Capt. Christopher Wormeley

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Councillor in Virginia Colony 1637, 1643

Source:

• Title: Virginia Biographical Encyclopedia
• http://books.google.com/books?id=1quk8RyX9mAC&pg=PA106&lpg=PA106&dq...

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GEDCOM Note

(Research): «i» «u»«/i»The 'Christopher' Enigma«/u»: NOTE :Its difficult to untangle the Christophers in the Wormeley line. The following 'information' (much of it confusing & conflicting) is from various sources. Its are entered here for consideration. After looking at the dates, data etc., I presume that Capt. Christopher Wormeley (1589-1645) was the Governor of Tortuga & probably left his estates to our ancestor Capt. Ralph Wormeley. Of course, more clarification is needed if possible, but that, at least at this point, seems to make the most sense.
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Some sources say that the Christopher-who was Governor of Tortuga-died *without issue & his estates were inherited by his brother (our ancestor) Ralph & died before July 21, 1646. Capt. The Capt. Christopher Wormeley-son of Christopher & Elizabeth Hogg-had no brother listed named Ralph but he had descendants.

«i»Virginiasdescendants.com«/i» says that Captain Christopher Wormeley emigrated from his native home in Tortuga Island to Virginia in 1635.(His 'native' home?-he was born in Yorkshire, England). He was governor of Tortuga Island before coming to Virginia & took up office as Justice for Charles River Co. & served as a member of the Virginia Council from 1637 to 1643. He marr. a woman named Mary & died leaving a son Capt. Ralph Wormeley. Is this the father of our ancestor Ralph Wormeley. Was his wife Mary Adams?

• But if he had a son named Ralph then he didn't die 'without issue' as mentioned above & wouldn't have left his estates to his brother Ralph(?) Again, the son of Christopher Wormeley & Elizabeth Hogg had no brother named Ralph. It could mean that he had no living 'male' offspring. Our ancestor Capt. Ralph Wormeley was his oldest son. However, his younger son Capt. Christopher outlived him by 4 years. The death date of a still younger sons John & William is not known.

According to «i»The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography Vol. 36 No. 1 Jan 1929 pp. 98-101: «/i» Captain Christopher Wormeley was commissioned on July 6, 1631...to succeed Capt. Hilton as governor of Tortuga...Capt. Wormeley marr. Mary who afterwards marr. William Brocas..,.As Christopher Wormeley's large plantation in York Co. was inherited by his brother Ralph, it is believed he died without male issue. Again, conflicting information.

The Capt, Christopher Wormeley who marr.Mary Adams did have sons name Ralph (our ancestor) & Christopher b. 1626 but that Christopher would have been to young to have been Governor of Tortuga. NOTE: Since the Christopher Wormeley who was Governor of Tortuga was governor 1632-1635, it seems that that he was probably Capt. Christopher Wormely (1589-1645) who marr. Mary Adams. This obviously needs to be clarified.

There is also a Col. Christopher Wormeley (1614-1659) the son of Henry Wormeley-son of Christopher Wormeley & Elizabeth Hogg-Capt. Christopher Wormeley's brother.

NOTE: The site: «i»ourwormleyfamily.com«/i» says that Chrisopher Wormeley was the founder of the first Wormeley family in north America in 1634. His land in Virginia was later inherited 'by his brother, or more likely his son or cousin Ralph Wormeley, about 10 years late'r. I am presuming that Ralph was his brother but this is still a puzzle!

«i»Genealogies of Virginia Families pg. 481«/i»: There was a Col. Christopher Wormeley in Middlesex, the immigrant, whose first wife Frances, dtr. of William Armistead, had been the widow of Justinian Aylmer & Co. Anthony Elliot. The site says that this Christopher was 'neither the son of Capt. Christopher Wormeley nor Col,. Ralph, he must have been the son of one of their sisters Jane or Anne who married Wormeley cousins. This Col. Christopher Wormeley, also referred to as Captain , was a member of the Council for many years. However, other sources give him as the son of our ancestor Ralph Wormeley & Agatha Eltonhead which is how it is entered on this site. (See notes for Col. Christopher Wormeley d, c1698) As yet the 'enigma of the Christophers has yet to be clarified. (See notes for his son Capt Christopher Wormeley b. 1626 & for Elizabeth Wormeley d. 1698.)

THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN Capt. Christopher Wormeley was briefly Governor of Tortuga which is the second largest island in the Caribbean. It was named by Christopher Columbus because its tortuga or turtle-like shape when seen from the sea. It was one of the two main centers in the Caribbean for piracy. Christopher's role is unclear. Records give him as being governor 1632-35 He was to take men to Tortuga to create an 'ideal Commonweath'. They were to take men over to grow tobacco. Capt. Wormeley was also to harry Spanish shipping in the Spanish Main. The Providence aka Provident Company sent a ship with cannons to reinforce the new colony in 1631. Charles I signed permission for them to undertake the project. His public policy was one of neutrality but probably turned a blind eye to the attacking of Spanish ships. Capt. Hilton was appointed governor & on July, 6, 1631 Capt. Christopher Wormeley was commisisoned to succeed him if he should be absent or died. In 1634 a Spanish force from nearby Hispaniola invaded Tortuga but their ships were grounded off- shore on a reef. However, 30 men & their commander Fernandez succeeded in reaching shore in canoes & seized the fort in a surprise attack. According the the Spaniard's accounts, the English governor was the first to be killed. Presumably, at the moment Capt Wormeley would have become the new governor-but his time in charge would be very short. After regaining the fort, he decided he could no longer hold the island as Fernandez had been joined by the troops who had escaped from their stranded vessels. Capt. Wormeley spiked the six guns to make them unusable, loaded the stores onto several ships in the harbour & sailed away, leaving little to fall into the hands of the enemy. Several hundred English settlers left on the island barred Fernandez' way but 70 were taken prisoner & the Spaniards sacked their houses & burned the tobacco plantations. A book called «i»The Colonising of the English Puritans «/i»by Prof. Arthur Percival Newton in 1914-says that the island had been a rendezvous of rovers of all nations since the time of Drake'. It even suggested that Capt. Wormeley had been in league with the pirates & that Capt. Hilton had actually died in 1634 & that Christopher had been elected by the planters to replace him. Also that he had been one of the original adventurers on the island before the Providence Company was invited to become involved there. But that he little control over the settlers devoted his attention to what profit he could from the incoming rovers. By 1634 the settlement was, without doubt what the Spaniard's called it: merely a pirate hold. This version might be true but on the other hand he could be viewed as a likeable seadog rogue. (Just as Drake's privateering against the Spanish made him a national hero.) In England, minutes of the Providence Company April 10, 1635 recorded that Capt. Wormeley was formerly deprived of his office of governor & banished from the colony by 'reason of cowardice & negligence in losing the island'. But subsequently, it seems to have been accepted that he made a sensible, strategic withdrawal & he was exonerated. The Spanish occupation was very short & a new English governor was in control of Tortuga by the following February. NOTE: One wonders if Capt. Christopher Wormeley bore any resemblance in life to the mythical governor of Tortuga Island in the movie «i»Captain Blood«/i»-who gave Errol Flynn licence to attack & capture enemy vessels. We will never know.

According to «i»vagenbweb,org Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography pp.106-107«/i»: [After serving as governor of Tortuga] He appears to have come to Virginia as he was justice of the Charles River Co. in 1636. In 1639 & 1640 he was Commaner-in-Chief of Charles River & Elizabeth City counties. When Secretary Kemp fled to England, Wormeley seems to have accompanied him. He & Kemp were accused of cruelty & oppression in the colony & had considerable difficulty returning to Virginia, twice being prevented from doing so by the House of Lords...These charges seem to have foundation in fact. In Virginia the council directed Christopher to make repartations to a man name Taylor, yet his sins do not seem to have disbarred him from his office as councillor as he was present at meetings of the council in 1642-43. It seems probable that he died shortly after that date.
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Evidence that Christopher was a wealthy man before he went overseas is contained in a property deed from the «i»Sheffield Archives«/i» that recorded that William Adams (his brother-in-law) sold 'closes, lands & grounds called The Riddings, Burgess Closes & Three Lands in Bentley & Arksey, now in the tenure of Christopher Wormeley of Adwick-le-Street, gentleman, fro £510, to Brian Cooke of Doncaster, gentleman. Online Wormeley Family HIstory-wormleyfamilyhistory.com Wormley Family History The Wormley Family History Through 800 years wormleyfamilyhistory.com Nick and Kevin Wormley Includes the Newmarch family: Roger de Newmarch-said to be a brother of John de Wormele; Roger inherited Wormeley from their father Roger... Y Y Book Wormeley-Ex Libris Ex Libris Vol I July 1896 to April 1897 Washington Ex Libris Society American Bookplate Society 1897 Wash. D C (books. google.com) Y Y Pg 86 3

GEDCOM Note

The 'Christopher Confusion'
Various sites give various 'information':
«i»Virginia Settlers and English Adventurers«/i» by Currier and Briggs Pg 11: ...Christopher was born posthumously in 1589 and christened after his father. His mother, Elizabeth Hogg(e)...came from a large merchant family of Hull and the earliest years of young Christopher's life were spent in that flourishing North Sea port. He spent his adolescence in the city of (New) York, where his elder brother Henry had married the daughter of the Lord Mayor, Christopher Consett (and may be the parents of Elizabeth who marr. Richard Kemp & is seen in some sources as the dtr of Christopher Wormeley?)

. He is referred to as Christopher of Adwick-le-street. After his marriage, he and Mary went to live at Adwick-le-Street, near Doncaster, where five children were born, the youngest being baptised in 1631. During her husband's absence in the Caribbean, Mary continued to live in Adwick.
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The site: «i»wormelyfamilyhistory.com«/i» says that: Although born in Hull, Christopher lived in & around York, certainly by 1608.
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«i» Rotherhamweb.co.uk/genealogy«/i»: Christopher Wormley, Junior, Gent., of St. Mary's, Bishophill, married Mary Adams, second daughter of Philip Adams, of Owston, on 5th August 1619.
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«i»Virginia Genealogies«/i»: The parents of Captain Christopher Wormeley (1629-1649) were Christopher Wormeley (ninth generation from Sir John de Wormele) of Adwick-le-Street. and his wife Mary, dtr. of Philip Adams...They were also the parents of Ralph Wormeley, Jane and Anne Wormeley remained in England, Christopher and *brother Ralph came to Virginia... They were the first of that name in the colony.

• Capt. Wormeley was the Governor of Tortuga & came to Virginia in 1635. The next year he was appointed to the Council, was also Chief Justice of Charles Co & Commander in Chief of Charles River & Elizabeth City Co. He was one of the favorite of King Charles & this was evidently his second appointment to the Council.
• NOTE: This would have to be the Capt. Christopher who marr. Mary Adams as their son would have been too young to have been the Governor of Tortuga. This is confusing as Christopher who marr. Mary Adams no brother given with the name Ralph. Their son Chrisopher would have the one to have been Ralph's brother. (See his notes.) Christopher Wormeley is said to have died w/o a male heir & his brother Ralph inherited his estates. Again, this means he was a son of Christopher & Mary Adams. . This needs to be clarified.

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He had many large land grants.In «i»Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. I pp 99-206«/i»: Abstracts of Land Grants-Captain Christopher Wormeley patented 1420 acres Charles River county (York) 27 Jan 1638 'upon sd. river, bounded by Wormeley's creek, on the East, with land on Nicholas Clark etc. crossing a ridge of land, & the path leadingto the new Poqouson...' He also in April 7 of that year he patented 500 acres probably in the same county, The date of his death is not known a land record in July 31, 1646 refers to the 'late Capt. Wormeley.

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In Capt. Christopher Wormeley had obtained 500 acres on the river & Cathorpe's Creek at 'New Poquoson', Elizabeth City County, by order of court, April 26, 1631 (changed to York in 1642).
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From the «i»National Park Service Historical Handbook Series No. 14 1954 Revised 1957«/i»: Yorktown About 2 miles southeast of Yorktown is a Tidal inlet, Wormley Creek, named for Christopher Wormeley, a local property owner & a member of the council of colonial Virginia. On the west side of this inlet (perhaps best described a 'small settlement') took form. It seemingly grew up around 'Yorke Fort' built on the point formed by Wormeley Creek & the York River.
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In 1637 Capt Christopher Wormeley is listed as Military Head of Middlesex Co., Va.
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DID HE FIGHT IN THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR? Its dfficult in different sources to distinguish between Capt. Christopher Wormeley & his son Capt. Chrisopher Wormeley. The site «i»wormeleyfamilyhistory.com«/i» says that Christopher Wormeley was member of the Virginia Council 1642-43 but that he returned to England to fight in the Civil War, while Ralph took charge of affairs in the New World,subsequently inherited *Christopher's land. Capt. Ralph Wormeley joined the Council of Virginia in 1650 & his son Ralph became Secretary of State for the Colony in 1693. (This is true, they are our ancestors.)

• But was this Ralph's father or brother Christopher? According to the Bodleian Library in Oxford-'in 1643 a Capt. Christopher Wormeley was appointed sargeant major in Sir Nicholas Crisp's Regiment of the horse. This warrant is signed by Charles Another record says that a Christopher fought on the Royalist side & was killed in battle. An old book«i» Prestwiche's Republica «/i»pub in 1787 says 'Major Wormeley was killed at Cirencester in September 1643'. (c Sept 1663 is an alternate death date given for his son Christopher III who is also said to have died in 1649(?) Death date given for Christopher II is 1645. Another source: «i»jamestownechesapeakebaycompany.com«/i» says that Christopher Wormeley was a major in the Civil War & a member of the legislature after the war. I have found no other reference to such service in the Civil War except on these two sites.

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NOTE: One site gives Elizabeth 'Bogg' as Christopher's first wife & mother of Ralph-with May Adams being the mother of 'Jane & Anne & two others'. Presume this is a confusion with his father Christopher & his mother Elizabeth Hogg(e). All other sites give Mary Adams as the mother of Ralph. The Wormeley descent is given different ways on different sites and is confusing.

GEDCOM Note

Book Wormeley-Genealogies of Virginia Families-Tyler Magazine Genealogies of Virginia Families Vol V Mrs. J.E. Warren Exerpted from Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine
Reprinted for Clearfield Co. by Genealogical Publishing Co. Baltimore, Maryland 2007 Y Y