Lieutenant Colonel Edward Major (1615 – c. 1655) was a Virginia soldier, landowner and politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

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Life

Major was born in England around 1615. He moved to Virginia in 1635 and became a prominent farmer and militia leader in Nansemond County

Nansemond County, Virginia

Nansemond County is an extinct county which was located in Virginia Colony and the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States, from 1646 until 1972...

. He was a Burgess from Upper Norfolk Co. in 1645.

Major was closely associated with 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...

 settlers in the colony, and was elected Speaker of the House of Burgesses in 1652, just after Virginia acceeded to the authority of Parliament

Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...

 following the execution of 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...

.