Adam Thoroughgood
Encyclopedia
Adam Thoroughgood was a colonist and community leader in the Virginia Colony who helped settle the area of South Hampton Roads
known in contemporary times as the independent city
of Virginia Beach, Virginia
.
Young Thoroughgood was from a prominent family in King's Lynn
, Norfolk
, England
, the ninth son of Rector of Grimston Rev. William Thorowgood, and baptised at St.Botolph's Church on July 14th 1604. Some of Henry Spelman
's family lived in Congham, a mile to the north of Grimston and Adam heard about Spelman's exploits in Virginia. At the age of 18, he became an indentured servant
to pay for passage to the Virginia Colony, a project of the Virginia Company of London at the time. Around 1622, he settled in an area south of the Chesapeake Bay
and a few miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean
. This area had been passed by when the earlier settlements such as Jamestown
where established beginning in 1607 in favour of locations further inland which would be less susceptible to attacks by other European forces, such as the Spanish.
Serving his period of indenture, he returned to England, to return to Virginia with a wife and 105 men. Granted a large landholding, he became a leading citizen of the area. He was elected to the House of Burgesses
and the Governor's Council, and as a Justice of the Court. He also became a Captain in the local militia and started the first ferry service in Hampton Roads
.
The London Company lost its franchise and Virginia became a royal colony in 1624. In 1634, the Colony was divided into shire
s, soon renamed counties, a term still in use in Virginia 350 years later. He is credited using the name of his home in England when helping name New Norfolk County when it was formed from Elizabeth City County
in 1637. From New Norfolk County, there were several additional smaller entities formed including most notable Norfolk County
, which existed from 1691 to 1963 and is now the City of Chesapeake
and most famously the town which became the modern City of Norfolk
.
Despite his widespread and long-lasting influence in South Hampton Roads, his choice of residence was along the Lynnhaven River
, also named for his home in England. In 1635, he earned a land patent for over 5,000 acres (20 km²) in this area for having persuaded 105 new residents to settle in Virginia, including Augustine Warner, a progenitor of Virginians George Washington
and Robert E. Lee
.
Thoroughgood appears to have had the foresight to realizing earlier than many other leaders that Lower Norfolk County (which encompassed the modern cities of Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach) was too large for a single site for convenient worship and court affairs. He led the effort to establish a second parish church, court, and glebe house at what was then known as Churches Point on the Lynnhaven River in the eastern portion in what was later subdivided to form Princess Anne County
in 1691 (and the present City of Virginia Beach in 1963).
Thoroughgood suddenly became ill and died at the age of only 36 in 1640. This was no doubt a great loss to his community and the colony. However, the story of his life is prominently known in today’s Virginia Beach, where the Adam Thoroughgood House
is now an historic museum.
South Hampton Roads
South Hampton Roads is a region located in the extreme southeastern portion of Virginia in the United States, and is part of the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA with a population about 1.7 million....
known in contemporary times as the independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
.
Young Thoroughgood was from a prominent family in King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the ninth son of Rector of Grimston Rev. William Thorowgood, and baptised at St.Botolph's Church on July 14th 1604. Some of Henry Spelman
Henry Spelman of Jamestown
Henry Spelman was an English adventurer, soldier, and author, the son of Erasmus Spelman and nephew to Sir Henry Spelman of Congham . The younger Henry Spelman was born in 1595, and left his home in Norfolk, England at age 14 to sail to Virginia Colony aboard the ship "Unity", as a part of the...
's family lived in Congham, a mile to the north of Grimston and Adam heard about Spelman's exploits in Virginia. At the age of 18, he became an indentured servant
Indentured servant
Indentured servitude refers to the historical practice of contracting to work for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities during the term of indenture. Usually the father made the arrangements and signed...
to pay for passage to the Virginia Colony, a project of the Virginia Company of London at the time. Around 1622, he settled in an area south of the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
and a few miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. This area had been passed by when the earlier settlements such as Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
where established beginning in 1607 in favour of locations further inland which would be less susceptible to attacks by other European forces, such as the Spanish.
Serving his period of indenture, he returned to England, to return to Virginia with a wife and 105 men. Granted a large landholding, he became a leading citizen of the area. He was elected to the House of Burgesses
House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses was the first assembly of elected representatives of English colonists in North America. The House was established by the Virginia Company, who created the body as part of an effort to encourage English craftsmen to settle in North America...
and the Governor's Council, and as a Justice of the Court. He also became a Captain in the local militia and started the first ferry service in Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
.
The London Company lost its franchise and Virginia became a royal colony in 1624. In 1634, the Colony was divided into shire
Shire
A shire is a traditional term for a division of land, found in the United Kingdom and in Australia. In parts of Australia, a shire is an administrative unit, but it is not synonymous with "county" there, which is a land registration unit. Individually, or as a suffix in Scotland and in the far...
s, soon renamed counties, a term still in use in Virginia 350 years later. He is credited using the name of his home in England when helping name New Norfolk County when it was formed from Elizabeth City County
Elizabeth City County, Virginia
Elizabeth City County was a county in southeastern Virginia from 1634 to 1952. Originally created in 1634 as Elizabeth River Shire, it was one of eight shires created in the Virginia Colony by order of the King of England. In 1636, it was subdivided, and the portion north of the harbor of Hampton...
in 1637. From New Norfolk County, there were several additional smaller entities formed including most notable Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Virginia
Norfolk County was a county of the South Hampton Roads in eastern Virginia in the United States that was created in 1691. After the American Civil War, for a period of about 100 years, portions of Norfolk County were lost and the territory of the county reduced as they became parts of the separate...
, which existed from 1691 to 1963 and is now the City of Chesapeake
Chesapeake, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 199,184 people, 69,900 households, and 54,172 families residing in the city. The population density was 584.6 people per square mile . There were 72,672 housing units at an average density of 213.3 per square mile...
and most famously the town which became the modern City of Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
.
Despite his widespread and long-lasting influence in South Hampton Roads, his choice of residence was along the Lynnhaven River
Lynnhaven River
The Lynnhaven River is a tidal estuary located in the independent city of Virginia Beach, Virginia, in the United States, and flows into the Chesapeake Bay west of Cape Henry at Lynnhaven Inlet, beyond which is Lynnhaven Roads. It has a small, developed watershed covering , terminating at Lynnhaven...
, also named for his home in England. In 1635, he earned a land patent for over 5,000 acres (20 km²) in this area for having persuaded 105 new residents to settle in Virginia, including Augustine Warner, a progenitor of Virginians George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
.
Thoroughgood appears to have had the foresight to realizing earlier than many other leaders that Lower Norfolk County (which encompassed the modern cities of Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach) was too large for a single site for convenient worship and court affairs. He led the effort to establish a second parish church, court, and glebe house at what was then known as Churches Point on the Lynnhaven River in the eastern portion in what was later subdivided to form Princess Anne County
Princess Anne County, Virginia
Princess Anne County is a former county which was created in the British Colony of Virginia and the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States in 1691. The county was merged into the city of Virginia Beach...
in 1691 (and the present City of Virginia Beach in 1963).
Thoroughgood suddenly became ill and died at the age of only 36 in 1640. This was no doubt a great loss to his community and the colony. However, the story of his life is prominently known in today’s Virginia Beach, where the Adam Thoroughgood House
Adam Thoroughgood House
The Adam Thoroughgood House is a brick house in located within the neighborhood of Thoroughgood, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It was at one time thought to have been built in 1636, but recent research has placed its construction ca. 1720. The building underwent major restorations in 1923 and in the...
is now an historic museum.