Does Bacon's Rebellion remind you of going to market?

No, well, it's my attempt to connect the Ancestors meme with my family's history. This week "52 Ancestors 52 Weeks" asks us to "An Ancestor who went to Market."

Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion in 1676 by Virginia settlers led by Nathaniel Bacon against the rule of Governor William Berkeley. 

My ancestor Great Times 7 Uncle Thomas Hansford/Hansford from Virginia was part of Bacon's Rebellion which burned Jamestown.  

The Burning of Jamestown by Howard Pyle, ca. 1905.

Thomas Hansford was born in 1646 in Virginia
Death 13 November 1676 in York County, Virginia

FATHER: John Hansford 1590-1661
MOTHER: Elizabeth Jands
_________________________

Thomas Handsford was hanged by Gov. Berkley of Virginia for his participation in Bacon's Rebellion. He is said to be the first American-born person to be executed in the Colonies.

Southside Virginia Families, Vol. 1, by John Bennett Boddie, Genealogical Pub. Co, 1966, page 157.

Hansford pleaded that he be shot as a soldier not hanged like a dog, and protested his loyalty as he stood on the scaffold.   (Wikipedia) 

NOTE: one source says as many as 23 men were hung. 
_________________________

Wikipedia says:

Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion in 1676 by Virginia settlers led by Nathaniel Bacon against the rule of Governor William Berkeley. The colony's disorganized frontier political structure, combined with accumulating grievances (including leaving Bacon out of his inner circle, refusing to allow Bacon to be a part of his fur trade with the Native Americans, and Doeg tribe Indian attacks), helped to motivate a popular uprising against Berkeley, who had failed to address the demands of the colonists regarding their safety.

About a thousand Virginians of all classes rose up in arms against Berkeley, attacking Native Americans, chasing Berkeley from Jamestown, Virginia, and ultimately torching the capital. The rebellion was first suppressed by a few armed merchant ships from London whose captains sided with Berkeley and the loyalists. Government forces from England arrived soon after and spent several years defeating pockets of resistance and reforming the colonial government to one more directly under royal control.

It was the first rebellion in the American colonies in which discontented frontiersmen took part; a similar uprising in Maryland took place later that year. The alliance between former indentured servants and Africans against bond-servitude disturbed the ruling class, who responded by hardening the racial caste of slavery. While the farmers did not succeed in their initial goal of driving Native Americans from Virginia, the rebellion did result in Gov. Berkeley being recalled to England.

Bacon's wealthy landowning followers returned their loyalty to the Virginia government after Bacon's death. Some former rebels of lower classes were ordered to make public apologies, and many were fined or ordered to pay court costs.

Bacon [had] promised his army tax breaks, predetermined wages, and freedom from indentures, "so long as they should serve under his colors." Indentured servants both black and white had joined the frontier rebellion. Seeing them united in a cause alarmed the ruling class. Historians believe the rebellion hastened the hardening of racial lines associated with slavery, as a way for planters and the colony to control some of the poor. For example, historian Eric Foner writes, "The fear of civil war among whites frightened Virginia's ruling elite, who took steps to consolidate power and improve their image: for example, restoration of property qualifications for voting, reducing taxes, and adoption of a more aggressive American Indian policy." Some of these measures, by appeasing the poor white population, may have had the purpose of inhibiting any future unification with the enslaved black population.

It's interesting to read more recent historians' view of the rebellion.

According to the Historic Jamestowne website, "For many years, historians considered the Virginia Rebellion of 1676 to be the first stirring of revolutionary sentiment in [North] America, which culminated in the American Revolution almost exactly one hundred years later. However, in the past few decades, based on findings from a more distant viewpoint, historians have come to understand Bacon's Rebellion as a power struggle between two stubborn, selfish leaders rather than a glorious fight against tyranny."

Nonetheless, many in the early United States, including Thomas Jefferson, saw Bacon as a patriot and believed that Bacon's Rebellion truly was a prelude to the later American Revolution against the control of the Crown. 

__________________________

Thomas Hansford had a younger brother, Charles, born May 9, 1654.  He married Elizabeth Folliet Moody, and their son William Hansford is a direct ancestor of mine.  Five generations later was born my grandfather, Albert J. "Bud" Webb.

So my rebellious spirit might have been well tamed, but the blood runs true!

Sharing with Generations Cafe, a Facebook Group where "52 Ancestors 52 Weeks" is collected. 

Week 46 (Nov. 12-18): “This Ancestor Went to Market…” Pardon my use of Bacon's name as that of something purchased in a market!

The 1676 American Rebellion

My ancestor Hansfords from Virginia included Uncle Thomas (times about 8 greats) who was part of Bacon's Rebellion which burned Jamestown.  (This is a repost from 2014)

The Burning of Jamestown by Howard Pyle, ca. 1905.

Thomas Hansford was born in 1646 in Virginia
Death 13 November 1676 in York County, Virginia

FATHER: John Hansford 1590-1661
MOTHER: Elizabeth Jands
_________________________

Thomas was hanged by Gov. Berkley of Virginia for his participation in Bacon's Rebellion. He is said to be the first American-born person to be executed in the Colonies.

Southside Virginia Families, Vol. 1, by John Bennett Boddie, Genealogical Pub. Co, 1966, page 157.

NOTE: one souce says as many as 23 Men were hung. Did not state Names.
His land was confiscated by the government.
_________________________

Wikipedia says:

Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion in 1676 by Virginia settlers led by Nathaniel Bacon against the rule of Governor William Berkeley. The colony's disorganized frontier political structure, combined with accumulating grievances (including leaving Bacon out of his inner circle, refusing to allow Bacon to be a part of his fur trade with the Native Americans, and Doeg tribe Indian attacks), helped to motivate a popular uprising against Berkeley, who had failed to address the demands of the colonists regarding their safety.

About a thousand Virginians of all classes rose up in arms against Berkeley, attacking Native Americans, chasing Berkeley from Jamestown, Virginia, and ultimately torching the capital. The rebellion was first suppressed by a few armed merchant ships from London whose captains sided with Berkeley and the loyalists.^[2] Government forces from England arrived soon after and spent several years defeating pockets of resistance and reforming the colonial government to one more directly under royal control.^[3]

It was the first rebellion in the American colonies in which discontented frontiersmen took part; a similar uprising in Maryland took place later that year. The alliance between former indentured servants and Africans against bond-servitude disturbed the ruling class, who responded by hardening the racial caste of slavery.^[4][5][6] While the farmers did not succeed in their initial goal of driving Native Americans from Virginia, the rebellion did result in Berkeley being recalled to England.

__________________________

Thomas Hansford had a younger brother, Charles, born May 9, 1654.  He married Elizabeth Folliet Moody, and their son William Hansford is a direct ancestor of mine.  Six generations later was born my grandfather, Albert J. "Bud" Webb.

So my rebellious spirit might have been well tamed, but the blood runs true!

Grandmother Elizabeth Keziah Bass

My 8 times great grandmother was a Nansemond Indian.  She converted to Chrisitianity, and married John Basse.  I've given background of their lives in the last 2 posts.

At the bottom of the bill to gain federal recognition of the Nansemond tribe, I've posted a copy of the document which states how she was baptized and married to John Basse, and it even states her parentage as a Native American.

This tribe has waited a long time to be recognized, and perhaps to obtain some benefits.  But I notice that the bill does not allow them to set up gambling (a great revenue resource for some tribes). I wonder if the tribe in Suffolk will be able to keep the land that they were planning to make into a historic village, similar to Jamestown.

I admit to not keeping up with all the doings in Virginia.

But I recently listened to a podcast about Bacon's Rebellion.  And it is apparently being taught differently in schools now. So I'm interested in the second episode.  It's on "All the things you missed in History Class."  Not that Bacon's Rebllion had anything to do with the Nansemond Tribe, but it does give some back story as to how endentured people (European, African, Indian) were needed for the tobacco industry of early colonial America.

Major John Drury Stith

Stith, John, (Major) came to Virginia before 1656 and settled in Charles City county. In 1656 he was a lieutenant of militia, in 1676 a captain, and in 1680 a major. He was also a merchant, a lawyer and a justice of the peace. He was a prominent supporter of Sir William Berkeley during Bacon's rebellion in 1676. In 1686 he was a burgess for Charles City county. He left issue— John Stith, Drury Stith, Anne, (who) married Colonel Robert Bolling.

That's the beginning of a list of his descendants.   I'm not sure who compiled it, but it's available over at Ancestry Dot Com.  And it seems to have mostly accurate information.

Bacon's Rebellion of 1676 is mentioned in his biography.  Do you remember about that in those early American History classes?  Here're some sources of information. 

 

Bacon arriving in Jamestown, VA, painting by Pyle

 

Bacon's rebellion, burning the Virginia colony's capital of Jamestown 1676

The Wikepedia article seems pretty biased (a bit unusual).  The Encyclopedia article has some factual information and a good timeline of all the events, and many participants. 

Bacon before the Virginia Council

Nathaniel Bacon 1646-1676

I was impressed how the telling of the history of this event changed, as mentioned that before 1950 it reflected one opinion, and afterward another.  I think I learned the 1950 version actually...so am glad I've reviewed the different possible conclusions.  The way history is written is often so intriguing. One person says this event led to laws which eventually created the slave economy of the south.  Another says this rebellion was a precursor of the American Revolution a hundred years later.  Then the author says that neither of these things can be attributed to Bacon's Rebellion.

-----------------------------

Back to the Stith family...

I am not going further into the sons/daughters of Major John Drury Stith and Jane Mosby Gregory Parson Stith today.  That's because of confusing ancestry trees...one saying their firstborn was WIlliam who married Jane Randolph, and the other saying firstborn was John who married Jane Randolph.

I can live a lot longer if I don't waste my grey cells on who these people married, and thus had a legacy of presidents of the College of William and Mary, which I attended (summer school session anyway!)

My ancestor (eight times great grandmother) was the daughter of John and Jane Stith, Anne Meriwether Stith who married Col. Robert Bolling. I've blogged about them HERE, and here!

Today's quote:

Jealousy is a common human feeling and usually stems from a place of lack in our own lives. Madisyn Taylor