Thomas Everard (1719–1781) served as mayor of

Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 15,425. Located on the Virginia Peninsula ...

from 1766 to 1767. He was a clerk at the

House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses was the elected representative element of the Virginia General Assembly, the legislative body of the Colony of Virginia. With the creation of the House of Burgesses in 1642, the General Assembly, which had been established ...

and lived in the Brush-Everard House in

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has 7300 employees at this location and ...

. He supported the fight for independence from the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

, including serving on the committee that selected delegates from Virginia for the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

. Orphaned at the age of 10, he was admitted to

Christ's Hospital Christ's Hospital is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 11–18) with a royal charter located to the south of Horsham in West Sussex. The school was founded in 1552 and received its first royal charter in 1553 ...

, where he obtained an education. He then immigrated to Virginia, where he entered into an apprenticeship with Matthew Kemp. Upon the end of his apprenticeship, he obtained his first position as a clerk. He bought the house and property now called Brush-Everard House in Williamsburg and 1600 acres in western Virginia and at the edge of Williamsburg.

Early life and education

Everard was born about 1719 in St. Paul's Parish,

Shadwell Shadwell is a district of East London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets , east of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the Thames between Wapping (to the west) and Ratcliff (to the east). This riverside location has meant ...

, in the

London Borough of Tower Hamlets The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London boroughs, London borough covering much of the traditional East End of London, East End. It was formed in 1965 from the merger of the former Metropolitan boroughs of the County of London, metropol ...

. He was baptized in August 1719. His father, William, was a skinner by trade. At the age of ten, he was admitted to

, a school established for the children of the poor and homeless in London. There he was trained, along with all his fellow students, to read, write, and maintain accounts. The students were called Bluecoat Boys because of their uniforms. He completed his education. After completing his education at Christ's Hospital, he was discharged in January 1735 to his uncle Edward Everard and Edward Athawes, a local merchant, who arranged for him to enter an apprenticeship in Colonial America. He then immigrated to the

Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colonial empire, English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertG ...

in 1735, where he was an apprentice to Matthew Kemp. Kemp was a clerk of James City court and the Secretary's office. He was also an alderman, justice of the peace, and a Representative of

Middlesex County, Virginia Middlesex County is a county located on the Middle Peninsula in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,625. Its county seat is Saluda. History This area was long settled by indigenous peoples; those encount ...

. Everard was an apprentice for six years at the Secretary's office, the first four of which were under Matthew Kemp, who died in 1739.

Career

Everard served in many other public offices, including being clerk of the York County court, the General Court, and of Elizabeth City County. He was also commissioner of accounts, before and after the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, He was the mayor of Williamsburg serving twice from 1766 to 1767 and again from 1771 to 1772. He was also a clerk of the Committee of Courts of Justices at the

. Everard was a member of the Court of Directors of a psychiatric hospital (now called Eastern State Hospital).

Supported Virginia's independence

Everard signed the 1770 Non-Importation agreement in support of Virginia's fight for independence from the

. He served on the committee that elected delegates from Virginia to the

Personal life

He was married to Diana Robinson (born September 12, 1726), daughter of Major Anthony Robinson of

York County, Virginia York County (formerly Charles River County) is a county in the eastern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia, located in the Tidewater. As of the 2020 census, the population was 70,045. The county seat is the unincorporated town of Yorktown. ...

. The Robinsons were a prominent family in the area, which helped him to become more prominent. They had two daughters: Frances "Fanny" married the Rev. James Horrocks of

Bruton Parish Church Bruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It was established in 1674 by the consolidation of two previous parishes in the Virginia Colony, and remains an active Epis ...

and president of the

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III ...

. Martha "Patsy" married Dr. Isaac Hall of

Petersburg, Virginia Petersburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,458. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines Petersburg (along with the city of Colonial Heights) with Din ...

in 1774. Everard purchased the Brush-Everard House in 1775 and the rear portion of the property in 1773. He owned several enslaved people, including those who greeted visitors and rode in his carriage with him, such as when he traveled to the county court in Yorktown. He purchased 1000 acres in western Virginia and 600 acres on the edge of Williamsburg. He died in 1781, without evidence of a will. Diana, his wife, is believed to have died in the late 1750s or the early 1760s. After Frances's husband died in 1772, she was in poor health and moved back to her father's house until her death in December 1773. Martha lived with her father until or after her marriage in 1774. After her father died, Martha and her husband inherited property owned by her father and her sister.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Everard, Thomas 1719 births 1781 deaths American people of English descent Mayors of Williamsburg, Virginia People educated at Christ's Hospital County clerks in Virginia Year of birth unknown