AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT
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Direct descendant is highlighted in red
Richard Bennett | Immigrant Ancestor | see FAMILY TREE |
Christening 6 Aug 1609 Wivelscombe, Somersetshire, Eng
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Married: 15 Nov 1641 | ||
Died: 1675 Isle of Wight Co., VA | Richard Bennett's will was proved in Va. 4-12-1675.
(Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight Co., Va., p.p. 286-288) |
FATHER
Thomas Bennett
MOTHER
Anstie Thompson Spicer
WIFE
CHILDREN
BIOGRAPHY: "Richard Bennett, who acted as Governor from April 30, 1652, to
March 30, 1655, was a Burgess from Warrasquoyoke in 1629, and a member of the
Council in 1642. Because of his Puritan religious beliefs he left Virginia for
Maryland to escape persecution. From thence he went to England, and in 1651
returned to Virginia as one of the Parliament's Commissioners to effect the
reduction of the Colony under Cromwell. He was elected Governor by the Assembly,
and subsequently sent to England as agent to represent Virginia's interests
before Parliament. In 1666 he was made Major General and given command of the
greater number of the militia of the Colony. In the following year he served as
Commissioner to Maryland in the endeavor to regulate the cultivation and sale of
tobacco. He was the owner of Wayanoak and Kicquotan plantations on the
James."
Richard, colonial governor of Virginia in the 17th century. He was a Virginia
planter who , with William Clayborne, was appointed by the "Long parliament" in
1651 to act with English commissioners in reconciling the colony to the
administration of Oliver Cromwell in England . Many of the colonists favored the
Stuarts, and the parliament wisely sought to conciliate rather than coerce them.
Bennet was a Roundhead, as was also his fellow-commissioner. All opposition did
not disappear, however, until the British frigate "Guinea" arrived, in March
1652, with orders to carry out the instructions of the commissioners, and if
necessary to enforce the authority of parliament. Virtual independence was, in
fact, guaranteed to Virginia, and it was agreed that th e people should have all
the liberties of free-born Englishmen, should enact their own laws , should
remain unquestioned as to their past loyalty, and should have "as free trade as
the people of England." So much was granted by parliament, but an article
confirming her ancient bounds, prohibiting taxation without representation, and
agreeing that no forts should be erected without the consent of the colony, was
never approved.
Until the restoration, Virginia was nominally independent, although actually
under the rul e of the commissioners. The executive officer became electire, and
Bennet was chosen governor . Members of the house of burgesses were required to
take oath that they would especially pro vide for the "general good and
prosperity" of Virginia and its inhabitants. Governor Bennet had been treated
oppressively by the late royalist governor, Sir William Berkeley, but nobly
refrained from taking the revenge that was made easy by his official position.
Under Bennet' s administration the house of burgesses claimed the right to
define the powers of the governo r and council, and declared "that the right of
electing all the officers of this colony should appertain to the burgesses as
the representatives of the people."
Maryland was not so easily pacified, being more aggressively loyal, and Bennet
with Clayborne went over in the "Guinea" frigate with the English commissioners,
and enforced submission . In 1654 the Maryland royalists or proprietaries, under
the instigation of Lord Baltimore, a gain revolted, and overthrew the
parliamentarians, and intercolonial hostilities followed b y land and sea,
resulting in victory for the Virginians under Governor Bennet. The decisive
action took place on 25 March 1655, and many prisoners, including the royalist
Governor Stone , were taken captive. At least four of these were executed.
During the same year Governor Ben net retired from public life.
From Appleton's
Bennett Creek ; village in Nansemond County, Virginia , named for Richard Bennett , governor in 1652 -1656
.