History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of VirginiaCampbell, Charles
History
History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia
Campbell, Charles
Virginia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Virginia -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
Thus fell in so short a space of time one-twelfth part of the colonists
of Virginia, including six members of the council. The destruction might
have been universal but for the disclosure of a converted Indian, named
Chanco, who, during the night preceding the massacre, revealed the plot
to one Richard Pace, with whom he lived. Pace, upon receiving this
intelligence, after fortifying his own house, repaired before day to
Jamestown, and gave the alarm to Sir Francis Wyat, the Governor; his
vigilance saved a large part of the colony from destruction.[163:A]
Eleven were killed at Berkley, fifty at Edward Bonit's plantation, two
at Westover, five at Macocks, four on Appomattox River, six at
Flower-de-Hundred, twenty-one of Sir George Yeardley's people at
Weyanoke, and seventy-three at Martin's Hundred, seven miles from
Jamestown.
The horrors of famine threatened to follow in the train of massacre, and
the consternation of the survivors was such that twenty or thirty days
elapsed before any plan of defence was concerted. Many were urgent to
abandon the James River, and take refuge on the eastern shore, where
some newly settled plantations had escaped. At length it was determined
to abandon the weaker plantations, and to concentrate their surviving
population in five or six well fortified places, Shirley,
Flower-de-Hundred, Jamestown, with Paspahey, and the plantations
opposite to Kiquotan, and Southampton Hundred. In consequence a large
part of the cattle and effects of the planters fell a prey to the enemy.
Nevertheless, a planter, "Master Gookins," at Newport's News, refused to
abandon his plantation, and with thirty-five men resolutely held it.
The family of Gookins is ancient, and appears to have been found
originally at Canterbury, in Kent, England. The name has undergone
successive changes--Colkin, Cockin, Cockayn, Cocyn, Cokain, Cokin,
Gockin, Gokin, Gookin, Gookins, Gooking, and others. The early New
England chroniclers spelled it "Goggin."[164:A] Daniel Gookin removed to
County Cork, in Ireland, and thence to Virginia, arriving in November,
1621, with fifty men of his own and thirty passengers, exceedingly well
furnished with all sorts of provision and cattle, and planted himself at
Newport's News. In the massacre he held out with a force of thirty-five
men against the savages, disregarding the order to retire. It is
probable that he affected to make a settlement independent of the civil
power of the colony, and it appears to have been styled by his son a
"lordship." It was above Newport's News, and was called "Mary's
Mount."[164:B]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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