William White Jamestowne Original Colonist

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1 Research Project
2 Early Explorers and Patrons of the London Company
3 Early White Family Research
4 White Family Martock, England
5 Jamestowne
6 Summary
7 THE LIVING AND DEAD IN VIRGINIA. Feb. 16, 1623^[35]
8 Sources

Research Project

A White Family Research Project has been formed. This Project focuses on robust documentation of descendants with the White surname who were some of the first settlers from England to settle in North America. Y-DNA analysis from White Family participants indicates that there were several branches of this family in North America with one branch settling in Massachusetts and the William White Quaker descendants migrating south from Colonial Virginia becoming some of the the earliest inhabitants of North Carolina. Y-DNA traces both lines back to common ancestor Thomas White b. 1490 in Marriott, Somerset, England. A full discussion and documentation of the Y-DNA analysis can be found here: I-FT-410059 White Project

Early Explorers and Patrons of the London Company

The family names of the early explorers to Virginia include White, Radcliff, Scott, West, and Copeland. All names that are intertwined with the early John Whites of IOW and Nansemond.

Very little is known about the explorer families and it is possible they had children in the Colony or their children subsequently immigrated in later years. It also appears to be true that many of these families have histories that go back to the early settlement of IOW.

For instance:

John White was an early explorer with Captain John Smith in the Lost Colony.
Captain John Ratcliff was captain of the Discovery and sailed with Smith.^[1]
Captain William West also sailed with Smith and was killed in 1610.
The names of Copeland and John White appear on the early London Company records.

Legend has it that William White was in the settlement early. There was also a William White that lived amount the Indians according to Captain John Smith and a William White who was granted property by the Virginia Company in 1621 for his prior service. There is a William White on the roll after the the massacre of 1623. Could this be the William, father to John, Thomas, and James, that is part of the legend and research conducted by General and Winslow.

Discussion of Early Research on the Colonial NC/VA White Family

Early White Family Research

William White may have been born in Martock, Somerset, England on January 15, 1580. Noted White Family researcher General John Elliott Wood ^[2]^[3]coordinated a genealogical history research of Colonial Virginia and North Carolina Tidewater Region inhabitants that have carried the White surname and concluded that four branches of the family labeled “Henry”, “John”, “George”, and “William” ^[4] descended from a "William White, born in England about 1580, one of the 107 men at Jamestown in 1607. He was buried in Elizabeth City County 12 September 1624 leaving three sons: John, born 1609; James born 1611; and, Henry born about 1615". Wood authored an article published in the Sunday, September 4, 1955, edition of The Virginian-Pilot and Portsmouth Star newspaper of Norfolk, VA. titled 'The Whites of Tidewater: A Study of Man's Growth in the New World' that summarized this hypothesis.^[5] Wood's research is also consistent with early research from Mrs. Watson Winslow's book “The History of Perquimans County”.^[6] which has been modified over the years by more recent researchers.

White Family Martock, England

Thomas White b. 1490 in Merriott is known to have a son John White d. 1608. Church records from Kingsbury Episcopi in Martock document a John Whitt as a member with the following sons and baptisms:

1. William Whitt, Jan 15 1580 ^[7]

2. John Whitt, Jul 22 1581^[8]

3. Henry Whitt, 1583^[9]

4 Isable Whitt, Dec 1583^[10]

Church records from Kingsbury Episcopi in Martock document a Richard Whitt as a member with the following son and baptism:

1. Thomas Whitt, Nov 20 1587 ^[11]

Kingsbury Episcopi, South Petherton, Meriiott, and Martock are within a four mile radius of each other.

William White/Whitt married Elizabeth Banfielde on May 7, 1604. A Thomas Whitt was baptized in Kingsbury Episcopi on August 18, 1605 listing William Whitt as father. No other listings for this family appear in Kingsbury Episcopi Church records after 1605.

Little in known about William White. It is not known what brought him to accompany Captain John Smith and embark on a voyage to the New World in 1606. If William White had been born in 1580 he would have been 26 at the time of the expedition --- the same age as Smith.

Church records from Kingsbury Episcopi in Martock document a Isabel Whitt as a member with the following son and baptism:

1. Thomas Whitt, Nov 6 1588 ^[12]

Jamestowne

William White was one of the original colonists to arrive in the new Jamestown colony. He sailed to Virginia aboard the Susan Constant in 1606.^[13]William White is referenced several times in the historical writings of Captain John Smith and Samuel Purchas. Smith was the leader of the Colony until August of 1609 and William White sailed to Jamestown with him. Purchas was an English Anglican cleric who published several volumes of reports by travelers to foreign countries and utilized the writings of other adventurers as the basis for his works^[14]

While he was listed as a "labourer," his relationship with John Smith may have been more complex. In his book “The Three Worlds of Captain John Smith” historian Philip L. Barbour acknowledges that “William White was listed as a laborer, but evidently an exceptional one”.^[15] Smith referred to William as one of his "old soldiers."^[16] but it is unclear if this was a reference to William White's age or an acknowledgement of respect Smith appears to have for the seasoned group of his party (that includes William White) that are not gentlemen, prospectors, and Councilmen. Smith referrers to this group as "old solders" several times in his writings ^[17]^[18].

In his Travels and works of Captain John Smith^[19] John Smith reports that William White lived with the Natives for awhile. When he returned to Jamestown, he gave a report of their customs.

"In the morning, by breake of day, before they eate or drinke, both men, women, and children (that be above ten years of age) runs into the water; there washes themselves a good while till the Sunne riseth: then offer Sacrifice to it, strewing Tobacco on the water or Land, honouring the Sunne as their God. Likewise they doe at the setting of the Sunne."

Both John Smith and Samuel Purchas appear to have utilized some of William White's observations and writings (as they did with others in their company) in several of their own excerpts from Smith's Generall Historie and Purchas' His Pilgrimage. Both convey a story of purported child "sacrifice" by the Powhatan Indians and attribute William White as an eye witness to the proceeding. While it is unclear if this story is actually a "child sacrifice" by the Powhatans or a write of passage for young males in the tribe and embellished by Smith, the context clearly suggests that William White is given a bit more latitude and trust as he interacts, observes, and lives with the Indians.

The sacrifice story and background is explored in great detail in an article from The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography Vol. 88, No. 2 (April 1980), pp.148-154, titled "The Riddle of the Powhatan "Black Boys"". ^[20] Much of the background and source of this information may have been "Jamestown Voyages Under the First Charter 1606-1609" issued by The Hakluyt Society and also edited by Philip L. Barbour.^[21]

In his notes, Barbour suggests that William White was a laborer who sailed with the original group on December 19/20, 1606 and who "took up residence with the Indians when things were going badly at Jamestowne". His story of the "sacrifice" appears to have been quoted in Samuel Purchas (Purchas His Pilgrimage [London, 1613], 952, as well as in Purchas, Pilgrimes, XVIII, 419).” ^[22]^[23]^[24]^[25]sometime before 1614. Furthermore, "White claimed to have lived at Quiyuoghcohanock, at or near modern Claremont, Surry County, some ten miles above Jamestowne". Barbour concludes “With regard to William White, he was still in Virginia in 1621 (Kingsbury, Records, I, 534). He seems to have been an exceptional “laborer” . William White's presence at the ceremony, his residence at Quiyuoghcohanock in the Powhattan Confederacy, and his interactions with the Powhattan Werowance might ascribe a level of importance to him which would me more than that of a "laborer", but this is also unclear.

As previously mentioned historian Barbour conceded that William White was still in Virginia in 1621. This appears to be based of the records for the Virginia Company of London, edited by Susan M. Kingsbury, that identify a land Patent for "certaine old and new Adventurers" from October 24, 1621 that includes a William White.^[26]This Patent reflects a reassignment of an original Patent given to Lady De La Warr, wife of Thomas West, twelfth baron De La Warr, the first governor of Virginia and appears to belong to a William White living at Chaplin's Choice and managing Truelove's Company as it also mentions Rowland Truelove who also received a Patent at the same time.^[27]At his point it is not clear if this is the same William White. In Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, 1607-1635, Martha W. McCartney ascribes two different entries for William White --- one for "the laborer" and one "Living at Chaplin's Choice".

William Whitt is listed in the Lists of the Living and Dead in Virginia February 16, 1623^[28]at Chaplin's Choice as published by Colonel Records of Virginia, R. F. Walker, Superintendent Public Printing, 1874. Strangely, Chaplin's Choice was omitted on the listing for the Jamestown Society^[29]which has created some confusion. He is not listed in the Jamestowne 1624 Censes^[30]

An early Surry map from the County Historical Society^[31]identifies land Patents from early Surry ^[32]which indicates a large early Patent for Henry White from 1642 in the town of Claremont (Quiyuoghcohanock). Unfortunately, many Court House land records for this period were lost or destroyed and the issuance date of this claim is not currently known.

General John Elliott Wood’s research concludes that William White was buried in Elizabeth City County 12 September 1624. The basis for this citation appears to be "A list of the Burialles in Elizabeth City 1624" from Musters of the Inhabitants in Virginia, page 257, "The Original Lists of Persons on Quality"^[33], although this reference appears to relate to the Reverend William White of Elizabeth City.^[34]Space:Reverend_William_White_Elizabeth_City

Summary

THE LIVING AND DEAD IN VIRGINIA. Feb. 16, 1623^[35]

WILLIAM WHITT, Living at James Citie, At Chaplains Choise.

EDMOND WHITT, At the Plantation over against James Cittie.

JERIME WHITT, At the Plantation over against James Cittie.

ROBERT WHITT, At Warwick's Squrak.

Henry, At Bass's Choise.

John, At the Eastern Shore.

William White

In 1629 Thomas Stroud admitted stealing poultry from William White. Both men ap- pear to have lived on the lower side of the James River (8-16), across from Jamestown Island (MCGC 200).^[36]

Sources

Images: 3

The Whites of Tidewater: A Study Of Man's Growth in the New World

Patents, Grants & Land Transactions Surry County, Va. Before 1652

William White 1621 Land Grant Virginia Company

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