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The Burgess Oath of 1652
You and every of you shall swear on the Holy Evangelists and in the sight of God to deliver your opinions faithfully and honestly according to your best understanding and conscience for the general good and prosperity of this country, and every particular member thereof, and do you utmost endeavor to prosecute that, without mingling with it any particular interest of any person or persons whatsoever:
RandolphMS, vol, iii page 245
Lieut-Colonel Walter Chiles was elected for Speaker of the Assembly of the House of Burgesses in the June/July 6, 1952 session, but he refused due to conflict of interest. His ship “The Fame of Virginia” had been taken by Captain Richard Husband and his crew of the “Hopeful Adventure” under the premise that he had no license. The Virginia authorities had ordered it released but to no avail. Eventually the House of Burgesses gave him the ship “Leopoldus” which had been confiscated for violation of Navigation Laws.
RESEARCH NOTES:
I reviewed the book JOURNALS OF THE HOUSE OF BURGESSES OF VIRGINIA 1619/1658/59
Edited by H.R. McIlwaine
Page XVI Session 1641/42 Burgess for the Assembly representing Charles City - Walter Chiles
Page XVIII Session 1645/46 Burgess for the Assembly representing James City – Walter Chiles
Page XIX Session October 1646 Burgess for the Assembly representing James City – Walter Chiles
Page XX Session 1649 Burgess for the Assembly representing James City – Walter Chiles
Page XXI Sesssion 1653 Burgess for the Assembly representing James City – Walter Chiles
Page XXIV Session 1658/59 Burgess for the Assembly representing James City- Walter Chiles
Bill of Sale of the ship Leopoldus to Walter Chiles page 127
Whereas the Ship Leopoldus of Dunkirk hath by the grand assembly of this country been adjudged forfeit and according confiscated according to the act of parliament for increase of navigation. Now know all men to whom these presents shall come that we the subscribers authorized by the said Grand Assembly do for and in consideration of the sume of four hundred pounds sterling paid by Ltt. Coll. Walter Chiles of this colony for the use of his colony before the sealing and delivery hereof acquit and discharge him, give, grant, bargain, fell assigne and set over the said ship named Leopoldus about the burthen of three hundred tuns with her guns, tackle, apparel and furniture and whatsoever belongeth or appertaineth to the said ship unto the said Leiut. Coll. Chiles, his heirs and assigns for ever, To have and to hold the said ship with all her said guns, tackle, apparel and furniture to him the said Walter chiles, his heirs, and assigns for ever without any let, hinderance, molestation or disturbance of any person or persons whatsoever claiming any right, title or interest to the said ship in the behalf of this colony or the Commonwealth of England, We hereby in the behalf of the Grand Assembly warranting the same unto the said Lieut. Coll. Walter Chiles, his heirs, ex’rs. Administrators, In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals and caused this our act to be registered in the records of this colony of Virginia the Twelveth of July, 1653.
R. Bennett, Seal.
Wm Whitby Speaker of the House of Burgesses
In presentia mea
Wm. Clayborne, Sec. Robt. Huberd
Geo. Fletcher John Corker, Cl, to the House of Burgesses
Also see
Hening’s Statues at large, I, 382,383
The History of Virginia: from its first settlement to the present day, Volume 2 by John Burk, Skelton Jones and Louis Hue Girardin
Stanards Colonial Virginia Register
I have attached known dates where Walter Chiles served on the House of Burgesses and Bill of Sale for Leopoldus. The book Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia 1619/1658 has far more information which will be in tomorrow’s post.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
June 29, 2010
I have been reading about Walter Chiles and trying to differentiate between Walter I and Walter II. In some blogs I have read that Walter I came over first and then other blogs I have read that Walter II came over first.
In my previous blog I mentioned the high admiralty court records in which Walter Chiles (I or II) gave testimony. The High Court of Admiralty (HCA) can trace its history back to Edward III (1327-1377) when it acquired jurisdiction over cases involving piracy on the high seas. Until about 1625, cases of piracy were it’s main job, but when the Duke of Richmond was patented as Lord High Admiral of England, it assimilated from Chancery almost all civil and criminal cases affecting ships and merchandise at sea, on navigable waterways and over the seas. Records of these cases survive from the time of Henry VIII (1509-1547). I have found a reference to a book called High Court of Admiralty Examination 1637-1638 by Dorothy O. Shilton and Richard Holworthy.
This book will hopefully have the reference I have quoted in my blog. Volume 53 page 301. In the many blogs and family historys that I have been reviewing, one blog wrote that Walter Chiles was testifying about the Captain drinking all the liquor on board. So as soon as I can find this book or the High Admiralty record maybe I can verify this record.
In my previous blog I mentioned the high admiralty court records in which Walter Chiles (I or II) gave testimony. The High Court of Admiralty (HCA) can trace its history back to Edward III (1327-1377) when it acquired jurisdiction over cases involving piracy on the high seas. Until about 1625, cases of piracy were it’s main job, but when the Duke of Richmond was patented as Lord High Admiral of England, it assimilated from Chancery almost all civil and criminal cases affecting ships and merchandise at sea, on navigable waterways and over the seas. Records of these cases survive from the time of Henry VIII (1509-1547). I have found a reference to a book called High Court of Admiralty Examination 1637-1638 by Dorothy O. Shilton and Richard Holworthy.
This book will hopefully have the reference I have quoted in my blog. Volume 53 page 301. In the many blogs and family historys that I have been reviewing, one blog wrote that Walter Chiles was testifying about the Captain drinking all the liquor on board. So as soon as I can find this book or the High Admiralty record maybe I can verify this record.
Monday, June 28, 2010
June 28, 2010
No person’s history is complete without mentioning their spouse. In most cases, colonial men married more than once.
John Ward’s first wife was Ann Chiles. The daughter of Henry Chiles and Anne Harrelson Chiles. She was the mother of his children. All the documents I have read do not tell me what caused her death.
According to some reports she was very beautiful. In the book Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches by Ruth Hairston Early, Ms. Early says that he married the beautiful Anne Chiles. Where she found her information about her beauty, I do not know. But let’s believe it to be true. So she was beautiful, but she was also from a family that had been in Virginia for quite a while. Below I have listed links to different sources about the chiles family. Her great great great grandfather Walter Chiles II had come over to Jamestown in the ship Blessing in the year 1637. He was the assistant to the purser.
According to Record of Examination No. 301 July 24,1637, he listed his occupation as clothworker which may have been his job before he set sail from Falmouth on the Blessing at the young age of 29. He stayed in Jamestown for 14 days and then returned to England.
Just six months later, he returned to Jamestown by March 1, 1638 with his own ship which tells me that he must have made quite a bit of money in his endeavors. When he returned he was not alone. He brought his wife Elizabeth and two sons, William and Walter. He also brought Henry Fulton, John Govey, John Shaw and Sarah Cole. He received 50 acres of land for each person that he brought over which also included him. I have not found a record of the name of this ship, but he owned another in 1652 which was “The Fame of Virginia” and another which was called the Leopoklas. There is another story behind this which I will cover later.
Walter also owned the Kemp house which was the first brick house in America. It was sold to him by Governor Berkely for the sum of 26,000 pounds of tobacco.
So Walter and Elizabeth are now living in Jamestown with their two sons Walter and William.
This will be continued tomorrow
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~janiceksmith/chiles/henry%20chiles/b241.htm#P241
Genealogies of Virginia Families from the William and Mary College Quarterly. Vol. I. Adams-Clopton page 738 through page 748.
http://genealogy.suite101.com/article.cfm/genealogical-resources-for-researching-chiles-family-of-virginia
John Ward’s first wife was Ann Chiles. The daughter of Henry Chiles and Anne Harrelson Chiles. She was the mother of his children. All the documents I have read do not tell me what caused her death.
According to some reports she was very beautiful. In the book Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches by Ruth Hairston Early, Ms. Early says that he married the beautiful Anne Chiles. Where she found her information about her beauty, I do not know. But let’s believe it to be true. So she was beautiful, but she was also from a family that had been in Virginia for quite a while. Below I have listed links to different sources about the chiles family. Her great great great grandfather Walter Chiles II had come over to Jamestown in the ship Blessing in the year 1637. He was the assistant to the purser.
According to Record of Examination No. 301 July 24,1637, he listed his occupation as clothworker which may have been his job before he set sail from Falmouth on the Blessing at the young age of 29. He stayed in Jamestown for 14 days and then returned to England.
Just six months later, he returned to Jamestown by March 1, 1638 with his own ship which tells me that he must have made quite a bit of money in his endeavors. When he returned he was not alone. He brought his wife Elizabeth and two sons, William and Walter. He also brought Henry Fulton, John Govey, John Shaw and Sarah Cole. He received 50 acres of land for each person that he brought over which also included him. I have not found a record of the name of this ship, but he owned another in 1652 which was “The Fame of Virginia” and another which was called the Leopoklas. There is another story behind this which I will cover later.
Walter also owned the Kemp house which was the first brick house in America. It was sold to him by Governor Berkely for the sum of 26,000 pounds of tobacco.
So Walter and Elizabeth are now living in Jamestown with their two sons Walter and William.
This will be continued tomorrow
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~janiceksmith/chiles/henry%20chiles/b241.htm#P241
Genealogies of Virginia Families from the William and Mary College Quarterly. Vol. I. Adams-Clopton page 738 through page 748.
http://genealogy.suite101.com/article.cfm/genealogical-resources-for-researching-chiles-family-of-virginia
Friday, June 25, 2010
June 25, 2010
I really appreciate all the feed back that has been coming through. The more information we have, the more we can piece together what their life was like during that time. I notice that many people are just interested in their station in life or what was their financial worth. And even though, that can help you follow some of their life, it is good to know the extras. Today with phones, tvs, satellites, and a quarter of an acre of land for your home, it is hard to imagine someone that owns over 20,000 acres. No car, no phone to check on the crops, the mills and the tavern. It is all mind boggling. I would love to be able to figure out who was their overseers and who ran the tavern and who stopped by to stay. Surely in someone's research they had to have read where someone mentions stopping at Ward's Tavern.
In Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches, they mention that he established a ferry across the Staunton which was free, but in 1810 he obtained permission to erect a toll bridge near his ferry. I wander how the locals felt about that.
Some of the comments I received mentioned slaves. Unfortunately, this was true. My grandfather's home which is located in Pittsylvania County was part of the Ward estate. Above Old Woman's Creek there was a slave grave yard which we would visit when I was a little girl. It has disappeared over time. There were only large rocks to mark the spots and now they have disappeared. There is a book for sale about a Register of Free Negroes. It's called Pittsylvania County, Virginia, Register of Free Negroes and Related Documentation by Alva H. Griffith published by Heritage Books. Apparently this information was found back in the 1990s while someone was doing research and they have published this list. Many of the slaves were released by the Will of John Ward Senior by his executors John Ward and Lynch Dillard in January of 1827. In the list they give the name, description and parents of the slave being released. Here is an example of the list in Mr. Griffith’s book.
P. Roberts-Virginia Pittsylvania County to wit-No. 75-At the instance of John Ward and Lynch Dillard Executors of the last Will and Testament of John Ward Senr deceased duly proven and recorded in the Court of said County Paulina Roberts a girl of colour emancipated by the said Will was this day numbered and registered in the Clerks Office of the said Court, pursuant to the provisions of the act of Assembly in that case made & provided. The said Paulina Roberts is a child of Pleasant & Hannah & is of light complexion about 14 years old five feet high, has a long scar over the left eye and a scar on the back of the right hand. Given under my hand as Clerk of the said Court this 5th day of January, 1827. Will:Tunstall
I read the will of John Ward in Will Book 3 page 462 and I have not found a reference to releasing of slaves. I will have to check further to get information that I may have missed.
I have also heard tales that Old Woman’s Creek was named after a slave that died there. If anyone knows anything about that, I would appreciate feedback.
That is all for today. I hope to have more information as we move along. As before, feel free to comment and send information.
In Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches, they mention that he established a ferry across the Staunton which was free, but in 1810 he obtained permission to erect a toll bridge near his ferry. I wander how the locals felt about that.
Some of the comments I received mentioned slaves. Unfortunately, this was true. My grandfather's home which is located in Pittsylvania County was part of the Ward estate. Above Old Woman's Creek there was a slave grave yard which we would visit when I was a little girl. It has disappeared over time. There were only large rocks to mark the spots and now they have disappeared. There is a book for sale about a Register of Free Negroes. It's called Pittsylvania County, Virginia, Register of Free Negroes and Related Documentation by Alva H. Griffith published by Heritage Books. Apparently this information was found back in the 1990s while someone was doing research and they have published this list. Many of the slaves were released by the Will of John Ward Senior by his executors John Ward and Lynch Dillard in January of 1827. In the list they give the name, description and parents of the slave being released. Here is an example of the list in Mr. Griffith’s book.
P. Roberts-Virginia Pittsylvania County to wit-No. 75-At the instance of John Ward and Lynch Dillard Executors of the last Will and Testament of John Ward Senr deceased duly proven and recorded in the Court of said County Paulina Roberts a girl of colour emancipated by the said Will was this day numbered and registered in the Clerks Office of the said Court, pursuant to the provisions of the act of Assembly in that case made & provided. The said Paulina Roberts is a child of Pleasant & Hannah & is of light complexion about 14 years old five feet high, has a long scar over the left eye and a scar on the back of the right hand. Given under my hand as Clerk of the said Court this 5th day of January, 1827. Will:Tunstall
I read the will of John Ward in Will Book 3 page 462 and I have not found a reference to releasing of slaves. I will have to check further to get information that I may have missed.
I have also heard tales that Old Woman’s Creek was named after a slave that died there. If anyone knows anything about that, I would appreciate feedback.
That is all for today. I hope to have more information as we move along. As before, feel free to comment and send information.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
June 24, 2010
Sorry for the long absence. I am in the process of moving and this is my first chance to get started again. Will begin again tomorrow.
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