Temperance Flowerdew
A HETHERSETT born woman survived famine and attacks by Native Americans to become one of the pioneers that helped to make America.
Temperance Flowerdew was born in Hethersett in 1590 and, after sailing to the New World, became the wife of two governors of Virginia. Temperance was an early settler of the Jamestown colony and played a key part in the development of the area and in 2018 was named one of the greatest women in the history of Virginia by the Library of Virginia. Temperance was described as "a lady with ambition."
Temperance's nephew Edmund Rossingham described her as "Norfolk born, sharp as the wind off the sea."
Temperance was the daughter of Anthony Flowerdew (circa 1550-1610) of Hethersett and Martha Stanley of Scottow. The Flowerdew family were landed gentry and for generations their seat had centred around Hethersett. Temperance enjoyed a carefree existence growing up in the country with occasional visits to London which would have taken days. Life would never have been dull with relatives and other well connected families from neighbouring estates frequently coming to stay at Hethersett. The children were occasionally allowed to join the grown-ups at table.
On 29th April, 1609, Temperance married Richard Barrow in London - a marriage surrounded by mystery and carried out through a special licence. A few days after the marriage the newly weds boarded the Falcon and headed for the newly founded colony of Virginia. Richard Barrow died on the journey and Temperance walked into what became known as the Starvation Time, during which many died from starvation. Temperance survived.
There was some suggestion that she returned to England before returning to the colony when fresh supplies arrived but there is no evidence to support this and it is thought that she was probably one of the lucky ones who survived. She met George Yeardley who became governor of the colony and who was knighted for his work. The date of their marriage is given as 18th October, 1618, but probably earlier.
He and Temperance had three children - Argoll, Elizabeth and Francis. Her nephew Edmund Rossingham stated that Temperance was "quite some woman in a man's world whose advice was often sought especially by the younger colonists."
Temperance also had a natural affinity with any new colonist with a Norfolk background. This included John Rolfe from Heacham who married Native American Pocahontas. In addition to surviving the starvation time, Temperance also avoided an uprising by native Americans which saw the slaughter of more than 350 men, women and children.
In 1619, her husband George Yeardley patented 1,000 acres of land on Mulberry Island. He owned another private plantation upriver on the south side of the James River opposite Tanks Weyanoke, named Flowerdew Hundred. It is often assumed that Yeardley named this plantation "Flowerdew Hundred" after his wife, as a kind of romantic tribute. However, the land appears to have been in use by Stanley Flowerdew, Yeardley's brother-in-law, before it was patented by Yeardley.
Although George Yeardley acquired the thousand acres that he named Flowerdew Hundred in 1619, it seems very likely that some settlement had begun there before that date, for his brother-in-law Stanley Flowerdew took a shipment of tobacco to England in the same year, probably grown on the same property.
With a population of about 30, Flowerdew Hundred Plantation was economically successful with thousands of pounds of tobacco produced along with corn, fish and livestock. In 1621 Yeardley paid 120 pounds (possibly a hogshead of tobacco) to build the first windmill in British America.
The plantation survived the 1622 onslaught of Powhatan Indians, losing only six people. The Yeardley-Flowerdew alliance was as much to do with power politics and social status as with romance.
The windmill was an English post design and was transferred by deed in the property’s 1624 sale to Abraham Piersey, a Cape Merchant of the London Company. The deed for that sale is said to be the oldest in America.
When George Yeardley died in 1627, Temperance was left a wealthy woman. Almost immediately she married her late husband's successor as governor Francis West. Sadly Temperance died shortly after, leaving three young children. She left her estate to her children, something that was challenged without success by Francis West.
Stanley Flowerdew was her brother and also lived in Jamestown during the same era and was involved with the Flowerdew Hundred Plantation. One of the representatives from the Flowerdew Hundred sent to the first General Assembly in Jamestown in 1619, was named, Ensign Edmund Rossingham. This was a son of Temperance Flowerdew's elder sister Mary Flowerdew and her husband Dionysis Rossingham
Temperance Flowerdew was born in Hethersett in 1590 and, after sailing to the New World, became the wife of two governors of Virginia. Temperance was an early settler of the Jamestown colony and played a key part in the development of the area and in 2018 was named one of the greatest women in the history of Virginia by the Library of Virginia. Temperance was described as "a lady with ambition."
Temperance's nephew Edmund Rossingham described her as "Norfolk born, sharp as the wind off the sea."
Temperance was the daughter of Anthony Flowerdew (circa 1550-1610) of Hethersett and Martha Stanley of Scottow. The Flowerdew family were landed gentry and for generations their seat had centred around Hethersett. Temperance enjoyed a carefree existence growing up in the country with occasional visits to London which would have taken days. Life would never have been dull with relatives and other well connected families from neighbouring estates frequently coming to stay at Hethersett. The children were occasionally allowed to join the grown-ups at table.
On 29th April, 1609, Temperance married Richard Barrow in London - a marriage surrounded by mystery and carried out through a special licence. A few days after the marriage the newly weds boarded the Falcon and headed for the newly founded colony of Virginia. Richard Barrow died on the journey and Temperance walked into what became known as the Starvation Time, during which many died from starvation. Temperance survived.
There was some suggestion that she returned to England before returning to the colony when fresh supplies arrived but there is no evidence to support this and it is thought that she was probably one of the lucky ones who survived. She met George Yeardley who became governor of the colony and who was knighted for his work. The date of their marriage is given as 18th October, 1618, but probably earlier.
He and Temperance had three children - Argoll, Elizabeth and Francis. Her nephew Edmund Rossingham stated that Temperance was "quite some woman in a man's world whose advice was often sought especially by the younger colonists."
Temperance also had a natural affinity with any new colonist with a Norfolk background. This included John Rolfe from Heacham who married Native American Pocahontas. In addition to surviving the starvation time, Temperance also avoided an uprising by native Americans which saw the slaughter of more than 350 men, women and children.
In 1619, her husband George Yeardley patented 1,000 acres of land on Mulberry Island. He owned another private plantation upriver on the south side of the James River opposite Tanks Weyanoke, named Flowerdew Hundred. It is often assumed that Yeardley named this plantation "Flowerdew Hundred" after his wife, as a kind of romantic tribute. However, the land appears to have been in use by Stanley Flowerdew, Yeardley's brother-in-law, before it was patented by Yeardley.
Although George Yeardley acquired the thousand acres that he named Flowerdew Hundred in 1619, it seems very likely that some settlement had begun there before that date, for his brother-in-law Stanley Flowerdew took a shipment of tobacco to England in the same year, probably grown on the same property.
With a population of about 30, Flowerdew Hundred Plantation was economically successful with thousands of pounds of tobacco produced along with corn, fish and livestock. In 1621 Yeardley paid 120 pounds (possibly a hogshead of tobacco) to build the first windmill in British America.
The plantation survived the 1622 onslaught of Powhatan Indians, losing only six people. The Yeardley-Flowerdew alliance was as much to do with power politics and social status as with romance.
The windmill was an English post design and was transferred by deed in the property’s 1624 sale to Abraham Piersey, a Cape Merchant of the London Company. The deed for that sale is said to be the oldest in America.
When George Yeardley died in 1627, Temperance was left a wealthy woman. Almost immediately she married her late husband's successor as governor Francis West. Sadly Temperance died shortly after, leaving three young children. She left her estate to her children, something that was challenged without success by Francis West.
Stanley Flowerdew was her brother and also lived in Jamestown during the same era and was involved with the Flowerdew Hundred Plantation. One of the representatives from the Flowerdew Hundred sent to the first General Assembly in Jamestown in 1619, was named, Ensign Edmund Rossingham. This was a son of Temperance Flowerdew's elder sister Mary Flowerdew and her husband Dionysis Rossingham