General Notes

Edward Waters (Immigrant) had a brother named John Waters of Middleham, Yo
rkshire, England. In 1618, he and his family migrated to the area of Nanse
mond County, VA near the river at Suffolk Nansemond, VA. Lt. Edward Wate
rs was granted 100 acres of land at Elizabeth City, VA in the precinc
ts of Buck Roe, 26 1628.
There are several discrepancies in his date of birth, alternately giv
en as 1568, 1578 and 1584. Using Hotten's information which states he w
as "aged 40" at the time of 16 February 1623 that would place his bir
th at circa 1583.
Edward led a daring and romantic life. Arriving in America in 1608 in t
he ship "Patience" then later, returned to England. Quoting Sara H. Haze
l, p. 272 of "Descendants and Related Families of David Samuel Ware and Am
anda Rose Chesteen Ware", "Edward Waters, as appears from Hotten's li
st of emigrants, came over in the ship "Patience", in 1608, and return
ed to England. On a subsequent voyage to America we have an account of h
is being shipwrecked. His life was an eventful and romantic one. During h
is enforced stay upon one of these islands he is said to have killed a m
an in a quarrel named Edward Samuel, a sailor, and was arrested and bou
nd to a tree, but one of his friends cutting the rope in the night, he esc
aped to another part of the island. When the shipwrecked set sail in Ma
y, 1610, in two small vessels which they had built during the winter, call
ed the "Patience" and the "Deliverence", Waters and a man named Christoph
er Carter were left behind to hold possession of the island. In the latt
er part of the summer, Sir George Somers returned for a supply of wild hog
s, and died there. His kinsman, Mathew Somers, taking command, set sail f
or England instead of Virginia, leaviing one of his crew, named Edward Cha
rd, behind.
These three then, Waters, Carter and Chard, were the sole inhabitants of t
he Somers islet and "monarchs of all they surveyed", until the arriv
al of Moore and his colony in 1612. An old chronicler alleges that Chard a
nd Waters were about to fight on one occasion, when Christopher Carter, w
ho disliked both, pacified them by threatening to turn against the man w
ho struck first. After this they became friendly and industriously and pro
fitably worked together. Both Waters and Carter became members of the gove
rnor's council, but about 1618 went to Virginia, where the former settl
ed on the south bank of the James River. At the time of the massacre in 16
22, Waters lived on the south side of the James and he and his family we
re taken prisoners by the Nansemond Indians, but were rescued by a boat
's crew and carried to Recaughton, or Elizabeth City, now called Hampto
n. In February, 1625, his wife had a daughter named Margaret. Govenor Pot
t, in Maarch, 1628-29, made Edward Waters a commissioner for the distri
ct between Southampton River and Fox Hill, and he was a member of the t
he county court and member of the House of Burgesses from Elizabeth City C
ounty. (New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol XXXI, p 393.
)"
He was a gentleman and Armiger , born in England. Died at Hertsfordshir
e, England. His will proved 18 September 1630 and may be found record
ed in the Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. IIl, p. 179.
Other Sources:
1. William Broddus Cridlin, "A History of Colonial Virginia", pp. 90-91.
2. John Camden Hotten, "The Original Lists of Persons of Quality", p. 187.
3. Philemon Berry Waters, "A Genealogical History of the Waters and Kindr
ed Families", Pub. Foote & Davis Co., Atlanta, GA, 1903, pp. 13-14.