The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-05-10
For the Dispatch, through X. A. Brock, Esq.I
COLONIAL GOVERNORS OF VIRGINIA.
No. III.
By REV. EDWARD D. NELL.
Francis West, November, 1bS3, 10
April, 1929.
TREACHERY AND MENDACITY OF CAPTAIN

TREACHERY AND MENDACITY OF CAPTAIN
JOHN SMITH.
Governor Yeardley was buried on the 18th
OF November, 1927, and the Council, as au-
thorizcd by their instructions, the next day
chose Francis West as Provisional Gov
ernor. He belonged to the most useful and
distinguished OF the families settled in Vlr-
ginia. His brother, Lord Delaware, who
died in 1918 on the voyage from England,
when Governor Of Virginia, was modelo OF
integrity and benevolence, while John and
other members Of the family who became
identified with the Colony were highly re-
spected. Francis West arrived IN Virginia
twhcn twenty-one years OF agc) in OCTOBER,
1908, in the ship Mary Margaret, command
cd by Captain Christopher Newport.
When a portion OF the Gates and Somers
fleet came in the summer of 1909 he went
with party to the falls Of the James river.
and Governor Gates not having arrived as
was expected the Colonists elected him tenn
porary Governor in the place of the noto-
rious, self-important, and untruthful Jonn
Smith, whose term had expired. Captain
Archer, in command of the "Blesslng,"
one OF the Gates and Somers feet, in Au-
gust. 1909, wrote to England as follows:
:. Inasmuch as the President Captain John
SMITH to strengthen his authority ac-
corded with the mariners, and gave
not any due respect to many wor-
thv gentlemen that were IN our ships;
whercupon they generally, with my consent,
chose Master West. my Lord De-la-War
brother, their Governor or President, de oene
esse. in the absence OF Sir Thomas Gates; or
il he be miscarried by sea, then to continue
till we heard news from our Councll IN
England. This choice Of him they maue,
not to disturb the old President during MS
term, but as his authority expired then TO
take upon him the sole government, with
such assistants of the captains as discreet
persons as the Colony afforded.
"Perhaps YOU shall haYe it blaZoncd as a
mutinv by such as retain old malice, but
Master West, Master Piercie, and all the re-
spccted gentlemen OF worth in Virginia,
can and will testify otherwise upon their
oaths. For the Kings patent we ratlhed,
but refused to be governed by the freSl-
dent after his time was expired. anu ohiy
subjected ourselves to Master West, Whom
we labor to have next President" III
few months George Percy 'was elected fre-
sident and Francis West one OF the Counci!.
On the 4th of October, 1909, Captain katcllne
wrote to the Earl OF Salisbury, Secretary OF
State, an account OF the arrival OF his ana
other ships, and in the letter uses the 1ol-
lowing language: "They found all the
Council dead but Captain Smith, president,
who rcigned sole Governor, ana IS noD
sent home to ans1rer some misdeme0norS.
George Percy, brother to my LORD Norm
cumberland, is elected President, and Mr.
West, brother to Lord Delaware, OF the
Council.' In Governor Yeardley's and
WAITS time he was leading member OF
the Council and the Commander OF Erza-
beth City. A widow who came over IN
one of the ships in 1920 became his wife.
West and Shirley Hundred, named after
his own family and Lord Delaware,s wife,
who was daughter OF Sir Thomas Shirley,
was the neighborhood in which francls'
John, and Nathaniel West had plantations.
Governor West went to England in 1929,
and in 1851 was opposing Lord Baltimore's
efforts to obtain foothold i'll Virginia.
There is tradition in Lord Delaware,s 5
family that he was drowned.