Richard Norwood’s Survey of the Land and Landholder’s of Bermuda

Richard Norwood’s Survey of the Land and Landholder’s of Bermuda

An accompt of the Generall Lands belonging to the Somer Islands taken out of Mr Richard Norwood’s survey booke by him made in the yeares 1662, 1663

Richard Norwood completed two surveys for the Somer Islands Company (als Bermuda Company). Born in 1590, the son of an indigent gentleman, he arrived in Bermuda in late 1613 at age 23 to dive for pearls for the Company. There were no pearls and Governor Moore hired him to make a rough survey of the Islands, completed in 1616/7, compiled in 1622, and published in 1626 (click here to go to 1622 survey). He returned to England, married and after various activities returned to Bermuda in 1637/8 to start a school. He was again asked by the Bermuda Company to update the survey. This was completed in 1662/3 and descrived the holdings and their owners and/or occupiers. He died at the age of 85 in 1675. (Ives, "The Rich Papers", p401)

Generall Lands

St George Island:

The Governor :12 shares at the east end of St George’s, 300 acres, in the occupation of:
Stokes, Davis
Goodfaith, Joseph
Mills, John
Bedwell, John
Mills, John
Bedwell, Robert
Norman, Matthew
Evans, Cornelius
Browne, Roger
Smith,Alexander
Welsh, John
Bristowe, John (Marshall)
Bayley, Roger
Holloway, Hannah
Middleton, Edward
Shaw, Tho:
Hurt, John

  1. Smith, Samll (the psent minister): 2 shares, 50 acres
  2. Nicholls, John (Sheriffe): 100 acres
  3. Tucker, Henry: 2 shares, 50 acres
  4. Vaughan, John, on lease from Mr Casewell: 1 share, 25 acres
  5. Brackley, Edward: 2 shares, 50 acres
  6. Bristowe, John (Marshall): 2 shares, 50 acres
  7. Stalvers, M’s: 2 shares, 50 acres

    8. Small Islands neare St George’s:
  8. 2 Islands, 5 acres
  9. Tucker, Captaine Francis (Commander): Pagetts Fort on Penestons Island with a house in occupation of Jonathan Stokes – 31 acres
  10. Asser, Captaine Godheard (Commander): Smith’s Fort on Smith’s Island – 61 acres
  11. Ditto
  12. Hen Island (near west end of Smith’s Island) – 3 acres
  13. Stirrup, John & Wright, Ralph (weavers) tenure and occupancy of Long Bird Island – 46 acres
  14. Stalvers, Henry occupant of Conny Island lying at Burnt Point – 14 acres
  15. Certaine small island, abt 10 in ye towne harbor Mullett Bay – 2 acres

    16. S Davids Island:

  16. Tucker, Capt Francis (Commander of Pagetts Fort), in occupation of Stokes, Jonathan (Lt) & Hurt,
  17. John – 60 acres
  18. Higges, Miles – 1 share, 25 acres
  19. Harding, Hugh – 1 share, 25 acres
  20. Allen, William – 1 share, 25 acres
  21. Jennyngs, Capt Richard of Smith’s Tribe (Commander of Southampton Fort), in occupation of Grazbury, John & Davis, Randall – 2 shares, 50 acres
  22. Hilton, Lieut. Tho: - 2 shares, 50 acres
  23. Burcher, Robert: 1 share, 25 acres
  24. Brangman, Lieut. Edward and son Brangman, Samuel: 1 share, 25 acres
  25. Bell, William: 25 acres
  26. Sparke, Tho: (once belonging to Bernard, Capt John): 1 parcell, 10 acres
  27. Sparke, Tho: aforesaid in occupation "where he dwells" (belonging to Trott, Perient) and another in occupation of Cox, M’s widdow: 3 shares, 15 acres
  28. Adams, William "holdeth of" Axton, Jacob and belonging to Wicks, Matthew: 5 acres
  29. Mountaine, Mrs Mary (formerly Stow, Mary), part in free tenure to Place, John: 15 acres
  30. Mountaine, Mary holding 2 shares belonging to Hubbart, Capt George of Devonshire Tribe: 2 hares, 10 acres
  31. Fox, Lieut. John "holdeth of" Asser, Capt Godheard (dwells on the parcel), which belonged to the late Mr Delbridge: 3 shares, 15 acres
  32. Sharpe, Henry, 15 acres of which formerly belonging to Capt Covells: 30 acres
  33. Lyndale, John "holdeth of" Whitney, Saml (of Sandy’s), formerly belonging to Mr Dykes: 30 acres
  34. Moore, John "holds freely" a parcell previously of Day, John, now belonging to Mr Webb: 5 acres
  35. Moore, John "holdeth of" Burroughes, Mihil (occupant): 10 acres
  36. Nailer, Elizabeth "holdeth of" Waterman, Mr, previously land of Caswell, Rich: : 25 acres
  37. Stow, Tho: (of Davids Is) holds freely, in tenure of Canter, Capt: 5 acres
  38. Stow, Tho: "holdeth of" Stowe, John "& he of Trott, Perient , previously that of Earl of Warwick: 25 acres

    39. Islands of Southampton halbo’ als Castle Harbor:
  39. 10 small islands: 8 acres
  40. Ming, David: Cooper’s Island, 77 acres
  41. 4 small islands: 3 acres
  42. 5 small islands: 2 acres
  43. None-such Island: 15 acres
  44. 3 small islands: 1 acres
  45. Southampton Fort under command of Jenyngs, Capt Rich: 1 acre
  46. "The fellow of it": 0 acres
  47. King’s Castle under command of Governor Seymor, Capt Florentio: 3 acres
  48. Charles Fort now decayed: 3 acres
  49. 3 islands near Charles Fort: 1 acre
  50. some other islands: 1 acre

    51. Tuckers Towne:
  51. Gleab land in tenure of Cromby, Abo: : 2 shares, 50 acres
  52. Moore, Wm & Moore Joseph (his son): 2 tenements & 2 shares, 50 acres
  53. Atkinson, Samll : 1 share, 25 acres
  1. Marrow, Daniel: 1 share, 25 acres
  2. North, Nathaniel: 1 share, 25 acres
  3. Wilkinson, Parnel (widd): 1 share, 25 acres
  4. Jones, Lieutennt Wm : 1 tenement & Grazebury, James: 1 tenement & mother Jones, Mary: 1 tenement : 50 acres total
  5. Clinch, Tho & Newman, Wm & Browne, John, each a tenement: 95 acres

Islands in Common:

Islands of the Great & Little Sound:

  1. The bigger island at the bottom of the Little Sound: 1 acre
  2. Island at Bailyes Bay: 0 acres
  3. Another island: 0 acres
  4. Trunck Island in occupation of Roberts, John: 3 acres
  5. Another island in occupation of Roberts, John: 1 acre
  6. The 2 lesser islands: 0 acres
  7. Another small island: 0 acres
  8. 2 other small islands: 0 acres

    9. In the Great Sound:

  9. An island in Crow Lane occupied by Owen, Evan for yearly rent: 3 acres
  10. Another island in Crow lane: 3 acres
  11. 6 small islands : 3 acres
  12. Ackland, Tho:, occupant of island: 28 acres
  13. 2 small islands: 0 acres
  14. Island in Bosses hole: 0 acres
  15. Island at mouth of Mangrow Bay: 0 acres
  16. Island: 0 acres
  17. Island: 1 acre
  18. Island: 0 acres
  19. A long island at entrance to Daniels Bay with a smaller one: 1 acre
  20. A bigger island: 3 acres
  21. 4 smaller islands: 1 acre
  22. Owen, Lazarus, occupant of 2 islands: 28 acres
  23. Small island: 0 acres
  24. 3 small islands: 1 acre
  25. Veazey, Nathanael or his assignes, occuping a bigger island NW from Owen, Lazarus island: 13 acres
  26. Veazey, Nat or his assignes (aforesaid): 9 acres
  27. Burt, John, occupant of Elizabeth Island: 21 acres
  28. Island: 0 acres
  29. Island: 0 acres
  30. Pearle Island and another small island at Spanish Pointe: 2 acres
  31. Island: 1 acre
  32. Island: 2 acres
  33. 3 small islands: 3 acres
  34. Ward, Henry, occupant of Roundhill Island: 16 acres
  35. Ward, Henry,occupant of a smaller island: 2 acres
  36. Conyard, Nathaniel, occupant of tenement Tuckers Island: 21 acres
  37. Ward, Tho, occupant of Lesser Tuckers Isld: 7 acres
  38. 2 small islands: 0 acres
  39. Graves Island: 6 acres
  40. Rivers, John, occupant of the westermost of Brothers Islands: 20 acres
  41. The eastermost of Brothers Islands: 13 acres
  42. Island: 2 acres
  43. 2 small islands neare Jews Bay: 3 acres
  44. Helyn, John, occupant of 2 islands before entrance of Hearne Bay: 17 acres
  45. "
    46.
  46. 2 other small islands within White Hearne bay: 1 acres

"The totall of all ye shares of land sett apart for publique use as p this booke are 86 shares"

"Rec’d from Mr Banner Secry to ye Company 25 Sept: 1684"

(reference: John Camden Hotten.)