Thomas Forrest, Esq
Encyclopedia
Thomas Forrest, Esq. was a gentleman
financier in the Virginia Company
. On October 1, 1608, what is known as the Second Supply
, came to the new colony of Virginia aboard the English ship the Mary and Margaret to resupply the colony at Jamestown, Virginia
. Thomas Forrest was listed as a gentleman on that ship as shown on the ship's manifest. This ship brought with it the first two women to come to Jamestown, Thomas Forrest's second wife Mistress Forrest (Margaret Foxe) and Anne Burras
, the maid of Thomas's wife. Thomas Forrest is said in various genealogies listed on the internet to have brought his son Peter (born 1601 in Morborne of Thomas's first marriage to Elizabeth Duncastle), however as Peter would have been six or seven at the time, this is unlikely and his name is not on the ship's manifest, thus it is more likely that Peter, who died in Maryland in 1665 in St. Mary's County, Maryland came later. Thomas and Margaret had married on August 16, 1605 in St. Giles in the Fields, London, England, four years after Peter was born. Peter is a direct ancestor of Uriah Forrest
of Revolutionary War fame.
As was law in England at the time, Thomas's elder brother Miles Forrest inherited the title to their father's estates and the younger Thomas set out for the adventure of securing new land in a new colony. Thomas was a member of the Virginia Company
(also known as the Charter of the Virginia Company of London or the London Company
) that established the colony. According to Seven Hundred Years of the Beville Family ISBN 0788413295 Thomas' grandmother, Katherine Beville (wife of Miles Forrest) was descended from, among others, William De Beville (Le Sire [lord] de Beville], who came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066 and fought in the Battle of Hastings
. The family records can be found in St. Michael's Church in Chesterton, Huntingdonshire, England.
In this pivotal time in English history toward the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the power of the landed gentry for whom wealth was land, was giving way to the rising class of merchants, for whom wealth was trade in shippable goods, such as gold, tea and tobacco. Thomas was one of the gentry who made the transition from the old to the new; an interesting footnote in history as we find one of the founders of colonial America is a direct descendent of one of the founders of Norman England over 500 years prior.
The origins of Thomas Forrest and his wife require further documentation. Thomas Forrest was listed as a shareholder in the Second Charter of Virginia, granted by James I to the London Company of Virginia
on May 23 1609. See the last line of the charter for his name on page 54
Sir Anthony Forrest of Morborne, Huntingdonshire, was also an investor in the Virginia Company. It is likely that Thomas Forrest, the gentleman colonist, is also of the Morborne family. Thomas's birth records in the parish church in St Michael's Church, Chesterton, Huntingdonshire, England. His marriage record to Margaret (August 16, 1605) is in the church of St Giles in the Fields, London.
Further research is required as forensic evidence suggests that Thomas was widowed shortly after arriving in Jamestown in 1608 with his wife. His disappears from the colonial records for at least a decade before he and his now married son show up in Maryland. This suggests that Thomas went back to England, very possibly on the same ship he came over on, having concluded colonial life was better observed from afar. Never-the-less, his name shows up on the Second Charter in May of the next year, suggesting he maintained his enthusiasm for the new colonial venture.
Gentleman
The term gentleman , in its original and strict signification, denoted a well-educated man of good family and distinction, analogous to the Latin generosus...
financier in the Virginia Company
Virginia Company
The Virginia Company refers collectively to a pair of English joint stock companies chartered by James I on 10 April1606 with the purposes of establishing settlements on the coast of North America...
. On October 1, 1608, what is known as the Second Supply
History of the Jamestown Settlement (1607–1699)
Jamestown was the first settlement of the Virginia Colony, founded in 1607, and served as capital of Virginia until 1699, when the seat of government was moved to Williamsburg...
, came to the new colony of Virginia aboard the English ship the Mary and Margaret to resupply the colony at Jamestown, Virginia
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...
. Thomas Forrest was listed as a gentleman on that ship as shown on the ship's manifest. This ship brought with it the first two women to come to Jamestown, Thomas Forrest's second wife Mistress Forrest (Margaret Foxe) and Anne Burras
Anne Burras
Anne Burras was an early English immigrant to Virginia and an Ancient Planter. She was the first English woman to marry in the New World, and her daughter Virginia was the first child of English colonists to be born in the Jamestown colony....
, the maid of Thomas's wife. Thomas Forrest is said in various genealogies listed on the internet to have brought his son Peter (born 1601 in Morborne of Thomas's first marriage to Elizabeth Duncastle), however as Peter would have been six or seven at the time, this is unlikely and his name is not on the ship's manifest, thus it is more likely that Peter, who died in Maryland in 1665 in St. Mary's County, Maryland came later. Thomas and Margaret had married on August 16, 1605 in St. Giles in the Fields, London, England, four years after Peter was born. Peter is a direct ancestor of Uriah Forrest
Uriah Forrest
Uriah Forrest was an American statesman and military leader from Maryland. Forrest was born in St. Mary's County in southern Maryland. During the American Revolutionary War, Forrest was injured and lost a leg in the Battle of Germantown...
of Revolutionary War fame.
As was law in England at the time, Thomas's elder brother Miles Forrest inherited the title to their father's estates and the younger Thomas set out for the adventure of securing new land in a new colony. Thomas was a member of the Virginia Company
Virginia Company
The Virginia Company refers collectively to a pair of English joint stock companies chartered by James I on 10 April1606 with the purposes of establishing settlements on the coast of North America...
(also known as the Charter of the Virginia Company of London or the London Company
London Company
The London Company was an English joint stock company established by royal charter by James I of England on April 10, 1606 with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America.The territory granted to the London Company included the coast of North America from the 34th parallel ...
) that established the colony. According to Seven Hundred Years of the Beville Family ISBN 0788413295 Thomas' grandmother, Katherine Beville (wife of Miles Forrest) was descended from, among others, William De Beville (Le Sire [lord] de Beville], who came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066 and fought in the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
. The family records can be found in St. Michael's Church in Chesterton, Huntingdonshire, England.
In this pivotal time in English history toward the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the power of the landed gentry for whom wealth was land, was giving way to the rising class of merchants, for whom wealth was trade in shippable goods, such as gold, tea and tobacco. Thomas was one of the gentry who made the transition from the old to the new; an interesting footnote in history as we find one of the founders of colonial America is a direct descendent of one of the founders of Norman England over 500 years prior.
The origins of Thomas Forrest and his wife require further documentation. Thomas Forrest was listed as a shareholder in the Second Charter of Virginia, granted by James I to the London Company of Virginia
Virginia Company
The Virginia Company refers collectively to a pair of English joint stock companies chartered by James I on 10 April1606 with the purposes of establishing settlements on the coast of North America...
on May 23 1609. See the last line of the charter for his name on page 54
Sir Anthony Forrest of Morborne, Huntingdonshire, was also an investor in the Virginia Company. It is likely that Thomas Forrest, the gentleman colonist, is also of the Morborne family. Thomas's birth records in the parish church in St Michael's Church, Chesterton, Huntingdonshire, England. His marriage record to Margaret (August 16, 1605) is in the church of St Giles in the Fields, London.
Further research is required as forensic evidence suggests that Thomas was widowed shortly after arriving in Jamestown in 1608 with his wife. His disappears from the colonial records for at least a decade before he and his now married son show up in Maryland. This suggests that Thomas went back to England, very possibly on the same ship he came over on, having concluded colonial life was better observed from afar. Never-the-less, his name shows up on the Second Charter in May of the next year, suggesting he maintained his enthusiasm for the new colonial venture.