Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/174

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

in Flanders with Lord Arran, the Duke of Ormond's brother, and was in every action. I'or his efificiency he was made a colonel and '•promised the first old regiment that shall li-11." The Duke of Marlborough made him one of his aides and he behaved with such dis- tinction at the battle of Blenheim that the Duke selected him to bear the news of the gieat victory to Queen Anne. It was at that time the custom in England to give the bearers of the first news of a victory a gratuity of £500, but Col. Parke begged that instead he might have the Queen's picture. His gallantry, fine appearance and handsome bearing pleased Queen Anne, and being patronized by the Duke he was in April 25, 1704, appointed gov- ernor of the Leeward Island. Here the gov- ernment had been very lax and the settlers were many of them lawless and desperate characters, for the West Indies had been the stronghold of the pirates. Parke attempted to introduce some reforms and incurred the re- sentment of the people. He would not yield and placed his dependence upon a small mili- tary force at his command. A violent insur- rection broke out at Antigua in 1710 and Parke made a gallant resistance, killing with his own hand Capt. John Piggott, one of the leaders of the insurrection. He was finally overpowered by numbers and the mob roused to fury dragged- him through the streets till he was left expiring in the scorching sun. They broke open his storehouse and plundered his residence and other property to the amount of i5,cxx) sterling. Col. Daniel Parke mar- ried Jane, daughter of Col. Philip Ludwell, and left two daughters — Frances, who married Col. John Custis, of Arlington, Northamp- ton county, and Lucy, who married Col. Wil- liam Byrd, of Westover. He was certainly lacking in morality, but this was too often the

characteristic of the men of fashion of his day. His portrait, showing Queen Anne's miniature hanging by a ribbon from his neck, is to be seen at Brandon, on James river.

Hartwell, Henry, was clerk of the council in 1677 and other years. On June 10, 1691, Gov. Nicholson wrote to England that there were vacancies in the council and recom- mended for one place Henry Ilartwell, a mem- ber of the house of burgesses. The governor seems to have given him a pro tempore ap- pointment at once, for he was present in coun- cil July 5, 1692. On March 2, 1693-94 the committee for trade and plantations agreed to move the King in council that Col. Henry Hartw^ell be added to the council in \'irginia at the recommendation of the bishop of London, and on July 18, 1694, Gov. Andros wrote that Col. Hartwell had been accordingly sworn. He left Mrginia for England in June, 1695, and never returned, but for some time his name was retained on the roll of the council. In 1699 he, with the Rev. James Blair and Edward Chilton, prepared an account of the colony which was published under the title of "The Present State of Virginia." Hartwell became a resident of London and died there in 1699. Flis brother. William Hartwell, was captain of Sir William Berkeley's body guard during Bacon's rebellion, and through him in female lines the family is still represented in Virginia.

Lightfoot, John, was a son of John Light- foot, barrister-at-law, of Northampton county. England, and with his brother Philip, came to \^irginia and settled in Gloucester county. On June 10, 1670, Lightfoot received the King's grant as auditor-general of \'irginia, in place of Thomas Stegge, then lately deceased. On Dec. 17, 1671, his majesty, having learned that