What seems chaotic in the genealogy of English settlers in Virginia is often the result of a single strand of connection accounting for the association of several families; wherehas when connections were within a kinship group, and comprised of repeated intermarriages between its members, relationships are clear.

Basically, the Newetts of London intermarried with a Drewe family of Somerset, a county that is represented in Virginia genealogies by such families as the Fulghams and Bonds of Pitminster, the Tookes of Barwick, the Symes of Mells; the Bennetts of Wiveliescombe, London, and Virginia; the Councils, Hodges, and Lancasters of Cheddar/Wedmore; all such families being linked to the various strands of the Harris family of Cheddar/Wedmore, Mells, and Wiveliescombe. To these the family of Derrick can certainly be added, which provides a link Sergeant John Harris of Virginia. Many of these provincial Somerset families located in London, to engage in the burgeoning Virginia trade, and came into contact with such London families as the Nusoms, who, as scrivenors, arranged business loans between merchants.

Phillipp Wilson of Bethnall Greene, Stepney, Midd., gent. (Dat. 27 June 1620); son Philip Wilson; son Thos. and 2 daus. Elizth. and Margt. Wilson (all 3 und. 21); 3 mess, called ‘the pounde’ in Brayntree, Essex; to my son Thos. a seal ring; to my dau. Elizth, my wife’s wedding ring; to. John Wilson’s chn.; moth.-in-law Elizth. Weldinge; uncle Hogge; bro.-in-law Jas. Baynes; sist.-in-law Jane Weldinge; frds. John and Mary Archer; servt. John; poor almsmen at Mile end; frd. Mr. John Newett; Exors: sd. moth.-in-law and uncle Thos. Hogge. Wits: John Archer, Richard Archer. (Pr. 24 July 1620).

‘Liber F’ copy bargain and sale relating to land in Withernsea: Parties: (1) William Newett, London, citizen and draper (2) John Newett, London, draper. Property: mssuage and lands in Withernsey in the occupation of Elizabeth Wetwang for rent of 26s 8d … purchased by John Newett, father of William Newett from Francis Phelipps and Edmond Sawyer as described in DDX508/30; around 50 acres of land in Waltham, Lincolnshire … of which John Newett his father died seised The above in performance of the will of John Newett, father of William Newett, deceased, and of an agreement between William Newett and John Newett his brother. East Riding of Yorkshire Archives (ERYA), ref. zDDX508/31. 17 Jun 1624.

‘Liber G’ copy bargain and sale relating to land in Withernsea and Lincolnshire: Parties: (1) John Newett, Hackney, Middlesex, gentleman, one of the sons of John Newett, late of Stepney, Middlesex, gentleman, deceased (2) William Swayne, Hackney,esquire. Property: messuages and lands in Withernsey; all other messuages and land in Lincolnshire (inc. Thornton), Middlesex and elsewhere in England Consideration: £40. (EYRA, ref. zDDX508/32. 12 Jan 1626).

1. John Newett, d. 1624.
1.1. William Newett, of London, citizen and draper.
1.2. John Newett; i.e. John Newett, of Hackney, Middlesex, Draper, and Sarah Browne, of same, spinster, da. of Samuel Brown, decd., at Fulham, May 11, 1624, and Elizabeth Nichols whose Will named grandsons John (d.v.p) and William Newett, daus. Sara Newett, and Mary Browne. It mentioned land in Hackney. Execs. son in law Edward Browne, and son-in -law Wm. Newett. Wit. Elenor Taylor and Ephraim Thorne. (Consistory Court of London, 1621-1630, f234). By 1643, 27 ac. in Soper Lane was held by Richard Thorne, citizen and draper, who made a lease of it to Ephraim Thorne, citizen and merchant tailor, for 7 years at a peppercorn rent; who was probably his brother. On March 3, 1695 Roger Nichols, at Southwark Court, Surry Co., witnessed the Will of Martin Thorne Sr., whose son and namesake m. the relict of David Williams: David Williams. Leg. Wm. Harris, orphan, of one gun and two pewter dishes. To wife Martha (Harris) Williams, my whole estate to be divided between her and her children. Prob. 28 May 1676. Wit: James Murray, Jno. Twyford (B. 2, p. 106). 28 March 1676: Probate granted Martin Thorne. March 28, 1676: In difference bet. Capt. Charles Barham plt. and Martin Thorne deft., ‘aboute trading with plts. servts, it is ord. that Thorne pay Barham 20 lbs. Shugr. and costs’. Court held at Southwark, March 2, 1685: Martin Thorne appearing with the orph. of David Williams dec’d and alleadging he would not keepe her nor her estate and orphan being desirous to live with Wm. Prosser whose wife had promised to teach her severall things … It is ord. that Wm. Newsom, Mathew Swan and Robt. Lancaster bet. this and next Cort appr. sd. Thorn’s estate and Robt. Ruffin take an account of things appraysed and due to the orphans. Martin Thorne: Est. Appr. by Robt. Lancaster, Wm. Newsum, Matthew Swann. Wm. Harris, John Fenly and Roger Nichols ord. to appr.
1.2.1. William Newett, m. Elizabeth Jones.
1.3. Martha Newett: William Brande of St. Dunstan in the West, apothecary, and Martha Newett of Hacknwey, Middlesex, spinster, at St. Leonard’s Shoreditch. 1626. Tirwhitt v Brand. Plaintiffs: George Tirwhitt. Defendants: William Brand. Subject: property in Horncastle, Thornton, Thimbleby, and Laughton, Lincolnshire. (Nat. Arch., ref. C 6/44/9. 1637).
1.4. Thomas Newett, apprenticed in 1619 to “Thomas Swayne silkman of Soper Lane, London Master Draper, son of John Newett of Hackney, Midd., father of apprentice, Gent; Mirabel Methold, Hackney, Midd., mother of apprentice”.

Thomas Swayne was the nephew of William Swayne, M.P., of Hackney, d. 1613; m. (1) 1da.; (2) c. May 1612, Bridget, wid. of William Newce of Much Hadham, Herts., s.p. Barber-surgeon bef. 1565; steward and collector of manors of Aldworth, St. Leonard Stanley and Bisley, Glos. “Among his charitable bequests were sums of £20 each to Christ’s hospital for poor children and St. Botolph’s without Aldersgate for its poor, and of £10 each to St. Bartholomew’s hospital and to the poor in London prisons; he also left £100 with which the parish of Hackney was to buy land for the relief of its poor, a legacy which, under the name of ‘Swain’s Charity’, still survives. To his daughter Ann he left his first wife’s rings and jewels, to his nephews Thomas, Arthur and Nathaniel £300, £400 and £20 respectively, to his ‘cousins’ Thomas Walkeden’ and Mirabile Newett £5 and £10, and to his servants amounts ranging from £5 to £30. He appointed his nephew William Swayne, his brother Edward’s son and perhaps the Cambridge graduate of 1597, his executor, and Sir John Leveson and John Newett overseers”. (The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981).

1. Thomas Drew, often quoted as coming from Exeter, on the sole basis of a namesake being recorded in the Visitation of Devon. He was more likely to have been the Thomas Drew, bapt. May 7, 1594 (son of Robert) in Stocklinch Ottersay, 30 mls. fom Dunster, Somerset, manor of the Lutterell family. Thomas Drew apparently m. (as her third husband) Frances Ward, relict of (1) William Barker, mariner, (2) Robert Letherland. William Barker, mariner, was a partner of Francis Derick: E 115/117/162. Certificate of residence showing Francis Derricke to be liable for taxation in Gloucestershire, and not in the hundred of Winterstoke, etc., Somerset, the previous area of tax liability. 1621 E 115/124/59. Certificate of residence showing Francis Derricke to be liable for taxation in Gloucestershire, and not in the half-hundred of Portbury, etc., Somerset, the previous area of tax liability. 1626. E 115/128/37. Certificate of residence showing Francis Derricke to be liable for taxation in Gloucestershire, and not in the hundreds of Brent, Bempstone, Portbury, and Hartcliffe, Somerset, the previous area of tax liability. 1628. E 115/115/51. Certificate of residence showing Francis Derricke to be liable for taxation in Bristol. 1629.
The Derrick family of the hundred of Winterstoke are almost invariably recorded as being of the parishes of Blagdon and Worle. The former is 8 miles from Cheddar, the latter is 11 miles from Cheddar; where was a Harris family which almost certainly migrated to Virginia. William Barker, bapt. on 7 May 1592 in St. Werburgh’s, Bristol; merchant and mariner, who deposed his age to be 37 in 1629, and mate of the Hopewell, which sailed fom Virginia on New years Eve of that year for England, under Captain Richard Russell, in company with ‘the Gift’ of London, under Captain Samuel Crampton and Master Edward Beale. (See Coldham, P.W., English Adventurers and Emigrants, 1609-1660, p. 23, 1984). He bought land in Flowerdew Hundred from Abraham Piersey’s da., Elizabeth. This property passed to his son, John Barker, in 1655, who left the plantation to two of his sisters, Sarah and Elizabeth Limbrey. He was a partner of Francis Derrick: April 13, 1639: ‘Bond of Francis Derrick (the younger), of Bristol, and William Barker, of Ratcliffe, Middlesex, to the King, in 1,000l. conditioned for the appearance of Derrick before the Council, to answer an accusation of piracy pretended to have been committed by him upon a Spanish ship in a voyage to Virginia, about 11th October 1636’.
Dorothy, daughter of the late deceased Sergeant John Harris, have by order of court at Henrico on the 27th day of August last surrendered to mee Captain Francis Derrick all the right and title which they and claime unto the devident of land belonging to the late deceased Georg Cawcott which was given to the said Dorothy by the last will and testament of the said Cawcott as by the surrender in the said court and by the pattent and will recorded at James Cittie, etc. For good and valuable causes and considerations. Wtnesses: Lawrence Hulett and John Owell’ (Nugent, B. 1., part 2, p. 113).
1.2. Nicholas Drew, m … Tailer, 19 Sept. 1619, Dunster, St George, Somerset.
1.2.1. Robert Drew.
1.2.1.1. John Drew, bapt. 1 Dec. 1644, Dunster.
1.2.1. Richard Drew, bapt. 28 Apr. 1622, Dunster, d. after 4 Apr. 1679, Surry Co.
1.2.1.1. Edward Drew, m. Frances Newett, da. of William Newitt and Elizabeth Jones. 4 Jan. 1685: William Harris and wife Mary Harris, to William Newsum … 220 ac. now in the tenure of Mr. John Harris; adj. William Newett, and the Sunken Marsh Path. Wit. Robert Ruffin. R. 5 Jan. 1685. William Harris was the son of of Thomas Harris, d. 1668. During his orpanage, a part of his father’s estate was leased to John Harris, whose Will was witnessed by William Newsum, John Clarke, and William Newett. (B. 3, p. 82).

“A.D. 1395, John Horsey … founded another chantry in this parish (Charlton Mackerell – M.S) … Most of the lands belonging to these chantries were after their dissolution granted to Sir Thomas Bell, knt. and Richard Duke, Esq. John Drewe was the last incumbent of (the) chantry, and had in 1553 a pension of il. 4s. The manor of Lytes-Cary had its name from the ancient family of Lyte, who had their habitation here in a large mansion, in which was a chapel, where their arms, viz. Gules, a chevron between three swans argent, with many of their intermarriages, were depicted. Much of their property came into the family by the marriage of Thomas Lyte with the heiress of Drew (Margery Drew, da. of Thomas Drewe of Bridgewater – M.S), whose family derived great estates from that of Horsey”. (John Collinson, Edmund Rack, The History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset, vol. 3, 1791). Thomas Lyte’s descendant, Thomas Lyte, Esq; d. 1638, was the father of George Lyte, who m. Ann Hodges, da. of Captain Thomas Hodges of Wedmore; from whence almost certainly came Hodges Council. His sister, Jane Lyte, m. Hugh Luttrell, son of George Luttrell, of Dunster. (Joseph J. Howard, Visitation of England and Wales Notes, vol. 6, 1906).

John Drewe served as mayor of Bridgwater in 1483-4, 1487-8, 1492-3 and 1497-8, and was mentioned in the Will of John Wheler, one of the chaplains in the parish church of Bridgewater at the latter part of the fifteenth century: “The residue of my goods I give and bequeath to John Drewe, to dispose for my soul and the souls of my benefactors as to him shall seem best. And I ordain Sir Robert Philipp, rector of Chilton, and John Bartlett, overseers of this my will”.

copyright m stanhope 2017