West 

Surname  

 

 

 

   
  1596  Lord Delaware West married Cecelia SHIRLEY in England (daughter of Sir Thomas Shirley the elder). He became the first colonial Governor of Virginia.

1613  Shirley Plantation granted to Lord Delaware West

1618  Lord Delaware West died on the return voyage to England on the ship "Neptune" (from New England History and Genealogy. Reg. Vol. XXX page___.

1655  Shirley Plantation passed to the Hill family.

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Sir Thomas West, Knight of Wherwell, Hampshire Co. (Hants.) England was 2nd Lord Delaware, Sherriff of Hampshire, M. P., was born about 1556. He married Nov 19, 1571 to Anne Knollys, daughter of Francis Knollys, K.G. of Rotherfield Greys, Oxford Co. England by Mary Cary who was the 1st cousin of Queen Elizabeth. He died March 1601/2. His widow was living at St. Catherine, Coleman, London in 1608.

Their children were:

1. Elizabeth West 1573 (Queen Elizabeth was her Godmother). Married Herbert Pelham Esq. (the elder).

2. Sir Thomas West, 3rd Delaware, born 1577, matriculated at Queen's College, Oxford 1591/2.  He was in the Military service with his great friend Essex, who knighted him in 1599 in Dublin Ireland. He was mimplicated in Essex's rebellion and imprisioned.

Sir Thomas West was the first Lord Governor and Captain General of Virginia 1610. He proceeded that year with one hundred and fifty skilled workers and craftsman and saved the colony from abandonment by the disheartened settlers. He returned to England in 1611 and died in Nova Scotia June 17, 1618 on a return voyage to America.

Delaware Bay and the State of Delaware named after him. He married Cecily Sherley, daughter of Sir Thomas Sherley the elder of Wiston, Sussex Co. England. They had 6 children.

3. Penelope West m. Herbert Pelham, Esq. (the younger) of Hastings, Sussex Co. England.

Some of the children were:

(1). Herbert, who married Jemima Waldegrave. of Essex Co. England. One of their children is recorded in St. Margaret's Parish in Westminister in 1629. As early as 1629, Herbert Pelham agreed to invest in the Winthrop project of colonization with his father-in-law, and invested some $3,000 pounds in the venture. The two families embarked from Gravesend in 1639/40. His wife died during the crossing. He remarried, became Treasurer of Harvard College in 1643, Commissioner of the United Colonies in 1645, and was active with the Society for Promoting the Gospel in New England. He returned to England and died in 1674. He is buried at Bures, Essex Co.

(2). William Pelham sailed with the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, resided Sudbury Massachusetts until 1647, died in England 1667.

(3). John Pelham, emigrated to New England 1635.

(4). Penelope Pelham migrated in 1635 age 16 years and died 1702. Married Richard Bellingham, Gent., Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony.

4. Francis West 1586 emigrated to Virginia in 1608, elected to the Council 1609 and was appointed Governor of Virginia in 1627. Married 1st Margaret___, 2nd Temperance (Flowerdew) Yeardley, 3rd Jane Davye. No known descendants.

5. John West 1590, B.A. Magdalen College, Oxford, emigrated to Virginia in the Bonny Bess in 1618. Patented land on York River on the site of the present town of West Point. He was member of the Council, and House of Burgesses, justice of York Co. and Governor of VA 1635-37. His son, Col. John West, born about 1632, served as a Captain, Major and Lieutenant Colonel of the Militia, 1652-73, loyal to Governor Berkeley during Bacon's Rebellion, member House of Burgesses. etc.

6. Lt. Col. Nathaniel West 1592, emigrated to VA probably 1618. Died 1623/4. Married 1st Frances Greville, (she m. 2nd Abraham Peirsey, 3rd Capt Samuel Mathews). Son: Nathaniel West 1622, died 1670/1, buried Warton, Lancaster Co. VA. He married Elizabeth (Preston) Sagar. No descendants.
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Capt George Yardley, son of Ralph Yardley, merchant tailor of London aand Governor of Virginia in 1619, was a soldier in the Low Countries (Holland). He went to Virginia with Gates in 1609.

Capt George Yardley was married to Temerance WEST. (from  Ken).

 

   


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