Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/151

 COLONIAL COUNCILLORS OF STATI":

acres in the county of Norfolk on Nansemond river, Aug. i, 1638; (2) 150 acres adjoining llie preceding, Aug. i, 1638; (3) 300 acres in the county of Upper Norfolk, Oct. 10, 1638; (4) 250 acres in the county of New Norfolk, adjoining a former patent of his, Nov. 7, 1640; (5) Thomas Dew, gentleman. 750 acres in L'ppcr Norfolk on the east side of the southern branch of the Nansemond river ; 300 acres of this a regrant, Jan. 8, 1643 ; (6) a regrant of No. 5, Oct. 10, 1670; (7) Col. Thomas Dew. 450 acres in the upper parish of Nansemond county, at the head of Craney creek, which was granted to Randall Crew in 1640, and had come by several sur- renders and descents to Col. Thomas Dew. I^erhaps this Col. Dew was not the councillor.

Gooch, William, probably came to Virginia about 1650, when he received a grant of land on the Potomac. He settled in York, where he was a justice in 1652, and represented the county in the house of burgesses in Nov., 1654. On March 31, 1654-55, the burgesses elected him a member of the council. William Gooch died Oct. 29, 1655, leaving an only daughter, Anne, w^ho married Capt. Thomas Beale of ■"Chestnut Hill," in what is now called Rich- mond county, and later William Colston, also of Richmond county. Councillor Gooch's tomb bears his arms which are the same as those of the Gooch family of Norfolk, Eng- land. This tomb still remains at the site of the old York church on the "Temple Farm," and in addition to the arms bears the following epitaph :

"Major William Gooch of this Larish Dyed Octob. 29, 1655. Within this tomb there doth interred lie No shape, but substance, true nobility. Itself, though young in years, just twenty-nine

Yet graced with virtues moral and dcvine The Church from him did good participate In Council rare, tit to adorn a state."

He was an uncle of Sir W'illiam Gooch, afterwards governor of N'irginia.

Robins, Obedience, son of Thomas and (Uulkelay) Robins of lirackley, Northamp- tonshire, England, was born April 16, 1600, and at the age of twenty-one years, came with his brother, Edward Robins, to Virginia. He settled at first in Jamestown but, in 1628, re- moved to the eastern shore, where he bought lands in Accomac and made his home at Cherrystone. His house and lands were owned by the Robins family until the year 1855. Obedience Robins was a member of the house of burgesses for Accomac in March 1629-30 and was appointed commissioner, jus- tice, in Feb., 1631-32, and commander of the county in 1632. He was again a burgess for Accomac in Jan.. 1639, and for Northampton county in 1644 and 1652. Northampton county was formed in 1642 and is said to have been named in honor of Robins' native shire. In the year 1652, he is mentioned first as major, and later as Lieut. Col. Robins, and in March, 1654-55, he was first elected to the council. Three years later he was reelected, and is mentioned as being present at the meetings for a number of years. On March 12. 1656, the assembly appointed him to the office of colonel commanding the "Lower Precinct" of the eastern shore. Councillor Robins married in 1634, Grace O'Neil, widow of Edward Waters. His death occurred in 1662, leaving flcscendants in A'irginia.

Bacon, Nathaniel Sr. President of die council and acting governor of X'irginia (<|. v.).