WIRT, WILLIAM
William Wirt, the distinguished author of the British Spy, who was born at Bladensburg, for a time resided in this county. In 1792, when 20 years of age, he commenced the practice of law at Fairfax, in the neighboring county of Culpeper. In 1795, he married the eldest daughter of Dr. George Gilmer, a distinguished physician, and took up his residence at Pen Park, the seat of his father-in-law, near Charlottesville; and here he was introduced to the acquaintance of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and other persons of celebrity. In 1799 his wife died, and he was soon after elected clerk of the House of Delegates. Having performed the duties of his office two years, he was in 1802 appointed chancellor of the Eastern District of Virginia, and then took up his residence at Williamsburg; and the game year he married the daughter of Col. Gamble, of Richmond. He soon after resigned his chancellorship, and at the close of the year 1803 removed to Norfolk, and entered upon the assiduous practice of his profession. Just before he removed to Norfolk, he wrote the letters published in the Richmond Argus, under the title of ' the British Spy,' which were afterwards collected in a small volume, and have passed through many editions. In 1806 he took up his residence in Richmond, and in the following year he greatly distinguished himself in the trial of Col. Burr. In 1812 he wrote the greater part of a series of essays, which were originally published in the Richmond Enquirer, under the title of 'The Old Bachelor,' and have since, in a collected form, passed through several editions. The ' Life of Patrick Henry, his largest literary production, was first published in 1817. In 1816 he was appointed, by Mr. Madison, the U. S. Attorney for Virginia; and in 1817, by Mr. Monroe, attorney-general of the United States, a post which he occupied with distinguished reputation until 1829, through the entire administrations of Monroe and Adams. In 1830, he took up his residence in Baltimore for the remainder of his life. He died Feb. 18th, 1834, at Washington City, in his 62nd year. As a public and professional man, Mr. Wirt ranked among the first of his time; and in all the relations of private life, as a man and a Christian, he was must exemplary, and was regarded with singular affection and veneration."
[Source: pg. 171, Biographies Historical Collections of Virginia: containing a collection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c. relating to its history and antiquities, together with geographical and statistical descriptions to which is appended an historical and descriptive sketch of the District of Columbia, by Henry Lowe, Babcock & Company, Charleston, S.C., 1845. Transcribed by Robyn Greenlund]

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