Captain William Carver; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 3, No. 3 Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Captain William Carver Edward W. James William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 3. (Jan., 1895), pp. 163-165. CAPTAIN WILLIAM CARVER COMMUNICATED BY EDWARD W. JAMES. "Att a Court held the 15th of June 1675. "Lower Norfolk Present Capt Wm Robinson. Majr francis Sayer Mr. Malachy Thruston Mr. George fouler Mr. Antho. Lawson Justices. "16th day" "Upon the Information of Capt. Wm Carver(1) agt Jone the wife ______________________________________________________________________ (1) Captain William Carver was made a justice for Lower Norfolk County, Virginia, October 15, 1663; was added to the Quorum February 15, 1665, and on the 25th of November, 1665, was suspended the commission by Sir William Berkeley, and on the 15th of October, 1667, was again added to the commission. Was High Sheriff in 1670, and after the ex- piration of the term of his office, again took his seat on the bench, and was present for the last time June 18, 1672. He was a member of the House of Burgesses in 1665, and June 15, 1669, and April 16, 1672, was appointed to take the tythables for the Southern branch of the Elizabeth River, and August 18, 1669, was appointed General Surveyor of Highways for the Western and Southern branches of Elizabeth River, and August 16, 1671, General Surveyor of Highways for the Western and Southern branches of Elizabeth River, and August 16, 1671, General Surgeyor of Highways for the Southern branch precincts. On the 16th of April, 1664, he bought of Henery Goodricke "a ship, called the Expedicon, of 40 tons for 20,000 pounds of tobacco", and on June 15, 1666, he, designating himself William Carver, mariner, and Elizabeth his wife, sold "to Edward Davis and Rachel his wife, their well- beloved cozens", 300 acres of land, part of a patent for 500 acres granted him July 4, 1664, "in the Southern branch of Elizabeth River", and on May 8, 1668, he, this time calling himself William Carver, merchant, of the Southern branch of the Elizabeth River, gave John Low 50 acres of land "lying att the head of Church Creek". On the 25th of July, 1672, while laboring under an aberration of the mind, he killed Thomas Gilbert, who was sitting next to him at dinner, by stabbing him with a knife. In his examination, August 15, 1672, he deposed "that as for his part hee kneweth nothing of It, noe more than the child that is now unborne, nor of any other action that day nor severall days beefore or after". Captain Carver sided with Bacon during Bacon's Rebellion, and held an important position in his fleet. He was captured and put to death, and died with great courage. Governor Berkeley, in pursuance of his relentless policy wrote the following letter: "Coll Mason Majr. Sayer and Capt. Bray: My honored friends by This time I presume you have heard of the death of that monstrous Rebell Bacon Soe that now there is noe pretence left to the Rebells his assotiates butt an Absolute declaraon of open Rebellion wch I presume very few will dare to professe, Soe that now I hope shortly the county will Returne to Its former quiett though nott to the former plenty wch those villains have destroyed in most placed, butt six or Seaven yeares by gods Blessing may Recover that also, what Page 164. of Lazarus Jenking(1) Concerning her beeing familier with evell spiritts and useing witch- craft &c. It is ordered that the Cunstable of Tanners Creek presincts doe somonds Wm porten Charles Eger- _____________________________________________________ Ever It bee your merritts will for Ever bee lookt upon by mee and I hope the whole country: I deisre that Carvers Estate may bee Secured to help to pay the charge of your County, and If any one Shall presume to Conceale itt, hee Shall bee accompted to have Conspired with Carver and Soe his Estate bee likewise Subject to Confiscation. "Novem 4th, 1676. Your friend & Servt Coll Custis WM BERKELEY." Super Sisptia thus for Coll meason Major Sayer and Capt. Robt. Bray or Eyther of htem in Eliza. River. "To the Right Honra Sr. Wm. Berkeley Knt. Govr and Capt. Genl of Virgr The Humble pett of Lemuell Mason and the Rest of hte officers of the militia for the County of Lower norfolk in the behalf of the sd county most humbly Sheweth That your pettrs, (by meanes of this grand Rebellion) have Susteyned great losse and been att great trouble haveing about Sixty of our Best Gunes and Severall Swords taken from us for Bacons Service. Snce wch about nynety men did Voluntaily attend upon your honr att James Citty to the losse of severall of the corrps, besides other charges that your pettr. have beene wch they shall in due time make apeare and your honr haveing beene pleased to ord. that the Estate of Capt. Wm. Carver should bee Seazed for the use of our county wch hath ac- cordingly beene done. Your pettrs therefore now most humbly prays your honrs ord for selling the same at an outcry or the disposall thereof Some other way for Satisfying part of the Charges above Said and your pettrs as in duty bound Shall pray &c. LEMUELL MASON" "the 17th Janr. 1676. "This pett is granted and the Estate of the above sd Carver bee sould at an outcry by Coll Lemuell Mason and Capt. Robt. bray and disposed of by them amongst the Souldiers accord- ing to proportion as farr as the Estate will goe, and that they give me an accompt of their procedings the first day of the next assembly. WILLIAM BERKELEY" Captain Carver was twice married. His first wife was named Elizabeth, his second Rose. By his first wife he was the father of a son, Richard, who, born about 1649, survived him, and on the eleventh of May, 1681, sold to George Newton 784 acres of land called Brinsons quarter, and on the 7th of December, the same year, sold major Anthony Lawson for 11,500 pounds of tobacco in a cask a tract of land on the east side of the bay of Elizabeth River, containing 300 acres, and called Lamberts Point. In both of these deeds he mentioned himself as being the son and heir of Captailn William Carver. (1) Lazarus Jenkings was one of ten persons for whose importation Captain Carver was, on the 16th of October, 1671, granted 500 acres of land, and there was some ill feeling existing between them in 1675, for on the 15th of May, that year, the difference "beetwene Capt. Wm. Carver plantif and Lazarus Jenking defendt" was "Referred till the next court att the Request of timothy Harra", and on June 16th the court ordered the suit to be dismissed, and Page 165. ton Plomer Bray Sarah porten Joyce Langley(1) Margere Laurance Mary Chichester and Anne milicent to Repayre to the house of the sd Lauzarus Jenkings upon the 17th of this Instant June and there to make deligent search concerng the same according to the 118 chapter of doulton, and that If any Such thing bee found they to give in their Reports upon oath to the next magistrate that Shee may bee dealt wth all according the Law in Such Cases provided, and further ordered that If Capt. Carver shall think fitt hee may bee there also majr. Sayer hereby Requested to give them their oaths". _________________________________________________________ the same day the difference between "Lazarus Jenkings plantif and Capt. Wm. Carver defendt." was "Referred till the next court by Reason that Jno. Higley" "an evidence in the behalf of the sd Jenkings fayled to apeare thought Somoned, and that the sd Higley for his contempt bee fined 350lb of tob according to act". (1) Joyce Langley was the widow of William Langley, who patented land in 1625, and died in 1675. She afterwards married William Clements, and died before the 12th of April, 1680.