Famous

FAMOUS ANCESTORS

Written By: Barry P. Foley
Copyright © 15 March 2023

Of my 1395 known immigrant ancestors, there are some notable people in American History. In no real order, let me get right to it.

Col Samuel L. Drake Was a Revolutionary Soldier

I have 3 sea Captains, but none so notable as Capt Christopher Newport – Captain of the Susan Constant and overall in Charge of the Flotilla of ships to the first voyage to Jamestown. He actually never immigrated, although his daughter did.

Three Governors of the Virginia Colony
John R. West Shelton, George Reade, and Richard Bennett
Thomas Gardner II- First Governor of Massachusetts

Four Speakers of the House of Burgesses
Robert King, Robert Wynne, Thomas Milner II, Theodorick Bland

And of course, several members of the House of Burgesses, most notably
Henry Soane, who just happened to be the 2^nd Great Grandfather to President Thomas Jefferson

I have a good number of those connected to the Virginia Colonies.

Besides the forementioned Capt Christopher Newport, and early arrival in Jamestown was Capt Samuel Silas Jordan who arrived 25 Jul 1610. His wife Cecily Jordan was one of first women to arrive in Jamestown

Capt John Warde – Arrived 1611 in Jamestown
Rev Robert Hunt was the First Chaplain.

Dr. John Woodson-First Doctor arriving in 1619, He died in the 1644 Indian Massacre. He was also one of the first slave owners, purchasing 6 of the original 20 slaves in 1619.

No verifiable ancestors of the Mayflower, but, we had a big gang that was part of the Plymouth Colony and their offspring that saw the light all the way to Virgina.

And yes, my family tree has Native American Roots. At least 10 ancestors married women of various tribes. Including,
My 3^rd Great Grandfather Wesley Foley married Mattie Bolling, and her line goes back to Robert Bolling and Jane Rolfe. Jane’s grandparents were John Rolfe and Pocahontas.

Thomas Foley – Our Namesake Immigrant married Martha Bryant. Her mother was Keziah Arroyah of the Patawomeke Tribe and daughter of the tribal chief.
Although not immigrants, my 10^th Great Grandfather John Hoyter was born 1640 in Chowan NC and was the Chief Of The Chowanoke Indians and his offspring continued to be in power of the tribe.

OTHER NOTEABLES
Capt Thomas John Taylor- 5^TH Great Grandfather of President Zackery Taylor 12^th POTUS

John Proctor and Sarah Burt (Wife of William Basset) were convicted and hung for being a Salem Witch. Elizabeth Basset was a convicted Salem Witch but not hanged because where was pregnant.

My oldest Immigrant ancestor by age was Edward Osbourne. Born in 1533 in Essex England. Can’t find any records to document when he arrived on the American shores, but certainly be 1619 when he died in Henrico at the age of 86.

My newest immigrant by arrival date English Immigrants John Grist and wife Elizabeth Walker, my 5th Great Grandparents arrived by 1797.