The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-30

belonging socially to the rank OF gentlemen
went on as steadily after as before Smiths
departure from the colonies. In the reply
which the Grand Assembly made to the
pamphlet entitled the Declaration OF the
State Of the Colony In the Twelve Years
Of Sir Thomas Smythe's Government
it is asserted that among those who
| persisted In Virginia during the period Of
its early settlement were many persons
sprung from ancient houses" and born to
estates Of E1.OOo by the year, come more.
some less" The author points out that an
estate which in those years would insure
an annual income Of Ell 900 would in these
return an income Of at least s25, 1000. That
men 80 well placed as regards fortune in
their native land should have gone out to
Virginia shows that they were either moved
by a love Of novelty and adventure or ex-
| peoted extraordinary opportunities to arise
there by which their means. already con-
siderable, would be increased.
Nv.
The investigation OF early Virginia
genealogy has not yet been searching
enough to show precisely the social origin
Of every member Of the memorable Assem-
Oily WINCH COuN0uOl ~ ou1ioobO"h IA 1Oi0'
the first Legislative body Of representative
character that met in North America.
Enough, however, 10 known to demonstrate
that with few exceptions all had been OF
good and some Of high social standing in
England. Yeardley, who as Governor was
the presiding officer of the Council sitting as
the p chamber, seems to have been one
OF the few whose beginning was decidedly
plain, but even he had filled high offices
and had been %knighted for his valuable
services. On the other hand Capt. Francis
West, a member Of the House Of Burgesses.
was q son Of the second Lord de la War;.
John Porey, the Speaker, was not only a
graduate Of Cambridge University and an
author of distinction but had also been a
prominent member Of the English Parlia-
ment, a position which proved, far more
than it now proves. that the incumbent en-
loved high social consideration. Thomas
Pawlett, q Burgess. was the brother OF John
Pawlett, who was afterward raised to the
rank Of baron in the peerage. R~ossingham.
another Burgess. was q nephew OF Gov.
Yeardley, while Lieut.. Gibbes. also a Bur-
CESS, is supposed to have been a son OF
Thomas Gibbes. formerly a member OF the
Kings Council for the London Company.
Capt. Thomas Graves was Of sufficient con-
| sideration to be included among the sub
scribers Of the Charter Of 1909. and Capt.
William Tucker, the ancestor Of the fuckers
OF Virginia, among those OF the Charter Of
1912. John jackson, or Juxon, was a kns-
man Of the Bishop who was TO win last
ing fame as Charles the First's spiritual
attendant when the unfortunate King
assembled the scaffold under the windows
| Of Whitehall. Walter Shelley, another Bur-
CESS in the Assembly OF feIe, who had been
among the earliest members Of the London
Company, is thought to have belonged to
the family afterward made famous by the
great poet Of the same name but which had
long enjoyed a conspicuous position among
the landed gentry Of England.
Mr.. Bruce goes on TO show that, besides
the Vests, Pawletts and Percies. h were
either the sons or brothers OF English
noblemen, there came to the colony in the
interval between 1907 and 1928 many per-
Sons closely connected by ties Of blood or
marriage with member OF the English
baronetage. For instance, Henry Spelman
was the son OF Sir Henry Spelman, one Of
| the most distinguished antiquarians Of that
day. and Capt. Jabez Whitaker had mar
ried a daughter Of Sir John Boucher.
George Thorpe. an accomplished scholar
and devoted philanthropist, who was des-
tined to perish by the tomahawk Of an
Indian, was a greatnephew OF Sir John
Mason Of the English Council Of State
and a near kinsman Of the titled families
of Throgmorton and Berkeley. Accord
ing to a tradition which seems authentic,
| Thomas Willoughby was a nephew of Sir
~- u~-,Y Eloat wa. -
the maternal side the grandson OF Sir
Thomas Wyatt, the celebrated rebel, and
a great great grandson OF the almost equally
famous Thomas Brooke. Lord Gotham.
William Strachey, who filled the Office Of
Secretary Of State to the colony. was q
direct descendant Of Sir John Strachey,
and belonged TO a family which by its
talents and wealth has maintained a con-
spicuous position among the landed gentry
Of England down 10 the present day. Will
lam Dawson, who was also Secretary Of
State In Virginia. was a son Of William
Dawson who held tho corresponding office
In England and was one Of the most trusted
advisers OF Queen Elizabeth. John Rolfe,
remembered as the husband Of the Indian
heroine, Pocahontas. and as the first among
the English settlers to cultivate tobacco,
sprang from a family Of distinguished
social connection which long had been
seated at Heacham in Norfolk. Capt.
Raleigh Crashaw was probably a near kins-
man Of the famoug poet OF the same name.
Among those who were sub-patentees OF
land grants before the revocation Of the
London CompSny's charter in 1924 were
Maurice Thompson, the father Of the first
Lord Haversham, and Giles Arlington, a
member Of a we'll known family Of Cam
bridgeshire. formerly represented In the
peerage by the BaTons Arlington.
v.
The records OF the seven decades inter-
venIne between 1924. when the London
Company wa abolished, and the close Of
the seventeenth century bear witness 10 q
continued emigration 20 Virginia Of per-
sons connected by ties Of blood or mar
r1age with people Of high position In Eng
i.nd Soaroelv had the COLONY reverted