Samuel Sharp (abt. 1561 - aft. 1626)

Born about 1561 in England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died after 1626 after about age 65 in England [uncertain]

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Biography

Samuel arrived in Jamestown aboard the ship Seaventure in 1609.

Samuel Sharp was a Jamestown colonist.

Samuel Sharp is a Qualifying Ancestor of the Jamestowne Society

Samuel Sharp is Notable.

Samuel Sharp^[1]

Samuel, son of William Sharpe, was born about 1561 in England. He passed away after 1626 in either England or Virginia Colony. His exact date and place of death are unknown. (Death date of 12 Feb 1634 has been removed; same death date as shown in biography of purported son William Sharp.)

Samuel Sharpe, gentleman, was literate and a well-respected resident of the colony. After his arrival in Jamestown, Samuell Sharpe was granted 100 acres "By Pattent" on the "Apmatucke River."^[2] He was elected Burgess to represent Charles City at the First Legislative Assembly in the Colony which met on 30 July 1619 at the church at Jamestown.^{[3] [4]} He was next elected Burgess representing Westover in the Incorporation of Charles City for the 1623/24 session.^[5]

In March or April 1623 Sharpe sent a letter back to England in which he wrote: "To write of all crosses and miseries which have befallen us at ths time we are not able: The Lord hath crossed us by stricking most of us with sickness and death." He also noted that the sickness and death in the colony made it difficult for anyone to plant crops or conduct business.^[6]

In 1625 Sharpe and merchant Edward Blaney (burgess) disagreed about ownership of some cattle. Some residents claimed that some of Blaney's cattle belonged to the Virginia Company.^[7]

Late in 1625 Richard Biggs of West and Shirley Hundred, who described Samuel Sharp as his dear friend, named him as overseer of his estate. At a court dated 20 April 1626 it is recorded that Richard Biggs is lately deceased. Samuel Sharp and widow Sara Biggs are accompanying 5,518 pounds of tobacco "now shipt abourde the good shipp called the Temperance now bound for England," which represented the bulk of the inheritance of Sara Biggs, widow, and her son Richard Biggs. Sara Biggs and Samuell Sharpe were required to post bond of "three hundred pownde lawfull money of England,..." When they arrive in England they shall "take owt of the perogative Courte of Canterbury in England A letter of Administration" and sell the tobacco for the benefit of the orphan Richard Biggs, son of Richard Biggs deceased.^[7]

On 11 October 1626 "one Henry Carman late servant to Mr Samuell Sharpe," was brought before the court on the charge of committing "fornication with one Alice Chambers, servant to Abraham Persey & gotten her with child..." Henery Carman is listed with Samuel Sharpe as servant on the Muster of Peirseys Hundred on 20 January 1624/25. He was indentured for a period of 7 years, unless he violated the terms of the indenture. Sharpe was still out of the country and Carman had been in the service of Mr. William fferrar when he was brought to court. As punishment, the indenture term of seven years was begun anew.^[7]

Sharp's trip to England in 1626 is the last time he appears in records, no record has been found for his return to Virginia. It is unknown if he died in England or in Virginia. No record has been found for any future activity of his wife Elizabeth and no children of the couple have been identified.

Marriage

Samuel married Elizabeth Biggs about 1624 in Virginia. Samuel Sharp is listed at "flourdieu hundred" on the List of Living as of 16 February 1623/24, no wife is with him. At the Muster of Inhabitants of Peirseys Hundred on 20 January 1624/25 Elizabeth his wife is with him, as well as servant Henery Carman. No children of Samuel and Elizabeth have been confirmed.

No documentation has been located to confirm the last name at birth of Samuel's wife Elizabeth. It is known that Samuel was good friends with Richard Biggs in Virginia and was named overseer of his estate. It is possible this relationship led to the assumption Elizabeth was a Biggs, sister or other relation of Richard Biggs.

Immigration

The Sea Venture under the command of Sir Thomas Gates sailed on 2 June 1609 as the flagship of the "Third Supply" to the Jamestown Colony. On 23/25 July a hurricane separated the Sea Venture from the other vessels and it was wrecked at Discovery Bay of Bermuda on 28 July 1609. All of the 150 passengers made land safely. From the timber of the ruined Sea Venture two pinnances were built during the following nine months. The Deliverance and the Patience sailed for Jamestown on 10 May 1610. Samuell Sharpe was one of the passengers who arrived in Jamestown in 1610.^[8]

A List of Names; of the Living in Virginia February the 16 1623/24^[2]

At flourdieu hundred: Samuell Sharp [note, no wife is listed with Samuel in 1623/24]

The Muster of the Inhabitant's of Peirseys Hundred taken the 20th of January 1624/25.

Samuell Sharpe arrived in the Seaventure 1609

Elizabeth his wife in the Margrett and John 1621

Henery Carman, Servant, aged 23 yeares in the Duty 1620^{[2] [9]}

Research Notes

William Sharp is linked here as son of Samuel Sharp and Elizabeth Biggs. This is unsupported by any documentaton. There is no record of a marriage of Samuel Sharp/Sharpe in England prior to his immigration to Virginia. No children of Samuel have been confirmed in either England or Virginia. Samuel appears to have married Elizabeth in Virginia about 1624 after her arrival in 1621 aboard the Margrett and John. She could not have been the mother of William.

Samuel immigrated to Virginia in 1609, William in May 1611 aboard the Starr in a fleet commanded by Sir Thomas Gates. If they were father and son, why did they not travel together? Samuel owned land on the Appomatox River, was burgess from Charles City and Flowerdieu Hundred. William Sharp was Burgess from Neck-of-Land, Charles City. There is no record of Samuel and William ever living near each other or having any connection in Virginia. Pending documentation being located for this relationship, William Sharp should be removed as son of Samuel and Elizabeth.

Conflation problem: Samuel Sharp/Sharpe is erroneously said to be "Sergeant Sharpe" who was named as Burgess from Neck of Land in 1629. However, "Sergeant Sharpe" was actually William Sharp who is recorded as living in Neck of Land in 1626.^[10] As shown above, Samuel Sharp left Virginia in 1626 and there is no record of his return.

Sources

https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/326928-the-sharp-family-of-henrico-and-cumberland-co-virginia-and-supplement

1. ↑ Jamestowne Society. Sharp/Sharpe, Samuel - A7009; Charles City: 1619 (Burgess), Flowerdieu Hundred: 1624 (Burgess). accessed 5 February 2021
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Hotten, John Camden, Editor. The Original Lists of Persons of Quality; Emigrants; Religious Exiles; ... who went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, 1600-1700. John Camden Hotten: London, 1874. Reprinted: Empire State Book Co., New York. Pages 172, 205, 215, 268
3. ↑ The First Legislative Assembly
4. ↑ The Records of the Virginia Company of London. Volume III Documents, I
5. ↑ McIlwaine, H. R., Editor. Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia; 1619-1658/59. Richmond, Virginia: [Library Board, Virginia State Library; 1915. Vol. 1, Pages viii, xxix, 21
6. ↑ McCartney, Martha W. Virginia immigrants and adventurers, 1607-1635: a biographical dictionary. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 2007. ISBN 978-0-8063-1774-8. p. 631. As cited on Samuel Sharpe
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Minutes of the Council and General court of Colonial Virginia, 1622-1632, ... Richmond, Va. [The Colonial Press, Everett Waddey Co,], 1924. Pages 40, 101, 117
8. ↑ Passenger List of the Sea Venture Research and compilation by Anne Stevens, packrat-pro.com.
9. ↑ Jester, Annie Lash, and Martha Woodroof Hiden. Adventurers of Purse and Person: Virginia, 1607-1625. 1956. p. 20.
10. ↑ Colonial Records of Virginia. Richmond, VA: R. F. Walker, Superintendent Public Printing. 1874. Page 38

See also:

• Ancient Planters of Virginia
• Wikipedia: Samuel Sharpe, Burgess
• Wikidata: Item Q97861264, en:Wikipedia