George Yeardley facts for kids

Sir George Yeardley (1587–1627) was an important English leader in early Virginia. He served as the colonial governor of Virginia. He was also one of the first people in Colonial America to own enslaved people.

Yeardley survived a terrible shipwreck in 1609. His ship, the Sea Venture, was part of a mission to bring supplies to Jamestown. It crashed on Bermuda and was stuck there for ten months. Sir George Yeardley is best known for leading the first meeting of Virginia's first law-making group in 1619. This group was called the House of Burgesses. It was the first time people in the colony had elected representatives to make laws. This group still meets today as the Virginia General Assembly. Yeardley passed away in 1627.

Early Life and Military Service

George Yeardley was born in 1587 in Southwark, Surrey, England. He was baptized on July 28, 1588. His father, Ralph Yeardley, was a merchant in London. George decided not to follow his father's business. Instead, he became a soldier. He joined English troops fighting the Spanish in the Netherlands. Later, he became a captain. He was chosen to serve Sir Thomas Gates, who was the Governor of Virginia.

Shipwrecked on the Sea Venture

Yeardley left England on June 1, 1609. He sailed with Sir Thomas Gates on the ship Sea Venture. This ship was the main vessel of the Third Supply expedition to Jamestown. After eight weeks at sea, the ships ran into a huge tropical storm. The Sea Venture was shipwrecked in the Bermudas. Luckily, everyone on board survived the storm.

The survivors faced many problems on the island. There was even fighting among the passengers. Despite these challenges, they built two smaller ships in 10 months. These ships were named the Deliverance and the Patience. They arrived at Jamestown on May 23, 1610.

Life in Jamestown

When the shipwreck survivors reached Jamestown, they found the colonists in a terrible state. Many settlers had died from sickness, hunger, or attacks by Native Americans. Sir Thomas Gates decided to leave the colony and return to England. He ordered Captain Yeardley to guard the town. Yeardley's soldiers stopped settlers from burning the empty buildings.

Soon after, Lord De La Warr arrived with new supplies. This saved the struggling colony. Captain Yeardley helped command Forts Henry and Charles at Kecoughtan. In October 1610, Lord De La Warr sent Captain Yeardley and Captain Edward Brewster to search for silver and gold in the mountains. They led 150 men on this mission.

Leading Virginia: Governor and Lawmaker

First Term as Deputy-Governor

In 1616, Yeardley was made Deputy-Governor of Virginia. One of his first achievements was making a peace agreement with the Chickahominy Native Americans. This agreement brought food and peace to the colony for two years. He served in this role from 1616 to 1617.

Becoming Governor and Knighted

In November 1618, Sir George was chosen to be the Governor of Virginia for three years. He was also knighted by King James I on November 24. This honor meant he was now called "Sir George Yeardley."

Arrival of Enslaved People

Yeardley was governor in August 1619. During this time, a ship called the White Lion arrived. It carried "20. and odd" Angolans. These people had been kidnapped in Africa and were forced into slavery. The ship exchanged them for supplies. This event marked the beginning of the trade of enslaved Africans in the English colonies in North America.

The First General Assembly

Sir George Yeardley led the first meeting of the Virginia General Assembly. This law-making group was also known as the House of Burgesses. It was the first time elected representatives met on American soil. The meeting happened at the church in Jamestown on July 30, 1619. One of the first things this group did was set the price for tobacco.

Yeardley was appointed deputy-governor again in 1625. He served a second time as governor from March 4, 1626, until his death on November 13, 1627.

Land Ownership and Plantations

In 1619, Yeardley received a large piece of land. It was about 1,000 acres (4 square kilometers) on Mulberry Island. He also owned another private plantation called Flowerdew Hundred. This land was located upriver on the south side of the James River. Yeardley owned several enslaved people who worked on his plantations.

The Flowerdew Hundred plantation was successful. It produced thousands of pounds of tobacco, along with corn, fish, and livestock. In 1621, Yeardley paid to build the first windmill in British America. This windmill helped grind grain. The plantation survived a major attack by Powhatan Native Americans in 1622.

Family Life

George Yeardley married Temperance Flowerdew. Her family was from Norfolk, England. She also sailed to Virginia in 1609 on a different ship, the Faulcon. Temperance was one of the few people who survived the terrible "Starving Time" in Jamestown.

George and Temperance had three children:

• Elizabeth Yeardley (born around 1615)
• Argoll Yeardley (born around 1617)
• Francis Yeardley (born around 1620)

Their son, Francis, became an important person in Virginia. He was a colonel in the militia and a member of the House of Burgesses in 1653.

Death and Legacy

Sir George Yeardley died on November 13, 1627. He was buried in the Third Jamestown Church in Jamestown, Virginia. After his death, his wife, Temperance Flowerdew, married Governor Francis West.

Their son, Argoll Yeardley, also served in the House of Burgesses in 1653. Argoll married Ann Custis. Her brothers, John Custis II and William Custis, came to the colony. They became planters and also served in the House of Burgesses. They started the important Custis family in Virginia.

Archaeological Discoveries

On July 24, 2018, archaeologists made an exciting announcement. They found a very old burial site within the church at Jamestown. It was about 400 years old. Using special radar, they found a skeleton that matched Yeardley's age and size. He died in 1627 when he was about 40 years old. The location of the burial inside the church also showed that it was a very important person.

Scientists are doing tests on the remains. They hope to compare DNA from the skeleton with DNA from Yeardley's modern relatives. These tests could help confirm if the skeleton truly belongs to Sir George Yeardley. The results are expected to be ready for the 400th Anniversary of Sir George Yeardley's important reforms and the first General Assembly in 2019.