Wythe, George
signer of the declaration of independence, was born in 1726 in Elizabeth City, Va. He was for a long time a member of the house of burgesses; was chancellor of Virginia; and in 1764 was appointed to prepare a petition against the stamp act. He was a delegate to the continental congress from 1775 to 1777, and signed the declaration of independence. In 1777 he was speaker of the house of delegates; and was appointed judge of the court of chancery. The honor was awarded to him of having been the instructor of Thomas Jefferson.
He was the author of Decisions of Cases in Virginia by the High Court of Chancery. He died June 8, 1806, in Richmond, Va.