doing; but when all was spent and the colonists had to live on crabs and oysters, he distributed among them, as he saw occasion, a little milk and rice which he still had left, and behaved with such “tenderness and care” that he obtained the reputation of being the best commander in Virginia.
September 9, 1922, his men were attacked at their labors by the Indians, which was their first assault since the massacre; and four men were slain. The Captain, though extremely sick, sallied forth, but the Indians hid in the cornfields at night and escaped without any loss. About this time Samuel Collier, who had come, as a boy, to Virginia and was very useful as Indian interpreter, was accidently killed by a sentinel; and in the general neglect of agriculture that ensued the vineyards at Buck Roe were greatly “bruised” by the deer. Captain Newce died the next year (1623) and he was preceded to the grave by his brother Sir William Newce, who had come a very short time before as high marshal to Virginia. It was from these two Newce brothers that Newport News (Newport Newce) obtained its name, its early title being Point Hope, as appears from Smith’s map of Virginia.
The Development of Elizabeth City
Captain William Tucker, a London merchant, succeeded Captain Newce as commander of Elizabeth City and as a member of the council of State, and in the revenge taken upon the savages by the government he played an important part in leading expeditions against them.
In February 1624, a census was taken of the inhabitants of the colony according to which it appeared that Elizabeth City Corporation had a population of 349. In June, the charter of the London Company was revoked, but though great fears were entertained, no attempt was made by the King to interfere with the plan of government established by the Company for the colony.
In 1625 another census of the colony was taken, and among the inhabitants of Elizabeth City Corporation the following may be mentioned: Residing at Newport News on a tract of 1300 acres, with his 19 servants was Mr. Daniel Gookin, who came like the Newces from Newce town in Ireland. On Hampton River and in its neighborhood were
