Edward Bennett (colonist)
Encyclopedia
Edward Bennett was a London
merchant
that established the first large plantation
in the United States, which was responsible for the migration of over 800 immigrants to the new world.
and mother Elizabeth (Adney) Bennett of Wiveliscombe
, Somerset
, and was christened in the Parish Church of Wiveliscombe
on June 5, 1577. Edward became Chief among the Puritans who were among the first to settle in Isle of Wight County, and was elder of the Ancient Church at Amsterdam
.
The first English plantation
in the region, dating to 1618, was that of Puritan
merchant Christopher Lawne
, and several other Puritans also seated themselves nearby, including Edward Bennett in 1621. Edward named his plantation Warrosquoake, after the river that also went by the same name.
In 1621, Edward Bennett, received a patent on condition that he settle 200 persons. His associates were his brother, Robert Bennett, his nephew, Richard Bennett
, Thomas Ayres, Thomas Wiseman and Richard Wiseman. The first settlers dispatched by Bennett arrived on the Sea Flower in February, 1622. There were 120 settlers, led by Captain Ralph Hamor, a member of the Virginia Council who had previously come to Virginia in 1609. Also in the group were George Harrison and Rev. William Bennett, kinsman of Edward Bennett.
Bennett married into the Bourne family, Mary Bourne of Somerset and is often described in the records as being a wealthy London merchant. Mary was about 28 years younger than Edward, and they had six children together.
The first two were born while still living in England.
Then Bennett and family fled to Holland during the Puritan migrations, and became “by his wealth” a principal pillar of the Ancient Church. This is when he had a hand in settling over 600 people in Isle of Wight County. Bennett and his associates, Richard Wiseman, and Thomas Wiseman, were members of the Virginia Company in London and often sided with the faction led by the Earl of Warwick
. The Wisemans were from the County of Essex and owned the manor of Rivenhall in Witham Hundred on the Blackwater River
. In addition to his position as a wealthy London merchant, Edward was the owner of a large fleet of ships which traded with Virginia. He was also Commissioner of Virginia at the Court of England.
Then the family travelled to Virginia where they had four more children:
He came to Virginia at times but apparently did not become a resident, leaving the management of his lands to his nephews, Richard and Robert. Edward also had two brothers to die in Virginia, Robert and Richard.
, 1622, occurred barely a month after their arrival. It was heavily hit in the Great Massacre of 1622, losing 53 of the 347 persons killed that day. The plantation was briefly abandoned until a fort could be built nearby; the Warraskoyak Indians were driven off from their villages in the reprisals of the following years. A census of settlers in 16 February 1623 shows a total of "33, including 4 negroes". Another census a year later showed a total population of 31 settlers for the region.
Of the eighty plantations in Virginia
before the massacre, the surviving inhabitants gathered together in eight plantations near Jamestown
. The south side of the James River
for fourteen miles (21 km) down river from Hog Island
was deserted. In the Fall of 1622, Governor George Yeardley
commanded an expedition which drove out the Warrosquoyacke and the Nansemond Indians which allowed some of the settlers to return. A fort was built on Bennett’s plantation. The census of 1623 lists thirty-three living at Warrosquoyacke and twenty at Basse’s Choice. In 1625, there were only thirty-one persons living on the two plantations.
Although settlements occurred in the present day Isle of Wight County prior to the Indian Massacre, they were destroyed in 1622 and any real settlement must be dated from Good Friday, March 22, 1622. Warrosquoyake was resettled after the Indian Massacre of March 22, 1622. The census of 1623 and a similar count in 1625 show the presence of settlers at both Basse’s Choice and Edward Bennett’s plantation which came to be known as Bennett’s Welcome.
Edward Bennett represented his plantation in the 1628 House of Burgesses
, then left for England. The following year, the "County of Warascoyack" was represented by his nephew, Richard Bennett
, Captain Nathaniel Basse, and three others, all Puritans. This was the Puritans' strongest representation in the Anglican-dominant colony.
and Maryland
.
Edward died sometime before June 3, 1651 in his home town of Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England.
His nephew Richard Bennett
became Commonwealth of England Governor of Virginia
from 1652–1655. Richard Bennett remained active in the government of Virginia even after the Restoration and died in Nansemond
in 1676. Before Richard's death, he had become a Quaker and provided generously for several prominent Quakers in his will.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
that established the first large plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
in the United States, which was responsible for the migration of over 800 immigrants to the new world.
Early years
Edward Bennett was born February 2, 1577 as the 15th child of Robert Bennett, a tannerTanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
and mother Elizabeth (Adney) Bennett of Wiveliscombe
Wiveliscombe
Wiveliscombe is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The town has a population of 2,670. The parish includes the nearby hamlet of Maundown.-History:...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, and was christened in the Parish Church of Wiveliscombe
Wiveliscombe
Wiveliscombe is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The town has a population of 2,670. The parish includes the nearby hamlet of Maundown.-History:...
on June 5, 1577. Edward became Chief among the Puritans who were among the first to settle in Isle of Wight County, and was elder of the Ancient Church at Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
The first English plantation
English colonial empire
The English colonial empire consisted of a variety of overseas territories colonized, conquered, or otherwise acquired by the former Kingdom of England between the late 16th and early 18th centuries....
in the region, dating to 1618, was that of Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
merchant Christopher Lawne
Christopher Lawne
Christopher Lawne was an English merchant and Puritan of note, born in Blandford, Dorset, who emigrated to Virginia Colony on the Marygold in May 1618 and died the following year....
, and several other Puritans also seated themselves nearby, including Edward Bennett in 1621. Edward named his plantation Warrosquoake, after the river that also went by the same name.
In 1621, Edward Bennett, received a patent on condition that he settle 200 persons. His associates were his brother, Robert Bennett, his nephew, Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett may refer to:* Richard Bennett , film star and father of actresses Constance Bennett and Joan Bennett* Richard Bennett , English cricketer...
, Thomas Ayres, Thomas Wiseman and Richard Wiseman. The first settlers dispatched by Bennett arrived on the Sea Flower in February, 1622. There were 120 settlers, led by Captain Ralph Hamor, a member of the Virginia Council who had previously come to Virginia in 1609. Also in the group were George Harrison and Rev. William Bennett, kinsman of Edward Bennett.
Bennett married into the Bourne family, Mary Bourne of Somerset and is often described in the records as being a wealthy London merchant. Mary was about 28 years younger than Edward, and they had six children together.
The first two were born while still living in England.
- Mary Bennett born in Wiveliscombe, England 1623.
- Elizabeth Bennett born in Wiveliscombe, England 1626.
Then Bennett and family fled to Holland during the Puritan migrations, and became “by his wealth” a principal pillar of the Ancient Church. This is when he had a hand in settling over 600 people in Isle of Wight County. Bennett and his associates, Richard Wiseman, and Thomas Wiseman, were members of the Virginia Company in London and often sided with the faction led by the Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...
. The Wisemans were from the County of Essex and owned the manor of Rivenhall in Witham Hundred on the Blackwater River
River Blackwater, Essex
The River Blackwater is a river in England. It rises in the northwest of Essex as the River Pant and flows to Bocking, near Braintree, from where its name changes to the Blackwater. Its course takes it near Stisted, and then via Bradwell Juxta Coggeshall and Coggeshall and near Witham where it is...
. In addition to his position as a wealthy London merchant, Edward was the owner of a large fleet of ships which traded with Virginia. He was also Commissioner of Virginia at the Court of England.
Then the family travelled to Virginia where they had four more children:
- Sylvestra Bennett born in Isle of Wright, Virginia 1630
- John Bennett born in Hogg Island, Virginia 1632
- Ann Bennett born in Hogg Island, Virginia 1633, but died a few month late.
- Jasper Bennett (named after Mary's father) in Hogg Island, Virginia 1635.
He came to Virginia at times but apparently did not become a resident, leaving the management of his lands to his nephews, Richard and Robert. Edward also had two brothers to die in Virginia, Robert and Richard.
The Great Indian Massacre
The Indian Massacre of Good FridayGood Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
, 1622, occurred barely a month after their arrival. It was heavily hit in the Great Massacre of 1622, losing 53 of the 347 persons killed that day. The plantation was briefly abandoned until a fort could be built nearby; the Warraskoyak Indians were driven off from their villages in the reprisals of the following years. A census of settlers in 16 February 1623 shows a total of "33, including 4 negroes". Another census a year later showed a total population of 31 settlers for the region.
Of the eighty plantations in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
before the massacre, the surviving inhabitants gathered together in eight plantations near Jamestown
Jamestown
-Saint Kitts and Nevis:*Jamestown, the name of a former town on the edge of Morton Bay on Nevis in the late 17th century-United Kingdom:*Jamestown, Rossshire, Scotland*Jamestown, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland*Jamestown, Fife, Scotland...
. The south side of the James River
James River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
for fourteen miles (21 km) down river from Hog Island
Hog Island
-Canada:* Hog Island in the North Channel * Hog Island in the Ottawa River* Hog Island near Chilliwack, British Columbia-USA:* Appledore Island, Maine, formerly known as Hog Island...
was deserted. In the Fall of 1622, Governor George Yeardley
George Yeardley
Sir George Yeardley was a plantation owner and three time colonial Governor of the British Colony of Virginia. A survivor of the Virginia Company of London's ill-fated Third Supply Mission, whose flagship, the Sea Venture, was shipwrecked on Bermuda for 10 months in 1609-10, he is best remembered...
commanded an expedition which drove out the Warrosquoyacke and the Nansemond Indians which allowed some of the settlers to return. A fort was built on Bennett’s plantation. The census of 1623 lists thirty-three living at Warrosquoyacke and twenty at Basse’s Choice. In 1625, there were only thirty-one persons living on the two plantations.
Although settlements occurred in the present day Isle of Wight County prior to the Indian Massacre, they were destroyed in 1622 and any real settlement must be dated from Good Friday, March 22, 1622. Warrosquoyake was resettled after the Indian Massacre of March 22, 1622. The census of 1623 and a similar count in 1625 show the presence of settlers at both Basse’s Choice and Edward Bennett’s plantation which came to be known as Bennett’s Welcome.
Edward Bennett represented his plantation in the 1628 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...
, then left for England. The following year, the "County of Warascoyack" was represented by his nephew, Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett (Governor)
Richard Bennett was an English Governor of the Colony of Virginia.Born in Wiveliscombe, Somerset, Bennett served as governor from 30 April 1652, until 2 March 1655...
, Captain Nathaniel Basse, and three others, all Puritans. This was the Puritans' strongest representation in the Anglican-dominant colony.
Later years
Around 1628 Edward's brother Thomas' son, Richard Bennett travelled to Virginia to take over management of Bennett's Welcome, and over the next ten years Richard will patent more than 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of his own and amass more than 7000 acres (28.3 km²) in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
.
Edward died sometime before June 3, 1651 in his home town of Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England.
His nephew Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett (Governor)
Richard Bennett was an English Governor of the Colony of Virginia.Born in Wiveliscombe, Somerset, Bennett served as governor from 30 April 1652, until 2 March 1655...
became Commonwealth of England Governor of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
from 1652–1655. Richard Bennett remained active in the government of Virginia even after the Restoration and died in Nansemond
Nansemond
The Nansemond have been recognized as a Native American tribe by the Commonwealth of Virginia, along with ten other Virginia Indian tribes. They are not Federally recognized but are one of six Virginia tribes without reservations that are included in a bill for Federal recognition under...
in 1676. Before Richard's death, he had become a Quaker and provided generously for several prominent Quakers in his will.