Captain Jabez Whitaker

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~wooddreams/GCW-p/p1226.htm...

(Ancestors Gladys Clifton Wallace)

      Jabez Whitaker, youngest son of Dr. William A. Whitaker and his second wife, Joan Taylor, was born in Dec 1595, a few days after Dr. William A. Whitaker died. Joan (Taylor) Whitaker named the infant Jabez, citing I Chronicles 4:9: “and his mother called his name Jabez, saying ‘Because I bore him in pain.’”

About 1617, Jabez married Mary Bourchier, daughter of Sir John Bourchier and Dame Elizabeth Bourchier, of Lambeth Parish, County Surrey, England. The Bourchiers are descended from Sir William Bourchier, b. 1386. and Ann Plantagenet, b. 1383, Countess of Buckingham, d/o Thomas Plantagenet, the youngest son of King Edward, III.
As far as is known, Jabez and Mary had only one son, William Whitaker, b. 1618, England, d. after 1668, James City County, Virginia.
About the time his son was born, Jabez left his wife and child in England and went out to Virginia, possibly because his brother, Alexander Whitaker, “The Apostle of Virginia,” had drowned in the James River in 1617, and he had to tend to his estate, though there are no surviving documents.
At any rate, Jabez soon became a noteworthy citizen of Virginia. The Records of the Virginia Company of London, the organization that “settled” Jamestown, notes of him on 23 June 1620: “Hee [the Governor] haveinge receaved notice of the good carriage of some psonnes in Virginia was specially to recommend unto them one Mr. Jabez Whittakers, Leiutennant of the Companies men who had given a good Account of the trust reposed in him.” (p.22) “For so much as it appeared y Mr. Whittakers has obeyed the Companies orders in buildinge a Guesthouse for entertaynement of Sick psonnes and for y relief and comfort of such cases as came weake from Sea and had allso begunn to plant vaine, Corne, and such good Comodities and rayled in 100 acres of ground, it was moved y the Court would please to bestow some reward uppon him for his better encouragement in soe good a course. Whereoppon it was agreed and ordered that he should have two boyes sent him when the Comp[any] shall be able and that the reward of Tobacco allowed him by the Governor of Virginia shall be confirmed onto him.” (p.23)
This reference to Jabez Whitaker’s “Guesthouse for entertaynement of Sick psonnes” is the first mention of a hospital in the new world, and his “rayle” fence is the first mention of a fenced plot of land in America.
In 1623, Jabez was referred to as a Captain: “... and we further require and commaund all persons whatsover under the charge of the said Captain Jabez Whitaker, that they yield unto him ready obedience touching all our abovesaid commands, as they will answer the contrary at their utmost perills. Given at James City, the 13th of May 1623.” signed: Frances Wyatt, Governor (p.25)
Jabez Whitaker was Elizabeth City’s representative to the House of Burgesses in the session that met from 5 March 1623 to 1624. And he was a member of the Council of Virginia in 1626.
Source:

Charles Brashear

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