List of Jamestown colonists
On May 14, 1607, 104 English men and boys established the Jamestown Settlement for the Virginia Company, on a slender peninsula on the bank of the Jamestown River. It became the first long-term English settlement in North America. The settlement was built on the banks of Virginia's James River. The trips aboard the ships "Susan Constant", "Discovery", and the "Godspeed", and the settlement itself, were sponsored by the Virginia Company of London, whose stockholders hoped to make a profit from the resources of the New World. The community suffered terrible hardships in its early  years, including starvation leading to cannibalism and Indian attacks, and many hundreds died. With resupply and additional immigrants, it managed to endure, becoming America's first permanent English colony. The site for Jamestown was picked based on criteria set by the Virginia Company. The site was surrounded by water on three sides (it later became an island) and was distant from the sea, making it more easily defensible against possible Spanish attacks. The water was also deep enough that the English could tie their ships at the shoreline. The site was also not inhabited by the native population. Once the  settlement location was chosen, the company members opened the Virginia Company's sealed instructions containing the list of the previously chosen council members. Each ship had sailed with a box containing the same set of instructions. The first president was Edward Maria Winfield. The other six council members were Bartholomew Gosnold, Christopher Newport, John Martin, John Ratcliffe, George Kendall, and John Smith. Original settlers. The settlers arrived on three ships, the "Susan Constant", the "Godspeed", and the "Discovery". Mariners and others known to have been with the expedition. Browne, Oliver - Mariner Clarke, Charles - Mariner Crookdeck, John - Mariner Deale, Jeremy - Mariner  Fitch, Mathew - Mariner - died July 1609 Genoway, Richard - Mariner Godword, Thomas - Mariner Jackson, Robert - Mariner Markham, Robert - Mariner Nelson, Francys - Captain - died Winter 1612-1613 Poole, Jonas - Mariner - died 1612 Skynner, Thomas - Mariner Turnbrydge (or Turbridge), Thomas - Mariner Newport, Christopher - Captain, Councilor - died 1617 Tyndall, Robert - Mariner, Gunner White, Benjamyn - Mariner Danynell Stephen