Captain JamesDavis was born between 1575 and 1580 in England.1 He was the son of Sir Thomas Davis. Captain James Davis married Rachell Keyes circa 1607/8 in England. It is assumed they married either before James first sailed to America or on one of his many trips back to England around this time. Captain James Davis died circa 1633/34 in Henrico, Henrico County, Virginia, at approximately age 53-58.

The Muster lists of Virginia quoted by both Boddie and J.C. Hotten say "James Davis, dead at his plantation over the water from James Citte, Februay 16, 1623. Whether he was killed by the Indians or not is not shown." David Avant in his book "Some Southern Colonial Families" disagrees and thinks this was not our ancestor James Davis. He believes Captain James Davis died about 10 years later at his home in Henrico as evidenced by the land patent inherited by his son Thomas and other data, as listed below:

1) Avant believes that Captain James Davis, his wife Rachel and the rest of the family, including son Thomas, were on a trip back to England at the time of the Musters of the Living and Dead in 1624/5 and therefore were not listed.

2) The patent of 6 March 1633 to his son Thomas of Warwicksqueaiak in which Thomas was named heir apparent to "James Davis, Gent., late of Henrico in Virginia, deceased . . . 100 acres in right of his father, an Ancient Planter," (Virginia Land Patents, Book 1, p. 128) seems to support the evidence that the James Davis listed as dead in 1624/5 was not our Captain James Davis.

3) Both Captain James and his wife Rachel are listed as "Ancient Planters" in Nugent's "Cavaliers and Pioneers," which states: "James Davis, Gent. Came to Virginia before 1616 as did his wife Rachel. He died before March 6, 1633, "an Ancient Planter," see patent of his son Thomas Davis, of Warwicksqueaiak, March 6, 1635." Nugent's book also lays out the provisions for becoming Ancient Planters which appeared in the Charter of Orders from Sir Thomas Smythe, November 18, 1618, stating, in brief, they are those people who are known to have come to Virginia before the close of the year 1616, who survived the massacre of 1622, appeared in the Muster of 1624/4 as then living in Virginia, who remained for a period of at least three years, and who also must have paid their own passage. The Ancient Planters then received the "first patents of land in the new world as authorized by Sir Thomas Dale in 1618 for their personal adventure." It was also noted that "our intent is to establish our equal Plantations whereof we shall speak afterwards be reduced into four cities or Boroughs namely the chief city called James Town, Charles City, Henrico, and the Burough of Kocctan [later Elizabeth City]."2,3,4,5,6,7

James Davis held the titles of both a Gent. (or Gentleman) and a sea Captain. During his busy career, he was the Captain of Fort Sagadahoc, Commander of Ft. Saint George, a Colony Governor, Commander of Ft. Algernon, as well as commander over the colonists of Henrico, an original settler of Jamestown, Virginia, and a designated "Ancient Planter."

He is said to be the original Davis immigrant ancestor to America, often assumed to be the son of a Sir Thomas Davis of England. If Sir Thomas Davis was his father, as is often noted, it makes some sense that James Davis was involved in the early settlement of America since Sir Thomas was supposedly a member of the boards for both the London Company and the Plymouth Company (and later the Virginia Company), both of which were so greatly tied up in the movement to America. However, it has not been well-documented anywhere that Sir Thomas Davis actually was the father of Captain James Davis -- so I question the accuracy of this family relationship.8 However, Captain James, whether related to Sir Thomas or not, certainly appears to be one of the first Davises here, arriving first in 1607. David Avant writes in his book that Dr. Meredith B. Colket, Jr. had written to him, "I congratulate you on your success in establishing a lineage to Capt. James Davis. . . .In my opinion it represents the earliest established English lineage to Colonial North America. As such, it appears to surpass claims for the Savage and Graves families. . . .Neither Capt. John Smith nor anyone who accompanied him in the three vesssels that came to Virginia in 1607 is known to have left descendants in the male line."

Boddie notes Captain James Davis "was among the company of men assembled by Sir John Popham, 1607, to settle the region of Virginia which later was designated New England." In 1607 he first arrived in the northern colony of Virginia called Sagadahoc, Maine, as the Master on the Mary and John. He helped establish the colony at the mouth of the Kennebec River, and was appointed commander of Fort St. George there and also a Member of the Council of the new colony.9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18

Within the group of men at Sagadahoc at this time along with Captain James Davis there was also Captain Robert Davis and both were officers and involved in the colony's administration (Boddie). It has always been assumed there was another Davis at Sagadahoc with them, a John Davis, who may have been a brother. There has always been speculation as to their relationship and the following information may help to explain this confusion, not that it will actually solve the mystery of their relationship.They have often been assumed to be brothers based on a quote always credited to Captain John Smith about "a family of master mariners." The actual quotation, which seems to have been taken out of context, is the following which I found in both Thayer's book and also the Sabino book; the person speaking/writing is The Rev. Henry O. Thayer:

"Both Robert and James Davies were assigned to office in the colony administration. The former likewise, according to Strachey, was despatched to England in the Mary and John. It must be that the two, under the designations of 'Captain Davies and Master Davies,' were the officers in command of the Virginia in a voyage in 1609 to the southern colony. In the next year, Captain James Davies is reported from there as in command of 'Algernoone Fort,' at Point Comfort. Robert Davis, of Bristol, was master of Sir Walter Raleigh's vessel, the barke Rawley, which sailed in Sir H. Gilbert's expedition of 1583. (Hakluyt's Voyages, Ed. 1589, p. 684). John Smith mentions among 'those noble captains' connected with the planting of Sagadahoc, 'Robert Davis, James Davis and John Davis.' Josselyn (Chronol. Observations; Mass. Hist. Coll., 3rd Series, Vol. 3, p. 367) reports three successive voyages to the Northwest by Captain John Davis, in 1585-6-7 (Vide Life of John Davis, the Navigator, 1550-1605, by C. R. Markham (1890) ). A family of master mariners seems to be indicated."

It certainly appears to me that John Smith's comment was only about the "noble captains" and that the last comment about the "family of master mariners" was made by Henry O. Thayer commenting on not only the Davises at Sagadahoc but also the earlier Captain John Davis, the navigator. Perhaps he meant that there were a lot of Davises who were mariners but not necessarily that they were all related to one another. I also think this shows that there probably wasn't a John Davis with this group at Sagadahoc. Avant notes that there was "no proof of a close degree of relationship" amongst them, and I have to agree with Avant for the moment since I've yet to see anything to confirm or deny a family relationship.19,20,21,22

Unfortunately the colonists in Sagadahoc had a very hard time of it, many died, and most survivors returned home to England. Throughout the winter of 1607/8 the colonists built their own vessel, the pinnace "Virginia," and on his return from another trip to England (when he may possibly have been married), Captain James Davis was the one who took the colonists back to England on this little vessel, embarking for England on 17 October 1608. And so, the colony in northern Virginia came to an end. For an account of the first voyage to Maine and the building of that short-lived colony click on this icon

It has been fairly well concluded by Henry Thayer in his book "The Sagadahoc Colony" that Captain James Davis was the author of the very interesting but unsigned manuscript describing this settlement of Sagadahoc, which manuscript has a variety of names from the very short "Lambeth Ms." to the longer full title: "The Relation of a Voyage unto New England. Began from the Lizard, ye first of June 1607, by Captn Popham in ye ship ye Gift, & Captn. Gilbert in ye Mary & John: Written by . . . . . & found amongst ye Papers of ye truly Worpfull: Sr. Ferdinando Gorges, Knt. by me William Griffith." A copy of the first page of his handwritten account (seen above) can be found in Avant's volume 3 of "Some Southern Colonial Families," while the original manuscript resides at Lambeth Palace Library in London, the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury.2,16,10

James, now back in England and in command of the "Virginia," once again set sail on the 8th of June 1609 from Falmouth to Plymouth, England and joined a fleet of eight other ships known as the "Third Supply," with 500 persons aboard the 9 ships, headed by Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers, and bearing the new Charter of the Virginia Company granted by King James I, dated 23 May 1609. They all set sail for Virginia, running into a hurricane shortly after passing the Canary Islands and the "Virginia" under Capt. Davis with Master Davis also aboard, did not arrive at Jamestown until 3 October of 1609. (The story of the ships and that hurricane are said to have inspired Shakespeare to write "The Tempest.")

It is noted by various sources, e.g., David Avant, that Captain James Davis continued his voyages between Virginia and England and also went off on expeditions against the Indians, but his home base until his death was in Henrico, Virginia. To read more about Captain James Davis' personal life, his involvement with the early settlement of Sagahadoc, "The Relation," and Virginia, click this icon.10,2

From about 1609 on, it appears clear that James made his home in Henrico, Virginia. During the administration of Sir Thomas Dale, which ended in 1616, James had command of the colonists in Henrico.23

The Davis family, James, Rachell and young Thomas who must have been about 4 at the time, appear to have made a trip to England and are shown on Passenger and Immigration Lists returning to Virginia in 1617 on the "George." This appears to be when they brought with them and paid transport for George Cooke and Alice Mulleines.24,25

Child of Captain James Davis and Rachell Keyes Major Thomas Davis+ b. 1612/13, d. b 20 Sep 1683

Citations [S145] Davis Families of Montgomery County, Maryland by William Neal Hurley, Jr., Heritage Books, Inc., Maryland, 2001 (Our Maryland Heritage, Book 22), p. 37 "born c. 1575."
[S89] Some Southern Colonial Families, Vol III, David A. Avant, Jr. (L'Avant Studios, Tallahassee, Florida, 1989, www.davidavant.com).
[S69] Edited by John Camden Hotten, The Original Lists of Persons of Quality; Emigrants; Religious Exiles; Political Rebels....who went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, 1600-1700 (1874, London, from Ms. preserved in the State Paper Department of Her Majesty's Public Record Office, England; reprint on CD-ROM Columbia, Maryland: Archive CD Books, USA, 2006), p. 236. Hereinafter cited as Emigrants Who Went to America 1600-1700.
[S167] Virginia Land Patents, Book 1, p. 129.
[S64] 17th Century Isle of Wight County, VA, by John Bennett Boddie, 1938.
[S70] Nell Marion Nugent, compiler, Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents, Vol I 1623-1666 (Richmond, VA: Dietz Printing Co., 1934), data regarding Ancient Planters, pp. xxvi - xxxiv; Land Patent for Thomas Davis, p. 17. Hereinafter cited as Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts.
[S20] Fenton Garnett Davis Avant, The Davis-Wood Family of Gadsden County, Florida and Their Forebears (Box 738, Easley, South Carolina 29640: Southern Historical Press, 1979), noted "d. by 6 Mar. 1633/34," p. 373. Hereinafter cited as The Davis-Wood Family.
[S241] Kerry Davis Personal Comment: my tentative conclusions.
[S158] Wilbur D. Spencer, Pioneers on Maine Rivers with Lists to 1651 (1930, Lakeside Printing Co., Portland, Maine; reprint on CD-ROM Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, Inc., 1990), James Davis listed on "Gift of God" arriving from Plymouth, England with George Popham, president of Sagadahoc Colony and 120 men on two ships, the "Gift of God" and the "Mary & John" with Raleigh Gilbert as Admiral, p. 15. Hereinafter cited as Pioneers on Maine Rivers.
[S62] The Rev. Henry Otis Thayer, The Sagadahoc Colony, comprising The Relation of a Voyage into New England (1892, Portland, Maine; reprint New York, NY: Benjamin Blom, Inc., 1971). Hereinafter cited as The Sagadahoc Colony.
[S89] Some Southern Colonial Families, Vol III, David A. Avant, Jr. (L'Avant Studios, Tallahassee, Florida, 1989, www.davidavant.com), pp. 205-52, p. 904 (the handwritten first page of "The Relation"). Also quotes from Dr. Meredith B. Colket, Jr., Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists, Director of the Western Reserve Historical Society and author of "Founders of Early American Families" can be found on pp. 902-903.
[S64] 17th Century Isle of Wight County, VA, by John Bennett Boddie, 1938, Chapter XXIII, Captain James Davis of New England and Virginia; pp. 434-49.
[S65] Historie of Travaile Into Virginia by William Strachey.
[S67] True Relation by Captain George Percy, written circa 1607, Tyler's Magazine, Vol. III.
[S68] Conquest of Virginia, the Second Attempt, by Conway Whittle Sams.
[S66] The Relation of a voyage unto New England begun from the Lizard, ye first of June 1607 by Captain James Davis, The Gorges Society Publication, Vol. IV.
[S145] Davis Families of Montgomery County, Maryland, p. 37.
[S20] Fenton Garnett Davis Avant, The Davis-Wood Family, pp. 1-2, 373.
[S168] Sabino, Popham Colony Reader, 1602-2003, edited by Andrew J. Wahll, Paper 24. 1892 Henry Otis Thayer, The Sagadahoc Colony, Gorges Society IV, Benjamin Blom, Inc., 1971, p. 145.
[S62] The Rev. Henry Otis Thayer, The Sagadahoc Colony, entire book re Sagadahoc, and specifically pp. 19-20 in regard to the "family of master mariners" quotation.
[S89] Some Southern Colonial Families, Vol III, David A. Avant, Jr. (L'Avant Studios, Tallahassee, Florida, 1989, www.davidavant.com), Re relationship amongst James, Robert & John Davis, p. 213.
[S64] 17th Century Isle of Wight County, VA, by John Bennett Boddie, 1938, Chapter XXIII, Captain James Davis of New England and Virginia; pp. 435.
[S89] Some Southern Colonial Families, Vol III, David A. Avant, Jr. (L'Avant Studios, Tallahassee, Florida, 1989, www.davidavant.com), p. 214.
[S70] Nell Marion Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts, Vol. 1, p. 17: this references the land patent in 1633 of Thomas and the fact they transported two people with them on the George in 1617.
[S171] Ancestry.com, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Record, source 6220, citing Nugent and Research Passenger and Imigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005. Original data: Filby, P. William, editor, Passenger and Immigration Lsits Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Research 2003.
----------------------

Captain James Davis, 1580 - 1623

The early settlement of New England & Virginia

The following account is pieced together from many sources of the life, voyages and expeditions of Captain James Davis throughout the years of the earliest settlement of New England and Virginia before the Pilgrims arrived in 1620. (Go here to see more about Fort Sagahadoc)

The account begins when he was 27 years old and set sail on 1st June 1607 from Plymouth, England to Virginia, and continues to his death which was often thought to be "at his plantation over the water from James Citte" on February 16th 1623 -- but I now tend to agree with David Avant's conclusion that he died about ten years later in 1633/4, as you will see when you read through my account.

Captain Davis was a founder and builder of the first English colony in New England (Sagadahoc, Maine) which was considered to be a northern Virginia colony in those days. After the remaining members of that colony gave up and returned in discouragement to England in 1609, he sailed for the southern Virginia colony where he became one its earliest settlers, one of the "ancient planters." Boddie says that "his [Capt. James Davis'] descendants in the South can claim to be the oldest New England family, ante dating the Mayflower by 13 years!"

London, 1606, King James Grants Charters to Colonize Virginia

Boddie writes:

"King James I on the 10th of April 1606 granted charters for two companies to colonize Virginia. Strachey in his "Historie of Travaile Into Virginia," says that "one consisted of divers knights, gentlemen, merchants, and others of the City of London, called the First Colony (the London Company) and the other of sundry knights, gentlement, and others of the City of Bristoll, Exeter, and the towne of Plymouth and other places, called the Second Colonye (the Plymouth Company)."

"Sir John Popham, Lord Chief Justice of England, had obtained the charter to colonize nothern Virginia for the Second Colony and in 1606 sent out a ship under Captain Henry Callons, containing 100 or more persons. This ship was captured by the Spanish and the persons taken to Spain and "made slaves in their galleons."

Strachey says "Howbeyt, the aforesaid late Lord Chief Justice would not for all this Spanish mischief give over his determinacion for establishing a colony within the aforesaid so goodly a country, upon the river of Sachadehoc; but againe the next yeare prepared a greater number of planters, and better provisions, which in two shipps he sent forth."

The Voyage from England to Sagahadoc, Maine in 1607

The "two shipps sent forth" by Sir John Popham were the "Gift of God" commanded by Capt. George Popham and the "Mary and John" by Captain Raleigh Gilbert. (Capt. Raleigh Gilbert was a son of Sir Humphrey Gilbert who lost his life in the "Squirrel" on the voyage to Newfoundland in 1583.)

Captain James Davis was master of the "Mary and John" and he wrote an account of the voyage called "The Relation of a voyage unto New England begun from the Lizard, ye first of June 1607." Note: The author of this Ms. is not shown, his name being left blank on the title page, but The Rev. Henry Otis Thayer in his account of the Sagadahoc Colony (p. 19) gives his reason for believing that the author of "The Relation" was Captain James Davis, which seems conclusive.

Mr. Thayer further says, "both James and Robert Davis were assigned to office in the colony administration. It must be that the two under the designations of 'Captain Davies and Master Davies' were officers in command of the 'Virginia' in a voyage in 1609, to the Southern Colony. In the next year, Captain James Davis is reported from there in command of Algernon Fort at Point Comfort. Robert Davis of Bristol, had been master of Sir Walter Raleigh's vessel, the barke 'Rawley' which sailed in Sir Humfrey Gilbert's expedition of 1583. Mr. Thayer noted that Captain John Smith mentions "among those noble captains" connected with the planting of Sasgahadoc, were "Robert Davis, James Davis and John Davis." And further he, Rev. Thayer, writes that "Josselyn reports three successive voyages to the Northwest by Captain John Davis, in 1585-6-7." And then it is Mr. Thayer who wrote that "a family of master mariners seems to be indicated." Note: I have noted elsewhere that I have just recently (2007) discovered what was the correct quote and believe that many have assumed Captain John Smith was the one to comment on the "family of master mariners," seeming to imply and assumed by many that Robert, James and John Davis were brothers or related in some way, and that all were together at Sagadahoc. On reading it as originally written by Mr. Thayer in his book, one sees quite clearly that Thayer is the one who made that specific comment, and also when seeing that the John Davis being referred to here was John Davis the Navigator who died in 1605, it may be possible that they were related in some way, but there's so far no proof of this, and aside from this comment there is no mention or proof that a John Davis was connected to Sagadahoc at this time.

Monday, 1st June 1607 - Departure from Plymouth, England

Capt. James Davis, in his "Relation" says, "Departed from the Lyzard [Plymouth, England] the first day of June 1607, being Monday about 6 of the clock in the afternoon and it bore me then northeast by north eight leagues.

"From thence directed our course for the Islands of Flores and Corvo (Azores) in the which we were 24 days attaining all of which time we never saw but one saile, being a ship of Salcombe (Village of Devonshire) bound for Newfoundland. The first day of July being Wednesday we departed from the Island of Flores for ten leagues S. W. of it. From hence we kept our course to the westward until the 27th of July during which time we oftentimes sounded but never found grounds until the 27th day of July early in the morning we sounded and had ground in 18 Fathoms, beinge then in latitude 43 degrees 40' fished three hours and tooke near two hundred of Cods, very great and large fyshe, bigger than which comes to the Banke of Newfoundland (They passed some twenty miles S. W. of Sable Island.)

"From this point the course was set S. W." James Davis evidently was navigating the ship for he says "6th of August I found the ship to be in 43 d and 1/2 by my observation and from thense seth our course and stood away due weste and saw three other islands."

Wednesday, 19th Auguste 1607 -- Arrival in Maine

"Wednesday being the 19th Auguste we all went to the shore where we made choice for our plantation and there we had a sermon delivered in by our preacher."

19 Aug 1607 - Established Fort at mouth of Kennebec River in Maine. The colony was called the "Sagadahoc Colony." This colony preceded the "Mayflower" landing at Plymouth, Mass. by 13 years.

Captain John Smith says the officers of this colony by "That honorable patron of virtue Sir John Popham were: Captain George Popham for president. Captain Raleigh Gilbert for admiral. Edward Harlow, Master of the Ordinance, Captain Robert Davis, Sergeant Major, Captain Ellis Bert, Marshall, Mr. Leaman, Secretary, Captain James Davis, to be Captain of the Fort, Mr. Gome Carew to be searcher, all these were of the Counsel." The preacher was Richard Seymour.

John Bennett Boiddie also says: "Captain James Davis was Commander of the Fort extablished at the mouth of the Kennebec River, August 19, 1607 (o.s.) by that New England Colony called the "Sagadahoc Colony. After that colony returned to England, Captain Davis sailed for Virginia."

6 October 1607 -- Return to England

6 October 1607, James Davis sailed for England as Captain of the "Mary and John". His narrative in "Relation" suspends on the 6th of October 1607 and Mr. Thayer concludes from this that it was because James Davis sailed away for England. This vessel arrived in England December 1st after a voyage of 53 days. A plan of Fort St. George at Sagadahoc inscribed "taken out on the 8th of October 1607" was found in later years with the narrative.

The "Gift" also sailed from Sagadahoc Colony to England on 15 Dec 1607 and arrived at Plymouth 7 February 1608. These ships on arriving found that Sir John Popham (President) The Chief Justice, had died 10 Jun 1607, ten days after they had sailed away from England to Northern Virginia.

After these ships had left Sagadohoc, the last one carrying 45 persons who wished to return to England, the settlers who remained Began to build a ship with their limited means in the winter time in this bleak country and when this ship was finished, they called it the "Virginia" and it seems to have been a staunch trust-worthy vessel.

May 1608 Return to Sagadahoc

Captain James Davis again set sail for Sagadahoc and arrived, it is supposed, about the month of May 1608. He found the colonists had been through a severe winter. George Popham, the first president, had died, and Raleigh Gilbert was now the president. Sir John Gilbert, eldest son of Sir Humphrey Gilbert and the brother of Raleigh Gilbert, had also died in England and left his estate to his brother Raleigh Gilbert to settle. Raleigh Gilbert desired to return to England to settle his brothers estate and the experience the colonists had been through, determined them to abandon the enterprise before the coming of another winter.

17 October 1608 The Colony Gives Up & Returns to England

In the newly arrived ship, and in the "Virginia" which they had built (of which Captain James Davis was aboard), they embarked for England 17 Oct 1608, and the colony in North Virginia, on the River Sagadahoc came to an end.

----------------
Fort Sagadahoc

An English Colony settled at the mouth of the

Kennebec River in Maine -- 1607

Following is an account of the voyage and expedition to build and colonize Maine in which at least one and maybe more of our Davis ancestors had a part: Capt. James Davis, Captain of Fort Sagadahoc, as well as a Capt. Robert Davis, Sergeant-Major of the fort, who may or may not have been related, are both mentioned in the various accounts I've read. It was always assumed that there was also a John Davis at Sagadahoc with them but this now appears to not have been true but only an incorrect assumption made based on an incorrect reading by many of Rev. Henry Thayer's book. (See further information explaining this in particular and in general more about this period of the settlement in Sagadahoc and Jamestowne in the Family History narrative regarding Captain James Davis.)

The Jamestown settlement was planted in Virginia in May, 1607. Less than three weeks later the Plymouth Company sent out an expedition which founded a colony at the mouth of the Sagadahoc, now known as the Kennebec River, in Maine. One of the chief sponsors of this expedition was Sir John Popham, Lord Chief Justice of England. His nephew George was a leader of the colonists.

This account, found in the "Second Book" of William Strachey's History of Travel into Virginia Britania, describes the voyage in much more detail than it does the actual founding of the colony.

June 1607

The late Lord Chief Justice would not for all his hard handsell and spanish mischief give over his determination for planting of a colony within the aforesaid so goodly a country upon the River of Sagadahoc. (The opening sentence refers to a previous expedition captured by Spanish pirates.) Against the next year he prepared a greater number of planters, and better provisions, which in 2 ships he sent thither, a flying boat (A flyboat was small, easily maneuvered, could sail in shallow water, ideal for coastal exploration) called the Gift Of God wherein a kinsman of his, George Popham, commanded, and a good ship called the Mary and John of London, wherein Raleigh Gilbert (Brother of Bartholomew Gilbert who was with Gosnold in 1602) commanded which with 120 persons for planters. They broke ground from Plymouth in June, 1607, the 25th fell with Gratiosa, and the 28th took in wood and water at Flores and Coruez, (Islands in the Azores) from whence they always kept their course to the westward, as much as wind and weather would permit. They ran 200 leagues from Flores, and in the Latitude of 42 degrees they found the compass to be varied one whole point.

July 1607

From whence they stood still to the westward until the 27 of July being then in the latitude of 43 and 2/3 where they threw out the dipsing lead (The "dipsing" or deep sea lead was used to measure the ocean depth. It is referred to by other names in most of the journals) and had ground but 20 fanthom and 22 fanthom upon a bank, and here they fished some 3 hours and took near 200 of cod, very great fish and where they might have laden their ship in little time.

From hence they stood in for the main, the wind being at so-west, and as they ran in for the land, they always sounded from this bank, and having run some 12 leagues from the bank nor-west they sounded and had 60 fanthom, ooze ground black. The wind now growing scant, they were constrained to stand for the so-ward and sounded again the next day, being the 28 of July, and had 30 fathoms small stones and white shells, fishing ground.

29. They made a west way until noon and then sounding had 160 fathom black ooze.

30. In the morning they had sight of the land (Nova Scotia) and it bore off them nor-west. They sounded being 10 leagues from the shore and had 100 fathoms black ooze. They made towards the shore but could not recover it before the night took them for which they were constrained to bear off a little from the land and lie a hull all that night, where they found abundance of fish very large and great, and the water deep, hard aboard the shore, 18 or 20 fanthoms.

31. Standing in for the shore in the afternoon they came to and anchored under an island, for all this coast is full of islands but very sound and good for shipping to pass by them, and the water deep hard aboard them. They had not been at an anchor two hours when there came a Spanish shallop (It would be interesting to know from what expedition the Indians acquired these two boats, and how) to them from the shore, in her eight savage men and a little savage boy who at the first rowed about them, and would not come aboard notwithstanding they offered them bread, knives, beads, and other small trifles. Having gazed awhile upon the ship they made show to depart, howbeit when they were a little from them they returned again and bodily came up into the ship, and 3 of them stayed all night aboard. The rest departed and went to the shore, showing by signs that they would return the next day.

August 1607

The first of August the same savages returned with three women with them in another Biscay shallop, bringing with them many beaver skins to exchange for knives and beads. The sagamo of that place, they told them, was called Messamot seated upon a river not far off which they called Emannet. The savages departing they hoisted out their boat, and the pilot Captain R. Davies, with 12 others rowed into the bay wherein their ship rode and landed on a galland island, where they found gooseberries, strawberries, raspices, hurts, ("Hurts" are whortleberries or huckleberries) and all the island full of huge high trees of divers sorts. After they had delighted themselves there awhile, they returned aboard again and observed the place to stand in 44 degrees and 1/3.

2. (These dates refer to the month of August) About midnight the moon shining bright and the wind being fair at nor-east, they departed from this place setting their course so-west, for so the coast lies.

(For the next few days the Mary and John sailed along the coast, crossing from Cape Sable in Novia Scotia to Maine. On the sixth of August they anchored in the Georges Islands, mapped by Waymouth in 1605. Here the other ship, the Gift of God, joined them in a remarkably skillful rendezvous, having been separated from them during the Atlantic crossing.)

7. They weighed anchor thereby to ride in more safely, howsoever the wind should happen to blow, howbeit before they put from the island they found a cross set up, one of the same which Captain George Waymouth in his discovery for all after occasions left upon this island. Having sailed to the westward they brought the highland (Camden Hills) before spoken of to be north. About midnight Captain Gilbert caused his ship's boat to be manned with 14 persons and the Indian called Skidwares (brought into England by Captain Waymouth) and rowed to the westward, from their ship to the River of Pemaquid which they found to be 4 leagues distant from their ship where she rode. The Indian brought them to the savage's houses, where they found 100 men, women, and children and their chief commander or sagamo, amongst them named Nahanada, who had been brought likewise into England by Captain Waymouth and returned thither by Captain Hanam setting forth for these parts, and some part of Canada the year before. (No one seems to have been surprised at meeting Indians who had been to England)

At their first coming the Indians betook them to their arms, their bows and arrows, but after Nahanada had talked to Skidwares and perceived that they were Englishmen, he caused them to lay aside their bows and arrows, and he himself came unto them and embraced them and made them much welcome, and after 2 hours interchangeably thus spent, they returned aboard again.

9. Being Sunday the chief of both the ships with the greatest part of all the company, landed on the island where the cross stood, which they called St. George's Island, and heard a sermon delivered unto them by Mr. Seymour their preacher, and so returned aboard again.

10. Captain Popham manned his shallop and Captain Gilbert his ship's boat with 50 persons in both and departed for the River of Pemaquid, carrying with them Skidwares. Being arrived in the mouth of the river there came forth Nahanada with all his company of Indians with their bows and arrows in their hands, they being before his dwelling houses would not willingly have all our people come on shore, being fearful of us. To give them satisfaction the captains with some 8 or 10 of the chiefest landed, but after a little parley together they suffered all to come ashore using them in all kind sort after their manner. Nevertheless after one hour they all suddenly withdrew themselves into the woods, nor was Skidwares desirous to return with us any more aboard. Our people loath to offer any violence unto him by drawing him by force, suffered him to stay behind, promising to return unto them the day following, but he did not. After his departure our people embarked themselves, and rowed to the further side of the river and there remained on the shore for the night.

11. They returned to their ships towards the evening, where they still rode under St. Georges Island.

12. They weighed anchors and set sail to go for the River of Sagadahoc. They had little wind, and kept their course west.

13. They were south of the island of Sequin, (Sequin Island lies at the mouth of the Kennebec. The river cannot be seen from the ocean easily) a league from it, but they did not make it to be Sequin, so the weather being very fair they sought that island further to the westward. At length finding that they had overshot it, they bore up helm, but were soon becalmed, by which means they were constrained to remain at sea, when about midnight there arose a mighty storm upon them, which put them in great danger, by reason they were so near the shore and could not get off. The wind was all the while at south and it blew very stiff so as they were compelled to turn it to, and again hard aboard the lee-shore, many rocks and islands under their lee hard by them, but God be thanked, they escaped until it was day, the storm still continuing until noon the next day. (A square-sailed ship being blown toward shore in a storm had very little maneuverability.)

14. So soon as the day gave light they perceived that they were hard aboard the shore in the bay that they were in the day before, which made them look out for some place to thrust in the ship to save their lives, for towing the long boat, it lay sunk at the stern 2 hours and more, yet would they not cut her off in hope to save her, so bearing up helm they stood in right with the shore, when anon they perceived two little islands to which they made and there they found good anchoring where they rode until the storm broke which was the next day after. Here they freed their boat and had her ashore to repair her, being much torn and spoiled. These islands are two leagues to the westward of Sagadahoc. Upon one of them they went on shore, and found 4 savages and one woman, the island all rocky and full of pine trees.

15. The storm ended and the wind come fair for them to go for Sagadahoc, the river whither they were bound to and enjoined to make their plantation in, so they weighed anchor and set sail and came to the eastward and found the island of Sequin and anchored under it, for the wind was off the shore by which they could not get to Sagadahoc, yet Captain Popham with the flyboat got in.

16. In the morning Captain Popham sent his shallop to help in the Mary and John which weighed anchor and being calm was soon towed in and anchored by the Gift's side.

17. Captain Popham in his pinnace with 30 persons and Captain Gilbert in his long boat with 18 persons more went early in the morning from their ship into the River of Sagadahoc to view the river and to search where they might find a fit place for their plantation. (The location was recommended by Martin Pring who had investigated it the year before.) They sailed up into the river near 14 leagues and found it to be a very gallant river, very deep and of a good breadth, and full of fish leaping above the water, (The Sturgeon leaps out of the water and falls back with a spectacular splash.) and seldom less water than 3 fathom when they found least. Whereupon they proceeded no farther, but in their return homewards they observed many goodly islands therein, and many branches of other small rivers falling into it.

18. They all went on shore, and there made choice of a place for their plantation, at the mouth or entry of the river on the west-side, (for the river bendeth itself towards the northeast) being almost an island of a good bigness being in a province called by the Indians Sabino, so called of a sagamo, or chief commander under the grand Basshaba. (Champlain spelled this chief's name Bessabez, and Waymouth, Bashabe.) As they were on shore, 3 canoes full of Indians came by them but would not come near, but rowed away up the river.

19. They all went to the shore where they had made choice of their plantation and where they had a sermon delivered them by their preacher, and after the sermon the President's Commission was read with the laws to be observed and kept. George Popham, Gentleman, was nominated president; Captain Raleigh Gilbert, James Davies, R. Seymour (Preacher), Captain Richard Davies, Captain Harlow (the same who brought away the savages at this time showed in London, from the River of Canada) were all sworn assistants and so they returned aboard again.

20. All went to shore again, and there began to entrench and make a fort, and to build a storehouse, so continuing the 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.

28. Whilst most of the hands labored hard about the fort and the carpenters about the building of a small pinnace, the president overseeing and applying every one to his work, Captain Gilbert departed in the shallop upon a discovery to the westward and sailed all the day by many gallant islands. The wind at night coming contrary they came to an anchor that night under a headland by the Indians called Semeamis, (Cape Elizabeth) the land exceeding goodly and great, most oak and walnut, with spacious passages between and no rubbish under and a place most fit to fortify, being by nature fortified on two sides with a spring of water under it.

29. They departed from this headland Semeamis lying in the height of 43 1/2 degrees and rowed along the shore to the westward, for that the wind was against them, and which blew so hard that they reached no further than an island 2 leagues off, where whilst they anchored two canoes passed by them, but would not come near them.

30. They returned homeward before the wind, sailing by many goodly and gallant islands, for betwixt the said headland Semeamis, and the River of Sagadahoc is a very great bay (Casco Bay) in the which there lie so many islands and so thick and new together, that can hardly be discerned the number, yet may any ship pass betwixt the greatest part of them, having seldom less water than 8 or 10 fathom about them. These islands are all overgrown with woods, as oak, walnut, pine, spruce trees, hazelnuts, sarsaparilla, and hurts in abundance, only they found no sassafras at all in the country. This night they arrived at the fort again.

September 1607

31. And the 1 of September 2, 3, and 4 nothing was done but only for the furtherance and building of the fort and storehouse to receive ashore their victuals.

5. About noon there came into the entrance of the River of Sagadahoc and so unto the fort as our people were at their work 9 canoes with 40 savages in them, men, women and children, and amongst them was Nahanada and Skidwares. They came up into the fort and the president gave them meat and drink and used them exceeding kindly. Two or three hours they remained there, and then they parted, Skidwares and another savage remaining, with whom at night Captain Gilbert, James Davies and Ellis Best went over to the furthest side of the river, whither all the rest had withdrawn themselves, and there remained with them all the night, and early in the morning, the savages departed in their canoes for the river of Pemaquid promising Captain Gilbert to accompany him in their canoes to the River of Penobscot where the Basshaba dwells.

6. and 7. The business of the fort only attended.

8. Captain Gilbert with 22 others departed in the shallop for the River of Penobscot, taking with him divers sorts of merchandise to trade with the Basshaba, but by reason the wind held easterly being contrary, it was 3 days before they got unto the River of Pemaquid.

11. Early in the morning they came into the River of Pemaquid there to call Nahanada and Skidwares to go along with them, but being arrived there, they found that they were all gone from thence unto the River of Penobscot before, wherefore they set sail for that river, and all that day as likewise 12 and 13 they sailed and searched to the eastward, yet by no means could find the river, for which they returned, their victuals spent and the wind large and good and in 2 days arrived again at the fort, having had a sight the 15th in the morning of a blazing-star to the nor-east of them.

The 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 all labored about the fort and building up of the storehouse.

23. Captain Gilbert accompanied with 19 others, departed in his shallop to go for the head of the River of Sagadahoc. They sailed all this day, and the 24 the like until 6 of the clock in the afternoon, when they landed on the river's side, where they found a champion land, ("Champion" refers to grassland - perhaps beaver meadows.) and very fertile, where they remained all that night.

25. In the morning they departed from thence, and sailed up the river, and came to a flat low island, (Evidently near Augusta. Old maps show an island there.) where is a great cataract or downfall of water, which runs by both sides of this island very short and swift. On this island they found great store of grapes both red and white, good hops, as also chiballs ("Chiballs" are onions) and garlic. They hauled their boat, with a strong rope through this downfall perforce, and went near a league further up, and here they lay all night. In the first of the night there called certain savages on the further side of the river unto them in broken English. (These upriver Indians probably learned their English during the time of year when they frequented the coast. They very likely also knew some French.) They answered them again and parlied long with them. Towards morning they departed.

26. In the morning there came a canoe unto them, and in her a sagamo and 4 savages, some of those which spoke to them the night before. The sagamo called his name Sabenoa, and told us how he was Lord of the River of Sagadahoc. They entertained him friendly, and took him into their boat and presented him with some trifling things which he accepted. Howbeit he desired some one of our men to be put into his canoe, as a pawn of his safety, whereupon Captain Gilbert sent in a man of his.

Presently the canoe rowed away from them, with all the speed they could make up the river. They followed with the shallop, having great care that the sagamo should not leap overboard. The canoe quickly rowed from them and landed, and the men made to their houses being near a league in on the land from the riverside and carried our man with them. The shallop making good way, at length came unto another downfall which was so shallow and so swift that by no means they could pass any further. Captain Gilbert with 9 others landed and took their fare, the savage sagamo, with them and went in search after those other savages whose houses the sagamo told Captain Gilbert were not far off. After a good tedious march they came at length unto those savages' houses, where they found near 50 able men very strong and tall, such as their like they had not seen, all new painted and armed with their bows and arrows. Howbeit after the sagamo had talked with them, they delivered back again the man and used all the rest very friendly, as did ours the like by them, who showed them their commodities of beads, knives, and some copper of which they seemed very fond, and by way of trade made show that they would come down to the boat and there bring such things as they had to exchange them for ours.

So Captain Gilbert departed from them and within half an hour after he had gotten to his boat, there came 3 canoes down unto them and in them some 16 savages, and brought with them some tobacco and certain small skins which were of no value, which Captain Gilbert perceiving and that they had nothing else wherewith to trade, he caused all his men to come aboard. As he would have put from shore, the savages perceiving so much, subtly devise how they might put out the fire in the shallop (Fire was needed in order to set off the musket charge), by which means, they saw they should be free from the danger of our men's pieces. To perform the same, one of the savages came into the shallop and taking the firebrand which one of our company held in his hand thereby to light the matches, as if he would light a pipe of tobacco, as soon as he had gotten it in his hand, he presently threw it into the water and leapt out of the shallop. Captain Gilbert seeing that, suddenly commanded his men to betake them to their muskets, and the targeteers to form the head of the boat, and bade one of the men before, with his target (A "Target" was a shield.) on his arm, to step on the shore for more fire. The savages resisted him and would not suffer him to take any, and some others holding fast the boat rope that the shallop could not put off, Captain Gilbert caused the musketeers to present their pieces, the which the savages seeing presently let go the boat rope and betook them to their bows and arrows and ran into the bushes, nocking their arrows but did not shoot, neither did ours at them. So the shallop departed from them to the further side of the river, where one of the canoes came unto them and would have excused the fault of the others. Captain Gilbert made show as if he were still friends and entertained them kindly and so left them, returning to the place where he had lodged the night before, and there came to an anchor for that night.

The head of this river stands in 45 degrees and odd minutes. Upon the continent they found abundance of spruce trees such as are able to mast the greatest ship his Majesty has, and many other trees, oak, walnut, pineapple. ("Pineapple" refers to white pines.) There were fish in abundance and great stores of grapes, hops and chiballs. Also they found certain pods in which they supposed, the cotton wool to grow, (Milkweed) and also upon the banks many shells of pearl.

27. Here they set up a cross and then returned homeward, in the way seeking the by-river of some note called Sasanoa. (This tidal connection to Sheepscot Bay retains the name Sasanoa River) This day and the next they sought it, when the weather turning foul and full of fog and rain they made all haste to the fort, before which the 29 they arrived.

October 1607

30. and the 1 and 2 of October, all busy about the fort.

3. There came a canoe unto some of the people of the fort as they were fishing on the sand, in which was Skidwares who bade them tell their president that Nahanada with the Basshaba's brother, and others were on the further side of the river and the next day would come and visit him.

4. There came 2 canoes to the fort, in which were Nahanada and his wife and Skidwares and the Basshaba's brother, and one more called Amenquin, a sagamo, all whom the president feasted and entertained with all kindness both that day and the next. Being Sunday the president carried them with him to the place of public prayers, which they were at both morning and evening, attending it with great reverence and silence.

6. The savages departed, all except Amenquin, the sagamo, who would needs stay amongst our people a longer time. Upon the departure of the others the president gave unto every one of them copper, beads, or knives, which contented them not a little, as also delivered a present unto the Basshaba's brother to be presented unto the Basshaba, and another for his wife, giving him to understand, that he would come unto his court in the River of Penobscot and see him very shortly bringing many such like of his country commodities with him.

You may please to understand how whilst this business was thus followed here soon after their first arrival, that had dispatched away Captain Robert Davies in the Mary and John to advertise both of their safe arrival and forwardness of their plantation within this River of Sagadahoc, with letters to the Lord Chief Justice importuning a supply for the most necessary wants to the subsisting of a colony to be sent unto them betimes the next year.

After Captain Davies' departure they fully finished the fort, trenched and fortified it with 12 pieces of ordinance, and built 50 houses therein, beside a church and a storehouse, and the carpenters framed a pretty pinnace of about some 30 ton, which they called the Virginia, the chief shipwright being one Digbe of London.

Many discoveries likewise would have been made both to the main and unto the neighbor rivers, and the frontier nations fully discovered by the diligence of Captain Gilbert had not the winter proved so extreme unseasonable and frosty. For it being in the year 1607 when the extraordinary frost was felt in most parts of Europe, it was here likewise as vehement, by which no boat could stir upon any business. Howbeit as time and occasion gave leave, there was nothing omitted which could add unto the benefit or knowledge of the planters. When Captain Davies arrived there in the year following, set out from Topsam, the port-town of Exeter, with a ship laded full of victuals, arms, instruments and tools, etc., albeit he found Mr. George Popham the president and some others dead, yet he found all things in good forwardness, and many kinds of furs obtained from the Indians by way of trade, good store of sasparilla gathered and the new pinance all finished. But by reason Captain Gilbert received letters that his brother was newly dead and a fair portion of land fallen unto his share which required his repair home, and no mines discovered nor hope thereof, being the main intended benefit expected to uphold the charge of the plantation, and the fear that all other winters would prove like this first, the company by no means would stay any longer in the country, especially since Captain Gilbert was going to leave them and Mr. Popham as aforesaid dead, wherefore they all embarked in this new arrived ship and in the new pinance the Virginia and set sail for England, and this was the end of that Northern Colony upon the River of Sagadahoc. Note: "Sir John Popham, Lord Chief Justice of England in the year 1606 procured means and men to possess it." He sent, among others, Capt. Robert Davis to act as Sergeant-Major and Capt. James Davis to be Captain of the fort.

In his "Conquest of Virginia, the Second Attempt," p. 567, Sams says:

"The failure of this Northern Colony is to be regretted. Had it succeeded, the United States would have been settled by two companies, organized under the same Charter, sympathetic with each other, and sympathetic with England. The failure of this colony in the North, left that region to be settled, some years later, by another Colony, the Pilgrims, who were not in sympathy with England, while the southern Colony on the other hand, was typically English."

Captain Davis Returns to Virginia from England in 1609

Apparently undaunted, Captain James Davis again sailed for Virginia on the "Virginia" on June 8th 1609 from Falmouth, England, the largest fleet ever sent over to Virginia, full of people and provisions. He, James Davis, was in command of the "Virginia" one of nine vessels of the fleet known as the "Third Supply" which assembled at Falmouth and proceeded to Virginia by way of the Azores. It carried with it the new Charter of the Virginia Company, which had been drafted by Sir Francis Bacon and signed by King James I on May 23, 1609, granting a vast extension of territory and larger powers were given to the Company. Sams says (p. 579) "It was a force strong enough to put the Colony on its feet, had not misfortune awaited it."

After passing the Canary Islands the fleet encountered a great hurricane. The vessels were scattered and the "Virginia" arrived among the last. The ship the "Sea Adventure" carrying the fleet commanders, Sir James Somers and Sir Thomas Gates, was wrecked on Somers Island, now called Bermuda. The "Catch" one of the vessels, foundered with all on board.

The ships of the Third Supply and their Captains were as follows:

"Unite" - Captain Wood - Departed England 8 (18)Jun1609 and arrived Jamestown, Virginia 21 Aug 1609.

"Blessing" - Captain Gabriel Archer - Departed England 8 (18) Jun 1609 arrived Jamestown, Virginia 21 Aug 1609.

"Lion" - Captain Webb - Departed England 8 (18) Jun 1609 and arrived Jamestown, Virginia 21 Aug 1609.

"Falcon" - Captain John Martin - Departed England 8 (18) Jun 1609 and arrived Jamestown, Virginia 21 Aug 1609.

"Diamond" - Captains Ratcliffe and King - Departed England 8 (18) Jun 1609 and arrived Jamestown, Virginia Aug 1609.

"Swallow" - Captain Moone - Departed England 8 (18)Jun 1609 and arrived Jamestown, Virginia Aug 1609.

"Catch" - Master Matthew Fitch - Departed England 8 (18) Jun 1609 and was lost at sea with all aboard.

"Virginia" - Captain James Davis - Departed England 8 (18) Jun 1609 and arrived Jamestown, Virginia 3 Oct 1609.

"Sea Adventure" - Captain Christopher - With Sir Thomas Gates and Sir James Somers on board with the new Charter of the Virginia, Company, which had been drafted by Sir Francis Bacon and signed by King James I on May 23 1609. This ship wrecked on Bermuda during hurricane. The "Deliverance" and "Patience" were built from the wreck of "Sea Adventure" and these two ships then left Bermuda 20 May 1610 bound for Jamestown, Virginia and arrived there May 1610.

There were two factions at this time opposing one another in the Virginia Company of London, and the Smith faction apparently did not receive this fleet with any great joy. This may account for the fact that Captain Percy, the Governor, mentions Captain James Davis very frequently in his "True Relation" whereas the Smith faction mentions him very little.

Sams quotes first from the writers belonging to the Smith faction as follows: (p. 688)

"The first incident recorded is the arrival of the 'Virginia,' which had formed one of the great fleet of nine which left England on the eighth of June 1609. It was October when she at last reached her destination, as the 'Catch,' one of the vessels, was known to have foundered with all on Board, the arrival of the 'Virginia' left only the 'Sea Adventure,' the most important of all still to be accounted for. They thought she was certainly lost.

"The rather unimportant way the arrival of the 'Virginia' is recorded was probably due to the fact that the Smith faction looked upon all these vessels and their crews with little sympathy. There is no note of rejoicing over this sheep which was lost, being now found alive and safe; they merely say: 'The day before the ships departed, C. Davies arrived in a small pinnance with some sixteen proper men more.' To these were added a company from James Town, under the command of Captain Ratcliffe, to inhabit Point Comfort. Martin and Master West having lost their boats, and near half their men amongst savages, were returned to James Town. For the savages no sooner understood of Captain's Smith's loss, but they all revolted, and did murder and spoil all they could encounter. Nor were we all constrained to leave only of that which Smith had only for his own company for the rest had consumed their proportions."

Fort Algernon, The Luckless Captain Ratcliffe & The Indians

Captain John Ratcliffe was Commander of the "Discovery," one of the three ships which came over with the first colonists to Jamestown. He is often referred to in narratives of those times as the "Luckless and Ill-fated Captain Ratcliffe." It seems that Captain Ratcliffe commanded the fort at Point Comfort called "Fort Algernon," a favorite Christian name in the family of Percy, Earls of Northumberland. The Luckless Captain Ratcliffe was killed by the Indians, and Captain James Davis succeeded him as Commander of the fort.

Note: Robert Davis, who may or may not have been a brother of James Davis, sailed to North Virginia with Captain James Davis and was one of the councilors for the North Virginia Colony (Brown's "First Republic," p. 16). He was also Master of "The Virginia" when this vessel arrived at Jamestown in 1609.

Captain Percy's account of this in his "True Relation" is as follows (Tyler's Magazine, Vol. III, p. 266):

" I sent Captain Ratcliffe to Powhatan to secure victals and corne by way of commerce and trade, but Powhatan, the sly old king at a fittinge time surprised Captain Ratcliffe whom he caused to be bound to a tree naked with a fire afore him and by women his flesh was scraped from his bones, with muscel shells and before his face thrown into the fire wherefrom he miserably perished.

"Captain William Phetiplace who remained in the pinnace escaped with only sixteen men out of fifty.

The Starving Time 1609/1610

Captain Percy's account continues:

"Upon wch defeate I sentt Capte James Davis to Algernowe foarte to comanwnd there in Capts. Ratliefes place and Capte West I sent to Potoamack with aboutt thirty sixe men to trade for maize and grayne where he in short tyme loaded his pinesse sufficyently yett used some harshe and crewell dealinge by cutteinge of two of the savages heads and other extermetyes and [when they left they came by] comeinge by Algernowns foarte Capteine Davis did call unto them acquaintinge them with our Great wants [they were starving] exhortinge them to make all the speded they cowlde to Releve us upon wch reporte Capte: Weste by the persuasive or rather by the inforcement of his company hoisted upp Sayles and shaped their course directly for England and lefte us in that extreme misery and wante."

Captain Percy during "Starving Time" nearly died of starvation along with the others but during this "Starving Time" he undertook a trip to Fort Algernon, and of this trip he says (p. 268):

"By this Tyme being Reasonable well recovered of my sickness I did undertake a jorney unto Algernowns foarte bothe to understand how things weare there ordered as also to have bene Revenged of the Salvages att Kekowhatan who had treacherously slayne dyvers of our men. Our people I fownd in good care and well lykenge haveinge concealed their plenty from us above att James Towne.

"Beinge so well stored thatt the Crabb fishes where-with they had fede their hoggs would have bene a greate relefe unto us and saved many of our Lyves But their intente was for to have kept some of the better sorte alyve and with their towe pinnesses to have Retourned for England nott Regardinge our miseries and wants at all; wherewith I taxed Capt: Davis and tolde him thatt I had a full intente to bringe halfe of our men from James Towne to be there releved and after to Retoourne them backe ageine and bringe the reste to be susteyned there also and if all this woulde nott serve to save our mens Lyves I purposed to bring them all unto Algernowns foarte Tellinge Capt: Davis that another towne or foarte mighte be erected and buylded butt mens lyves once Loste colde never be recovered."

These Virginia Colonists became discouraged. Only 60 men were left out of 500 and they decided to embark for England, Captain Davis again commanded his old ship the "Virginia."

August 1610 Expedition Against the Indians

Percy's account of this proposed return is as follows (p. 270):

"Then all of us embarking ourselves, Sir Thomas Gates in the "Deliverance" with his company, Sir George Somers in the "Patience", Percy in the Discoverie (Discovery), and Captain James Davis in the "Virginia." All of us sailing down the river with full intent to have proceeded upon our voyage for England when suddenly we spied a boat making toward us wherein we found Captain Bruster sent from my Lorde La Ware (Lord Deleware) who was come unto us with many gentlemen of quality, and three hundred men besides great store of victewles municyon and other privisions whereupon all returned to Jamestown."

Captain James Davis was sent soon thereafter on an expedition against the Indians and concerning this expedition Percy says (p. 273):

"Their sayleigne some two myles down the River I sent Capt. Davis A shoare with moste of my Sowldiers, myselfe being wearyed before and for my owne part, but an easie foote man was Capt: Davis. At his landeinge, he was approached by some Indyans who spared nott to send their arrowes Amongste our men but within A shorte Tyme he putt them to flighte and landed withoutt further opposityon marcheinge About fowrtene myles into the country cutt downe their corne, burned their howses, Temples and Idolles and amongste the reste A Spacyous Temple cleane and neattly keptt A thinge strange and seldome sene amongste the Indyans in those partes. So havinge performed all the spoyle he cowulde Retourned aboarde to me ageine and then we sayled downe the River to James Towne.

"My Lord Generall not forgetting old Powhatan subtell treacery sent a messanger unto him to demand certain Armies and Dyvrs men who we supposed might be living in his country but he returned no other then proud and distainfull answers. Whereupon my Lorde being much incensed caused a commission to be drawn wherein he appointed me Chief Commander over seventy men and sent me to take revenge upon the Paspaheans and Chiconamians and so shipping myself and my soldgiers in two boats I departed from James Town the 9th of August 1610 and the same night landed within three miles of Paspahas town then drawing my soldiers into Battalio placing a Captain or Lieutentant at every file we marched towards the town having an Indian guide with me named "Kempes" whom the Provoste Marshall led in a hand lock. This subtell savage leading us out of the way I bastinaded him with my truncheon and threatened to cut off his head whereupon the slave altered his course and brought us the right way near unto the town so that then I commanded every leader to draw away his file before me to beset the savages houses that none might escape with a charge not to give the alarm until I were come up unto them with the colors. At my command I appointed Captain William West to give the alarm the which he performed by shooting of a pistol. And then we fell in upon them put 15 or 16 to the sword and almost all the rest to flight, whereupon I caused my drum to beat and drew all my soldiers to the Colors. My Lieutentant bringing with him the Queen and her children and one indian prisoner for the which I taxed him because he had spared them his answer was that having them now in my custody I might do with them what I pleased.

"Upon the same I caused the indians heads to be cut off. And then dispensed my files appointing my soldiers to burn their houses and to cut down their corn growing about the town, and after we marched with the Queen and her children to our boats again, where being no sooner well shipped my soldiers did begin to murmur because the Queen and children were spared. So upon the same council being called it was agreed upon to put the children to death the which was affected by throwing them overboard and shooting out their brains in the water yet for all this cruelty the soldiers were not pleased and I had much to do to save the Queens life for that time.

"My Lord General not being well did lie a shipboard to whom we rowed, he being joyfull of our safe return yet seemed to be discontent because the Queen was spared as Captain Davis told me and that it was my Lords pleasure that we should see her dispatched. The way he thought best to burn her. To the first I replied that having seen so much bloodshed that day now in my cold blood I desired to see no more and for to burn her I did no hold fitting but either by shot or sword to give he a quicker dispatch. So turning myself from Captain Davis he did take the Queen with two soldiers ashore and in the woods put her to the sword and although Captain Davis told me it was my Lords (Delaware) direction yet I am persuaded to the contrary."

An explanation of the above quotations from Percy's "True Relation" might be made by saying that Captain James Davis was in command of Fort Algernon on May 31, 1610 and Govenor Gates decided to abandon the colony and sent the "Virginia" to Point Comfort to take on Captain Davis and his men at Fort Algernon, and while they were in the James River preparing to leave, Lord Delaware came into the river 15 Jun 1610 with three ships (Brown, pp. 126, 128). Lord Delaware was the new govenor appointed to succeed Govenor Gates.

Fort Algernon May 1611 to Henrico 1616

We next find mention of Captain Davis when Sir Thomas Dale arrived 22 May 1611 and found Davis in command at Fort Algernon (Brown, p. 149). The two forts, Henry and Charles, which were located on the capes bearing those names, had been abandoned and Sir Thomas Dale ordered Captain Davis to repossess them and put him in command of all three forts.

On 27 June 1611 some Spanish vessels arrived opposite Fort Algernon and according to Brown (p. 152) requested the surrender of Captain Davis. Davis said to the Spaniards "Go to the Devil." In Captain George Percy's account of this (Tyler III, p. 278), it seems that when the Spaniards came to the fort, Captain Davis lay in ambush on the shore and when they came ashore he captured their leader Diego Malina and some of his men. After parleying with the spaniards about their leader, he gave them a pilot to sail to James Town, but when the pilot arrived on board, they hoisted sail and went out to the ocean, leaving their leader in Davis's hands.

Captain Percy says that Fort Algernon burned to the ground and "whereupon Captain Davis fearinge to receive some displeasure and to be removed from thence the same being the most plentifulleste place for food, he used such expedition in rebuilding of the same again that it was almost incredible."

This is about the end of Captain Percy's "True Relation" as he sailed on his return trip to England in 1612, so Captain Davis' activities after that time did not receive very much mention. However, at the close of Dale's administration in 1616, Captain James Davis had command of the colonists in Henrico (Va. Mag., Vol. III, p. 411).

Brown (p. 228) says that Captain Smaley commanded at Henrico the latter part of 1616 in the absence of Captain James Davis, who may have gone on an expedition against the Indians or have made a trip to England.

James City, Virginia 1623 - 1633 & the Question of Captain James Davis' Death Date

It has often been noted that Captain James Davis died in Virginia, "at his plantation over the water from James Citte," February 16, 1623, possibly killed by the Indians as there is a James Davis in the Muster lists of the living and dead (Hotten, p. 236).

David Avant disagrees with this (see Southern Colonial Families, p. 215) for numerous reasons. For example, he notes that the James Davis listed "among the dead" does not have the title of Captain or Gent. and that the last record of Captain Davis showed he was in command of the colonists at Henrico and was, therefore, not living "over the water" but on the north side of the James River. Avant believes that Captain James Davis, his wife Rachel, and their son Thomas, were on a trip back to England at the time of the Musters of the Living and Dead in 1624/5, and, therefore, were not listed. The patent of 6 March 1633 to his son Thomas of Warwicksqueaiak in which Thomas was named heir apparent to "James Davis, Gent., late of Henrico in Virginia, deceased. . . .100 acres in right of his father, an Ancient Planter," (Virginia Land Patents, Book 1, p. 128) seems to support the evidence that the James Davis listed as dead in 1624/5 was not our Captain James Davis. Also, both Captain James and his wife Rachel are listed as "Ancient Planters" which are those people who arrived in Virginia between 1606 and 1616 and remained for a period of at least three years; they also must have paid their own passage and survived the massacre of 1622. The Ancient Planters then received the "first patents of land in the new world as authorized by Sir Thomas Dale in 1618 for their personal adventure." It's pretty clear from all the information on Captain James Davis that he was most likely living in Henrico, Virginia from about 1609, and on one of his many trips back and forth to England he brought Rachel and his son Thomas back to Virginia with him. Therefore, Avant believes that Captain James and his family returned to Virginia from their 1624/5 trip to England, and most probably about 10 years later Captain James died, some time closer to but before 1633/4.

Kerry S. Davis

----------------------
Captain James Davis has been mentioned as Gentleman, Captain, Captain of Fort Sagadahoc, Maine, Colony Governor; original settler of Jamestown, Virginia, and "Ancient Planter." It appears that he spent a considerable amount of time sailing back and forth between England and Virginia, and Boddie notes he "was among the company of men assembled by Sir John Popham, 1607, to settle the region of Virginia which later was designated New England." In 1607 he first arrived in the northern colony of Virginia called Sagahadoc, Maine, which he helped establish. Unfortunately the colonists there had a very hard time of it and most returned home to England by 1610. At that point, James sailed on to the southern colony in Virginia and made his home there. For an account of the first voyage to Maine and the building of that short-lived colony click on this icon To read more about Captain James Davis' life and his involvement with the early settlement of Sagahadoc and Virginia, click this one.

James Davis, dead at his plantation over the water from James City, Februay 16, 1623." Whether he was killed by the Indians or not is not shown

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/a/y/Toni-Layton/WEBSITE-0 001/UHP-0118.html