Ralph Hamor
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Captain Ralph Hamor (1589–1626) was one of the original colonists to settle in Virginia, and author of A True Discourse of the Present State of Virginia, which he wrote upon returning to London in 1615.
Spellings of his first and last name vary; alternate spellings include "Raphe", "Hamer", and "Haman".[1]
Early life
Hamor was one of eight children born to Raphe Hamor and Mabell Loveland Hamor and was baptized in the parish of Saint Nicholas Acons, London on February 16, 1589. It is likely that he was born in this parish.[2] As his father was a wealthy merchant tailor, Hamor had an excellent education and was able to attend Brasenose College, Oxford and a student with his name is listed as admitted to Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
Career
In 1609, Hamor and his father, both members of the
In the fall of 1609, Hamor returned to London, returning to Virginia the following spring. On April 9, 1610, Hamor escorted
On June 22, 1610, Hamor was named Secretary of the Colony by
In 1615, he returned to London to publish their stories in the A True Discourse of the Present State of Virginia. In his tales, he talks about Pocahontas as the most beloved child of her father, his "delight and darling,".
By summer of 1621, some local Indian tribes became increasingly hostile towards the colonists. Hamor wrote in a letter to the council after the attack on the Flowerieu Hundred plantation: "So sudden in their cruel execution, that few or none discerned the weapon or blow that brought them to destruction."That evening, Captain Hamor took his ship and a Pinnace to attempt to collect the wounded from the different plantations." On June 27, Hamor reached an agreement with the King of the Potomac Indians against the Opechancanough and Necochincos tribes, "Their and our enemy."
As a council member, Hamor was granted land from the
In February, 1622, Hamor returned from England to Virginia in command of Sea Flower with 120 new settlers, which included two servants of Hamor's, Thomas Powell and Elkinton Ratliffe, both to work on Hog Island.[9]
Indian attack of 1622
On Friday, March 22, 1622, Hamor, his older brother Thomas, and six of their male servants were attacked by the Indians as the colonists were building Hamor's new house in Warrosquyoake Shire. The colonists drove off their attackers by using bricks, spades, and anything else they could get their hands on.[6] Of the roughly 1,200 Jamestown residents, 347 were killed that day. Thomas was wounded with an arrow to the back during the attack, and his cousin Nathaniel Powell was killed.[10] After the attack, Hamor was ordered to escort the surviving Warrosquyoake Shire settlers to the safety of Jamestown Island, then to stand as command of the Martin's Hundred settlers who were also brought up to Jamestown. Once things settled down, Hamor found himself in a land dispute with one of the biggest plantation owners in Virginia, Edward Bennett.[5] In the summer of 1622, Hamor embarked on a few trade expeditions, as well as a few retaliatory raids against the Native Americans.
By the summer of 1622, the colony was struggling with maintaining adequate food supplies, so the Council ordered several ships to travel far up the Chesapeake Bay to trade with other tribes for food, and if diplomacy failed, use force. Captain Eden commanded Furtherance while Hamor commanded Tiger up the bay. These efforts brought back 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) of critically needed corn.
Abigail arrived in December, loaded with armor and gunpowder rather than the expected and very necessary food supplies. This ship also was loaded with sick passengers, all of whom were allowed to come ashore. By the spring of 1623, another 500 colonists died from illness, malnutrition, and more sporadic Indian attacks.
Later years
At some point in the early 1620s, Hamor married Elizabeth Fuller Clements, with whom he had no recorded children.[2]
On June 11, 1623, Thomas Hamor, died of a burning fever, as reported by surgeon
During the spring of 1624, Hamor became involved in another land dispute, this time with
On August 14, 1624, Hamor acquired a home on a 1.5 acre lot.
By 1625, Hamor had acquired 250 acres on Hog Island, and another 500 acres at Blue Point, while remaining involved in legal matters of the Jamestown colony, including land disputes, public blasphemy hearings, illegal alcohol sales, even the authorization of the arrest of the town's gunsmith John Jefferson, who eloped with his maidservant.[5]
Hamor died around October 11, 1626. Just after his death, Elizabeth remarried Captain Tobias Felgate in early February, 1627, but she died just two years later back in England, in 1629.[11]
References
- ^ "Second Charter of Virginia (1609)". Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
- ^ a b Eckhardt, Joshua. "Hamor, Ralph (bap. 1589–by October 11, 1626)". Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
- ^ ISBN 9780871520265
- ^ Robinson Family Genealogical and Historical Association (1906), The Robinsons and their kinfolk, third series, July, 1906: officers, constitution and by-laws, historical sketches illustrated, members of Association, The Association
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8063-1774-8
- ^ a b "Order of First Families of Virginia", 3rd Ed, 1987, p. 197
- ^ Hamor, True Discourse. p. 802.
- ^ a b c d The Robinsons and their kin folk By Robinson Genealogical Society, Robinson Family Genealogical and Historical Association
- ^ Musters of the Inhabitants in Virginia 1624/1625 chapters, pages 201 thru 265
- ^ "Genealogies of Virginia Families from Tyler's Quarterly Historical" p.380, By Genealogical Publishing Company
- ^ a b Adventurers of Purse and Person Virginia 1607-1624/5
- ^ "Early Virginia Families Along the James River: James City County, Surry" By Louise Pledge Heath Foley
- ^ "1624 Census Hog Island". RootsWeb. Retrieved 2016-05-04.