The Sea Venture, also known as the Third Supply, was the flag ship for a flotilla of six hundred men (and women and livestock) on six ships and two pinnances, commanded by Admiral Sir George Somers. They departed for Jamestown, leaving London on 02 June 1609, and sailing June 18th.
These ships were the Diamond with John Ratcliffe, the Falcon with John Martin, the Blessing with Gabriel Archer, the Unitie with Captain Wood, the Lion with Captain Webb, the Swallow with Captain Moone, the Virginia of the North Colony with Captain Davis and the Catch with Matthew Finch, this last ship apparently lost at sea.
On the 23rd of July, a hurricane separated the Sea Venture, with it's captain, Christopher Newport from the other ships. The ship started taking on water after four days, and thankfully was able to make it to land on an island; the Bermudas. All of the passangers, about 140 men and women, landed safely, although the ship was wrecked between two reefs. London received the report from Sir George Somers on 15 June, 1610.
Before the wounded ship sank, the men were able to salvage a great deal of it, including supplies and the rigging. For the next nine months, two ships were hand built from the Sea Venture; the Deliverance and the Patience, thanks to the fact this shp had carried more skilled workers than wealthy gentlemen. Due to the diary kept by the well educated Samuel Jordan (1578-1623), we know these two ships set sail again for Jamestown, sans two men to remain on the island on 10 May 1610, arriving May 23rd to find those who had landed with the rest of the convoy had not faired well, having become sick after tossing many of their supplies during the storm. The death rate in Virginia had risen to 70%.
Admiral George Somers volunteered to return to Bermuda aboard the Patience for supplies needed in Virginia, but died there in November of 1610. Captain Matthew Somers, the nephew of the Admiral, took his uncle's body back to England, leaving three men to hold claim to the island. Legend has it that his heart was buried in the Bermuda's before departure, and this journey was the incentive for Shakespeare's "The Tempest."
Alphabetical order:
Bagwell, Henry - 35, arrived on the Deliverance
Bennit, Nicholas - carpenter
Brian, William
Briars, Jeffrey - died in Bermuda
Bucke, Rev Richard - chaplain to the expedition (wife and three children, all died ?)
Carter, Christopher - deserted, stayed behind in Bermuda
Chard, Edward - stayed behind on the island
Chard, Joseph
Chard, Josuah - listed at Elizabeth City 1623, arriving on Sea Venture of May 1607 per Swem
Eason, Edward
Eason, Mistress
Eason, Bermuda - baby boy born in Bermuda
Frobisher, Robert - shipwright
Gates, Sir Thomas - Governor for Virginia
Godby, Thomas - 36, arrived on the Deliverance
Grave (Graye) George
Hitchman, William - died in Bermuda
Hopkins, Stephen (same man on the Mayflower)
Horton, Mistress
Joons, Elizabeth - 30, servant
Jourdain, Silvester - of Lyme Regis, Dorset
Knowles, Richard
Lewis, Richard - died in Bermuda
Lytefoote, John
Martin, William
Michell, Francis - listed at Elizabeth City 1623, arriving on Sea Venture of May 1607 per Swem
Newport, Christopher - Captain of the Sea Venture, former privateer (Coldham pg 3)
Paine, Henry - shot to death for mutiny
Pearepoint, Francis
Persons, Elizabeth - maid to Mistress Horton (married Thomas Powell in Bermuda)
Pierce, William
Powell, Thomas - cook
Proctor, John Graye
Ravens, Henry - master mate, sailed for help and lost at sea
Reede, Humfrey
Rich, Robert - brother of Sir Nathaniel Rich, shareholder, soldier, returned to Bermuda 1617, died there 1630
Rolfe, John - traveling with his first wife, married Pocahontas in April 1614
Rolfe, Mistress - first wife of John, died spring 1610
Rolfe, Bermuda - baby girl born in Bermuda, christened 11 Feb 1610, died & buried in Bermuda
Samuel, Edward - murdered by Robert Waters
Sharpe, Samuel
Shelly, Mr Henry
Somers, Captain Matthew - nephew and heir of George, aboard the Swallow
Somers, Sir George - Admiral of the flotilla
Strachney, William - Secretary-elect of Virginia Company, his account of the journey survived
Swift, James
Walsingham, Robert - cockswain
Want, John
Waters, Edward Lt - 40, arrived on the Patience
Waters, Robert - deserted, stayed behind in Bermuda
Whittingham, Thomas - sailed for help and lost at sea
Yeardley, Capt Sir George - veteran of the Dutch wars
Sources order:
Sir George Somers, Admiral of the flotilla
Sir Thomas Gates, Governor for Virginia
Rev Richard Bucke, chaplain to the expedition (wife Miss Langley, and three children, Elizabeth, Bridget, Bermuda)
William Strachney, Secretary-elect of Virginia Company
Silvester Jourdain, of Lyme Regis, Dorset
Joseph Chard
Mr Henry Shelly
Robert Walsingham, cockswain
Robert Frobisher, shipwright
Nicholas Bennit, carpenter
Francis Pearepoint
William Brian
William Martin
Henry Ravens, master mate, sailed for help and lost at sea
Richard Knowles
Stephen Hopkins
Christopher Carter, deserted, stayed behind in Bermuda
Robert Waters, deserted, stayed behind in Bermuda
Samuel Sharpe
Henry Paine, shot to death for mutiny
Humfrey Reede
James Swift
Thomas Powell, cook
Edward Eason
Mistress Eason
Bermuda Eason, baby boy born in Bermuda
John Want
Mistress Horton
Elizabeth Persons, maid to Mistress Horton (married Thomas Powell in Bermuda)
Capt (Sir) George Yeardley, veteran of the Dutch wars
Jeffrey Briars, died in Bermuda
Richard Lewis, died in Bermuda
Edward Samuel, murdered by Robert Waters
William Hitchman, died in Bermuda
Thomas Whittingham, sailed for help and lost at sea
Edward Chard, stayed behind on the island
Captain Matthew Somers nephew and heir of George, aboard the Swallow
Robert Rich, brother of Sir Nathaniel Rich, shareholder, soldier, returned to Bermuda 1617, died there 1630
Christopher Newport, Captain of the Sea Venture, former privateer (Coldham pg 3)
John Rolfe, traveling with his wife, married Pocahontas in April 1614
Mistress Rolfe, first wife of above, died spring 1610
Bermuda Rolfe, baby girl born in Bermuda, christened 11 Feb 1610, died and buried in Bermuda
Henry Bagwell, 35, arrived on the Deliverance
Thomas Godby, 36, arrived on the Deliverance
Edward Waters, 40, arrived on the Patience
Elizabeth Joons, 30, servant
John Lytefoote
John Proctor
George Grave (Graye)
Francis Michell (listed at Elizabeth City 1623, arriving on Sea Venture of May 1607 per Swem)
Josuah Chard (listed at Elizabeth City 1623, arriving on Sea Venture of May 1607 per Swem)
William Pierce
Sources:
Various locations sadly lost
Bibliography of Virginia by Earl Gregg Swem
Coldham pg 3
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