Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/109

 COLONIAL COUNCILLORS OF STATE

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dated (May 23, 1609) Sir Thomas Gates was made governor, and had the selection of his council, and Archer, dattering himself that he was rid of the dominance of John Smith, returned to the colony. Of the voyage he wrote an interesting account. But the un- expected happened, and Gates was wrecketl on the Bermuda Islands. Then to the dis- appointment of all the gentlemen of the rest of the expedition which got to Jamestown, Smith would not give up his commission, in which he was only technically right. Im-csIi brawls ensued, and after a few months Smith returned to England, while Archer remained and died at Jamestown during the Starving Time of 1609- 1 610.

Scrivener, Matthew, councillor and presi- dent of the council (_q. v.).

Wynne, Peter, was one of the gentlemen who came to X'irginia with Capt. Newport on that ofBcer's second voyage of relief to the colony. H'e arrived there in Sept., 1608, and was immediately admitted to the council. The advent of such men as Wynne and Scrivener, with their sincere wishes for the welfare of the enterprise and their sense of responsibility, must have acted like ballast in a storm-driven ship upon the faction-rent council, but it must have been a thankless task which devolved upon them for the next few months during the starving time. Wynne, himself, was one of those who succumbed to the conditions and he died in the spring of 1609, while Sir Thomas Gates, the rej^resentative of Lord De la W'arr, or Delaware, and Christopher New- port were in the llermudas, seeking some means of escape therefrom. He thus did not live to see the relief which these and Lord Delaware were soon to bring. He enjoys the unique distinction of having been appointed

deputy governor of Virginia after his death, for Gates, who reposed especial confidence in him, and had not heard of the event, selected him to act as governor while he was absent in the Bermudas, and sent him a particular commission.

Another gentleman who came to Virginia with Capt. Newjxjrt on the second expedition of 1608, arriving in September, was

Waldo, Richard, who, with Capt. Wynne, was at once admitted to the council. During his brief career in America, he seems to have been chiefly occupied in the trips of explora- tion undertaken by Newport and Smith. He Vv-as one of the commanders of the expedition which the former officer made into the Mona- can country and very probably witnessed the ceremony of Powhatan's coronation in the European style, which must altogether have been a most delightful comedy, the great In- dian "Emperor" understanding the significance of neither crown nor the act of kneeling to receive it. He also formed one of Smith's party which set out from Jamestown to visit that same dignitary. On this occasion, how- ever, he seems not to have gone the whole way, but to have returned to Jamestown be- fore Smith, for on Jan. 7, 1609, while cross- ing from that place to Hog Island in a boat with Councillor Scrivener and others, he was drowned.

Percy, George, councillor and president (<1. v.).

West, Francis, councillor and governor

(q. v.).

Somers, Sir George, was born at Lyme Regis, Dorsetshire, in 1554, and is supposed to have been related to the Somers family of White Ladies, Worcestershire. Although his