Monday, September 8, 2014

Is your Ancestor on the Sea Venture Monument, St. George, Bermuda?

2007 photo of the old Sea Venture Memorial
St. George, Bermuda


In 2009 Bermuda celebrated the 400th anniversary of the shipwreck of the Sea Venture.  In 1609 Sir George Somers and his company wrecked on a reef off Bermuda.  They were headed to Jamestown, but instead started a British settlement on Bermuda while they used the wood of the Sea Venture to build two smaller ships to continue their trip to Virginia.   The two new ships were the Deliverance and the Patience, and they were able to bring much needed food supplies to the starving, dying colonists at Jamestown.

The Sea Venture Memorial was unveiled in 2010.  This monument is a wooden cross mounted on a concrete column.  The shipwreck victims had originally built a wooden cross to claim Bermuda for England and King James I.   The monument has a plaque with the 50 confirmed names of the shipwreck survivors.  It is estimated that there were 150 sailors and settlers, and one dog, aboard the Sea Venture.   From this spot you can see the reefs where the wreck occurred, and you can also see Gates Bay where the survivors landed on Bermuda to start the new colony.

In 1958 Edmund Downing found the Sea Venture shipwreck in 30 feet of water off St. George.  The Smithsonian in Washington DC sent Mendel Peterson to verify the site.  They measured the timbers and unearthed a jug, pipe and vase to confirm that this was indeed the Sea Venture.

Here is a list of the survivor's names on the Monument:

UPDATE:  11am January 9, 2017
I have been contacted by Dr. George L. Cook, historian and a trustee of the St. George's Foundation in Bermuda, that there are errors in the list below.  He is creating a list that is accurate and will send it to me soon.  I will update this list as soon as I receive it from Dr. Cook.  - Please stay tuned. 

UPDATE:  1:20pm January 10, 2017
Here is the updated list from the new 2010 Sea Venture memorial transcribed by Dr. Cook (and an updated photo below):

HEREUNDER ARE THOSE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN AMONGST THE ONE HUNDRED
AND FIFTY SURVIVORS OF SEA VENTURE’S WRECK ON 28 JULY 1609 AND
(EXCEPT AS NOTED) TO HAVE DEPARTED FOR JAMESTOWN IN VIRGINIA ON
DELIVERANCE AND PATIENCE ON 10 MAY 1610.
__________________________________

VIRGINIA COMPANY OFFICERS

LT. GEN. SIR THOMAS GATES
ADMIRAL SIR GEORGE SOMERS
CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT
REVEREND RICHARD BUCK
AND
MISTRESS MARIA THOROWGOOD BUCK
THOMAS WHITTINGHAM*
* killed by native people in virginia

_________________________________

ADVENTURERS

RALPH HAMOR, ESQ.
MISTRESS HORTON
SILVESTER JOURDAIN, ESQ.
HENRY PAINE, ESQ.*
CAPT. WILLIAM PEIRCE
RICHARD RICH, ESQ.
HENRY SHELLEY, ESQ.
WILLIAM STRACHEY, ESQ.
JAMES SWIFT, ESQ.
CAPT. GEORGE YEARDLEY (GATES' AIDE)
*EXECUTED

_____________________________
COLONISTS

HENRY BAGWELL
HUMPHREY BLUNT
JEFFREY BRIARS*
JOSHUA CHARD
EDWARD EASON
AND
MISTRESS EASON**
GEORGE GRAVES
THOMAS GODBY
WILLIAM HITCHMAN*
STEPHEN HOPKINS
ELIZABETH JONES
RICHARD LEWIS*
JOHN LIGHTFOOT
ELIZABETH PERSONS
JOHN PROCTOR
HUMPHREY REEDE
JOHN ROLFE
AND
MISTRESS ROLFE***
SAMUEL SHARPE
* died on Bermuda
** and baby boy “Bermudas”
*** baby girl “Bermuda” died in Bermuda

_____________________________

MARINERS

EDWARD WATERS (Somers’ aide)
HENRY RAVENS* (master mate)
ROBERT WALSINGHAM (coxswain)
RICHARD FROBISHER (shipwright)
NICHOLAS BENNIT (carpenter)
THOMAS POWELL (cook)
WILLIAM BRIAN
CHRISTOPHER CARTER**
EDWARD CHARD
RICHARD KNOWLES
WILLIAM MARTIN
FRANCIS PEAREPOINT
EDWARD SAMUEL***
JOHN WANT
ROBERT WATERS**
         
* killed by native people in Virginia
** stayed behind in Bermuda
*** murdered
   
The 2010 Sea Venture Memorial plaques
unveiled 11 November 2010
Photo contributed by Dr. George Cook of Bermuda

Some of the names on this monument are well known in American history.  Stephen Hopkins survived the shipwreck and then went on to be a colonist in Jamestown.  He returned to England and later was a passenger on the Mayflower to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620.   John Rolfe baby girl, Bermuda, on the island of Bermuda, and his wife probably died later in Virginia.  Rolfe went on to Jamestown and married Pocahontas in April 1614.  Other shipwreck survivors went on to be famous in Bermuda history.  Sir Thomas Gates was the Governor for the Virginia colony.  Christopher Carter has many descendants still living on the island of Bermuda.  According to Dr. Cook, Gate's aide, George Yeardley, was knighted in 1618 and became a Governor of Virginia in 1619.  Yeardley convened the first elected assembley, the House of Burgesses, on 30 July 1619.

Dr. Cook also wrote me that Jeffrey Briars, William Hitchman and Richard Lewis died of "natural" causes.

YouTube video of the dedication ceremony of the Sea Venture monument, where descendants read the names of the survivors inscribed on the plaques:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ2cSAwqei8  

Geni.com project for descendants of the Sea Venture shipwreck, 1609
http://www.geni.com/projects/Ancient-Planters-Wreck-of-The-Sea-Venture-1609/95   

-------------------

To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Is your Ancestor on the Sea Venture Monument, St. George, Bermuda?", Nutfield Genealogy, posted September 8, 2014, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/09/is-your-ancestor-on-sea-venture.html: accessed [access date]). 

56 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Stephen Hopkins is my 9th great-grandfather. His son Giles is my 8th great-grandfather.

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  2. I suspect that the Captain Christopher Martin listed as on of the Virginia Company officers may in fact be Captain Christopher Newport who actually captained the Sea Venture in 1609.

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  3. It's Thanksgiving and we were browsing and found your site. My husband is the 10th great-grandson of Stephen Hopkins, thanks for sharing this information.

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  4. We are descendants of Stephen Hopkins. We will be visiting Bermuda in May 2016. We'd love to visit this monument. Can you give us the address of a nearby location?

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    1. Some time ago but as I am also, interested if you have a family tree? Did you get to visit it?

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  5. Yes, it is in St George, near St. Catherine's Fort on the shore road.

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  6. Yes, Edward Eason appears to be my great great.... Grandfather

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  7. Yes, Edward Eason appears to be my great great... Grandfather

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  8. Yes, Edward Eason appears to be my great great.... Grandfather

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  9. I am the 10th great grandson of Thomas Powell, cook on the Sea Venture. He married Elizabeth Persons, maid to Mistress Horten (Horton), on Bermuda. I believe she is incorrectly listed as Elizabeth Karson in the colonist list.

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    1. Dear Mr Wordd, Yes you are correct, I too am related to Thomas powell, My Grandfather Eli Palistine Powell was born in Estill County, Ky in the late 1800's. I would appreciate any information that we can share. You may email me at morningstar822@yahoo.com In the subject line please put Powell History. For I will not reconize you e mail address. Take care Lynne H.

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  10. Yes, Henry Bagwell. He ended up on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

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  11. Yes, I'm related to Henry Bagwell. He eventually made his was to the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

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  12. John Proctor is my 10 ggrandfather. So proud of what he and his family did to establish Jamestown. He and wife, Alis, had great tragedy in their short, hard lives. Their 6 children carried on with the work of establishing many places in Virginia and the new western frontier.

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    1. Howdy, cousin. I'm a direct descendant of John Proctor as well.

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    2. I'm a direct descendant of John Proctor, as well as Thomas Powell and Gov. George Yeardley. There is a Henry Bagwell that I am also descended from.

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  13. Thomas Godbey was my great-grandfather X10

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    1. Thomas Godbey was my great-grandfather X13 (Melinda Godbee Sutton).

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    2. Thomas Godbey was my great-grandfather X13 (Melinda Godbee Sutton).

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  14. Christopher Newporte is my 11 great grandfather

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  15. I believe I am descendant of William Capps. I see other sites that list him as a passenger on the sea venture. I'm curious why his name is not listed.

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  16. Stephen Hopkins is my 9th great-grandfather. His daughter Constance married Nicholas Snow and my grandma is Doris Snow.

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    Replies
    1. Some time ago I see but interested in a family tree, if you have one, as I also am!

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  17. Just learned from ancestry.com that Sir Thomas Gates was my 10th great-grandfather. Delighted to find your article here! Many thanks!

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  18. Any info on Robert and Margery Powell Reynolds? Born in Plymouth and died in Bermuda. Contact michellecwagler@gmail.com

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  19. Any info on Robert and Margery Powell Reynolds? Born in Plymouth and died in Bermuda.

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  20. I'm a direct descendant of John Proctor. My wife has been doing my genealogy, I'm excited about this information.

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  21. Yes, very informative, Henry Bagwell is an ancestor ... if my connection to his GD (Comfort Bagwell) of Va. and the Eastern Shore, through her marriage to Perry Leatherbury(Barrow/Borough) son of Thomas Leatherbarrow, original settler, from Ormskirk, England

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  22. Edward and Jane Eason, 10th great grand parents. I am a VA native and just came across this. How interesting.

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    Replies
    1. I too am a Virginia native and relative of Edward Eason.

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    2. Edward Eason is my 9X GGF-- I'm wondering if you have any info on Edward's f & gf.. the fact that you have named his wife, where she has only been called Mistress Eason everywhere else is encouraging... Please let me know: hevan.748@gmail. TYVM!

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    3. Hi there, I am also a descendant of Edward Eason and Jane Frobisher.

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  23. John Proctor, listed as colonist, is my 7th great grandfather. I visited this memorial in May of 2019. I am a Virginia native and continue to live in the same area where many of John's descendants settled.

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  24. John Proctor is my 7th great grandfather. I visited this memorial in May of 2019. I am a native of and lifelong resident of Virginia.

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  25. John Proctor is my 9th great grandfather, I was so happy to find this information. Thank you!

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  26. John Proctor is my 9th great grandfather. Thank you for posting all of this information!

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  27. John and Alice Proctor were also notoriously cruel and murdered two of their servants and were brought to trial for it. I’m descended from his brother Joshua. Still have the same last name.

    “In 1624 Alice Proctor, whom Captain John Smith termed a proper and civil gentlewoman, arranged for her runaway maidservant Elizabeth Abbott to be beaten, and the punishment was so severe that Abbott died. --------------Primary Resource The Deaths of Elizabeth Abbott and Elias Hinton (1624) In these depositions, delivered to the General Court on October 10, 1624, various indentured servants, masters, and other witnesses testify about the deaths of two servants—Elizabeth Abbott and Elias Hinton—at the hand of their master and mistress, John and Alice Proctor.”

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  28. Edward Waters returned with Admiral Somers in June 1610. After Somers died and his nephew decided to return to England with Admiral Somers' body, Edward Waters volunteered to stay behind with Christopher Carter and Edward Chard to protect the English interests. They found a large chunk of ambergris and their exploits were memorialized by Washington Irving in the "Three Kings of Bermuda". Edward Waters was named one of the 6 colonists who were to rotate as governor. He was sent on a trade mission to the West Indies, but ship ended in the Azores where they captured a Portuguese ship, which was subsequently captured by a French pirate. Waters was marooned on a uninhabited island after the ship founded in a storm. After several months, he and several other survivors were rescued by a pirate who used the isle as his base and taken to England. Waters returned to Bermuda bur eventually was sent to Jamestown on a trade mission, where he decided to stay. He and his wife were captured and taken prisoner in the 1622 Indian Massacre and later escaped. Waters was listed as killed in the official list of victims of the Massacre. He later became a Burgess. He died on a visit back to England in 1630.

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  29. Yes, Edward Eason was my 10th Great Grandfather, I am stuck on his wife though, only listed as Mistress Eason, they had a Son born on Bermuda, named Bermudas

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    Replies
    1. To my knowledge, she is Jane Frobisher. I am also a descendant.

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  30. Hello!
    It’s very nice to meet a distant relative!
    My Grandmother Neva Constance Bagwell
    Was the first on my family tree from
    Henry Bagwell to be born in Maryland.
    My name is Trish Palomo from Columbia Md.
    I was excited to see my 11th generation back Grandfathers name as I was scrolling down and reading everyone’s post about their ancestry line. Very pleased to “sort of”
    Meet you!!

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  31. I am 11th generation from Henry Bagwell!
    The name “Bagwell” carried all the way up to my Grandmother, Neva Constance Bagwell. She was first of my ancestry line to be born in Maryland.

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  32. I have listed for Thomas Powell's wife, Elizabeth Wells. Were there two Thomas Powells? Mine is Captain William Thomas Powell who was killec by the Chickahominy Indians Jan. 20, 1623 after he had nassacred some of them for killing his brother, Nathaniel and Nathaniel's wife in the 1622 massacre of Jamestown. Also, Gov. Sir George Yeardley was married to a woman named Temperence Flowerdew. It is very pissible she came over on the Falcon (in records spelled "Faulcon").

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  33. Thomas Powell is my 10th great-grandfather, he married Elizabeth Persons. I also have a question.
    I am related to Mary Sloan Frick, her father was William Frederick Frick. I found an article stating that William Frederick Frick was on the ship Deliverance which means he would have to been on the Sea Venture, but I don't find his name. I found this on the U.S. Biographical Cyclopedia. Is it a mistake?

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  34. Thomas Powell is my 10th great-grandfather, married to Elizabeth Persons.
    I also have a question. I am related to Mary Sloan Frick, her father was William Frederick Frick. A posting from U.S. Biographical Cyclopedia stated he was on the ship Deliverance which means he would have had to been on the Sea Venture, however he is not listed as a passenger. Can anyone verify this information?

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  35. Yes. Stephen Hopkins is my 11th great-grandfather.

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    Replies
    1. Interested in your family tree, if you have one, as I am also

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  36. John Graye Proctor is my 11th great-grandfather. Thank you for this information.

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  37. John Proctor is my ancestor and his descendant George Proctor of Bacons rebellion to obtain more freedoms in trading laws and protect rights of indentured servants is also my ancestor as well as that of Lin Manuel of Broadway Hamilton on his British line

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  38. Stephen Hopkins is my 10th great grandfather 😎, I am from his daughter Constance Hopkins who married Nicholas Snow

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