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Please add Geni profiles for early arrivers to the area of Virginia that became Isle of Wight, Virginia in 1634.
Although officially to be known as Isle of Wight Plantation, the area continued under its old indian name for a good many years. What is certain is the total uncertainty of the English over the spelling of the word, 'Warraskoyak', which is in itself a phonetic spelling of the Indian word.
From Isle of Wight County Founded 1634 One of Virginia's Eight Original Shires
One of the oldest county governments in the United States of America. Nestled on the shores of Virginia's James River.
The origins of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, are bound up with an area bordering the south bank of the James (Powhatan) River, south-east of Jamestown, and corresponded with the territory of a tribe called the Warraskoyak. This tribe lived in a settlement close to the Warraskoyak or Pagan River and held territory in the surrounding area and in a corridor along the river in both directions. Their territory was situated on a curving river shore between a creek to the north, near Hogg Island, and the Warraskoyak (Pagan) River estuary to the east. It therefore bordered the river route along which English ships of the Virginia Company were obliged to sail up to Jamestown, which lay some twenty miles to the north-east.
Detail from Smith's map of Virginia, showing the area that became Isle of Wight County. North is pointing off towards the right of the map. Jamestown is in the top mid top left, sited on a promontory(underlined). Isle of Wight County extended from 'Mattanock' up to 'Hog Ile', pictured in the middle below James River (underlined).
On 11 November 1619, the Governor and his Council in Virginia reported back to the Virginia Company in London on how and why they had distributed new tenants amongst private plantations instead of placing them on Company land. In this report they express their misgivings about the site of Lawne's plantation:
"Lieftenant Bartlett is to take to ferme till Cristmas Come twelue month eleuen of the Companyes men the remayner of fifteene that Came wth Capt Lawne in the marygold to Apparell and arme them and att the end of that terme to alowe 55lb wayght of tobacco and three barrells of Corne to each man: Question being made of the danger of his seate being far from any other Englishe Plantacon in the bottom of the bay Warrestogack he said he was Confident to make the place good against the Indians beinge a necke land and defended by his howse especially seeinge Lieftennant Basse and Ensigne washer are to ioyne with hime who together wth his Companies will make up a party of thirtye men:"
Isle of Wight County Timeline
- 1619 Warraskoyak - Lawne's Plantation.
- 1621 Warraskoyak - Isle of Wight Plantacon
- 1623 Warraskoyak - Lawne's Plantation(?), Basse's Choice, Bennett's Welcome.
- 1634 Isle of Wight County
However land grants suggest the old name was used up until 1637 and 1639 in some cases. It is clear that the term Isle of Wight County or Isle of Wight did not come into general use until after 1634.
resources
- Warrosquyoake Shire Warrosquoake Shire (with numerous variant spellings, including Warrascoyack, Warrascocke and "Warwick Squeak") was officially formed in 1634 in the Virginia colony, but had already been known as "Warascoyack County" before this. It was renamed Isle of Wight County in 1637.
- Boddie, John Bennett, 1880-. Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia: a History of the County of Isle of Wight, Virginia, During the Seventeenth Century, Including Abstracts of the County Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1973. volume 2
- Chapman's Marriages of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, 1628-1800