William Berkeley

Sir William Berkeley (1605-July 9, 1677) was a governor of Virginia, appointed by King Charles I, of whom he was a favorite. His actual date of birth was unknown; it was in either 1605 or 1606, historians generally record it as 1605. The name of his first wife is also not known, but he wed his second wife, Frances (née Culpeper) Stephens Berkeley, in 1670.

Related Topics:
1605 - July 9 - 1677 - Governor - Virginia - King Charles I - 1670

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He arrived to take up his post in Virginia in 1642, and was a popular administrator. In 1644 he returned to England to fight in the Civil War, although he returned to Virginia the following year, in time to organize a force to put down an Indian uprising, which captured Opechancanough against Berkeley's orders, and killed him. In 1652, he was forced from office by a fleet of Britsh warships sent by Oliver Cromwell, but he remained in the colony. He had intended to extend the colony northwards; and while he did manage to get the land he wanted, he did not allow white settlement west of a line until he negotiated with the tribes.

Related Topics:
Virginia - 1642 - 1644 - England - Civil War - Opechancanough - 1652 - Oliver Cromwell

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In 1660, he was recalled to government and for fourteen years governed Virginia with no major incident. In 1675, when troubles broke out with the Indians on the north frontier, Berkeley refused to allow Nathaniel Bacon and the frontiersmen to take action against all tribes, whether friendly or otherwise, a form of civil war (given the name of "Bacon's Rebellion") broke out. One of his main motivations in this decision was that he was invested in a fur trading business with the Native Americans which would have been jeopardized if relations had gone sour. Before troops sent by Charles II could arrive, Berkeley was able to put down the rebellion, but in such a harsh manner that he was removed from office. Incidentally, land confiscated from Bacon was granted by Berkeley to recent English immigrant William Randolph, who founded a family of great influence in Virginia politics.

Related Topics:
1660 - 1675 - Nathaniel Bacon - Bacon's Rebellion - Charles II - William Randolph

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He was co-proprietor of New Jersey from 1664 to 1674. He sold his share to a group of quarrelsome Quakers because of the political difficulties created by New York Governor Richard Nicolls, George Carteret, and himself. He effectively split New Jersey into two colonies: East Jersey (belonging to other proprietor Sir George Carteret) and West Jersey. The colony was divided until 1702 when West Jersey went bankrupt and the colony was given back to the English crown, who unified the colony again.

Related Topics:
New Jersey - 1664 - 1674 - Quakers - New York - Richard Nicolls - George Carteret - East Jersey - West Jersey - 1702 - Crown

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His 17th century plantation, Green Spring in James City County about five miles west of Williamsburg, was built in 1645. The plantation originally encompassed a 2090 acre experimental farm, and there, Berkeley developed a number of products for export to supplement the Colony's dependence upon tobacco. About 200 acres of the original plantation are preserved by the National Park Service (NPS) as part of the Colonial National Historical Park.

Related Topics:
Green Spring - James City County - Williamsburg - 1645 - Farm - Tobacco - National Park Service - Colonial National Historical Park

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Berkeley died in London on 9 July 1677.

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It is believed by many historians that the well-known Berkeley Plantation in nearby Charles City County was named in his honor, as were Berkeley County and Berkeley Springs, both of which are now located in West Virginia. (The city of Berkeley, California and several famous colleges are named for Bishop George Berkeley instead.)

Related Topics:
Berkeley Plantation - Charles City County - Berkeley County - Berkeley Springs - West Virginia - Berkeley, California - George Berkeley

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