Read Elding ( fl. 1695–1730s) was a mixed British and African Barbadian who served as acting

Governor of The Bahamas This is a list of governors of the Bahamas. The first English settlement in the Bahamas was on Eleuthera. In 1670, the king granted the Bahamas to the lords proprietors of the Province of Carolina, but the islands were left to themselves. The lo ...

from 1699 to 1701.

Biography

Born in

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate) ...

, Elding moved to

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

in 1695 and married Hannah Pemberton. They had a daughter named Hannah, born in

The Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...

and sent to Boston, and two sons. Hannah married Samuel Miller, whom was in his life elected constable like his father Alexander. The Millers were related to

Benning Wentworth Benning Wentworth (July 24, 1696 – October 14, 1770) was an American merchant and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. While serving as governor, Wentworth is best known for issuing several l ...

. From Elding's two sons, his lineage is traced to families in the area of

Buxton, Maine Buxton is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is part of the Portland metropolitan area. The population was 8,376 at the 2020 census. Buxton includes the villages of Salmon Falls/Tory Hill, Chicopee, Groveville, Bar Mills, West Buxton ...

. In 1699, Elding was appointed by Governor Nicholas Webb to lead a fleet of five ships against pirate Kelly. He did not capture the pirate, but returned to

Nassau Nassau may refer to: Places Bahamas *Nassau, Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence Canada *Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upper Canada from 1788 to 1792 *Nassau Street (Winnipeg), ...

with the ''Bahama Merchant'' from Boston. The ship's captain claimed Elding and his associates stole it and abandoned the crew. Elding left for

New Castle, Delaware New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The city is located six miles (10 km) south of Wilmington and is situated on the Delaware River. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 5,285. History New Castl ...

and returned when Webb made him deputy governor before his death on New Providence. He replaced the vice admiral judge with a man named Dalton and appointed his brother-in-law Parker and one of

Henry Avery Henry Every, also known as Henry Avery (20 August 1659after 1696), sometimes erroneously given as Jack Avery or John Avery, was an English pirate who operated in the Atlantic and Indian oceans in the mid-1690s. He probably used several aliases ...

's men

marshals Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...

. Elding was popular and fought piracy, notably having Hendrick van Hoven hanged in October 1699. He also banned correspondance with the Scots at Darién and complained of Danish activity. In 1701, Elias Haskett, who was dissatisfied with the state of affairs, became governor. Due to Haskett and newly appointed vice admiral judge Thomas Walker's corruption, Elding,

customs officer A customs officer is a law enforcement agent who enforces customs laws, on behalf of a government. Canada Canadian customs officers are members of the Canada Border Services Agency. It was created in 2003 and preceded by the Canada Customs and ...

John Graves, Ellis Lightwood, and attorney general John Warren led a revolt. In October 1701, Haskett imprisoned Elding on grounds of piracy, seeking a bribe. Warren led a mob that freed Elding and imprisoned Haskett and Walker, with Lightwood being made governor. Haskett was stripped of his allegedly ill-gotten possessions and sent to New York City. In London he attempted to indict the men of piracy, but the cases fell through. During the Raid on Nassau, Lightwood was taken to Saint-Domingue, Walker fled to the Abaco Islands near

Walker's Cay Walker's Cay is the northernmost island in the Bahamas, part of the North Abaco district. Once a popular sport fishing location, the island has been deserted since 2004, following severe hurricane damage. The island is currently undergoing renovati ...

, and Elding to the

Out Islands The Out Islands are the islands that make up the Bahamas with the exception of New Providence Island, where the capital and largest city, Nassau, is located and Grand Bahama Island, where Freeport is located.David Hamilton-Jones, "Problems of In ...

; he was known to have still been in The Bahamas during the 1730s.

Sources

;Bibliography * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Elding, Read 17th-century births 18th-century deaths British governors of the Bahamas Barbadian pirates