Sir George Yeardley, a man whose life was as etched in the rough soil of the Colony of Virginia as the lines on a weathered map, was more than just a planter and colonial governor. He was a participant, a survivor, and a pivotal figure in the nascent stages of what would become a nation. Born in 1587, Yeardley’s journey from the bustling streets of St. Saviour's Parish, Southwark to the challenging shores of the New World is a narrative woven with ambition, disaster, and the enduring, often brutal, realities of colonial expansion. His tenure as governor, marked by significant legislative milestones, also coincided with the grim introduction of enslaved Africans into English North America, a fact that hangs heavy in the historical record.
Early Life and Military Aspirations
The year of Yeardley’s baptism, 1588, saw him christened in the parish of St. Saviour’s, a part of Surrey that hummed with the activity of London life. His father, Ralph Yeardley, was a merchant-tailor, a profession that promised a certain stability and prosperity. Yet, young George harbored a different calling. He eschewed the predictable path of trade, opting instead for the soldier's life. This inclination led him to join a company of English foot-soldiers, a force dispatched to fight the Spanish in the Netherlands. It was in this capacity, as a military man, that he first gained the attention of those involved in the ambitious colonial ventures of the Virginia Company of London. His appointment as Captain of the Guard (effectively, his personal bodyguard) for Sir Thomas Gates, the newly designated Governor of Virginia, marked his fateful entry into the annals of American colonization.
The Ordeal of the Sea Venture
Yeardley's passage to Virginia was anything but smooth. He set sail on June 1, 1609, aboard the Sea Venture, the proud flagship of the Third Supply expedition, intended to bolster the struggling settlement at Jamestown. The journey, however, devolved into a harrowing test of endurance. After eight weeks at sea, with landfall seemingly imminent, the convoy was caught in the unforgiving maw of a tropical storm. The Sea Venture was driven off course and ultimately shipwrecked on the shores of Bermuda.
Miraculously, all hands survived the tempest. The castaways found themselves on an island that, while uninhabited, proved surprisingly bountiful. Yet, paradise was not without its trials. The ten-month sojourn in Bermuda was fraught with difficulties, including internal strife among the survivors. Sir Thomas Gates, in an attempt to maintain order, declared martial law. Despite these challenges, the resourceful castaways managed to construct two seaworthy vessels: the Deliverance, a ship of some 70–80 tons, and the smaller pinnace named Patience. These ships eventually carried the survivors to Jamestown, where they arrived on May 23, 1610.
Jamestown: A Harsh Welcome and a Glimmer of Hope
The scene that greeted Yeardley and the other survivors of the Sea Venture was one of utter devastation. The Jamestown settlement, plagued by disease, starvation, and conflict with the indigenous Powhatan people, was on the brink of collapse. Many of the original colonists had perished during the infamous Starving Time. Faced with such dire circumstances, Sir Thomas Gates, upon his arrival, made the difficult decision to abandon the colony. He ordered Captain Yeardley to marshal his soldiers to guard the town and ensure that no structures were set ablaze by the departing settlers.
Just as the evacuation was about to commence, a new vessel arrived, carrying Lord de la Warr, the newly appointed governor, along with much-needed supplies. De la Warr’s timely arrival breathed new life into the faltering colony, preventing its complete abandonment. Captain Yeardley, now firmly established in Virginia, played a role in the establishment of early fortifications. He served as co-commander of Forts Henry and Charles, located at Kecoughtan (modern-day Hampton, Virginia). In October 1610, under Lord De La Warr’s command, Yeardley, alongside Captain Edward Brewster, led an expedition of 150 men into the interior, ostensibly in search of silver and gold mines.
A Political Ascent and the Dawn of Representation
Yeardley’s capabilities did not go unnoticed. In 1616, he was appointed Deputy-Governor of Virginia. During this period, he demonstrated a diplomatic acumen by forging an agreement with the Chickahominy Indians. This pact, which secured vital food supplies and a period of peace, lasted for two years.
The year 1618 proved to be a watershed moment for both Yeardley and the colony. The Virginia Company of London, seeking to revitalize its investment and encourage further settlement, issued its "Instructions to George Yeardley." This document, later known as the Great Charter, was groundbreaking. It mandated the establishment of a general assembly in Virginia and formalized the ancient planter/headright system, designed to incentivize immigration by granting land to those who financed the passage of new settlers. The instructions also included provisions for the establishment of a college.
On November 24, 1618, in recognition of his service and his impending return to Virginia, George Yeardley was knighted by King James I during an audience at Newmarket. He was appointed to a three-year term as governor, a significant position of authority. Before embarking on his voyage back to Virginia, a great comet appeared in the English sky. While some interpreted it as a dire omen, others, perhaps with a touch of romanticism, saw it as a harbinger of American liberty.
Among those who sailed with Yeardley was John Pory, a relation of Yeardley’s wife, Temperance Flowerdew, who served as secretary to the colony. The influence of Temperance Flowerdew’s family was further evidenced by the presence of Ensign Edmund Rossingham, a nephew, among the representatives sent to the first General Assembly.
The Birth of the House of Burgesses
Sir George Yeardley's most enduring legacy is his role in presiding over the first representative legislative body in America. The Virginia General Assembly, known then as the House of Burgesses, convened for its inaugural session on July 30, 1619, within the church at Jamestown. This assembly, composed of elected representatives from various settlements throughout the colony, marked a pivotal step towards self-governance in the New World. Among its initial acts was the regulation of the price of tobacco, a crop that was rapidly becoming the economic backbone of Virginia.
It was also during Yeardley's governorship in August 1619 that the White Lion, an English privateer, arrived in the colony. This vessel carried "20. and odd" Angolans kidnapped in Africa, who were then exchanged for provisions. This transaction is widely recognized as the introduction of the trade in enslaved Africans into the English colonies of North America, a grim chapter that would profoundly shape the continent’s future.
Yeardley was again appointed deputy-governor in 1625. The following year, on September 11, 1626, he presided over a significant legal proceeding: the witchcraft inquiry of Joan Wright. This inquiry is notable as the first recorded legal investigation into witchcraft against an English settler in any British North American colony.
His final term as governor began on March 4, 1626, and concluded with his death on November 13, 1627.
Land Ownership and Family Ties
Sir George Yeardley was a man of considerable landholdings. In 1619, he secured a patent for 1,000 acres on Mulberry Island. He also established a significant private plantation upriver on the south bank of the James River, opposite Tanks Weyanoke. This estate he named Flowerdew Hundred, a name often assumed to be a romantic tribute to his wife, Temperance Flowerdew. However, evidence suggests the land may have been utilized by Stanley Flowerdew, Yeardley’s brother-in-law, prior to Yeardley’s patent.
The plantation at Flowerdew Hundred, with a population of approximately thirty individuals, proved to be economically successful, yielding substantial quantities of tobacco, corn, fish, and livestock. In 1621, Yeardley invested in the construction of the first windmill in British America, a post mill of English design, for which he paid 120 pounds. The plantation’s resilience was evident in its survival of the devastating 1622 onslaught by the Powhatan Indians, which resulted in the loss of only six lives. It is noteworthy that Yeardley also named his Mulberry Island plantation "Stanley Hundred," a clear acknowledgment of his in-laws. These landholdings and their naming conventions suggest that the alliance between the Yeardley and Flowerdew families was as much a strategic partnership driven by power and status as it was a personal union. Yeardley also owned several enslaved persons on his plantations.
Family Life
On October 18, 1618, George Yeardley married Temperance Flowerdew, the daughter of Anthony Flowerdew and Martha Stanley of Norfolk. This marriage, occurring shortly before his appointment as governor and subsequent knighting, cemented a powerful connection. While the commonly cited wedding date is 1618, the presence of their children born prior to this year suggests that the marriage likely took place between 1610 and 1615. Temperance herself had arrived in Virginia in August 1609, aboard the Faulcon, and was among the few to survive the Starving Time.
The couple had three children:
- Elizabeth Yeardley: Recorded as six years old in the February 1624 Jamestown Muster, suggesting a birth year around 1618. She was born in James City, Virginia, and is believed to have died between 1660 and 1666. Some speculate she married Major Joseph Croshaw, though definitive proof remains elusive.
- Argoll Yeardley: Aged four in the 1624 Muster, indicating a birth year around 1620. He would later represent Lower Norfolk county in the House of Burgesses in 1653.
- Francis Yeardley: The youngest, listed as one year old in the 1624 Muster, born around 1623.
Death and Lasting Influence
Sir George Yeardley passed away on November 13, 1627. He was laid to rest in the Jamestown Church in Jamestown, Virginia. His widow, Temperance Flowerdew, later married Governor Francis West. Their son, Argoll Yeardley, continued the family's political involvement, serving in the House of Burgesses. Argoll’s marriage to Ann Custis brought the influential Custis family into the Virginia colonial landscape, establishing a lineage that would play a significant role in the colony's future.
Archaeological Discovery
In a remarkable development, archaeologists from Jamestown Rediscovery and the Smithsonian Institution announced in July 2018 the discovery of a prominent burial within the historic church at Jamestown. Ground-penetrating radar had indicated the presence of a skeleton of an age and build consistent with Yeardley, who died in 1627 at approximately 40 years old. The burial’s location, orientation, and the skeletal remains themselves strongly support the identification as Sir George Yeardley. Further analysis, including DNA testing with the assistance of geneticist Turi King, who was instrumental in identifying the remains of Richard III, is underway. The results, expected to shed light on Yeardley’s lineage and provide crucial historical insights, are anticipated in time for the 2019 commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the first General Assembly.
In Popular Culture
The life and times of Sir George Yeardley have captured the imagination of storytellers. He is portrayed by actor Jason Flemyng in the British television series Jamestown.