Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/179

 COLONIAL COUNCILLORS OF STATE

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24 of that year. (jov. Spotswood made a mem- orandum, in the receipt of a letter from Col. Duke, giviiii,^ an account of some negroes going away with arms, directing him, in case c+" a like happening,. to raise the militia and go in pursuit. On Jan. 27, 17 13, Spotswood wrote to the English authorities that there was a vacancy in the council on account of the death of Ileniy Duke, which had occurred during the winter.

Bassett, William, of 'iCltham."' New Kent count}-, was ,1 son of Capt. William liassctt of the same county and was born in 1670. He was a member of the house of burgesses from New Kent in 1692, 1696, 1702 and probably in the intervening years. On May 22, 1702, Edmund Jenings and John Light foot cer- tified that Col. William Bassett, who was elected burgess for New Kent, "was teridered the oaths for burgess and returned the fol- lowing answer, T have already in several qualifications testified my allegiance to King W'illiam's government by taking the oaths &c. ; but I am now informed, and fully satisfied that he is dead, and therefore I think myself obliged both in prudence and concience to de- cline taking ye oaths to him at this time.' "' On May 14, 1702, the Queen appointed him a member of the council of Virginia and he was present at sessions of that body until April 15, 1708. Within a few years Bassett desired, to retire from the council and wrote to Eng- land to that efifect, stating that neither his health nor his private afifairs would permit him to attend. This, after some delay, was granted, but Bassett seems to have made too high a record as an oflficial to be allowed to remain long in retirement, and in 171 1, he was returned to the council,. but declined to accept as he was not restored to his former position in that body. On March 11, 1714-15. he was

again include<l in a commission to the coun- cillors ami this time took his scat, attending regularly the sessions until his death in 1723.

Smith, John, of Gloucester county, a son of Col. Lawrence Smith of the same place, was appointed to the council in the spring of 1704 by Gov. Nicholson, but in the next com- mission to the council the names of Smith and John Lewis were omitted and they made application for restoration to the lords of trade. In Dec, 1705, the board ordered that Mr. Smith be reinstated, taking the place of William P>yrd deceased, and the following year he took the oaths of ofifice. He was among those councillors who opposed Gov. Spotswood and whom the latter petitioned the English authorities to have removed in 17 18, a petition not granted. Besides being in the council. Smith was appointed by Nicholson to be (|uartermaster general of Virginia in 1704- 05. and in 1707, he was made commander-in- chief of the militia in King and Queen county ill place of Col. John Lightfoot deceased. His death occurred sometime prior to March, 1719-20. He married, Arabella Cox, a de- scendant of William Strachey, secretary to Lord Delaware in 161 1.

Lewis, John, St., of "Warner Hall," Glou- cester county, was a son of John and Isabella Lewis of the same county and was born Nov. 30, 1699. Towards the close of Gov. Nichol- son's administration, probably in the spring of 1704, he was appointed to the council, but in some way his name was omitted from the commission to that body under Nicholson's successor. Lewis and John Smith, who was in the same case, wrote to the lords of trade expressing surprise that they should have been left out as they were sensible of never having acted contrarv to their dutv to the Oueen. her