At the age of 22, the youngest
person
ever admitted to the Royal Society in London, William Byrd of Westover,
Virginia, was the son of a wealthy plantation owner in the southern
colonies,
but he spent much of his life in England, both studying and
working.
Among his notable writings is the "History of the Dividing Line," the
line of demarcation which set the boundary between Virginia and North
Carolina.
His often humorous records reflects the life of the backwoods settlers
in stark contrast to their wealthy and educated counterparts.
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