Herbert Jeffreys (colonial governor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Herbert Jeffreys
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Portrait of Jeffreys, c. 1677
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| Acting Governor of Virginia | |
| In office April 27, 1677 – December 17, 1678 |
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| Monarch | Charles II |
| Preceded by | Sir William Berkeley |
| Succeeded by | Sir Henry Chicheley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1620 – 1625 Kirkham, North Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 17 December 1678 Jamestown, Virginia Colony, British America |
| Spouse | Susanna Osborne |
| Children | 7 |
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Herbert Jeffreys (born around 1620, died 17 December 1678) was an important officer in the English Army. He also helped run the Virginia Colony in America. He became the acting governor of Virginia right after a big event called Bacon's Rebellion. One historian called him a "chief troubleshooter" for the king, meaning he was good at solving big problems.
Contents
About Herbert Jeffreys
His Early Life and Family
Herbert Jeffreys was born in England, in a place called Kirkham, North Yorkshire. This was sometime between 1620 and 1625. He married Susanna Osborne. They had seven children between 1666 and 1674. His family lived in Yorkshire and went to Saint Michael-Le-Belfry church.
His Military Career
Jeffreys was a soldier for a long time. He was very loyal to the king. From 1642 to 1648, he fought for King Charles I in the English Civil War. This was a big conflict in England.
After the war, Jeffreys lived in France for a while. He worked for Charles I's second son, James, Duke of York. While in a place called Flanders, Jeffreys helped stop some local rebellions. He also helped create the Guards for Charles II.
When Charles II became King again, Jeffreys continued to serve him. He was in charge of Guards companies in different cities like Portsmouth and London. He was also the deputy governor of York for more than eight years. He became a captain and later a lieutenant colonel in the English Army.
His Time in Virginia Politics
In November 1676, King Charles II chose Jeffreys to be a lieutenant governor of the Virginia colony. Jeffreys arrived in Virginia in February 1677.
At this time, Bacon's Rebellion had just happened. This was a rebellion by colonists against the governor. Jeffreys was the commander of a group of six warships. These ships carried over 1,100 soldiers. Their job was to stop the rebellion and bring peace back to the colony.
Jeffreys was also part of a special group of three people. This group was asked by the King to find out why the rebellion started. They wrote a report for the King called "A True Narrative of the Rise, Progresse, and Cessation of the late Rebellion in Virginia." This report explained what happened during the rebellion.
On April 27, 1677, Jeffreys became the acting colonial governor. The King supported this decision. He took over from Governor Sir William Berkeley, who was called back to England. Governor Berkeley was not happy about this. He said Jeffreys had a "desire to rule this country." He also told Jeffreys that the people of Virginia would soon see a difference between their leadership styles.
As acting governor, Jeffreys had important jobs. He needed to make sure the remaining rebels were calm. He also had to fix the government so it was directly controlled by the King again.
One big thing Jeffreys did was lead the signing of the Treaty of 1677. This was a peace treaty between the King's government and different Native American tribes in Virginia. It was signed on May 28, 1677.
In October 1677, Jeffreys convinced the Virginia General Assembly to pass a special law. This law offered forgiveness to everyone who took part in Bacon's Rebellion. It also said that anyone who called another colonist a "traitor" or "rebel" would have to pay a fine. Jeffreys also worked to rebuild the state house and the capital city of Jamestown. These places had been burned and robbed during the rebellion.
Jeffreys was known for removing people from office who spoke out against him. Some members of the assembly and the Virginia Governor's Council were still loyal to the old governor, Berkeley. They were called the "Green Spring faction." They strongly disagreed with Jeffreys. One person, Philip Ludwell, even called Jeffreys "a pitiful little fellow."
His Death
Sir Herbert Jeffreys died on December 17, 1678. He was between 53 and 58 years old. He was one of the first governors of Virginia to die while still in office. Many people in Virginia did not like him when he died. Henry Chicheley immediately took over as acting governor.
See also
