Edward Digges, Colonial Governor of Virginia

Edward Digges (14 February 1620 – 15 March 1674/75) was an English barrister and colonist who served as Colonial Governor of Virginia from March 1655 to December 1656. He was the son of the English politician Dudley Digges. He invested heavily in planting mulberry trees and promoting the silk industry in the colony, in recognition of which he was appointed auditor-general of Virginia.[1]

Biography

He entered Greys' Inn 19 May, 1637, and came to Virginia in 1650, settling at "Belfield," on York River. He was a member of the Council in 1654, Auditor-General 1670-75, and Governor from 31 March, 1655, to 13 March, 1657. His wife Elizabeth, who died about 1691, is believed to have been a sister of Col. John Page of York county. By her he had six sons and seven daughters. The Digges arms are on the tomb of Dudley Digges at Belfield.

entered Gray's Inn 19 May 1637, emigrated to Virginia by 11 Dec 1650, elected Governor of Virginia 1655. Attempted silk culture on his plantation "Belfield" in York county. Thirteen children of whom three sons and five daughters died in infancy, or by 1691, without issue.

Old Churches, Ministers, and Families of Virginia. Article XVIII.

Edward Digges was Colonial Governor of Virginia from March 30, 1655 to December 1656.

He immigrated to the Virginia Colony about 1650 and purchased the Bellfield Plantation in present-day York County, Virginia, near Yorktown. His efforts at this plantation are noted as one of the first attempts by the colonists to raise silkworms in hopes of production of Virginia silk to compete with the Orient. Edward Digges employed two Armenians to help him but the industry proved a failure.

BELLFIELD - The six hundred acres of land granted to John West extended eastward in the Mine Depot from Poli's Point on Felgate's Creek taking in what was then and is still known as "Bellfield", which was used during the war as an Aviation Training Camp and considered by naval flyers as one of the best landing fields in the country. The abandoned hangers and buildings are being salvaged as occasion arises for use of material. Here his son, John West, the founder of West Point up the York River, was born in 1633, who was the first child of English parents born in the York settlement.

In 1650 the older West sold the property to Edward Digges Esquire (later Governor Digges), a son of Sir Dudley Digges, Master of the Rolls to King Charles The First. This plantation is noted as the scene of one of the first attempts by the Colonists to raise silk worms for the production of silk designed to compete with the Orient. He employed two Armenians to help him but the industry proved a failure.To this day there is left on this estate to remind us numerous mulberry trees transplanted from abroad, the leaves of which served as food for the silk worms.

A massive tombstone still attests the presence of Edward Digges' grave near the site of the original home. The estate continued in the Digges' family for over one hundred years during which time it was noted for its flavored plant of sweet-scented tobacco known as the "E. Dees" and which never failed to bring in England "One shilling on the pound when other tobaccos brought not three pence". The original Bellfield house was a seventeenth century structure of brick but has long since disappeared, another of wood erected near its old foundations. The house being of no value, is occupied and rapidly going to decay. Naturally this is a particularly revered spot to Virginia antiquarians being from 1654 to 1656 the home of Governor Edward Digges, one time Colonial Governor of Virginia. The burying ground, a short walk from the house, holds four well-marked graves.

(1) S

To the memory of Edward Digges Esq.

Sonne of Dudley Digges of Chilham in Kent Kn t & Bar t Master of the Rolls in the rain of K. Charles the First. He departed this life 15th of March 1674 in the LIII d year of his age, one of his Mag ty Councill for this his colony of Virginia. A gentlemen of most commendable parts and ingenuity, the only introducer and promoter of the silk manufacture in this colony. And in everything else a pattern worthy of all Pious Imitation. He had issue 6 sons and 7 daughters by the body of Elizabeth his wife who of her conjugal affection hath dedicated to him this Memorial.

(Governor of Va. March 30, 1655 - March 13, 1658, succeeding Richard Bennet)

Occupation: Served as Governor of Virginia BET 30 MAR 1655 AND MAR Virginia Note: succeeding Richard Bennet and governor for a two-year term, the latter during the period of the Cromwellian Commonwealth.

Occupation: Councilor BEF 1655 VA Note: served the Colony as councilor, as well as auditor-general, receiver-general, a Virginia agent in England,

Residence: BEF 11 DEC 1650 Kent Co., England

Residence: E. D. Plantation, York River AFT 11 DEC 1650 Yorktown, York Co., Va. Note:

developed the famous "E. D. [Edward Digges] Plantation" with its noted quality tobacco.

Event: Member of Council Misc BET 1654 AND 1675

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Digges

Edward Digges, promoter of silk manufacture in Colonial Virginia Edward Digges (14 February 1620 – 15 March 1674/75) was an English barrister and colonist who served as Colonial Governor of Virginia from March 1655 to December 1656. He was the son of the English politician Dudley Digges. He invested heavily in planting mulberry trees and promoting the silk industry in the colony, in recognition of which he was appointed auditor-general of Virginia.[1]

Early life

Edward Digges' father, Sir Dudley Digges Born at Chilham Castle, Kent, England, and christened in Chilham parish on 29 March 1620, Edward Digges was the fourth son of Sir Dudley Digges (1583–1638) and his wife Mary Kempe (1583–?). Sir Dudley was the Master of the Rolls for King Charles I and an investor in the Virginia Company of London.

Edward Digges entered Gray's Inn in 1637 to become a barrister. He emigrated to the Virginia Colony about 1650 and purchased from Captain John West a plantation of 1250 acres in present-day York County, Virginia, near Yorktown.[1] About 1653, he laid out Fort Mattapony near Walkerton, King and Queen County, Virginia.[2]

Experiments in silk production Digges developed a strong interest in reviving the production of silk in Virginia. The cultivation of the silkworm had been attempted previously in the colony, in response to King James's interest in the subject.[3] However, these early efforts had been unsuccessful, perhaps due to lack of enthusiasm among the colonists. Digges, in contrast, became deeply absorbed in his project. He brought over two Armenians to help him experiment with silk production, and even wrote a pamphlet entitled "The Reformed Virginia Silkworm", in which he claimed that "native silkworms could be kept outdoors on native mulberry trees and that Indians could be employed to care for the worms."[4]

Silkworm Larvae Digges sent a parcel of his silk to the Royal Society, by way of his cousin Dudley Palmer,[5] one of the original Fellows of the Society. In the letter accompanying the silk sample, Digges comments on his findings, for example:

Our Country of Virginia is very much subject to Thunders : and it hath thundered exceedingly when I have had worms of all sorts, some newly hatched; some halfway in their feeding; others spinning their Silk; yet I found none of them concerned in the Thunder, but kept to their business, as if there had been no such thing.[6]

Digges's efforts to create a silk industry in Virginia proved futile. By 1656 the Virginia Assembly had become disillusioned with silkworms, and passed the following terse act to signal its loss of enthusiasm:

WHEREAS the act for mullberrie trees seemes rather troublesome and burthensome then any waies advantageous to the country, It is hereby enacted, That the said act for planting mullberrie trees shall be repealed and made void.[7]

To this day there are numerous mulberry trees, which were used to raise the silk worms, still standing on the land of the old plantation. In recognition of his efforts, Edward Digges was given a seat in the council in November 1654, "having given a signal testimony of his fidelity to this colony and commonwealth of England."

Legacy Edward Digges was more successful with tobacco than with silk. He became known for growing "E.D." tobacco, a sweet-scented variety which brought an unusually high price in London.[8]

Digges served as Colonial Governor of Virginia from 30 March 1655 to December 1656, for which he received a salary of 25,000 pounds of tobacco, with the duties levied on vessels, and marriage license fees. In December 1656, The House of Burgesses selected Samuel Mathews as governor to replace Edward Digges, and Digges became the colonial agent to England. In this position, Digges was to go to England and meet with English merchants about the price of tobacco and to secure the rights of the colony. Leaving in March 1657, he took a letter from the House of Burgesses to Oliver Cromwell, who had been ruling England since 1653, following the English Civil War, to settle the long pending controversy between the Colony and Lord Baltimore.

Marriage and Family Edward Digges married Elizabeth Page, daughter of Francis Page (1595-1678) of Bedfont, Middlesex, and sister of Col. John Page of Middle Plantation.[9]

Digges died in 1675. A large tombstone was placed over his grave near his home at Bellfield, with the following inscription:

To the memory of Edward Digges Esq. Sonne of Dudley Digges of Chilham in Kent Kn t & Bar t Master of the Rolls in the rain of K. Charles the First. He departed this life 15th of March 1674 in the LIII d year of his age, one of his Mag ty Councill for this his colony of Virginia. A gentlemen of most commendable parts and ingenuity, the only introducer and promoter of the silk manufacture in this colony. And in everything else a pattern worthy of all Pious Imitation. He had issue 6 sons and 7 daughters by the body of Elizabeth his wife who of her conjugal affection hath dedicated to him this Memorial.[10]

Digges' will (dated 28 August 1669, proved 16 June 1675) left legacies "to all my children being four boys and four girls", thus establishing that by 1669, when the will was written, only eight of the thirteen children mentioned in the grave inscription were still living.[11]

Following Bacon's Rebellion, Mrs Digges was referred to in the Report of the Royal Commissioners as one of those who had suffered as a result of family loyalty to the King:

Capt Wm. Diggs sonne to Mr. Edward Diggs, deceased, a Galland, brisk young Gentleman, who in a single dispute betwixt him and Hansford, one of the cheifest champions of the Rebells side, cut off one of Hansfords fingers, and forced him to fly, and maintained the Governors cause against the Rebells, with great constancy till he was forced to fly to Maryland, whose mother suffered considerably in her estate for her sonnes Loyalty.[12]

Elizabeth died intestate in 1691. An article published in the William and Mary Quarterly in 1893 recounts the division of her personal estate between her surviving heirs:

On November 24, 1691, Capt. Francis Page, in behalf of his daughter, Elizabeth Page, "as legally representing her deceased mother, Mary, ye daughter of ye said Mrs. Elizabeth Digges, petitioned ye Court for a division of Mrs. Digges' estate", which was ordered. Accordingly on the 10th December, 1691, Joseph Ring, Thomas Barber and Martin Gardiner reported the division, and the inventory was entered in the York records, August 24, 1692. It amounted to L1 102, 18, 10.[13]

Mrs Digges' personal property was divided by the Court, in accordance with the law, among her four surviving heirs: three sons (William, Dudley, and Edward) and one granddaughter (Elizabeth Page, daughter of Mary Digges and Francis Page).

The plantation which Digges had purchased from Capt. John West (known as the E. D. plantation) remained in the family until 1787, when it was sold. It was known as "Bellfield" by 1811, when it was advertised for sale as "Belfield, 1.000 acres in York Co., the only estate where the famous E.D. tobacco was raised, which never failed to bring in England one shilling when other tobacco would not bring three pence."[1]

Descendants

Six of the thirteen Digges children survived to adulthood:[9]

1. William (– 24 July 1697); he married Elizabeth Wharton, step-daughter of Lord Baltimore, and had ten children.
2. Dudley (1664 – 18 Jan 1710); he married Susannah Cole (1674 - 1708[citation needed] and produced four children:
   1. Cole (1692–1774); he married Elizabeth Foliott Power:[citation needed]
      1. Dudley (c. 1728 – 1790), Cole's third son, served in the House of Burgesses from 1752 until the Revolutionary War. Dudley Digges was a member of the Committee of Safety established by the Virginia Conventions to act in the absence of the royal governor, he would become a lieutenant governor of Virginia and was one of the members of the Virginia Assembly captured by the British in a Charlottesville raid in 1781.[citation needed]
3. Mary (– 1690/91); she married her first cousin Francis Page, and had a daughter Elizabeth, who in turn married a first cousin (John Page) and died in 1702, aged 19, leaving two children (John and Elizabeth), both of whom died without issue.
4. Anne (– 1686); she married William Cole and had two sons, both of whom died in childhood.
5. Edward; he shared in the 1692 division of his mother's estate, but died unmarried and without issue.
6. Catherine (1654–1729); she lived in New Kent, Virginia, and married three times. She produced 3 sons (Edward, James, and William Herndon).

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Edward Digges BIRTH 29 Mar 1621 Fordwich, City of Canterbury, Kent, England DEATH 15 Mar 1675 (aged 53) York County, Virginia, USA BURIAL Digges Family at Bellfield Plantation Yorktown, York County, Virginia, USA MEMORIAL ID 32117881 · View Source

MEMORIAL PHOTOS 5 FLOWERS 50 Colonial Governor of Virginia, Ancient Planter, and introducer of Silk Industry to America. Perfected a preferred Tobacco Dee's Brand. Son of Sir Dudley Digges of England.

Family Members Parents Photo Dudley Digges 1583–1639

Photo Mary Kempe Digges 1583–1631

Spouse Photo Elizabeth Wyatt Page Digges 1625–1691

Siblings Mary Digges 1624–1643

Children Photo Anne Digges Cole 1658–1686

Photo Mary Digges Page 1658–1690

Photo Dudley Digges 1664–1710

Inscription To the memory of Edward Digges Esq. Sonne of Dudley Digges of Chilham in Kent Kn t & Bar t Master of the Rolls in the reign of K. Charles the First. He departed this life 15th of March 1674 in the LIII d year of his age, one of his Mag ty Councill for this his colony of Virginia. A gentlemen of most commendable parts and ingenuity, the only introducer and promoter of the silk manufacture in this colony. And in everything else a pattern worthy of all Pious Imitation. He had issue 6 sons and 7 daughters by the body of Elizabeth his wife who of her conjugal affection hath dedicated to him this Memorial. Gravesite Details Contained with locked high fence. No access to actual tombs. Edward Digges died in 1675. I know his tombstone says 1674, and it was 1674 then, but to us now it's 1675. He was Auditor General from 1670 to 1675.

References

1. https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Digges_Edward_1621-167
2. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32117881/edward-digges
3. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I2703...
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Digges cites
   1. Tyler, Lyon G., "Pedigree of a Representative Virginia Planter", William & Mary Quarterly Jan. 1893 [1]
   2. Pete Payette (1999). "Tidewater Virginia: Fort Mattapony". American Forts Network.
   3. Hatch, Charles E. Jr, "Mulberry Trees and Silkworms: Sericulture in Early Virginia", VA Mag. of History & Biography, Jan 1957, pp3-61
   4. Musgrave, C.A and Bennett, D.R., "Bicentennial Review of Early American Entomology",The Florida Entomologist, Vol.55, No.4, 1976
   5. Son of Sir Anthony Palmer and his wife Margaret Digges, sister to Sir Dudley Digges and aunt to Edward
   6. An Extract of a Letter Containing Some Observations, Made in the Ordering of Silk-Worms, Communicated by That Known Vertuoso, Mr. Dudley Palmer, from the Ingenuous Mr. Edward Digges. Palmer, D.; Digges, E Philosophical Transactions (1665-1678). 1753-01-01. 1:26–27
   7. Hening's Statutes at Large
   8. Tarter, Brent. "Edward Digges (1621–1675)". Encyclopedia Virginia/Dictionary of Virginia Biography. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
   9. Dorman, John Frederick, Adventurers of Purse and Person, 4th ed., v.1, pp.821-844.
   10. CNIC: Naval Weapons Station Yorktown: The Land: BELLFIELD
   11. Documents Online, National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB11/383 [2]
   12. "Persons Who Suffered by Bacon's Rebellion. The Commissioners' Report [Winder Papers, Virginia State Library]", The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Jul., 1897), pp. 64-70. "A List of the names of those worthy persons, whose services and sufferings by the late Rebell Nathaniel Bacon, Junior, & his party, have been Reported to us most signal and Eminent, during the late unhappy troubles in Virginia, And Particularly of such, whose approved Loyaltie, constancy and courage hath rendered them most deserving of his Majestie's Royall Remark..."
   13. "Pedigree of a Representative Virginia Planter, Edward Digges, Esq., Addenda", William and Mary College Quarterly, Vol. 1, No. 4. (Apr., 1893), pp. 208-213. [3]
5. Governor of VA ... 2nd of 3 men who served as governor of Commonwealth of VA during 8 yr. period from 1652-1660*

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 18 2020, 15:47:22 UTC