John Yeamans
Encyclopedia
Sir John Yeamans, 1st Baronet (1611–1674 in South Carolina
) was an English colonial administrator described in his day as "a pirate ashore".
, England, Sir John Yeamans was a younger son of John Yeamans, a brewer of Redcliffe, Bristol
who died about 1645, and his wife Blanche Germain. The younger Yeamans was a colonel in the Royalist army during the English Civil War
.
In about 1650 Yeamans migrated to Barbados
, and within a decade he had become a large landholder there (he had held land in Barbados since 1638) a colonel of the militia, judge of a local court of common pleas, and by July 1660 he was on the council of that colony.
In the deteriorating economic conditions of the 1660s and 1670s many Barbadian planters sought better opportunities. In 1663 a number of planters in Barbados made arrangements with the proprietors of Carolina for establishing a colony at Cape Fear
. The proprietors
, by the exercise of their influence at court, secured a baronetcy for Yeamans, conferred on him 12 January 1665, and on 11 Jananuary 1665 they appointed him governor of their colony, with a jurisdiction extending from Cape Fear to San Mateo
.
The region was named Clarendon county
. Yeamans was also instructed to explore the coast south of Cape Fear. He sailed with three vessels from Barbados in January 1665, and reached Cape Fear, but sustained heavy loss by the way from rough weather. Accordingly he soon returned to Barbados, leaving the management of the new settlement to a deputy, Captain Robert Sandford (who's lieutenant was Joseph Woory, Yeamans's nephew).When in 1667 Locke drew up for Carolina a fantastic paper constitution entitled the "fundamental constitution", which was never exactly applied, Yeamans was created a landgrave
. However the colonists abandoned Clarendon by the autumn of 1667.
In 1669 another attempt was made. Three ships of settlers were sent to Port Royal from the British Isles calling first at Barbados. Instructed by the proprietors to name a governor Yeamans named himself and joined the expedition until it reached Bermuda. In Bermuda he appointed an aged William Sayle
in his place and abruptly returned to Barbados. The expedition continued and successfully founded South Carolina's first permanent English settlement in April 1670.
Sayle died in March 1671. Before his death he nominated as his successor the deputy governor, Joseph West, and this appointment was approved by the colonists. Yeamans arrived in the new colony in 1671 and was disappointed not to be made governor immediately, and used his position as speaker of the colonies first parliament to harass West. He also started to build a plantation into which he brought 200 African slaves.
The proprietors, on 21 August 1671, to the great dissatisfaction of the people, appointed Yeamans to the governorship. He was proclaimed Governor of the English Province of Carolina
at Charles Town on 19 April 1672. Early in his governorship at the bequest of the proprietors he initiated a land survey for what would become Charles Town and expanded his plantation.
The colony during his governorship suffered from internal dissensions, and was threatened both by the Spaniards and the Indians. The proprietors found fault with Yeamans as extravagant and indifferent to their interests. The colonists objected to his profits as an exporter of food-stuffs from Barbados. In April 1674 the proprietors superseded Yeamans in favour of his predecessor Joseph West, and in the same year Yeamans returned to Barbados, where he died in August.
Yeamans many descendants were still in prominent positions in West Indies affairs at the start of the 20th century. John's younger brother, Robert, also received a baronetcy on 31 December 1666 but he left no children.
Yeamans connection with the colony is still commemorated by the ancient mansion of Yeamans Hall, on Goose Creek, near Charles Town. Sir John's considerable wealth in Barbados passed to his son, Major Sir William Yeamans, second baronet, and great-grandfather of Sir John Yeamans of Barbados, whose son, Sir Robert (d. 19 February 1788), was the last baronet.
Lieutenant Colonel Josiah Martin
, the last colonial governor of the Province of North Carolina
was a member of the same West Indies Yeamans family.
Yeamans was one of a large, often prominent, family named Yeamans or Yeomans of Bristol
, England some of whom later became Quakers. One prominent member of the family was Robert Yeamans
a sheriff of Bristol. In 1643 he plotted to seize a city gate and let in a Royalist army to overwhelm the Parliamentary garrison. The plot was discovered and he along with some fellow conspirators were executed by the Parliamentary military governor for treason. Robert Yeamans was not a close relation of Sir John.Therefore the relationship reported in Burke in A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies is incorrect .
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
) was an English colonial administrator described in his day as "a pirate ashore".
Life
Baptised on 29 February 1611 in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England, Sir John Yeamans was a younger son of John Yeamans, a brewer of Redcliffe, Bristol
Redcliffe, Bristol
Redcliffe, also known as Redcliff, is a district of the English port city of Bristol, adjoining the city centre. It is bounded by the loop of the Floating Harbour to the west, north and east, the New Cut of the River Avon to the south...
who died about 1645, and his wife Blanche Germain. The younger Yeamans was a colonel in the Royalist army during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
In about 1650 Yeamans migrated to Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, and within a decade he had become a large landholder there (he had held land in Barbados since 1638) a colonel of the militia, judge of a local court of common pleas, and by July 1660 he was on the council of that colony.
Carolina
Cape Fear
Cape Fear is a prominent headland jutting into the Atlantic Ocean from Bald Head Island on the coast of North Carolina in the southeastern United States. It is largely formed of barrier beaches and the silty outwash of the Cape Fear River as it drains the southeast coast of North Carolina through...
. The proprietors
Lords Proprietor
Lords Proprietor was the name for the chief or highest owners or proprietors of certain English proprietary colonies in America, such as Carolina, New Jersey and Barbados....
, by the exercise of their influence at court, secured a baronetcy for Yeamans, conferred on him 12 January 1665, and on 11 Jananuary 1665 they appointed him governor of their colony, with a jurisdiction extending from Cape Fear to San Mateo
San Mateo
San Mateo, Spanish for Saint Matthew, is the name of several places:*San Mateo , Spain- Canary Islands :* Vega de San Mateo, Las Palmas, a municipality on the island of Gran Canaria in the province of Las Palmas- Costa Rica :...
.
The region was named Clarendon county
Province of Carolina
The Province of Carolina, originally chartered in 1629, was an English and later British colony of North America. Because the original Heath charter was unrealized and was ruled invalid, a new charter was issued to a group of eight English noblemen, the Lords Proprietors, in 1663...
. Yeamans was also instructed to explore the coast south of Cape Fear. He sailed with three vessels from Barbados in January 1665, and reached Cape Fear, but sustained heavy loss by the way from rough weather. Accordingly he soon returned to Barbados, leaving the management of the new settlement to a deputy, Captain Robert Sandford (who's lieutenant was Joseph Woory, Yeamans's nephew).When in 1667 Locke drew up for Carolina a fantastic paper constitution entitled the "fundamental constitution", which was never exactly applied, Yeamans was created a landgrave
Landgrave
Landgrave was a title used in the Holy Roman Empire and later on by its former territories. The title refers to a count who had feudal duty directly to the Holy Roman Emperor...
. However the colonists abandoned Clarendon by the autumn of 1667.
In 1669 another attempt was made. Three ships of settlers were sent to Port Royal from the British Isles calling first at Barbados. Instructed by the proprietors to name a governor Yeamans named himself and joined the expedition until it reached Bermuda. In Bermuda he appointed an aged William Sayle
William Sayle
William Sayle was an explorer, settler of the Bahamas, and the first governor of colonial South Carolina from 1670–71.William Sayle established the first English settlement of the Bahamas between 1646–48 on the island of Eleuthera, although his legal claim to proprietorship in the Bahamas now...
in his place and abruptly returned to Barbados. The expedition continued and successfully founded South Carolina's first permanent English settlement in April 1670.
Sayle died in March 1671. Before his death he nominated as his successor the deputy governor, Joseph West, and this appointment was approved by the colonists. Yeamans arrived in the new colony in 1671 and was disappointed not to be made governor immediately, and used his position as speaker of the colonies first parliament to harass West. He also started to build a plantation into which he brought 200 African slaves.
The proprietors, on 21 August 1671, to the great dissatisfaction of the people, appointed Yeamans to the governorship. He was proclaimed Governor of the English Province of Carolina
Province of Carolina
The Province of Carolina, originally chartered in 1629, was an English and later British colony of North America. Because the original Heath charter was unrealized and was ruled invalid, a new charter was issued to a group of eight English noblemen, the Lords Proprietors, in 1663...
at Charles Town on 19 April 1672. Early in his governorship at the bequest of the proprietors he initiated a land survey for what would become Charles Town and expanded his plantation.
The colony during his governorship suffered from internal dissensions, and was threatened both by the Spaniards and the Indians. The proprietors found fault with Yeamans as extravagant and indifferent to their interests. The colonists objected to his profits as an exporter of food-stuffs from Barbados. In April 1674 the proprietors superseded Yeamans in favour of his predecessor Joseph West, and in the same year Yeamans returned to Barbados, where he died in August.
Yeamans family
Sir John Yeamans married twice firstly to — Limp, they had five sons, and secondly on 11 April 1661 to Margaret Berringer, they had four children (two sons and two daughters). It is likely that Yeamans had Benjamin Berringer, his former business partner and husband of Margaret, poisoned just weeks before the marriage. However the death was investigated and Yeamans was cleared by the council.Yeamans many descendants were still in prominent positions in West Indies affairs at the start of the 20th century. John's younger brother, Robert, also received a baronetcy on 31 December 1666 but he left no children.
Yeamans connection with the colony is still commemorated by the ancient mansion of Yeamans Hall, on Goose Creek, near Charles Town. Sir John's considerable wealth in Barbados passed to his son, Major Sir William Yeamans, second baronet, and great-grandfather of Sir John Yeamans of Barbados, whose son, Sir Robert (d. 19 February 1788), was the last baronet.
Lieutenant Colonel Josiah Martin
Josiah Martin
Lieutenant-Colonel Josiah Martin was the last colonial governor of the Province of North Carolina .-Family and connections:...
, the last colonial governor of the Province of North Carolina
Province of North Carolina
The Province of North Carolina was originally part of the Province of Carolina in British America, which was chartered by eight Lords Proprietor. The province later became the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee....
was a member of the same West Indies Yeamans family.
Yeamans was one of a large, often prominent, family named Yeamans or Yeomans of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England some of whom later became Quakers. One prominent member of the family was Robert Yeamans
Robert Yeamans
Robert Yeamans or Yeomans , was a merchant of Bristol who in early 1643 plotted with other Royalist to aid in the capture of Bristol by the Royalists...
a sheriff of Bristol. In 1643 he plotted to seize a city gate and let in a Royalist army to overwhelm the Parliamentary garrison. The plot was discovered and he along with some fellow conspirators were executed by the Parliamentary military governor for treason. Robert Yeamans was not a close relation of Sir John.Therefore the relationship reported in Burke in A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies is incorrect .