Paul Carrington (judge)

Paul Carrington
Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court
In office December 24, 1788 – July 30, 1807
Member of the Virginia Senate from Charlotte, Halifax and Prince Edward Counties
In office 1776–1778
Preceded by	position created
Succeeded by	Walter Coles
Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses from Charlotte County
In office 1765–1776 Serving with Clement Reade, Isaac Read, James Speed
Preceded by	position created
Succeeded by	position abolished
Personal details
Born	(1733-03-16)March 16, 1733 Charlotte County, Colony of Virginia
Died	June 23, 1818(1818-06-23) (aged 85) Halifax County, Virginia
Spouse(s)	Margaret Read, Priscilla Sims
Occupation	Lawyer, judge, politician

Paul Carrington (March 16, 1733 – June 23, 1818) was a Virginia planter, lawyer, judge and politician. He served in the House of Burgesses after the creation of Charlotte County and through the Virginia Revolutionary Conventions, then represented Charlotte County, as well as neighboring Halifax and Prince Edward Counties in the Virginia Senate after the conflict before legislators elected him as a justice of the Virginia Court of Appeals (now the Supreme Court of Virginia). He was a delegate to the Virginia Ratifying Convention in 1788 and cast his vote for ratification of the United States Constitution, although his son George Carrington, who represented Halifax County, voted against ratification.^[1]

Carrington was born on March 16, 1733, at "Boston Hill" in what was then vast Goochland County in the Colony of Virginia. His parents were Col. George Carrington (1711–1785), who was trained as a surveyor and became a major planter in southside Virginia, as well as held local offices and became one of the burgesses representing Goochland County for many years. His mother, Johanna Mayo (1712–1785), was also a kinswoman. His paternal grandparents, Dr. Paul Carrington and Henningham Codrington, had migrated from England to the Island of Barbados, then to Virginia in 1723 on the same ship as their kinsmen William Mayo (a surveyor, and father of this man's grandmother) and Joseph Mayo (a merchant for whom the elder George Carrington initially worked). A family tradition claims that the father accompanied William Mayo on the 1728 expedition to survey the boundary between Virginia and North Carolina. In any event, Col. Carrington, William Mayo and William Cabell (1700-1774) were three of the largest landowners in southern Virginia. Col. Carrington did patent land that became Albemarle, Buckingham, Cumberland and Goochland Counties.^[1] Paul Carrington's maternal grandparents were Major William Mayo and Frances Gould.^[2] The family also included a much-younger brother, Edward Carrington, who distinguished himself as a Continental Army officer and served in the Confederation Congress.^[3]

After receiving a private education appropriate for his class, at about age 17 Carrington began to study (read) law under the direction of Colonel Clement Read in Lunenburg County.

In May 1755, Carrington received a license to practice law in Virginia, signed by Peyton Randolph, John Randolph and George Wythe. In 1756, he accepted an appointment as king's attorney (prosecutor) for Bedford County. As he gained legal and political experience, and colonial settlement moved westward, Carrington accepted additional appointments as king's attorney—for Mecklenburg County in 1767, of Botetourt County in 1770, and of Lunenburg County in 1770.

Carrington also became an officer of the Lunenburg County militia, with the rank of major in 1761. In 1764, he became colonel of the Charlotte County militia. He also served for years a vestryman and churchwarden of Cornwall Parish.

Carrington also served as county lieutenant and presiding justice of Charlotte in 1772 and clerk of Halifax County that year. He was chairman of the Charlotte County Committee from 1774 to 1776, which endorsed the resolutions of the Continental Congress,^[4] and in 1775 became a member of the first board of trustees in the founding of Hampden-Sydney College.^[5] After practicing law in those various southside Virginia counties, Carrington was elected as a representative to the House of Burgesses for Charlotte County, which had been formed from then-vast Lunenburg County. He repeatedly won re-election, thus serving in that position from 1765 until Governor Dunmore suspended the legislature in 1775.^[6] Charlotte County voters then elected Carrington as one of their representatives to the five Virginia Revolutionary conventions.^[7] After the conflict, voters from Charlotte and neighboring Halifax and Prince Edward counties elected Carrington to represent him in the Virginia Senate.^[8] In that session, his father served as one of the delegates representing Cumberland County in the Virginia House of Delegates. When his father died in 1785 (and his mother eight days later) without completing a last will and testament, Carrington as the firstborn son was entitled to the entire estate, which included about 32,000 acres of land and 18 slaves, but chose to divide the estate equitably according to his father's stated intention.^[3] In the Virginia tax census of 1787, this man owned 30 slaves in Charlotte county older than 16 years old, 17 younger slaves, 19 horses and 100 livestock as well as a two-wheeled riding chair, and his son Paul Carrington Jr. owned 12 slaves over 16, 12 younger slaves, 8 horses and 34 cattle in that county, while George Carrington Jr. owned 8 adult slaves and 4 young slaves as well as 10 horses and 47 cattle in Halifax County.^[9]

Legislators elected Carrington as a Judge of the first Virginia General Court under the newly adopted Virginia state constitution on January 23, 1778. He was the second Justice appointed to the new Court of Appeals, which was then composed of judges from the General, the Admiralty and the Chancery Courts. In 1780 he became the chief justice of the Virginia General Court. In 1789, the Virginia General Assembly elected Carrington as a justice of the reorganized Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.^[4]

In 1788, Carrington was a delegate to the Virginia Ratifying Convention held at the Richmond Theatre, which narrowly ratified the United States Constitution, by a vote of 89 – 79. Although he voted in favor of ratification, he also played a vigorous role in the development of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which was a model for the U.S. Bill of Rights.^[10] His son, sometimes referred to as George Carrington Jr. to distinguish him from his grandfather, and who had served in the patriot armies under his uncle Col. Edward Carrington, also was a delegate at that convention, but had opposed ratification without those amendments.^[11] At age 75, concerned as to his ability to continue judicial duties, Carrington resigned from the bench in 1807. On August 1 of that year he wrote, "I have served the public a great many years, and I know with faithful integrity, I had arrived to a time of life that every man ought, in my opinion, to retire, and not remain and die at his post as some of my brethren have."

On October 1, 1755, he married 15 year old, Margaret Read, Col. Read's second daughter, and they resided at Mulberry Hill. Their children included George Carrington, Jr. (1756–1809), Mary Scott Carrington Venable (1758–1837), Ann Carrington Cabell (1760–1838), Clement Carrington (1762–1847) and Paul Carrington Jr. (1764–1816).^[2] His wife died May 1, 1766; Carrington referred to her as "the best of wives and a woman of innumerable virtues" and did not remarry for decades. On March 6, 1792, Carrington married his second wife, Priscilla Sims, aged 16. Their children were: Henry Carrington (1793–1867), Lettice Priscilla Carrington Coles (1798–1875), and Robert Carrington (1802–1845). She died in September 1803. Carrington likewise recorded that her loss was irreparable to him and to their family.^[12]

Judge Carrington lived in retirement another 11 years until he died at the age of 85.^[1] He is buried between his wives on the grounds at Mulberry Hill near Randolph, Virginia. His home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and in 1999 became part of Staunton River Battlefield State Park. His papers, with those of his sons Clement and Robert Carrington, are held by the Library of Virginia. They include powers of attorney, judicial records, receipts, tax records, and deeds for the purchase of land and slaves.^[13]