Peter Daniel, Gentleman

            Peter Daniel, Gentleman, (1706-1777), son of James and Margaret (Vivian) Daniel of Middlesex County, moved to Stafford County when a young man and became one of its most prominent citizens.  His marriage on July 15, 1736 to Sarah Travers (171?-1788) as the first marriage recorded in The Register of Overwharton Parish and here too we find the births of their only three children. With Peter Hedgman, John Hooe, Phillip Alexander, Henry Washington, Richard Bernard, Richard Foote and John Peyton, he served as a justice of Stafford County in 1754 and for many years thereafter. He was a zealous advocate for the freedom of the colonies years before the Revolutionary War and as senior presiding justice of Stafford County was the first to sign one of the many protests against the iniquitous Stamp act. This document, dated October 5, 1765, and addressed to the Honorable Francis Fauquier, Esq., the Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Virginia, desired him to appoint a new commission for Stafford County in which they “may be left out,” was signed by Peter Daniel, John Alexander, Travers Daniel, William Bronough, William Brent, John Mercer, Thomas Ludwell Lee, Samuel Selden, Gowry Waugh, Thomas Fitzhugh and Robert Washington, justice of Stafford County court.

            Peter Daniel was a member of the Committee of Safety for Stafford County in 1774.  His will was recorded in now lost Stafford County Will Book “N” (1767-1783), page 344.  His wife, nee Sarah Travers (1717- 1788), survived him; she was one of the three children of Rawleigh Travers (16  - circa 1722), a justice of Stafford County in 1714, and Hannah Ball (circa 1683- 1748), his first wife, daughter of Colonel Joseph Ball (1649-1711) of Epping Forest, Lancaster County, who married secondly Captain Simon Pearson (16  -1733). Her only brother, Raleigh Travers (17  -1749), died without issue and her only sister Elizabeth Travers married John Cooke, Esq., (died 1733), late of Youghall, County Cork, Ireland, and left issue.  It is an error in Hayden’s Virginia  Genealogies, page 295, where it is stated that Sarah Travers, at the time of her marriage to Peter Daniel, was the widow or a certain Captain Christopher Pearson.  It was her mother, Hannah (Ball) Travers, widow, who became the second wife of Captain Simon Travers (16  -1733) and was known as Madam Pearson.  She had no issue by Captain Pearson but he had four children by his first wife.

            Joseph Ball, Esq.,  (1689-1760), brother of Hannah (Ball) Travers Pearson, was solicitous of her three children when he wrote his half-niece the following letter:

                                                                                    “Stratford by London

                                                                                    2^nd  Nov. 1749

Couz. Betty

         I have sent you by your brother Major Washington a Tea Chest, and in it Six Silver Spoons, and Strainer, and Tongs, of the same; And in one Canister ¼ pound of Green Tea & in the other as much Bohea; and the Sugar Box is full of sugar ready broke: So that as soon as you get your Chest you may sit down, and drink a Dish of Tea.

         I rec’d your Mother’s Letter; give my Love to her, and all your brothers and sisters; and to Rawleigh Travers & Mrs. Cook, and Peter Daniel and his wife.  We are all well,  I thank God; and wish you all so.  My wife and Daughter Join with me in Compliments.  I am

                                                                Your Loving Uncle

                                                                    Joseph Ball

To Miss Eliz. Washington

Nigh the falls of Rappahannock

By fav’r. of Major Lawrence Washington”

            Peter Daniel, Gentleman, and Sarah Travers, his wife, had three children, viz:

(1) Hannah Ball Daniel (1737-1829) whose three marriages have been mentioned on page 216 under the sketch of Major Peter Hedgman.

(2) Travers Daniel (May 26, 1741-June 28, 1824) married on October 7, 1762, Frances Moncure (1745-1800), daughter of the Reverend Mr. John Moncure. Their tombs, with other members of the Daniel family, are in the family cemetery at Crow’s Nest.  Travers Daniel was a justice of Stafford County in 1765 when his father was senior presiding justice and a member of the Committee of Safety for Stafford County in 1774. Travers and Frances (Moncure) Daniel had eleven children who are detailed in Hayden’s

Virginia Genealogies,  pages 304-305, but I will here mention only their youngest son, the Honorable Peter Vivian Daniel (1784-1860), who has left us the interesting account of the Potomac Creek section of Overwharton Parish which is quoted on pages 205-206.

(3) Elizabeth Travers Daniel born May 16, 1745; died in infancy.