US Congressman. An early Republican from Virginia, he was elected to eight terms in the US House of Representatives and served from 1806 until his death. He is best remembered as a friend and political ally of Thomas Jefferson. Burwell graduated from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg and moved to Virginia's Franklin County in 1802, where he got involved in local politics. His first public office was as a member of the State House of Delegates. In 1804 he succeeded Meriwether Lewis as Jefferson's personal secretary, and after his election to the US House (to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Christopher Clark) became one of the 3rd President's most faithful supporters in Congress. During his Congressional career he served Virginia as an At-Large Delegate (1806 to 1807) and represented its 13th District (1807 to 1815) and 14th District (1815 to 1821). He died in Washington, DC after a two-week illness. Burwell's memorial in Congressional Cemetery is probably a cenotaph, as his dying wish was to be buried beside his wife in her native Baltimore, and it was announced in Congress that this would be fulfilled. A memoir he wrote around 1808 describing his relationship with Jefferson was first published as "Strict Truth: The Narrative of William Armisted Burwell" (1993).
US Congressman. An early Republican from Virginia, he was elected to eight terms in the US House of Representatives and served from 1806 until his death. He is best remembered as a friend and political ally of Thomas Jefferson. Burwell graduated from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg and moved to Virginia's Franklin County in 1802, where he got involved in local politics. His first public office was as a member of the State House of Delegates. In 1804 he succeeded Meriwether Lewis as Jefferson's personal secretary, and after his election to the US House (to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Christopher Clark) became one of the 3rd President's most faithful supporters in Congress. During his Congressional career he served Virginia as an At-Large Delegate (1806 to 1807) and represented its 13th District (1807 to 1815) and 14th District (1815 to 1821). He died in Washington, DC after a two-week illness. Burwell's memorial in Congressional Cemetery is probably a cenotaph, as his dying wish was to be buried beside his wife in her native Baltimore, and it was announced in Congress that this would be fulfilled. A memoir he wrote around 1808 describing his relationship with Jefferson was first published as "Strict Truth: The Narrative of William Armisted Burwell" (1993).
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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