Lt. Edward (1) Waters

1585 - 1630  (45 years)

• Name	Edward (1) Waters  [1]
  Prefix	Lt.
  Birth	1585	Williams Parish, Hertfordshire, England   [2, 3]
  Baptism	30 Nov 1589	Wimondley Magna Parish, Hertfordshire, England   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Anecdote	1610  [1, 4]
  	Ancient planter Edward Waters left England in 1609 on the Seaventure, the ship that was bringing Sir George Somers and Sir Thomas Gates to Virginia and then wrecked in Bermuda. Afterward the survivors constructed the Patience and the Deliverance from the native cedar wood and continued on to Virginia. Edward Waters arrived in Jamestown on the Patience in April 1610. A few months later he accompanied Sir George Somers on a return trip to Bermuda to procure hogs and other food stuffs for the surviving Virginia colonists. Somers died, and Waters and a few other men were left in Bermuda to stake England's claim. During their explorations, they discovered a large, valuable piece of ambergris and began squabbling over it. According to Capt. John Smith, Waters killed Edward Samuell, another sailor. Waters escaped execution and later was pardoned; some sources blame the crime on another man. Smith stated that after the Bermuda Company was formed and the ambergris was sent to England, Edward Waters was one of six men named to Bermuda's council of governors. In 1615 he and several others set sail for the West Indies but landed in the Canary Islands. They made another attempt to reach the West Indies but almost drowned. An English pirate or privateer who saved their lives took them to England. Waters eventually returned to Bermuda and in 1617 Governor Daniel Tucker sent him to Virginia to procure goats and hogs. He and his men were unsuccessful in returning to Bermuda, so they went back to Virginia, where Waters stayed. During the 22 Mar 1622 Indian assault, the Waters home in Elizabeth City came under attack. Although Edward Waters, his wife, and other members of his household were listed among the dead, the Waters family actually had been captured by the Indians and transported across the James River to Nansemond, where they were kept prisoner. They eventually found a canoe and escaped across the river to Kecoughtan. On 16 Feb 1624 Edward Waters and his wife Grace and son William were living in Elizabeth City near Waters Creek, the stream now dammed to create Lake Maury. On 14 Aug 1624 Waters was termed a gentleman when he patented some additional Elizabeth City acreage adjacent to Waters Creek. In early 1625 Edward and Grace Waters were living on their plantation near Blunt Point. The household included their son William, daughter Margaret, 6 servants and 5 other adults, including two married couples. Edward Waters, who was age 40, was in possession of 4 dwellings, a palisade, a boat and an ample supply of stored food and defensive weaponry. In May 1625 he was credited with 100 acres at Blunt Point. On 5 Jan 1626 he was obliged to post a bond to Mr. Langley, a merchant. At the same General Court session, Waters testified that he had been the pilot of a Dutch ship that was brought up to Jamestown and that Thomas Thornbury (a member of Water's household) brought up Waters' own boat so that he could return to Elizabeth City. In August 1626 Edward Waters was named a justice of Elizabeth City's monthly court. On 21 Nov 1626 he testified that he had witnessed a contract between Capt. John Wilcocks and William Claiborne - an agreement to outfit a shallop. On 9 Jan 1627 Edward Waters received permission to lease 50 acres at the Strawberry Banks in Elizabeth City, land that belonged to the then-defunct Virginia Company. Functioning as a justice of Elizabeth City's local court, he presented the late Thomas Hunter's will to the General Court's justices. In 1628 he presented an inventory of Capt. John Wilcock's estate and was named administrator because he was the deceased's greatest creditor. In January 1629 he transferred part of Wilcock's estate to another creditor. Waters also compiled and presented Capt. Crotias's inventory to the General Court, and he delivered the late Thomas Hunter's estate to Patrick Canada's attorney, Richard Cocke. In March 1629 Lieutenant Edward Water's appointment as a court justice was reaffirmed, and he was placed in command of the Elizabeth City plantations from the east side of Hampton River to Fox Hill. Capt. Edward Waters made a trip to England sometime prior to 20 August 1630, when he made his will at Great Nornemead in Hertfordshire. He left his son William all of his Virginia land and his goods in England and Ireland. He also made bequests to his wife Grace; to his daughter Margaret; to his brother, John Waters of Middleham in Yorkshire; and to his friend Lionel Rawlston of Elizabeth City. He also made reference to the tobacco in his cellar in Elizabeth City, which was to go to Mr. Pennyton at Cheapside. Edward Waters died before 11 Sep 1630 at which time his brother, John, presented his will for probate.
  Was Living	1624	Elizabeth City, Virginia   [5]
  Muster	7 Feb 1624/25	Elizabeth City, Virginia   [2]
  	He was shown as Edward Waters, aged 40 who came in the Patience in 1608. He had his own muster and listed with him were Grace Waters, William Waters (born in Virginia) & Margarett Waters (born in Virginia). There were 11 others listed with him.
  Reference Identifer	Muster
  Record ID	25356
  Death	Aug 1630	England   [6]
  Burial	22 Aug 1630	Great Hormead, Hertfordshire, England   [6]
  Person ID	I25356	MilesFiles23
  Last Modified	15 Mar 2023

  
  

  Father	William Waters,   b. Abt 1560, England d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Alice Canon,   b. Abt 1565, England d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	14 Oct 1582	William Parish, Hertfordshire, England   [1]
  Family ID	F18222	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Grace (1) Neale,   b. 1604, Brackley, Northamptonshire, England d. Bef 2 Mar 1682/83, Northampton Co, Virginia (Age < 79 years)
  Marriage	1621	Virginia   [7]
  Children	+ 1. Lt. Col. William (2) Waters, (Burgess),   b. 1623, Elizabeth City, Virginia d. 1689 (Age 66 years)   2. Margaret (3) Waters,   b. Abt 1624, Jamestown, Virginia d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	13 Mar 2023
  Family ID	F8081	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Sources

  [S940] John Frederick Dorman, Dorman, Adv of Purse & Person, 4th Ed, Vol 3, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, Inc., 2007), p. 473 (Waters Family), 940. [S887] John Frederick Dorman, Dorman, Adv of Purse & Person, 4th Ed, Vol 1, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2004), p. 59 (Muster of Elizabeth City), 887. [S3181] Rob Hall (C.R.V. Hall) [email protected], Ancestors of Nicholas P. Cudnik, (Email to M.K. Miles, 8 Feb 2022), 3181. [S2330] Martha W. McCartney, McCartney, VA Immigrants & Adventurers, 1607-163, (Genealogical Publishing Company, Balitmore, MD 2007), p. 722 (Edward Waters), 2330. [S624] Virginia M. Meyer & John Frederick Dorman, Meyer & Dorman, Adventurers of Purse & Person, 3rd, (Richmond, VA: Order of First Families of Virginia, 1607-1624|5, 1987), 624. [S940] John Frederick Dorman, Dorman, Adv of Purse & Person, 4th Ed, Vol 3, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, Inc., 2007), p. 474 (Waters Family), 940. [S888] John Frederick Dorman, Dorman, Adv of Purse & Person, 4th Ed, Vol 2, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2005), p. 702 (O'Neil-Robins Family), 888.