300 acres, was known as “Buck Roe,” after a place in England of that name.
In 1620, the company sent some Frenchmen to Buck Roe to teach the colonists how to plant mulberry trees and grape vines, raise silkworms, and make wine. They were selected by John Bonnell, silkworm raiser to the King at Oakland, from Languedock in France, and among them were Anthony Bonnell[1], Elias La Guard[2], James Bonnell, Peter Arundell and David Poole.
In 1621, Capt. Thomas Newce from Newce’s Town in Ireland came over as manager of the Company’s lands in the different corporations, was made a member of the Virginia council, and given six hundred acres at Fort Henry for his support.
At this time one of the ministers of Elizabeth City was Jonas Stockton, son of William Stockton, parson of Barkeswell, County Warwick, England; and in May 1621, he wrote a letter regarding the treacherous character of the Indians and the futility of any attempt to convert them till “their Priests and Ancients” were put to death. He appears to have been the earliest exponent of the doctrine that “the only good Indian is a dead Indian.” March 22, 1622 occurred the massacre at which time 346 settlers out of a total of 1240 were slaughtered; and the warning of Mr. Stockton may have served the people of Elizabeth City to good purpose, for no one was killed there.
After the first news Captain Newce called all his neighbors together at his home, which he defended with three cannon, and took measure not only for their relief, but built two houses and a “faire well of water mantled with brick” for the reception of immigrants daily expected from England and, forseeing the famine that must necessarily ensue, caused a large crop of corn to be planted around the fort. We are told that in all these works the captain acted the part of a sawyer, carpenter and laborer, but met with many difficulties. In the latter part of June Governor Wyatt, accompanied by his council and many other gentlemen, spent three or four days with him and ate up the crop of corn near the fort, before the ears were half grown. However, Captain Newce, sick and weak as he was, never tired of well
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