Robert Bolling

Robert Bolling (August 17, 1738 – July 21, 1775) was an American planter, poet and politician.

Early life and education Born to the former Elizabeth Blair (daughter of Archibald Blair) and her husband John Bolling (1700-1757) at Varina plantation in Henrico County, Virginia. His father at various times served as burgess for Goochland County, Hnerico County and Chesterfield County. His elder half brother John represented Goochland county and later Chesterfield County. In 1751, his father sent the 13-year old across the Atlantic Ocean for his education at the Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Wakefield, England. Beginning in 1755 young Bolling studied law at the Middle Temple. However, he returned to Virginia to complete his legal studies under Benjamin Waller at the colony's capital in Williamsburg. He then in 1765 married Susanna Watson of Amherst County, who bore two sons and two daughters. and by 1774 was the second most senior member of the Buckingham County Court (having served since its creation in 1761). Over his objections, Buckingham voters elected him as the county sheriff in 1765. That may have precluded him from further legislative service, or he may have been defeated for re-election. Bolling had physically left the House of Burgesses before the last 1765 session (famous for Patrick Henry's presentation of the Virginia Resolves against the Stamp Act) in order to travel to Amherst County to marry. Bolling also was involved in controversies, such as satirizing the preaching of Rev. George Whitefield in April 1765 and questioning the General Court's favoritism toward John Chiswell (who was on trial for murder), which led to a libel lawsuit against him by William Byrd (1728-1777) after a grand jury refused to indict Bolling, and both men were jailed after they had agreed to a dual (which was illegal). In 1787, his estate was still in existence, with William Newton as overseer, although not tithable, and owned eight enslaved adults and eleven enslaved children, as well as five horses and 25 cattle. His papers are now owned by the University of Virginia and the Huntington Library.

The cantata Virginiana was published by composer Gregory Spears in 2015, based on texts written by Bolling during his failed courtship of his cousin, Anne Miller, in 1760.