In 1607 the London Company began shipping new settlers to Jamestown. The idea was to establish another colony that would ultimately benefit the Company. Also, England was prime for receiving the tobacco manufacturers that would soon flood the markets. As it turns out, tobacco was widely shipped into Europe and served to bring wealth to the plantations. At first, Jamestown did poorly. It had to contend with Indian raids and hunger. But the London Company, and later the Virginia Company, was not deterred. For one thing, it was decided that there were too many poor people and derelicts on the streets. Imagine, if you will, the likes of San Francisco and other US cities. As a general rule, people will not work if they do not have to. We see a lot of that today. In London, if you did not pay your bills you were cast in prison. However, that did not stop the deluge. Eventually, it was decided that rather than add more poor people to the jails, that they would ship some of these people to the American colonies. They would go as indentured servants for 7 to 10 years in exchange for their passage.
That seemed to work pretty well.
1608 Colonists who landed in Jamestown
Sir Thomas Smith Treasurer.
Mathew Scrivener was appointed to be one of the Council.
Gentemen: Michaell Phittiplace. Doctor Russell, William Phittiplace. Jeffrey Abbot, Ralph Morton. Edward Gurgana, Richard Wyffing. Richard Worley, John Taverner. Timothy Leeds, William Cantrell. Richard Killingbeck, Robert Barnes. William Spence, Richard Fetherstone, Richard Prodger, George Hill. Richard Pots, George Pretty. Richard Mullinax, Nathaniell Causy, William Bayley, Peter Pory. Francis Perkins, Robert Cutler. John Harper, Michaell Sicklemore, George Forest, William Bentley, John Nichols, Thomas Coe, and William Grivell.
Labourers: Raymond Goodison. Nicholas Ven., William Simons. Francis Perkins, John Spearman. Richard Gradon, Richard Bristow. Rawland Nelstrop, William Perce. Richard Savage, James Watkins. Thomas Savage, John Bouth. Richard Milmer, Christopher Rods. William May, Richard Burket. Vere., James Burre. Michaell, Bishop Wiles.
Taylers: Thomas Hope. William Yong, William Ward. William Beckwith, John Powell, and Larence Towtales.
Apothecaries: Thomas Field. John Harford.
Refiners: Will: Dawson, a refiner. Post Ginnat, a Chirurg; Abram Ransack, a refiner. John Lewes, a Cooper; Wil: Johnson, a Goldsmith. Robert Cotton, a Tobacco pipe-maker; Peter Keffer, a gunsmith. Richard Dole, a Blacksmith; Rob: Alberton, a perfumer, and divers others to the number of 120.
Source: The General Historie of Virginia, New England and The Summer Isles (Vol. I) by John Smith
Genealogy Tips by Jeannette Holland Austin
If you are researching your ancestors during the early 1700s, Jamestown and then Williamsburg is where to search. Unfortunately, the old Jamestown records were lost in a fire. That is a problem for all genealogists.
However, you can acquire records of the London Company before it dissolved. The following is a list of names of those who were to go to Jamestown in 1608.
Hint: The one thing to remember is to search the adjoining counties where your ancestors resided. After 1607, Jamestown settlers moved into other area.
