Sally's great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great
-great Grandparents:
Capt. Peter Hayes
ca 1571 - aft 1641 |
his parents
& Mrs. Margaret Howse
| her parents
of Cheshire, England & Isle of Wight Co, Virginia
This is my working hypothesis - the way I see it as of this moment!!
Capt Peter Hayes, Sea Captain, the third son of John Hayes and
his wife Elizabeth (Starkey) Hayes, was born in Great Budworth Parish in Cheshire
about 1571. (Will of John Hayes, Chester Consistory Court, 1597). According to the laws of
primogeniture, Peter did not inherit, but was given an education, and at the proper age
apprenticed to his cousin Edward Hayes of Liverpool, who owned a ship called "The
Golden Hind". (Quinn, Hist Soc Lancashire & Cheshire Vol III p25 et
seq)
After completing his nautical apprenticeship, Peter Hayes married Mrs. Margaret
Howse, a
young widow living in Heston Parish, Middlesex; the date 1 8 Sept 1591. (London
Genealogical Society, Great Index.)
In the year 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England. History says that he was
totally unprepared to conduct the foreign affairs of Britain.
The king's sale of the nation's fighting ships left the merchant marine at the mercy of
the privateers of France and Spain, as well as the Mediterranean pirates. A severe
economic depression followered, resulting in unemployment for hundreds of sailors. Holland
was quick to capitalize on the English misfortune and it was said that soon there were
more English sailors manning Dutch ships than Dutchmen. (Bruce, Esonomic
Hist. of Virginia
in the XVII Cent p 56 published 1 895 MacMillan)
Peter Hayes, now a sea captain, was hired by the Dutch to sail between the port on Texel
Island and Greenland where the Netherlands had a colony. He made his home in Edam not far
from Amsterdam. (de Vries, Original Narrative of Early American History vol 7 Scribner.)
It was during James's reign 1603-1625 that the Pilgrims and other Dissenter groups sailed
to America - determined to found a society in the New World. In 1630 the Dutch West India
Co ordered Capt Hayes to conduct a party of emigrants with their supplies to a small
Caribbean Island called Tortugas. He sailed his merchant ship "Walvis" from
Texel on December 20 1630. After touching at Tortugas he proceeded north to Virginia. His
destination was the South River of Delaware known today as Delaware Bay. Here the patrons
of the West India Company planned to establish a whale-fishing station and a new
Netherlands colony.
The "Walvis" returned home safely and Captain Peter Hayes terminated his work
with his Dutch employers. Evidently he decided to make his home in the new world where he
had found many Cheshire families living on the southside of the James River in Virginia.
The Virginia Land Office records (Nugent, Cavaliers & Pioneers p 67 2nd ed) show that
he purchased 350 acres of land from George Hardy before 1636. This plantation was located
on Pagan Point Creek, today known as Jones Creek. Peter must have arrived several years
before 1636 since the registry was always delayed.
The final reference we have to Peter Hayes is found in the Minutes of the Virginia
Assembly, 1641: a petition presented requesting that "divers poore men" who have
"long inhabited here" and are now grown "decreped and impotent" be
relieved from the usual taxes. Among the five was the name of "Peeter Hayes" The
request was granted, church tithes excepted. (Hayes, A E: Hayes in Va & NC)
Children of Capt Peter Hayes & Margaret Howse
1. Peter Hayes the envoy ca 1600 - 1668
2. Ann Hayes
married 1 st Thos. Bevan
married 2nd --- Cornish
Grandchildren of Peter Hayes, the sea captain
Known sons of Peter Hayes the envoy:
1. Peter Hayes, planter ca 1650-1721
2. Thomas Hayes, planter 1645-died Northumberland Co, VA
3. Edward Hayes, planter employed by John Giles 1680
4. Jacob John Hayes, ship captain lived at Salmon Ck, NC
He was master of the "Constant" out of London. He and his first mate Edward
Cooke were subpoenaed to appear in court in London re. Bacon's Rebellion. Instead of
Complying they left the sea and took up land "in Albemarle." He dropped the use
of his first name and went by John.
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