Thomas Gates (abt. 1590 - aft. 1627)

Born about 1590 in England [uncertain]

Husband of Elizabeth (Unknown) Gates — married about 1620 in James City, Virginia Colony

Died after 1627 after about age 37 in James City, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

Biography

Thomas Gates was a Jamestown colonist.

Thomas was born about 1590 in England. A death date of about 1660 was entered originally on this profile. No documentation has so far been found to support that date. It is presumed he died in James City County, where he was granted land when he arrived.

Few records have been found for Thomas and Elizabeth Gates. Thomas was known to be living in 1626/27 when he filed a lawsuit against Capt. John Martin for a debt of "800 waight of tobacco..."

A Court held the 25th of June, 1627, present:

Sir George Yeardley, Knot., Governor &c

Capt. Smith

Mr. Claybourne.

Wheras Capt. John Martin appeared at this Court to answere unto ye suite of Tho. Gates (5) in the sume of eight hundred waight of tobacco being due by a bond under his hand bearing date the one & twentiethe day of Aprill 1626, ... It is ordered that Mr Richard Kinsmell,... praise the goods & Chattells of the said Capt. Martin uppon their oathes that soe paim't may be made unto ye said Thomas Gates of the debt aforesaid.

footnote (5) Thomas Gates, who came in the Swan, 1609 and his wife Elizabeth, who came in the Warwick, 1620, lived in 1624-5 at Pace's Paines, opposite Jamestown.^[1]

Marriage

Thomas married Elizabeth Unknown about 1620 in James City, Virginia Colony. Elizabeth, her parents' names unknown, arrived in Jamestown on the Warwick in 1620, a "Bride ship" for colonists. If they had children, no records have been located for them.

At the Muster of February 1624/25 at Paces Paines, James Citty, Thomas and Elizabeth his wife are the only ones listed in the family. No children are listed with them.

For more information on children, see the Comment posted on the profile of John Gates, supposed son of Thomas and Elizabeth. A query was sent to "the Jamestown Society about Thomas and Elizabeth Gates and why they are not listed on their website as heads of Families. They replied back that they have never gotten any proof that Thomas and Elizabeth Gates had any children." - posted Dec 12, 2013 by Kari Lemons.

Elizabeth Deol (Weedon) Gates (abt.1597-) is being removed as wife of Thomas Gates. She married Thomas Gate on 9 October 1617 in the Parish of Chesham, Co. Bucks.^[2] She could not have been the Elizabeth Unknown who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1620 on the Warwick and married Thomas Gates there.

Birth/Death Dates

Thomas Gates' birth date is estimated based on the date of his arrival in James City, Virginia in 1610. A 1590 birth year would make him about 20 years old in 1610.

Thomas' death date is unknown. No record has been found as yet for Thomas after 1627 when he was living at Paces Paines, James Citty, Virginia Colony.^[1]

Immigration to Virginia Colony

Thomas Gates and his wife arrived in Virginia prior to 16 February 1623/24. Thomas traveled from the Port of London on the Swan to Virginia, June - August 1610.^[3] His wife arrived on the Warwick in 1620. They are listed in "Over the River" in "A List of Names; of the Living in Virginia, february the 16 1623."^[4]

At the "Musters of the Inhabitants in Virginia" taken 4 February 1624/25:

• at Paces Paines, James Citty
  • Thomas Gates came in the Swan 1609/1610 [at about age 16-19]^[5]
  • Elizabeth his wife in the Warwick. 1620^[4]

In the "Land of James Cittie, are many parcells of land, graunted to the inhabitant's by Pattent, and order of Courtt"

• The Territory of Tappahanna ouer against James Cittie.
  • Thomas Gates -- 100 acres by Pattent^[4]

Muster Search Results for February 1624/25 show this information for Thomas Gates. He possessed a house and 100 acres at Paces Paines, James Citty and owned:

• Arms Records
  • Powder: 3 pound
  • Lead: 60 pound
  • Piece: 4
  • Armor: 3
  • Sword: 1
• Food & Livestock Records
  • Corn: 40 bushel
  • Swine: 2^[6]

Ancient Planter

Thomas Gates, a free man, having arrived in 1609 and lived in Virginia for more than three years, qualified as an "ancient planter."^[7] In May 1625, he was credited with 100 acres in the Tappahanna area of James City, across the James River, in what later became Surry County.^[8]

Research Notes

This Thomas Gates is not the Thomas Gates (abt.1565-1622) who was Governor of the Virginia Colony from 1610-1614. (Note: He would have been no more than about 17-20 years old in 1610, too young to be appointed Governor.) Governor Gates was born in Colyford, Colyton Parish, Devonshire, England about 1565. His exact date of birth and the identity of his parents are unknown. The name of his wife is also unknown; she died on the transatlantic voyage to the Colony. Governor Gates had known children: sons Thomas and Anthony, daughters Margaret, Mary and Elizabeth. He died in the Netherlands about 7 September 1622. His son, Thomas Gates, was given administration of his father's estate on 13 June 1623.

This Thomas Gates is also not the son of Peter Gates and Mary Josselyn. Their son Thomas was born in Norwich, Norfolk County, England, and lived and died there. Thomas did not travel to the Colonies. His son Stephen Gates was born in England and was the immigrant ancestor. He arrived in Hingham, Massachusetts, in the ship Diligent of Ipswich, England, 1638. His wife and two children were with him and they settled in Massachusetts, where he died in 1662. ^[9] This Thomas is being detached as son of Peter and Mary (Josselyn) Gates. (Strutton-11 17:29, 27 January 2021 (UTC))

This Thomas Gates is not the Thomas Gates who married Elizabeth Weedon in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England in 1617. He is also not the father of George Gates of Haddam, Connecticut.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. Published Quarterly by The Virginia Historical Society; for the Year ending December 31, 1920. Vol. XXVIII. Richmond, VA.: House of the Society, 707 E. Franklin St. Reprinted with the permission of the original publisher: Kraus Reprint Corporation, New York, 1968. Page 99
2. ↑ American Genealogist, Vol. 9, pp. 199-200 as cited on Elizabeth Gate (Weedon), ca 1597
3. ↑ List of Passengers on the Swan 1609 Research and compilation by Anne Stevens, packrat-pro.com.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Hotten, John Camden, Editor. The Original Lists of Persons of Quality; Emigrants' Religious Exiles; … and others who went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, 1600-1700. John Camden Hotten: London, 1874. Reprinted Empire State Book Co., New York. Pages 179, 232, 270.
5. ↑ Ancient Planters-Passengers of the Swan
6. ↑ 1624/25 Muster Search Results
7. ↑ Nugent, Nell Marion. Cavaliers and Pioneers. Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666, Vol. I, Virginia State Library, Virginia Genealogical Society. Richmond, Press of the Dietz Print Co. 1934, page xxix.
8. ↑ Kingsbury, Susan Myra. The records of the Virginia Company of London Government Printing Office, 1906-1935, p. 4:555
9. ↑ Genealogical & Family History of Northern, NY. William Richard Cutter, A. M., Editorial Supervisor. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1910. Online Edition by Holice, Deb & Pam. Pages 336-343

See also:

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 November 2020), memorial page for Thomas Gates (20 Aug 1593–unknown), Find A Grave: Memorial #48572611, ; Maintained by Becky G (contributor 47012927) Unknown. Note: No headstone or sources cited for this information. Only a date of birth is listed, no date of death is listed. This Memorial is for a different Thomas Gates, probably intended to be for one of the Gates families of Connecticut.