Henry Soane Explained

Henry Soane
Order:13th
Office:Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses
Term Start:1661
Term End:1661
Preceded:Theodorick Bland of Westover
Succeeded:Robert Wynne
Office1:Member of the House of Burgesses for James City County, Colony of Virginia 1
Term1:1660-1662
Preceded1:Mathew Edlowe
Succeeded1:Edward Ramsay
Alongside1:Walter Chiles, Robert Ellison, Richard Ford, William Morley,
Term2:1658
Preceded2:Robert Ellyson
Succeeded2:Walter Chiles
Alongside2:William Corker, Thomas Loveinger, Richard Webster
Term3:1652-1655
Preceded3:Walter Chiles
Succeeded3:Robert Ellyson
Alongside3:John Fludd, Daniel Mansill, George Stevens, Robert Wetherall, William Whittakers, Abraham Watson, Walter Chiles, Thomas Dipnall,
Birth Date:1622
Death Date:1661
Death Place:Virginia
Spouse:Judith Fuller
Children:Henry Jr., Judith Soane Randolph, John, Elizabeth, William
Residence:James City County, Virginia
Occupation:Farmer

Henry Soane (1622–1661) was a Virginia politician, real estate investor and landowner who served in the House of Burgesses 1652 - 55, 1658, and 1660 - 61, and was its Speaker in 1661.[1] [2]

Early and family life

He married Judith Fuller,[3] which whom they had five children. His son William Soane and grandson Henry Soane II would also serve in the House of Burgesses representing Henrico County and James City County, respectively. His daughter Judith Soane first married Henry Randolph I (the clerk of the house of burgesses) and after his death in 1673, Major Peter Field of Henrico County. His son John Soane became a noted surveyor, as well as agent of the Royal African Company, but never married and gave his plantation in Henrico County, Poplar Spring, to his brother William and his surveying instruments to Williams' son Henry Soane II.[4] The progenitor of a political dynasty that spanned two centuries, Soane is the great-great grandfather of President Thomas Jefferson.

Career

Soane began speculating in Virginia real estate by 1651, patenting land on the upper side of the Chickahominy River, as well as the northeast side of the Mattaponi River and the south side of the Rappahannock River. His main plantation was in James City County, and in 1626 he purchased 2200 acres. His and his eldest son Henry Jr's land in New Kent County totalled 2800 acres by 1656.[5] Some of the land was along Diascund Creek, which became the dividing line between James City County and New Kent County in 1651. The Mattaponi land was then in New Kent County. He assigned his 45- acres on the Rappahannock River patented in 1652 to Governor Sir Henry Chicheley in 1654

James City County voters repeatedly elected Soane as one of the men representing them in the House of Burgesses, and burgesses elected him as their Speaker.[6] During his speakership, he asked Col. Fransis Moryson and Randolph to prepare a collection of acts passed by the legislature, for which he received tobacco worth 50 pounds sterling and which was published in London in 1662.[7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kukla, Jon . Jon Kukla

    . Jon Kukla . Speakers and Clerks of the Virginia House of Burgesses, 1643 - 1776 . Virginia State Library . Richmond, Virginia . 1981 . 0-88490-075-4 . registration . 61-62.

  2. Book: McCartney, Martha W. . Jamestown people to 1800 : landowners, public officials, minorities, and native leaders . Genealogical Pub. Co . Baltimore, Md. . 2012 . 978-0-8063-1872-1 . 812189309.
  3. Book: McLean, Dabney Neff . Henry Soane, Progenitor of Thomas Jefferson . D.N. McLean . 1985 . 9780961493400 . en . "This collection of abstracts will focus on his [i.e. Thomas Jefferson] great grandparents Peter Field and Judith Soane, and on his great grandparents Henry Soane and Judith Fuller for whom there are few extant records." (p. 5)..
  4. McCartney p. 375
  5. Kukla p. 61
  6. Cynthia Miller Leonard, The Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978 (Richmond: Virginia State Library 1978) pp. xiii, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37, 38
  7. Kukla