Name William Travers | Role Virginia politician | |
Col. William Travers (c. 1630 - 1679) was an early settler and politician of Colonial Virginia.
William Travers was born in England around 1630. His brother was Rawleigh Travers who also emigrated to Virginia by 1653. The first record of William in the Colony was in 1656 when he was witness to a will. He received 500 acres of land on Morattica Creek from Thomas Chetwood in 1661.
As Captain, with Colonel John Washington, Captain John Lee, Mr. William Mosely, and Mr. Robert Beverly, he was appointed to settle the bounds of Northumberland and Westmoreland Counties. He was given the title of by the Virginia House of Burgesses. In 1675, as Colonel of Rappanhannock Co., the Royal Council of Virginia appointed him to a commission to employ Indians in defense of the Colony.
William was Burgess for Lancaster Co. and Speaker of the House of Burgesses in 1676. He married Rebecca (Brookes?). Their son Samuel married Frances Allerton the granddaughter of Mayflower passenger Isaac Allerton and great granddaughter of William Brewster. He died in Lancaster Co., Virginia in 1679.