WILLIAMSBURG, VA - BIOGRAPHIES - Autobiography of David Meade, II
Excerpt:
Sir Richard Everard, when a young man, was a captain in Queen
Anne's army, and it is probably was with Sir George Rooke, Admiral of the
British fleet, when he took Gibraltar, as he remained in garrison eighteen
months, being so long against his inclinations stayed there by his sense of
honor altogether, he having but recently married a young wife, and he resigned
his commission immediately upon his return to England. He was for a few years
proprietary governor of North Carolina, which position he resigned about the
year 1730, soon after all the proprietors, except Lord Granville, sold out to
the crown, not being in any credit at court; for although he had served Queen
Anne as captain in her army, he was probably no friend to Hanoverian
succession. I have heard my mother say the he, as well as several others of
the Essex Baronets, found it convenient to make himself as little conspicuous
as possible during the rebellion of 1715, at the beginning of George the
First's reign.
'The Lords Proprietors were all particular friends of Sir Richard, and it has
been understood in the family tha this patrimony had been much reduced by
adventuring in the South Sea bubble, and he accepted from the proprietors the
government of North Carolina to repair his estate. At his death, he left his
dame all the estate of every kind which he possessed in even of her surviving
their eldest son, as is recorded in her will to be found among my papers. Her
will appears to have been written before the death of her eldest son, Richard,
who, by death of his father, inherited the title of Baronet. Hugh, the
younger son, survived his brother, and succeeded to the honors of the family,
but not the estate, as he was disinherited, for what cause is unknown to the
family this day. He was killed in a naval engagement. His name is still
continued on the list of English Baronets. By his death, an ancient family
became extinct in the male line, and in my person is continued in the female,
I being the eldest son of the eldest daughter of Sir Richard Everard.