Charles City County, VA - Walter Chiles, Merchant; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 1, No. 2

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Lieut. Col. Walter Chiles

   Lyon G. Tyler

   William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Papers, Vol, 1,

No. 2 (Oct., 1892), pp. 75-78.

Page 75.

                  LIEUT. COL. WALTER CHILES.

                         BY THE EDITOR.

   He was perhaps the "Walter Chiles, merchant," who was granted
1st of March, 1638, 400 acres in Charles City county (in that
portion known afterwards as Prince George), near the falls of
the Appomattox River, "50 acres being due to him for his own
personal adventure; 50 acres for his wife, Elizabeth; 50 acres
for his son William, and 50 acres for his son Walter, and 200
acres for the transportation" to the colony of four other persons.
A second grant was made to him of 250 acres, due "for his own
personal adventure" and the transportation of four persons, 2d
May, 1638.(1)

   Walter Chiles, the merchant, was perhaps the burgess from
Charles City in 1642-43, and at the session he was appointed
with Walter Austin, Rice Hooe, and Joseph Johnson and "such
others as they shall think fit to joyn them" to undertake the dis-
covery of "a new river or unknowne land, bearing west southerly
from Appomattocke River." (2)

   In November, 1645, Walter Chiles represented James City
county in the House of Burgesses. (3)  He was a representative
_____________

   (1)  Land Office.
   (2)  Hening Stats., 1, 239.262.
   (3)  Hen. Stats., 1, p. 299.

Page 76.

again in 1645-46, and in 1649. (1) In the Northampton records
15th June, 1652, it is stated that Walter Chiles sailed from
Rotterdam in his own ship, "The Fame of Virginia."  After being
for a time in Accomac waters the ship sailed for James City,
and was pursued and captured by Capt. Robert Henfield, who
held a commission from the "Protectors of the Liberties of Eng-
land;" three hours after which in Hungar's Road, Eastern shore,
the ship "Hopeful Adventure," Capt. Richard Husband, came 
up and made seizure under pretext that Chiles had no license.
The Court of Northampton ordered a release.  Thereupon, Richard
Husband and his prize sailed away, to the great indignation of
the commissioners thereof.  It being rumored that the County
would be called upon by the commissioners to pay a large sum of
money to Walter Chiles, some of the inhabitants met in Dr. Hacke's
"old field," where Stephen Horsey called the commissioners a
company of "asses and villyans."

   At the Assembly which convened July 5,1652, Gov. Bennet sent a
note to the House of Burgesses in which, after protesting that he
did not intend 'to intrench upon the right of Assemblies in the
free choice of a Speaker, nor to undervalue Lefft. Col. Chiles,"
advised(2) "that it was not so proper nor so convenient at this
time to make choice of him, for that there is something to be
agitated in this Assembly concerning a shipp lately arrived, in
which Lefft. Coll. Chiles hath some interest.

   The Burgesses, however, did not seem inclined to take the advice
of their Governor, for the record states that "Left. Col. Walter
Chiles" was chosen, next day, by a plurality of votes, Speaker of
the Assembly,  It is, however, to the honor of Col. Chiles, that he
at once declined the election, having represented(3) "to the house
his extraordinarie occasions in regarding to the dispatch of some
shipping now in the country in which he is
______________________

   (1)  Ibid, 322, 358.
   (2)  Ibid, 377.
   (3)  Ibid, 378.

Page 77.

much interested."  At the same session, Chiles was allowed to have
the ship "Leopoldus" for L400 sterling, said ship having been
confiscated for violation of the navigation laws.

   On July 26, 1653, the Court of Northampton, according to an order
of the late Assembly, (determined upon despite a petition of part
of the inhabitants of the county, representing that the rumors of
their disloyalty to parliament was false, and their complaint was
against the taxes laid, on account of Capt. Chiles' ship) declared
"all the subscribers of that writing called a protest incapable
of holding office."

   In 1671, under date of April 4th, Walter Chiles appeared in
behalf of his sons, John and Henry, relative to 1,500 acres of
land in Westmoreland county.  According to the notes of Dr. E.
D. Neill, Walter Chiles was the son-in-law of Col. John Page(1)
and probably, had married his daughter Mary.(2)  The Ludwell
MSS. (in Va. Historical Society) show that he was dead before
May 15, 1672, when his widow, Susannah, received a grant for
200 acres in James City County, in Passbehayes for 99 years on
account of buildings and improvements on the Main there, according
to an order of the General Court of June 7, 1638, for strengthening
the Main on this side Powhatan Swamp by leasing it out in parcels.
In Sept., 1693, the same year, John Chiles was appointed messenger
to the Council (Council Journal MS).

   On June the 25th, 1683, judgment was entered in York Court in
favor of "Mr. Henry Tyler as marrying Elizabeth Chiles against
Maj. Otho Thorpe for the payment of twenty-one pounds sterling,
with costs of suit als execucon."

   Col. Page in his will dated March 5, 1686-87, and recorded
February 24, 1691-92, speaks(3) of his grandson.  John
____________________

   (1)  Neill's "Va. Carolorum," p. 232.
   (2)  See note on John Page to "the Digges family," next issue of
Quarterly.
   (3)  Letters and Times of the Tylers, 1, p. 49.


Page 78.

Chiles, and his "grandsonne John Tyler." sonne of my grand-daughter,
Elizabeth Tyler"  At a county court held for York County, June 24,
1707, John Tyler, who describes himself "as son of Mr. Henry Tyler
of York County and grandson of Col. John Page, formerly of ye sd
county dec'd," came into court and acknowledged a receipt(1) from
John Page, of ye county of Gloucester, of L50 sterling "for a
legacie left me (the said Henry Tyler) by the last will and testament
of ye said Coll. John Page, dec'd."  Under the will of Col. Page,
John Tyler(2) received land in the forks of the swamp Powhatan, in
James City county where, until a few years ago, there stood a modest
brick building, which was built by him.

   Col. John Page left a ring of twenty shillings to his "grandson,
John Chiles."  In St. Peters Parish Register, New Kent county, are
the entries of the baptism between 1699 and 1706 of Henry, Walter
and James, children of Henry Chiles, Gent. Hanover county ws taken
from New Kent in ------; and 6 Sept. 1735, Henry Chiles sold lands
on Southern Branch, Hanover county.  Louisa county was taken from
Hanover and in 1772 James Chiles and Elizabeth, his wife, were 
living there.  By his will proved 10 Oct., 1774, John Chiles left
his estate to his neices Olive Edwards, daughter of Joseph Martin
and Susannah his wife and to Mary, daughter of John Wright and
Jane, his wife.
__________________

   (1)  Ibid. Note 1, p. 49.
   (2)  This John Tyler was great-grandfather of President John

Tyler. -- See "Letters and Times of the Tylers."