same appointment in April of 1769 and again in July of 1776.

Walter Coles was recommended to the Court in July, 1769, as a person to be appointed sheriff of the county, but there is no indication whether or not he was appointed. He was again recommended in July of 1771.

At the November, 1769, term of Court, Coles qualified as a justice of oyer. (according to Webster's International Dictionary, an oyer is a pleading, a hearing or an inspection in open court which a party might demand of any instrument of which the opposite party was bound to make profit; in England, a commission formerly issued to Royal judges, sergeants and others, empowering them to hear and determine treason, felonies and misdemeanors on special occasions.)

According to the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the state (colony) of Virginia paid to Mr. Coles more than 41 pounds (41/9/5, to be exact) in 1777 "for drums and sundries furnished the Halifax Militia." of which he was a Major. At an unspecified date, he was paid 43/5/0 for arms which he purchased.

<images/CoveMap.jpg>

<images/CoveMap.jpg>Besides running a large plantation, Coles operated a grist mill, located near Staunton River on Buckskin Creek. It was built after July, 1769, when the Court gave him leave to do so. He also operated a ferry from his land across Staunton River to Charlotte County. Known, naturally, as Coles Ferry, it will be discussed later in this article.

Walter Coles was married, in 1767, to Mildred Lightfoot, whom he doubtless met when he was in Williamsburg for meetings of the House of Burgesses. The Lightfoots had a townhouse in the capital. At the time of their marriage, Walter was 28, Mildred not quite 16.

Their marriage received this notice in the "Virginia Gazette" of Williamsburg: "Mr. Walter Coles, Esq., one of the representatives in assembly for the county of Halifax, to Miss Mildred Lightfoot, a daughter of the late Col. William Lightfoot, of Charles City."

Mildred was born February 11, 1752, at Tedington <http://www.pastportal.com/Archive/Research%20Reports/Html/RR1062.htm>, the Charles City County home of her parents, Col. William Lightfoot and Mildred Howell. She was raised in surroundings of great wealth; old inhabitants of the county said that the family "lived like kings and queens and ruled a little principality."

In the midst of over 5000 acres, the Lightfoots did indeed live in splendor. Their coat-of-arms, executed in gold, was framed in the pediment of the porch of the mansion. Inside, furnishings were lavish. There were portraits and paintings by artists like Sir Joshua Reynolds and Sir Peter Lely. A toilet set in solid silver graced the master bedchamber.

Lavish entertainment was dispensed at "Ledington. Fourteen could be served from a silver dinner service of English origin. Plates for the host and hostess were of gold. A 1717 Christmas dinner menu listed 22 kinds of meat, fish and game alone!

Walter and Mildred Lightfoot Coles made their home in Halifax County on land inherited from his father. Just when the house, which they called Mildendo, was built, is not known. From the fact that John Coles, in his will (1747), refers to the place as land, it is probably safe to assume that the house had not been built then. At that time there probably were only slave quarters and an overseer's house there.

By directions in his will, all of John Coles property was to be held together undivided and under one management until Walter reached the age of 21. If this was done, then the original house probably was not built until after his 21st birthday, in 1760.

No record of the original Mildendo has been found. No plan or description is known to exist. We know only that it occupied a beautiful hilltop site overlooking the Staunton River, and that it had one of the most unusual names ever.

Mildendo was named for the city of Mildendo, the metropolis of Lilliput in Jonothan Swiftts famous book, GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, published in 1726. Swift, born in Dublin, Ireland, was a contemporary of Walter's father, John Coles, perhaps even a friend. This could explain why Walter selected the unusual name for his house.

Walter and Mildred both had large inheritances. Surely the must have lived at Mildendo in the splendid style to which they were accustomed. As she had done at Tedington, Mildred continued to drive a coach-and-four.

Only one glimpse of life at Mildendo has come down to us. In 1768, Dr. Walter Bennett, of Poplar Mount, Halifax County, paid an extended visit to Walter, his first cousin (his mother was Mary Coles; she spent her entire life in Ireland, dying there in 1755), and recorded it in his journal:
"I went ... to Colonel Walter Coles of Halifax County. Here I staid for two months, very happy, and was treated with the greatest friendship and kindness by him and his wife, for which I shall ever esteem them. They have but one child, a daughter named Mary, about six months old. He lives on a hill over the low grounds of the river Staunton ... Here I met Mr. John Coles and Mr. and Mrs. Mutter, also Mrs. Tucker, who had one child, a daughter three years old, and it appeared to me that they were all very happy. During the visit I got, acquainted with Col. Paul Carrington of Charlotte County. I took my leave of all friends, and Col. Coles rode with me across the river and would assist me with ten pounds, although I had several I had made while there ..."

(The following identifications of persons mentioned by Dr. Bennett seem necessary:

Mr. John Coles - was a brother of Walter, born 1745, died 1808, married to Rebecca Elizabeth Tucker.

Mr. and Mrs. Mutter - she was Sarah Coles, a sister of Walter and John, born 1741, died 1778, married to George Nutter of Norfolk. The last name is sometimes given as Mutter, again as Nutter. Nutter is believed to be correct.

(Mrs. Tucker - was yet another sister of Walter of Mildendo. Born Mary Coles in 1743, died 1823, married to Henry Tucker, a half-brother of her brother John's wife, above. Her 3-year-old daughter was Sarah Coles Tucker, born 1765, married 1784 to George Carrington; they lived at Oak Hill, Halifax County.

(Col. Paul Carrington of Charlotte - was Paul Carrington, Sr., of Mulberry Hill <http://www.stauntonriverbattlefield.org/mulberry.html>. His son, Paul, Jr., would later marry Mildred, the daughter of Walter Coles. His second wife was Henningham Codrington <images/Codrington- Carrington p1.jpg>)

Seven children were born to the Coles, all apparently at Mildendo: Mary, 1767; Mildred Howell, 1769; Sarah, 1770; John, 1772; Walter, 1775; Isaac, 1777; and William, 1779.

Their life together was short. Walter Coles died November 7, 1780, at Mildendo, at the age of 41. He surely was buried there, although there is no proof of this. Mildred Lightfoot Coles was a widow at 28, with seven children whose ages ranged from 13 years down to one year.

Mildred's own father died when he was 42, leaving her mother a widow at 27, with her oldest child just 12. Walter's father, John Coles, died at age 42 . leaving his wife a widow at 27, with their eldest child, Walter, just 12, How's that for coincidence!

[...]

Following the death of her husband, Mildred Lightfoot Coles lived on at Mildendo, running the plantation and raising her children. In March of 1782 she was granted letters of administration of the estate.

In November, 1793, Mildred Coles (through her husband, Paul Carrington, Jr.), Sarah Coles, Isaac Coles and William Coles (through Isaac Coles, their guardian), sued in county court for division of the slaves and personal estate of their late father. Through their attorney, John B. Scott, they also requested partition of some 5,963 acres of land.

In March of 1794 the court ordered the slaves and personal estate "divided agreeable to the will of Walter Coles the elder, by first taking out the legacies specifically devised to the daughters and then allotting to the defendant, Mildred Coles, her choice of 8 house servants out of the balance of the slaves belonging to said estate; then to divide the remainder of all slaves belonging to the estate into two equal parts, and out of them allocate to said defendant 6 working hands and divide the balance most agreeable to the will."

As regards the land, 5,165 acres of which lay in Halifax County and 798 in Charlotte, commissioners were named to "go to the land ... to make partition and severance." A thousand acres of the Halifax land was to be assigned to the defendant agreeable to the will and one-third of the remainder as her dower. The several plaintiffs were to be assigned his or her portion according, to law. The commissioners reported in March, 1794, that the division had been made.

Of the seven children of Walter and Mildred Coles, only three were to survive their parents.

John, fourth eldest, died in 1782 at the age of 10.

Walter Coles, fifth child, died unmarried at age 18. He willed his estate to his mother, sisters and brothers.

Mary Coles, the eldest, died in 1793 at the age of 26. Like her brother Walter, she willed her estate to her mother, sisters and brothers. Part of her mother's legacy was 15,000 pounds of tobacco "with part of which I request her to purchase a watch."

Gilliam, the youngest, died at age 20 in 1799. All his estate was willed to his sisters Mildred and Sarah and his brother Isaac.

Mildred Howell Coles, next-to-eldest child, was married in 1786, at Mildendo, to Paul Carrington, Jr., youngest child of Col. Paul Carrington and Margaret Read of Mulberry Hill <http://www.stauntonriverbattlefield.org/mulberry.html>, Charlotte County.

Born in 1764 and educated at Hampden-Sydney and at the College or Wi1liam and Mary, he was a soldier in the Revolution, studied law under Attorney-General Randolph, was in the House of Delegates, a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1788, a member of the Virginia Senate (speaker for one day), and Judge of the General Court of Virginia.

<http://www.rootsweb.com/~vacharlo/saxe.htm> <http://www.rootsweb.com/~vacharlo/saxe.htm> Sylvan Hill c.1805, Saxe, Charlotte County, Virginia The Carringtons lived at Sylvan Hill <http://www.oldhouseproperties.com/properties/3026> in Charlotte County, "the abode of peace and happiness." To them were born seven children. Paul died January 8, 1816; Mildred died April 24, 1840; both are buried at Berry Hill <http://www.oldhalifax.com/county/RiverRoadTour3.htm>, Halifax County.

Sarah Coles, the third eldest child, was married August 1, 1799, at Mildendo, to James Bruce. The Rev. Alexander Hay officiated at the ceremony.

Mr. Bruce, a native of Orange County, left home at an early age to begin a career in merchandising. By the time he and Sarah were married, he was established in Halifax. He died the third wealthiest man in the United States in 1837, the originator of the chain store system and the country's first agricultural millionaire.

Sarah Coles Bruce died May 21, 1806, having had three children. James Coles, the eldest, was the only one to survive; Charles and Mildred died young. Mrs. Bruce is presumed to be buried at Mildendo in an unmarked grave, along with her two young children.

Isaac Coles, the next-to-youngest child, will be discussed later in this article.

Mildred Howell Lightfoot Coles died May 1, 1799, at Mildendo, and was buried beside her husband in the family cemetery. By her will, she partitioned her estate as follows:

To her daughter, Mildred H. Carrington, 100 pounds current money, to be paid out of money lent to Samuel Venable, and a bay horse now in the wagon called by the name of Captain;

To her daughter Sarah Coles 100 pounds from the same source "and my charriot and horse called by the name of Chanler," a Negro girl, daughter of Judah;

To her son, Isaac, 100 acres of land adjoining the Ferry <http://www.oldhalifax.com/county/StauntonColesFerry.htm>, bought of Drury Kersey, and half of all the money and tobacco belonging to my estate at my death after paying the legacies left to the girls; half of the hogs, cattle, horses and sheep;

To her son, William Judah and all her other children, half of horses, hogs, cattle and sheep/and the remaining half of monies and tobacco;'

To her granddaughter, Nancy Carrington,a Negro girl, Dicey; "in case the boys do not choose her to have the girl, they shall pay her 100 pounds of current money and a handsome bed quilt;" also, a pair of gold-silver buttons that belonged to her aunt Polly Coles;

her granddaughter, Lightfoot Carrington, the remainder of money due on bond of Samuel Venable, and a handsome bed quilt;

To her nephew, Isaac Coles, son of Isaac Coles, Esq., 20 pounds and a white counterpin;

To her sons, Isaac and William, the residue of my estate of whatever nature or kind not heretofore given to be equally divided between them;

Should her son William die before he arrived at the age of "one and twenty or married," the whole of the estate given him was to go to her son, Isaac.

Col. Paul Carrington and Paul Carrington, Jr., were named as her executors.

[http://www.oldhalifax.com/county/Mildendo.htm]

• Residence: Mildendo House: Halifax County, VA. Mildendo was named for the city of Mildendo, the metropolis of Lilliput in Johnathan Swift's famous book, GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, published in 1726. The house was probably built in 1760.

[http://www.oldhalifax.com/county/Mildendo.htm]

• Will, 1780, Halifax County, VA. Walter's will, written November 7, the same day he died, was Presented at Court on November 16, proved and recorded. Following are extracts:


I, Walter Coles, of the county of Halifax and Parish of Antrim, being perfectly in my senses and mind, but knowing how uncertain life is ... I bequeath my soul to God who gaveth it, in humble hope of life eternal, through His great goodness and mercy, and my body to the earth from whence I came, to be decently but not expensively buried.

"...my estate to be kept together as long as my wife, Mildred remains unmarried; she is to have management of it, supporting and maintaining herself and the children out of it, and taking each year one third of the net Profits for her part, but if she should marry, then she shall have nothing to do with anything more than the law of the country gives her a title to.

"I give three daughters, Mary, Mildred Howell and Sarah Coles, 65,000 weight of merchantable crops, inspected tobacco, cash, to be paid them when they marry or their brother John arrives at the age of 21. Till one of which shall happen, they are to be maintained out of the whole estate; and to my daughter Mary a young Negro named Aggy and two young girls called Dinah and Lucy; to my daughter Mildred Lowell, three Negro girls called Sally Cooper, Nancy and Rose; and to my daughter Sarah three Negro girls, Letty, Betty and Flora, with all their future increase to each of them, their heirs and assigns forever; and if either of them my said daughters should die before they marry or are 21 years old, her money or tobacco as well as her Negroes with their increase shall be equally divided between her sisters.

"I give to my son John the lands I own in Halifax County except 165 acres lying on Staunton River above the lands of Drury Baugham, with half my Negroes, deducting those given my daughters, including Sam and Beck, with all the children Beck now has, and all her future increase, with one half my stock of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, and Plantation utensils, to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

"I give my son Walter the tract of land I purchased of Mattox Mayes, lying in Charlotte County on Staunton River and containing 628 acres, with the plantation utensils, and except out of the land in Halifax given his brother John, also one fourth part of my horses, sheep, cattle and hogs, and one fourth of my plantation tools, to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

"I give and bequeath to my son Isaac the tract of land lying in Charlotte County on the fork of Staunton River and Cubb Creek, together with the plantation adjoining which I bought of Parrott and one fourth part of my slaves, stock of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, and plantation tools.

"I give to my son William all the tract of land adjoining my brother Isaac Coles in Halifax on Buckskin Creek, lying altogether above my brother's tract of land on said creek. Also the other fourth part of my slaves, stock of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs and plantation tools.

"My desire is that the whole estate should be kept together till my son John comes to the age of 21 years, unless my daughters should marry. Then their tobacco is to paid and their Negroes delivered. Each child's part is to be divided and the three younger sons' estates separately managed and delivered to them, with any monies that may have been raised from them since the division, as they arrive at the age of 21 years. And if my wife Mildred should be then unmarried that she shall from that time hold and enjoy for her life the mansion house plantation, that is, from the lands of Drury Baugham down the river to Buckskin Creek Plantation and thence out to the back line so as to take in 1000 acres, with her choice of 8 house servants out of the Negroes belonging to my four sons, 6 working hands and one third part of the stock of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs and plantation tools, given my son John, and one third of the estates of each of my other sons Walter, Isaac and William. That she shall during her widowhood have an absolute right to dispose of and lay out any money that may be in hand over and above the sum of tobacco given my daughters and may think proper for the interest and advantage of the estate, and for each of the children in particular, and if she should die before my son John comes of age, any money made in that estate shall be equally divided among my four sons ... that she my dear wife Mildred shall have the use of all the furniture in the house and kitchen, that there should be no appraisement of my estate, but an inventory taken, and that all just debts be paid as soon as possible. And the tobacco as fast as it is raised for the discharge of my daughters' fortunes should be put out to interest with good security for the advantage of the estate.

"Everything not disposed of by this will I give half to my son John, the other half to be equally divided between Walter, Isaac and William.

"If my wife, Mildred should marry before my son John comes of age 21 years, I must earnestly request my brothers John and Isaac Coles to undertake the guardianship of my children and management of my estate, and that they will be particularly attentive to the education of my children, which from the goodness of their hearts and the brotherly affection they have ever discovered to me when alive, I have not the least doubt of their doing.

"This is my last will and testament, sealed with my seal ..."

• Legal: inventory, 1780. The inventory taken of the furnishings of Mildendo following the death of Walter Coles gives us our only idea of what the house may have been like. Even from this list, it is not possible to say how many rooms there may have been, whether it was one or two-story, or such. The physical appearance of the original Mildendo must remain a mystery.

The inventory includes: 16 pewter dishes, 38 pewter plates, 10 pewter basons, 6 smell pewter basons, 3 bell metal skillets, brass kettle, copper kettle, 5 iron pots, preserving pot, tin coffee pot, tin sauce pan, iron ladle, flesh fork, 2 iron spoons, 12 skewers and 2 tin buckets;

Four brass candlesticks, 3 pair of snuffers, tin lanthorn, 2 chafing dishes, 3 frying pans, pepper box, flour box, plate basket, 4 pine tables, 2 pewter dish covers, 2 iron skillets, 4 pot hooks, 4 pair andirons, 4 flat irons, pestle and mortar, 30-gallon iron pot, 20 candle moulds, and a pewter still;

Four damask table cloths, 9 cheaper table cloths, two Virginia table cloths, 12 pillow cases, 8 counterpanes, 6 bed quilts, 21 blankets, 3 Virginia carpets, 10 feather beds, 4 mattresses, and 12 pair of sheets;

Desk and bookcase, dressing table, stand, mahogany cradle, 6 cherry chairs, 12 black walnut chairs, 2 armchairs, 10 bedsteads, press, 2 chests, 3 mahogany tables, 2 cherry tables, black walnut table, 3 pair tongs, and to shovels;

Set of tea china, 3 china bowls, glass bowl, 10 Queen's China plates, 16 butter pots, 11 Queen's China dishes, 2 pudding dishes, 6 tart pans, 6 custard cups, 2 sugar boxes, 2 bread baskets, 3 trunks, sugar dish, 2 tea. pots, 2 looking glasses, 2 silver-mounted knife cases, 12 knives and forks, and 2 knife boxes;

Two pewter ink stands, 12 pictures, 4 salt cellars, mustard not, vinegar creit, 2 pepper castors, 24 bottles, rum case, 2 pewter chamber pots, tea kettle and stand, 4 piggins, 2 tubs, 3 churns, loom, 4 slays, 6 spinning wheels, 4 flax wheels, and 6 pair of cards;

Weaver's shuttle, 2 warping boards, 2 tea boards, 4 waiters, 22 china mugs, china lamp, glass salver, 12 wine glasses, 18 vials, 12 cannisters, 11 large silver spoons, 10 small silver spoons, 10 silver tea spoons, pair sugar tongs, 2 punch ladles, soup spoon, and a Queen's Ware coffee pot;

Large jar, 6 jugs, 21 gallons of rum, 4 gallons of wine, hogshead of cider, 30 gallons of cider, pair of large scales, pair of money scales, 6 mitts, 12 milk bowls, large iron pot, silver-hilted sword, 2 razors and straps, pair of silver-plated spurs, and shaving box and brush;

Riding chair, parcel of leather, set of calico bed curtains, 5 pair window curtains, 7 casks, 32 bushels of salt, ton or iron, 3 guns,, 2 wagons, 2 ox carts, 45 head of horses, 229 head of cattle, 260 hogs, farm equipment and 118 slaves.

Mr. Coles' inventory also lists a library of at least 164 volumes; by modern standards this may sound small, but in 1780, in Southside Virginia, it was a remarkable collection. The Mildendo library consisted of:

Bibles--2; Voltaire's works--32; Pope's works--7; Elements of Criticism--2; Bollin's Ancient history; Yorrick's Travels--2; collections of poems--5; Burns' Justice--2; Gardner's Dictionary--4; Robertson's History of Scotland--2; Acnsworth's Dictionary--2; -Thompson's Works--2; English grammar; French grammar--2; Hamelton Murray--3;

Fanny Murray--1; Rousseau--3; Prious' Poems-1; Act of Guinea-1; Rambler--2;_Dryden's Virgil--3; Reverie--2; Addison's Miscellany-1; Forbes' Works--2; Essays-1; Gentleman's Magazine--l; Launcelot Graves--2; Gardener's Kallendar-1; Campbell's Lives--2; Belfield's Erudition--2; Yorick's Sermons--l;

Sale's Lexicon-1; Salmon's Gazetteer--1; Spectator--8; Swift's Works--12; Smollet's--10; Horace-1; Original Poems--1; Epigoniad--1;

Milton's Works--l; Churchill's Works--3; Derham's Phisics Theology--l; Sallust--1. Tysot on Disease--l;; Latin Grammar--2; Telemacus--1; Sallust--l; Modern Travels--1; Apochrypha--2;

Humphrey Clinker--2; Boyer's Telemachus--2; Roderick Random\emdash 1; Plutarch's Lives--1; Shakespeare's Works--1; Smith's Sentiments-1; 4 !II Guthrie's Epistle to Atticus--1; Chapman's Roman Senate\emdash T; Nuptial

Dialogues--1; Dictionary--1; Schrevelie's Lexicon--1; Laws of Virginia--1; Stark's Justice--1; pamphlets--1; Retired Gardener--l; Gentlemen's Farriery--1; and Voltaire's State of Europe--2.

Walter married Mildred LIGHTFOOT, daughter of William LIGHTFOOT and Mildred HOWELL, in 1767 in VA. (Mildred LIGHTFOOT was born on 11 Feb 1752 in Charles City County, VA and died on 1 May 1799 in Halifax County, VA.)

  Marriage Notes:

Their marriage received this notice in the "Virginia Gazette" of Williamsburg: "Mr. Walter Coles, Esq., one of the representatives in assembly for the county of Halifax, to Miss Mildred Lightfoot, a daughter of the late Col. William Lightfoot, of Charles City."

[http://www.oldhalifax.com/county/Mildendo.htm]



Marriages. Mr. Walter Coles, one of the representatives in Assembly for the county of Halifax, to Miss Mildred Lightfoot, a daughter of the late Colonel William Lightfoot, of Charles City. Mr. William Taylor, one of the representatives in Assembly for the county of Lunenburg, to Miss Patty Waller, eldest daughter of Benjamin Waller, Esq., of this city, March 19.

[http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/va/richmondcity/newspapers/gazette7.txt]