William Ewens (Ewen, Evans, Ewins) Family
England & Virginia


"Capt." William Ewen/Ewens
b. probably about 1579-1580 [Hashaw 2016]
(early researchers use the christened date of 18 Feb 1595 St Botolph, London, Middlesex, England
which we believe belonged to a nephews family by the same name)
d. prior to August 1650 Greenwich, St. Alphage, Kent Co., England

1m. Margaret Clement  10 Feb 1612/13 Stepney, St. Dunstan, London, England [McCartney 286]
christened: 8 Feb 1595 St Andrew by the Wardrobe, London, Eng.
d. ...............
perhaps James City, VA
probably first married (John Clement abt 1569 London, Eng.)
and recorded herself as "a widow" at her marriage to William Ewens
(apparently she had a son, John Clement Jr., of this marriage who died at age 20) [Hashaw 2016]
her father: unknown          mother: ?

his father: perhaps John Ewens b. 1569 London, St. Boltolph, Without Aldgate, London, England
his mother: perhaps Margaret or Ann
only known child
Mary Ewens
b.  1641 possibly Greenwich, Kent, England
d.                 
m. Andrew Barron 1670 in James City, Virginia
unknown daughter


m. Thomas Stevens


There were two William Ewens in Jamestown, one was servant, coming over in 1619, who apparently had no heirs and William Ewens who was a ship captain who arrived in August 1619 and had a wife and daughter named Mary.  A good deal is known about William Ewens the sea captain.

There is a mystery about the baptismal date of 1595 that some researchers have used as the birth date for William.  While it is typical or traditional that a baptism would take place shortly after the birth this doesn't seem to fit with this particular William Ewen.  It could be the date for the baptism of his brother's son or William's nephew also named William Ewen.  Another theory that I have is based on historical problems at the time of Capt. William Ewen whose life over laps with Henry VIII.  When Henry VIII took over the Catholic churches in England he established the Anglican Church as a replacement.  I believe this caused a major problem to Capt. William for advancement due to the fact that his family seems to have roots in Ireland which was a strongly Catholic country.  I think he could have taken the action of having himself re-baptized in the Anglican religion. This would have eliminated the potential discrimination for religious and cultural differences in English society.  The practice of re-baptism was done in Spanish controlled Louisiana Territory which required American colonists to be re-baptized in the Catholic religion when they became residents of the territory after the American Revolution. 

To quote extensively from McCartney's "Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, 1607-1635"

"In late August 1619 William Ewen (Ewens, Ewins, Evans) a sea captain, went to Old Point Comfort with Lieutenant William Peirce and John Rolfe to meet the ship Treasurer, which had brought some Africans to Virginia.  In July 1621 Ewen was identified as captain of the George, when the Virginia Company hired him to take 80 people from Isle of Wight to Virginia.  One of his passengers was incoming governor,  Sir Francis Wyatt.  William Ewen owned the ship Charles. Which he leased to the Virginia Company.  In July 1622 he brought three men to Virginia on the James.  On April 20, 1623, when William Ewen refuted the claims that Captain Nathaniel  Butler had made about conditions in the colony, he said that he had made four trips to Virginia as the master of ships and had lived there for a year.  In July 1623 he promised Virginia Company officials that he would send surplus supplies to Virginia.  In May 1625 William Wen was credited with a 1000 - acre plantation on the lower side of the James River, opposite Jamestown, property that already had been seated.  On May 23, 1625, The General Court's justices noted that when the men from the College in Henrico were evacuated to safety after the March 22, 1622, Indian attack, they had been placed on Mr. Ewen's plantation, He also took custody of the supplies sent to the people who intended to establish the East India School.  On May 26, 1634, William Ewen, who was then in England, was among those claiming that they had had families in Virginia for several years and feared for their well-being if Morris Thompson became the colony's sole supplier. In March 1640 Ewen was described as a merchant by colonist George Read.  On April 2, 1649, when William Ewen made his will, which was proved in August 1650, he indicated that he was a mariner and native of Greenwich, in Kent, England.  He named as heirs his wife and his daughter, both of whom were named Mary, and indicated that he still owned some land in Virginia, the property he had acquired during the 1620's. " [McCartney p286]

1619, late August - The first Africans arrived at Point Comfort, on the James River. There were "20 and odd Negroes" from the English ship the "White Lion" sold in exchange for food. They are later sold in Jamestown.  There is some argument about their origin.  Some have argued that they came from the Caribbean while Spanish records indicate that they had been captured in Angola, which had been a Portuguese colony in West Central Africa.  The Spanish slave ship Sao Joao Bautista had been tasked to carry them to Mexico when confronted by the White Lion and the Treasurer, another English ship. They were in effect stolen by the English and then resold. These ships have not proved to be ones of the William Ewens fleet, however, he was in Jamestown when the ships arrived and was requested by the Governor Sir Edwin Sandy to go down and see about the ships. Before he could meet with the captain of the Treasurer she bolted out of the bay. It seems that the Treasurer has sold its share of 14 slaves in Bermuda before arriving in Jamestown. Court proceeding lay out the whole story. [Encyclopedia of Virginia, Library of Virginia]

According the latest research, Jamestown refused to sell the ship supplies because the captain and ships owners were thought to be pirates and presented the colony with legal complications. "John Rolfe, William Peirce and Mr. Ewins (sometimes spelled Ewens or Evans)" arrived in Jamestown after Captain Elfrith and the ship's owners had gone while a remaining member of the Treasurer was taken to Jamestown to be interrogated under penalty of death about the cargo and events.  "Captain Elfrith arrived in the English colony of Bermuda with twenty-five Africans he still had on board. The were taken into custody and detained by deputy governor Miles Kendal until the incoming governor, Nathaniel Butler, arrived. Butler later told a superior that if not for the Africans he would not have been able to rayse one pound of Tobacco this year" to generate revenue. He added that 'These Slave are the most proper and cheape instruments for this plantation.' "  [Encyclopedia of Virginia, Library of Virginia]

First slaves Virginia
The landing of the first Negroes in Jamestown, VA 1619
courtesy of Encyclopedia of Virginia, Library of Virginia

As far as Andrew Barron, I have no record for his arrival but there was a Henry Barrone in Jamestown in 1623 who left Martin's Hundred. [McCartney 116]

1619, September - William Ewen's Plantation (13)

"In September 1619 William Ewen received a patent for 400 acres of land located on the lower side of the James River.  His property abutted northwest upon the land of Edward Grindon (Grindon's Hill), which later became part of the Treasurer's Plantation (11. In January 1621 Ewen received a patent for an additional 1,000 acres fronting upon  Cobham Bay and located upon the west side of a stream that became known as the Sunken Marsh or College Run.  Refugees from the College land (66) in Henrico were taken to the Ewens property in the wake of the March 1622 Indian attack.  The people sent to establish the East India School were placed there, too. By the mid-1630s the Ewen plantation had become known as the College. In 1648 it came in to hands of William Edwards and Rice Davis. [McCartney 42]

1620, June - The following document states that he was 40 years old in 1620.  This corresponds better with ownership of a ship "George" and captain of some experience.

1620 - June 22- William Euans is paid 87 L 10 shillings for work done for the Virginia Company. 
                      Richard Euans receives 50 L
                      Hugh Euans receives 50L.          [The Records of the Virginia Company of London, Vol. 3.  p. 323]

1621, July - 256 William Ewens.

Covenant on part of Wm. Ewens for 480L to see that the Ship George 150 tun is staunch and strong and fitted out with furniture and with mariners and seamen, to take on passenges and goods and to bring back tobacco from the plantation, with forfeit of 1000L.                  B.M.             [The Records of the Virginia Company of London, Vol. 1.  p. 149]

257 William Ewens
Covenant by Wm. Ewens to fit out the Ship Charles, 80 tun and take same with fraight and passengers to Virginia for certain (blank) sum.  Forfeit of 1000L for not returning ship with freight. 
                                                                           
[The Records of the Virginia Company of London, Vol. 1.  p. 149]


CLXXVII. William Ewens.  Covenant with the Company for Virginia.. July, 1621

Additional manuscripts, 14285, Folios 78a-79a
Document in British Museum, London
List of Records No. 256

[78d]To all to whome these presente shall come greetinge Knowe yee that I Wm Ewens Mr of the good Ship the George of 150 tun burden nowe resident in the Riuer of Thames for and in consideracon of the Sume of 480L of good lawfull money of England to mee in hand paide and deliured by the Treasuror and Companie of Aduenturors and Planters of the Cittie of London for the first Colonie in Virginia before the insealinge and deliuery hereof and for and in consideracon of certaine couenante between them and mee agreed I the said Wm Ewens do promise and couenant in manner and forme following Imprimis that the good Shipp the George before her departure out of the Riuer of Thames shalbe stronge and staunch and in all thinge well fitted and prouided as well with furniture belonging to a Shippe as also Marriners and Sea fitt and sufficient for the safe and good pformance of the voyage now intended and couenanted

[79] Item I doe couenant and promise with the first oppertunity of wynde and weather to sett sayle wth the first Shippe for the Porte of Cowes neare the Ile of Wight and there to receaue and take into the said Shippe such Passenger and goode as the said Treasuror and Company shall direct and appointe and no other and I do further couenante and promise after the passengers and goode shalbe receaued into the said Shipe to departe from thence the directist course for the Port of James Citty in James Riuer in the Kyng Kingdome of Virginia and during the time of the said voyage to giue and make such allowance of victuall to the Passengers as by the Shedull herevnto affixed is specified.  And I doe promise and couenant to deliuer the said Passenger and goode (mortallity and dangers of the Seas onely excepted) safe and well condiconed at James Cittie in Virginia accordinge as the said Treasuror and Company shall direct and appointe. 

And I do further promise and couenant to take and receaue into the said Shippe the George such Tobacco as the Gouernor and officers residinge in Virginia shall lade aboord here duringe the time that the said Shippe shall [79d] abide in Virginia for the Account of the said Treasuror and Company here in England & the said Tobacco and their goode to deliuer and consigne safe and well condiconed (the danger of the Seas excepted) to such ffactors in England or Holland aor Ireland and at such Porte as the said Treasuror and Companie shall appointe and ordaine.

And to the pformance of all the singular the Couenante aboue recited to be well and truely holden kept and pformed in all thinge by mee I the said Wm Ewens binde my self my executors and Administrators and goode and namely the Shippe aforesaid wth the fraight tackle boale and apparell of th same vnto th saide Treauror and Companie and their Successors in the Sume or penaltie of 1000L of lawfull money of England well and truely to be paide by these presente: In Wittnesse whereof I haue herevnto sett my hand and Seale this [blank] day of July 1621  And in the years of the riagne of or soueraigne Lord James by the grace of God King of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland Defendor of the faith ct that is to say of England france and Ireland the 19th and of Scotland the fower and fiftith. 
                                                                

                                          [The Records of the Virginia Company of London, Vol. 3.  p. 465-466]


Jamestown ship
Replicas of Jamestown ships, near Jamestown, VA.
photo Elroy Christenson 1999

1622, July 31 -"John, William Ewin's African servant, left England July 31, 1622 and came to Virginia on the James. " [McCartney 423]
"John" comes into the colonies four months after the native American massacre
in March of about 25% of the population.  Many of the Jamestown residents took refuge on William Ewen's estate. The area eventually becomes the East India School.

1623, after April -  "Robert, Mr. Ewin's servant, who lived at one of the plantations on the lowere side of the james River , died sometime after April 1623 but before February 16, 1624." [McCartney 601]

1623- April 30 -
I William Ewens have gone Mr of Ships to Virginia 4 seuerall times & lived one wholl year ther or ther aboutes, and affirme all the answers aboue except that of the Ordinance and Pallisadoes.                     William Ewens. [278]

                                                                          [The Records of the Virginia Company of London, Vol. 2.  p. 385]
1624 - "William Ewen of Limehouse, mariner, on 17 Dec., 1624, bought a messuage and wharf on the south side of the Thames at East Greenwich in Kent from Martha, widow of Thomas Raynborowe for L600. He appears to have lived in Limehouse in Stepney until 1637 when he moved to Greenwich, for he was chosen a vestryman of Stepney Parish in 1627 and elected a churchwarden in 1632.  In 1637 he presented an account of his wardenship and from that date onward appears in the records of Greenwich, Kent.  This known because William Ewen prospered and became the owner of a fleet of ships sailing to Virginia, Turkey, and the East Indies.  in consequence of his enterprises he was often involved in chancery and maritime suits." [Bobbie 43]

1626 - Patents Granted to Settlers in Virginia in the Corporation of James City Published in 1626 the The Territory of Tappahanna over against James City.

                                                                    Acres
John Dodd                                                    150
John Burrows                                               150  planted
Richard Pace,                                               200  planted
Francis Chapman                                         100
Thomas Gates,                                             100
Mr. John Rolfe,                                            400  planted  (husband of Pocahontas, later transported on "The George" to Eng.)
Captain William Powell,                              200  planted
Captain Samuel Mathews,                           dividend,   planted
Captain John Hurlestone,                                "                "
John Bainham,                                             200  planted
Mr. Geoge Sandys,                                      300  planted
Edward Grendon,                                        150  planted
William Ewens,                                        1000  planted (owner of "The George")
Captain William Powell,                             550  planted
Ensign John Utie,                                        100  planted
Robert Evers,                                               100  planted

In Hog Island, Mary Baily, 500 acres planted by patent.
In Hog Island, Captain Ralph Hamor, by claim 250 A. planted
Upon easterly side of Chippokes Creek is appointed 500 acres belonging to ye place of  ---------? .

                                        [Boddie 35]
1643-  The following record indicates that Capt. Wm. Ewens owned "The George" that transported Pocahontas and her husband John Rolfe.  Actually Pocahontas and John Rolfe and their son were transported first to England on the ship "Treasurer" in 1619 although Ewens may have been part of this earlier event.  John Rolfe had married in 1614.  They were about to return with their son on "The George" when Pocahontas became ill and died in 1622.  She is buried at Gravesend's St George's Church in an unmarked grave. John Rolfe had been awarded about 1000 acres of land near Capt. Ewens on the opposite bank from Jamestown although he never lived there.  [Wikipedia] Pocahantas in 1616
   Pocahontas in 1616,
engraving by Simon de Passe, 1616
[courtesy of wikipedia common]

John B. Boddie in Colonial Surry states that the largest land owner in Surry in 1626 was Captain William Ewen. He had 1,000 acres planted and 400 acres not yet cleared. Another 1100 acres were patented in 1643.

William Ewen was captain and owner of the ship "George" which made numerous trips to Virginia, bringing two of Virginia's governors among its many passengers. Lady Pocahontas and her husband, John Rolfe, were also transported by the "George". William Ewen evidently quit the sea, made his home in England, and became a prosperous merchant and the owner of a fleet of ships sailing to Virginia, Turkey, and the East Indies. His will provided for Mary his wife, and Mary, his daughter.

                                        [Boddie, John B., Colonial Surry (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1966), pp.41-44.]

1629, May 6 -  "William Dunn, a 29 -year-old sailor from Limehouse in Middlesex, testified that when the Saker arrived in Virginia in 1627, it delivered one passenger, an African, to William Ewen's plantation."  [McCartney 269]

1649, April 2 -  William Ewens Will.

1649 - William Ewens of Greenwich, county Kent, mariner.  Will 2 April 1649; proved 12 August 1650.  To Mary L100 out of my lands and tenements in England.  The Ballast wharfe and 4 tenements in Greenwich to my daughter Mary; if she died befrioe 21, then to Thomas Ewens the elder during life and at his decease on hald to William and Thomas Ewens his two sons and their issue, failing them or their issue to my kinsmen Ewen Johnson and Ewen Peters, the other half to Ewen Johnson, Margaret Johnson, Ewen Peters, Mary Noble, and her daughter.   My executors to take a friendly care of my cousin Mary Noble and her daughter.  To Mary my wife one third of all my shipping debts oweing by bill bond or from the Parliament in any wise, the other two thirds I give to my daughter Mary.  To Mary my daughter the two shares of land I have in Sommer Islands, being 60 acres not or lante in the occupation of one William Farmer.  To Thomas Ewens the elder the North Mill standing upon the Deanes at Yarmouth now in occupation of John Broome.  To William Stevens my son in law L100.  To Thomas Ewens the elder and to his four children, William, Thomas, Thomazine, and Martha Ewens 20s each. To Margaret Johnson, Ewen Johnson, Ewen Peters, Susan Pigott, Mary Noble, and her daughter 20s each to be raised out of my shiping and the sale of my land in Virginia. 
        Executors: Wife and Daughter, Thomas Stevens and Arnold Browne. 
        Witnesses: Frances Cordwell, William Denmay, Paul Paine, John Weeks, John Wardall.  Codicil 30 April 1650.  Mentions L30 in my hands for Ewen Peters when 21 given unto him by his grandfather John Ewen.  Witnesses: William Ewen, Mathew Walker.    Pembroke, 132        

1660- June 30 - Mrs Mary Ewen gave of attorney to Mr. Francis Newton, planter, to handle her affairs in Virginia, as a substitute for her well beloved brother Nicholas Newton since deceased and Richard Hopkins his attorney, 6 Dec. 1659. Mrs Ewen held 1400 acres of land, 7 negroes, 50 head of cattle, 15 hogs, etc. [Boddie, 44]

1704- Andrew Barron is living in Essex Co., Virginia and show up in the rent rolls.

Barron Andrew               Essex County, 1704
Barber James King & Queen County, 1704
Barber Tho. York County, 1704
Camp Thomas King & Queen County, 1704
Camp Wm. Glocester, Abbington Parish
Glascock Richd. Glocester, Kingston Parish

undated ( but abt. 1717) -  Andrew Barron, (transfers) to Henry Jonejan, son of Henry ye Elder, of Nansemond Co., VA. 235 acres known as Cobb's pond, at Meherrin.  Test, Andrew Barant, Benj. Weston, William Speight. [Hathaway p. 9]

1704 -   "A True and Perfect Rent Roll of all the Lands held in Essex County this present year 1704.
            Barron, Andrew             50  "  
            [Wertenberg. p. 236]

1720 - Andrew Barron.  Book III, page 6, April 5, 1720; 266 acres on Poplar Run. [Hathaway p. 12]

sources:

Family Index | Ancestor Chart 193 | Surname Index   | Jamestown History
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