The Bakers versus Barkers

Flourdieu Plantation was established by Governor George Yeardley who served in the Low Countries in 1606 with Thomas Dale and Thomas Gates. He was thought to be the wealthiest man in Virginia.

Captain Nathaniel Powell was married to a cousin of Lady Dale, and he patented a very large tract of 600 acres that was called Powel’s Brook. He married the girl across the river, the daughter of Berkeley Plantation investor William Tracey. We think him to be the son of Baronet Nathaniel Powell who purchased “Perriton”Manor Ewhurst, Sussex from Sir John Baker of Sissinghurst. Ewhurst was only ten miles from Brookland in Kent, which we believe to be the home of John Baker living at City Point in the early 1630s. In the 1624 muster, a William Baker had his own muster here and he had come to Virginia in the Jonathan in 1609, a long time in that period of high mortality. This property was purchased by mariner William Barker who renamed it Merchants Hope. He transported quite a few people to the region. William Barker passed the property to his son John Barker. Little is known about them, but you may want to read our research in England. We discovered that in 1663, Virginia officials evicted an entire community of Quakers, including their elder Francis Whittington, and burned all remains of their settlement. We now ask ourselves if William Barker's son had become part of the Quaker movement and this explains the lack of information.

Adjacent to Merchants Hope is where Richard Baker established his BAKERS PLANTATION in 1636. He was married to neighbor Richard Pace’s daughter. Later, he purchased a portion of the land of John Baker of Shirley. You can read more about Richard by clicking here.

Captain Abraham Piersey (D1627). Captain Abraham Piersey had a plantation up the Appotomax River at the time of the census where he lost quite a few people, he then purchased Powell's land and established Merchants Hope. Piersey was considered the second wealthiest man in the colonies after his neighbor George Yeardley.

• A young boy, John Baker, was killed in the Indian massacre at Piersey's Plantation.
• Edward Tonstall made claim in 1636 for Lt. James Barker and in 1643 for Elizabeth Baker.
• Arthur Bayly made a 1637 claim for William Barker.
• Mary Piersey married Captain Thomas Hill, and secondly Thomas Bushrod, who resettled in Ann Arundel County, Maryland as a Puritan.
• Elizabeth Piersey married Captain Richard Stephens, and secondly Sir John Harvey, governor. Elizabeth sold to captain William Barker, mariner, 1,300 acres for 88 persons he brought to Virginia on his ship, the America.

Captain William Barker

Suddenly, a man named Captain William Barker, who transports multiple shiploads of persons to Virginia, begins to buy property on the James River and acquires the plantations of the first and second most wealthy men in the colonies, Governor George Yeardley and Captain Abraham Pierey. Captain William Barker leased Captain Abraham Piersey's Plantation in 1634. The following year, he patented 1,250 acres for 25 persons. On June 23, 1635, Captain Barker was captain of the ship America that registered at Gravesend before departure so the passengers could swear allegiance to the Church of England. Aboard was Henry Baker (Born 1617), Dorothy Baker (Born 1617), and Elizabeth Baker (Born 1617). In 1637, he patented the 600 acre Bikers Point (Baker's Point) claiming headrights for 12. The following year, in 1638, he patented 1,850 acres for 25 persons with his partner, John Taylor of London. It is not until 1642 that he acquired Biker's Point, apparently the land of William Baker who had been in the colonies since 1609 and was registered at this location adjacent to the original Powell's Creek in 1624.

Captain William Barker (Died 1655)= Frances Ward, daughter of James Ward = (2) Robert Letherland = (3) Colonel Thomas Drew. A James Ward was at Powells' Creek in 1651

• Elizabeth Barker = Philip Limbray
• Sarah Barker = Richard Taylor, Carpenter, purchased Powels Creek, inherited Flourdieu (1st wife was Mary Perkins) = (2) Robert Lucy = (3) Captain James Bisse
  • Richard Taylor Jr.
  • John Taylor A John Taylor, girdler of London, was Wm Barker's partner
  • Katherine Taylor
  • Sarah Taylor
  • Elizabeth Taylor = John Hamlin
    • Lucy Hamlin = William Eppes, Jr.
    • Hannah Hamlin = Thomas Cocke
  • Frances Taylor = Richard Bradford (Witnesses were John Barker and Howell Pryse, who later in 1655/56 would claim headrights for Thomas Baker and Sylvester Baker.)
    • Richard Bradford Jr.
    • Ralph Bradford
    • John Bradford = Rebecca Pace, daughter of Richard Pace (Will 1736)
      Richard Bradford
      • Rebecca Bradford
      • Sarah Bradford
      • John Bradford (Richard Hill (Died 1674) was guardian, Captain Edward Hill was the the guardian of John Taylor in 1681)
      • Nathaniel Bradford ptented land near Hacks Neck in 1658 claiming 8 headrights.
• John Barker (Died Nov. 24, 1662) = Widow Pitt Witness Richard Pace whose daughter married Richard Baker of adjoining Bakers Plantation, Abraham Wood, neighbor of the 1st John Baker, found this John Barker free of all debt in 1655, Edward Baker (D1664), son of the 1st John Baker, died aboard the ship of Captain Robert Pitts.
  • Hannah Pitt

The reader may want to read more about Captain William Barker and Baron Nathaniel Powell in Kent, England.

Summary

The reader can see how close John Barker of Merchants Hope was dovetailed with John Baker of Shirley, but it appears that John Baker died 1662. Edward Baker, son of John Baker of Shirley, died on the ship of Captain Robert Pitt, coming from London to Virginia. You may want to read more about Robert Pitts. If you are researching this page, we suggest you read more about the upper James River by clicking here.