His family had once owned a huge plantation, Berry Hill, worked by over 3,000 slaves. Berry Hill Estate originally was part of a  tract granted by the English Crown in 1728 to William Byrd II. (Berry Hill is now a resort and conference center outside South Boston, Virginia and is a National Historic Landmark.)
His family's plantation, Berry Hill, which was once owned by his ancestors, employed over 3,000 enslaved people. Berry Hill Estate, originally part of a land grant from the English Crown in 1728 to William Byrd II, is now a resort and conference center outside South Boston, Virginia, and is a National Historic Landmark.