Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/153

 COLONIAL COUNCILLORS OF STATE

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Rev. Daniel i^lorsmanden D. D.. who entered St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1596, and was rector of Ulcomb, Kent. Dr. Horsman- den, a learned and zealous churchman, was de- prived of his living in 1643. and in other ways suffered much for the King's cause during the civil wars. lie died in 1654, leaving a son, Warham St. Leger Horsmanden, who sailed for Virginia after being, it is said, an officer ill the ruval army. Col. Horsmanden settled in Charles City county, where he was a justice in 1655. and which he rei)resented in the house of burgesses in March, 1657-58. On March 13, 1657-58, he was elected to the council, but it was ordered that he should not be sworn until the assembly adjourned. His service in the council was brief, for he was again a bur- gess for Charles City in March, 1658-59. He probably returned to England at the restor- ation, and in 1683, was living at Purleigh in Essex. His daughter Mary married Col. Wil- liam Byrd. of Henrico county, Virginia, and has many descendants.

Reade, George, son of Robert Reade of Linkenholt, Southampton, England, came to X'irginia in 1637, when a young man or youth. His brother Robert Reade, w^ho was private secretary to Sir William \\'indebanke, secre- tary of state in England, seems to have secured for him the patronage of Gov. Harvey and Secretary Richard Kemp, in Virginia, and to have placed him under their care. On March 2-], 1637, Jerome Hawley wrote Robert Reade that "at Christmas last," George Reade "had command of some forces sent upon a new plantation, but the design took no effect through the severity of the weather." Upon Nov. 17 of the same year. Gov. Harvey wrote to Robert Reade that his brother was well and was with him, but that he needed supplies that

were to be sent to him in charge of Mr. Haw- ley. The governor added that he hoped to find a very good opportunity to employ young Reade upon a great business he had on hand against a neighboring Indian tribe, strong in people, in which he himself would appear in person. In a letter dated Feb. 26, 1638, from George Reade himself to his brother Robert, he acknowledges many favors from Gov. Har- vey and Secretary Kemp, but complains of the conduct of Mr. Hawley towards him. Upon May 17, Jerome Hawley sent Robert Reade an account of "the whole business touching his brother," in which he said that since George Reade's arrival in the colony, he had lived in the governor's house and wanted for nothing. \x\ a letter written on April 4, 1639, Secretary Kemp told Robert Reade that George wished sctme servants to be sent over to him, but the writer advised that they should await the re- sult of the change of government in X'irginia before young Reade should further engage himself in the aft"airs of the colony. In March 01 the ne.x't year, Kemp, wishing to go to Eng- land, requested Secretary Windebanke to get him permission to do so, and promised to make Windebanke's nephew, George Reade, his deputy while he was away, and accordingly, en Aug. 2"/, 1640, the King in council appoint- ed Reade secretary of state for \irginia dur- ing the absence of Kemp. Grateful for the many favors he had received from them, Reade was an earnest adherent of Gov. Har- \ey and Secretary Kemp during the struggle with the people of \Trginia which ended in the expulsion of Harvey, and was doubtless re- stored to grace when Harvey returned. In 1649, Reade represented James City county in the house of burgesses, and soon after removed to ^'rk county where he appears as a justice of the county court in 1652. He was a burgess