William Digges

William Digges
Justice of the Peace
Assumed office
1671
Sheriff of York County
Assumed office
1679
Captain of the horse
Assumed office
1674
Personal details
Born c1651
Virginia
Died 24 July 1697
Virginia
Spouse(s) Elizabeth Sewall
Relations Edward Digges (father)
Residence "E.D. Plantation", later known as Bellfield
Occupation planter, politician, soldier
Religion Roman Catholic

Colonel William Digges (c1651- 24 July 1697) was a politician in Colonial Virginia and a councillor in Colonial Maryland in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. He was a member of the Maryland Proprietary Council until losing his office in 1689 during the Protestant Revolution, when the Calvert Proprietorship was overthrown by a Puritan revolt.[1]

Early life

William Digges' grandfather, Sir Dudley Digges

William Digges was born in Virginia in around 1651, the eldest son of Edward Digges (1620-1674/5), an English barrister and colonist who served as the Colonial Governor of Virginia from March 1655 to December 1656. Edward Digges invested heavily in planting mulberry trees and promoting the silk industry in the colony, in recognition of which he was appointed Auditor-General of Virginia. In around 1675 Edward Digges died. As eldest son, William inherited the "E.D. Plantation", later known as Bellfield.[2]

Career

William Digges began his career in Virginia, where he was appointed to a number of colonial offices. He became Justice of the Peace in 1671. He was captain of horse in 1674 and was appointed Sheriff of York County in 1679.[3] [4] He was a strong supporter of Governor Berkeley during Bacon's Rebellion. During an encounter with Thomas Hansford, one of Bacon's foremost supporters, Digges severed Hansford's finger, and as a result was forced to flee to Maryland.[3][5][6]

In Maryland Digges became a merchant and planter in St. Mary's County. He married Elizabeth Sewall, widow of Dr. Jesse Wharton and a stepdaughter of Lord Baltimore, the Proprietor of Maryland. Immediately following his marriage he was appointed to the Governor's Council.[3] He was also appointed Deputy Governor of Maryland. He was granted extensive land and property in Maryland, and became the "Lord of Warburton Manor" in Prince George County on the Potomac River.[4]

During the Protestant Revolution in Maryland in 1689, Digges commanded the Catholic forces at St. Mary's, Maryland.[4] After 1689, having lost his positions, he returned to live in Virginia.[3] On April 20, 1693 a warrant for his arrest was issued, and on April 22, 1693, "Colonel William Digges was examined as to his knowledge of a plot to restore King James to the throne, and was bound over, with his wife, in £1,000 to appear before the next General Court."[7]

Family life

Digges married Elizabeth (Sewall) Wharton, with whom he had ten children:[3][4]

Death and Legacy

William Digges died on 24 July 1697, leaving a will which mentioned several large Maryland plantations "and directed that his plantation on the York River be used most advantageously for his daughters." However, the York River plantation was inherited by William's eldest son Edward, who on 21 Sept 1699 sold it to his uncle Dudley, William's younger brother.[3]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ History of the Digges family in Maryland Retrieved January 2012
  2. ↑ Tyler, Lyon G., "Pedigree of a Representative Virginia Planter", William & Mary Quarterly Jan. 1893 http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/schools/wmmary/quarterly/planter.txt
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dorman, John Frederick, Adventurers of Purse and Person, 4th ed., v.1, pp.821-844.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Digges family history Retrieved January 2012
  5. ↑ Boddie, John Bennett, Southside Virginia Families, Vol. 2, p.276.
  6. ↑ Jameson, J. Franklin, Narratives of the Insurrections 1675-1690 'Captain Thomas Hansford was one of the most active of Bacon's followers ... One of his fingers was cut off by Captain William Digges, son of Governor Edward Digges, who in consequence had to flee across the Potomac to St. Mary's, Maryland, where he became one of Lord Baltimore's chief supporters, and took a prominent part in opposing the uprising of 1689. Hansford was captured about the middle of November, 1676, and, with four others, executed at Accomac, by martial law, as a rebel. The commissioners declared that this execution was illegal, as Hansford had had "no tryal or conviction by lawful jury.'
  7. ↑ 'America and West Indies: April 1693, 18-30', Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, Volume 14: 1693-1696 (1903), pp. 86-95. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=70782 Date accessed: 21 January 2012.
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