Edward Digges
Encyclopedia
Edward Digges was a British barrister and colonist who served as Colonial Governor of Virginia from March 1655 to December 1656. He invested heavily in planting mulberry trees and promoting the silk industry in the colony, in recognition of which he was appointed Auditor-General of Virginia.
, Kent
, England, and christened in Chilham parish on 29 March 1620, Edward Digges was the fourth son of Sir Dudley Digges
(1583-1638) and his wife Mary Kempe (1583-?). Sir Dudley was the Master of the Rolls
for King Charles I
and an investor in the Virginia Company of London.
Edward entered Gray's Inn
in 1637 to become a barrister
. He emigrated to the Virginia Colony about 1650 and purchased from Captain John West a plantation of 1250 acres in present-day York County, Virginia
, near Yorktown..
Digges developed a strong interest in reviving the production of silk in Virginia. The cultivation of the silkworm had been attempted previously in the colony, in response to King James's interest in the subject. However, these early efforts had been unsuccessful, perhaps due to lack of enthusiasm among the colonists. Digges, in contrast, became deeply absorbed in his project. He brought over two Armenians to help him experiment with silk production, and even wrote a pamphlet entitled "The Reformed Virginia Silkworm", in which he claimed that "native silkworms could be kept outdoors on native mulberry trees and that Indians could be employed to care for the worms."
Digges sent a parcel of his silk to the Royal Society
, by way of his cousin Dudley Palmer, one of the original Fellows of the Society. In the letter accompanying the silk sample, Digges comments on his findings, for example:
To this day there are numerous mulberry trees, which were used to raise the silk worms, still standing on the land of the old plantation. However, despite Digges's efforts, the industry once again did not succeed. In an early instance of the practice of rewarding failure, Edward Digges was given a seat in the council in November 1644, "having given a signal testimony of his fidelity to this colony and commonwealth of England."
Digges served as Colonial Governor of Virginia from 30 March 1655 to December 1656, for which he received a salary of 25,000 pounds of tobacco, with the duties levied on vessels, and marriage license fees. In December 1656, The House of Burgesses
selected Samuel Mathews as governor to replace Edward Digges, and Digges became the colonial agent to England. In this position, Digges was to go to England and meet with English merchants about the price of tobacco and to secure the rights of the colony. Leaving in March 1657, he took a letter from the House of Burgesses to Oliver Cromwell
, who had been ruling England since 1653, following the English Civil War
, to settle the long pending controversy between the Colony and Lord Baltimore.
of Middle Plantation. Edward and Elizabeth Digges had six sons and seven daughters. By the time of Edward's death on 15 March 1675/76, only eight children were still living, for his will (written 28 August 1669, proved 16 June 1675) leaves legacies "to all my children being four boys and four girls".
A large tombstone was placed over Edward Digges' grave near his home at Bellfield by his wife, Elizabeth Page, and is inscribed:
Elizabeth died in 1691; the inventory of her personal estate (recorded 24 August 1692, York Co. Deeds, Orders, Wills &c 9), provides interesting information on the way of life of Virginia planters. The division of the estate shows that only three of the thirteen children (William, Dudley, and Edward) were still living in 1692.
The plantation which Digges had purchased from Capt. John West (known as the E. D. plantation) remained in the family until 1787, when it was sold. It was known as "Bellfield" by 1811, when it was advertised for sale as ""Belfield, 1.000 acres in York Co., the only estate where the famous E.D. tobacco was raised, which never failed to bring in England one shilling when other tobacco
would not bring three pence."
Early Life
Born at Chilham CastleChilham Castle
Chilham Castle is a manor house and keep in the village of Chilham, between Ashford and Canterbury in the county of Kent, England. The polygonal Norman keep of the Castle, the oldest building in the village, dates from 1174; still inhabited, it was said to have been built for King Henry II...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England, and christened in Chilham parish on 29 March 1620, Edward Digges was the fourth son of Sir Dudley Digges
Dudley Digges
Sir Dudley Digges , of Chilham Castle, Kent , was a Member of Parliament, elected to the Parliament of 1614 and that of 1621, and also a "Virginia adventurer," an investor who ventured his capital in the Virginia Company of London...
(1583-1638) and his wife Mary Kempe (1583-?). Sir Dudley was the Master of the Rolls
Master of the Rolls
The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal...
for King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and an investor in the Virginia Company of London.
Edward entered Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1637 to become a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
. He emigrated to the Virginia Colony about 1650 and purchased from Captain John West a plantation of 1250 acres in present-day York County, Virginia
York County, Virginia
York County is a county located on the north side of the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. Situated on the York River and many tributaries, the county seat is the unincorporated town of Yorktown...
, near Yorktown..
Experiments in Silk Production
Digges sent a parcel of his silk to the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, by way of his cousin Dudley Palmer, one of the original Fellows of the Society. In the letter accompanying the silk sample, Digges comments on his findings, for example:
To this day there are numerous mulberry trees, which were used to raise the silk worms, still standing on the land of the old plantation. However, despite Digges's efforts, the industry once again did not succeed. In an early instance of the practice of rewarding failure, Edward Digges was given a seat in the council in November 1644, "having given a signal testimony of his fidelity to this colony and commonwealth of England."
Legacy
Edward Digges was more successful with tobacco than with silk. He became known for growing "E.D." tobacco, a sweet-scented variety which brought an unusually high price in London.Digges served as Colonial Governor of Virginia from 30 March 1655 to December 1656, for which he received a salary of 25,000 pounds of tobacco, with the duties levied on vessels, and marriage license fees. In December 1656, 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...
selected Samuel Mathews as governor to replace Edward Digges, and Digges became the colonial agent to England. In this position, Digges was to go to England and meet with English merchants about the price of tobacco and to secure the rights of the colony. Leaving in March 1657, he took a letter from the House of Burgesses to Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, who had been ruling England since 1653, following the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, to settle the long pending controversy between the Colony and Lord Baltimore.
Marriage and Family
Edward Digges married Elizabeth Page, daughter of Francis Page (1595-1678) of Bedfont, Middlesex, and sister of Col. John PageJohn Page (Middle Plantation)
Colonel John Page , a merchant in Middle Plantation on the Virginia Peninsula, was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Council of the Virginia Colony. A wealthy landowner, Page donated land and funds for the first brick Bruton Parish Church. Col...
of Middle Plantation. Edward and Elizabeth Digges had six sons and seven daughters. By the time of Edward's death on 15 March 1675/76, only eight children were still living, for his will (written 28 August 1669, proved 16 June 1675) leaves legacies "to all my children being four boys and four girls".
A large tombstone was placed over Edward Digges' grave near his home at Bellfield by his wife, Elizabeth Page, and is inscribed:
- To the memory of
- Edward Digges Esq.
- Sonne of Dudley Digges of Chilham in Kent Kn t & Bar t Master of the Rolls in the rain of K. Charles the First. He departed this life 15 March 1674 in the LIII d year of his age, one of his Mag ty Councill for this his colony of Virginia. A gentlemen of most commendable parts and ingenuity, the only introducer and promoter of the silk manufacture in this colony. And in everything else a pattern worthy of all Pious Imitation. He had issue 6 sons and 7 daughters by the body of Elizabeth his wife who of her conjugal affection hath dedicated to him this Memorial.
Elizabeth died in 1691; the inventory of her personal estate (recorded 24 August 1692, York Co. Deeds, Orders, Wills &c 9), provides interesting information on the way of life of Virginia planters. The division of the estate shows that only three of the thirteen children (William, Dudley, and Edward) were still living in 1692.
The plantation which Digges had purchased from Capt. John West (known as the E. D. plantation) remained in the family until 1787, when it was sold. It was known as "Bellfield" by 1811, when it was advertised for sale as ""Belfield, 1.000 acres in York Co., the only estate where the famous E.D. tobacco was raised, which never failed to bring in England one shilling when other tobacco
would not bring three pence."
Descendants
Of the six sons and seven daughters mentioned on Digges's tombstone, only five survived to adulthood:- William, who married Elizabeth Wharton, step-daughter of Lord Baltimore, and had nine children
- Ann, who married William Cole and produced two sons, both of whom were dead by the time she herself died in 1686, aged 29
- Mary, who married her first cousin Francis Page (son of her mother's brother John PageJohn PageJohn Page may refer to:* Johannes Pagus, medieval philosopher* John Page , resident of Middle Plantation in the Virginia Colony...
), had one daughter (Elizabeth), and died aged 30 - Dudley, who married his sister Ann's step-daughter Susannah Cole and produced four children
- Edward, who died unmarried
See also
- VirginiaVirginiaThe 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...
- Virginia Company of London
- Virginia Colony
- List of colonial governors of Virginia