Colonel William Digges (24 July 1697) was a politician in the

Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertGilbert (Saunders Family), Sir Humphrey" (histor ...

and a councillor in the

Province of Maryland The Province of Maryland was an Kingdom of England, English and later British Empire, British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in American Revolution, rebellion ag ...

in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. He was the son of

Edward Digges Edward Digges (14 February 1620 – 15 March 1674/75) was an English barrister and colonist who served as Colonial Governor of Virginia from March 1655 to December 1656. He was the son of the English politician Dudley Digges. He invested heavi ...

(1620-1674/5), Governor of Virginia from 1655 to 1656. He was a member of the Maryland Proprietary Council until losing his office in 1689 during the Protestant Revolution, when the Calvert Proprietorship was overthrown by a Puritan revolt. He lived at Warburton Manor, an estate which is today the location of Fort Washington.

Early life

William Digges was born in Virginia in around 1651, the eldest son of

(1620-1674/5), an English

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and givin ...

and colonist who served as the Colonial

Governor of Virginia The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022. Oath of office On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...

from March 1655 to December 1656. Edward Digges invested heavily in planting mulberry trees and promoting the silk industry in the colony, in recognition of which he was appointed Auditor-General of Virginia. In around 1675 Edward Digges died. As eldest son, William inherited the "E.D. Plantation", later known as Bellfield.

Career

William Digges began his career in Virginia, where he was appointed to a number of colonial offices. He became

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or '' puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the s ...

in 1671. He was captain of horse in 1674 and was appointed Sheriff of York County in 1679.Dorman, John Frederick, ''Adventurers of Purse and Person'', 4th ed., v.1, pp.821-844. Digges family history
Retrieved January 2012 He was a strong supporter of Governor Berkeley during Bacon's Rebellion. During an encounter with Thomas Hansford, one of Bacon's foremost supporters, Digges severed Hansford's finger, and as a result was forced to flee to Maryland. In Maryland Digges became a merchant and planter in St. Mary's County. He married Elizabeth Sewall, widow of Dr. Jesse Wharton and a stepdaughter of Lord Baltimore, the Proprietor of Maryland. Immediately following his marriage he was appointed to the Governor's Council. He was also appointed Deputy Governor of Maryland. He was granted extensive land and property in Maryland, and became the "Lord of Warburton Manor" in

Prince George County Prince George County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 43,010. Its county seat is Prince George. Prince George County is located within the Greater Richmond Region of the U.S. st ...

on the

Potomac River The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augu ...

. In 1684 he, along with Major Nicholas Sewall, served as Collector of

Patuxent River The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington, D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast ...

. During the Protestant Revolution in Maryland in 1689, Digges commanded the Catholic forces at St. Mary's, Maryland. After 1689, having lost his positions, he returned to live in Virginia. On April 20, 1693 a warrant for his arrest was issued, and on April 22, 1693, "Colonel William Digges was examined as to his knowledge of a plot to restore King James to the throne, and was bound over, with his wife, in £1,000 to appear before the next General Court."

Family life

*Edward Digges married Elizabeth (Sewall) Wharton, with whom he had ten children: *William Digges, married Eleanor (Brooke) Darnall, widow of Philip Darnall * Charles Digges (1685-1744), married Susannah Maria Lowe, a daughter of Susanna Maria Bennett and Lt. Col. Henry Lowe, and a granddaughter of Richard Bennett. Charles and Susanna had two children, William and Ann Digges (1721-1814). Ann married the planter and politician Dr George Hume Steuart in 1744.
Browning, Charles Henry, ''Americans of Royal Descent, Genealogies Showing the Lineal Descent from Kings of Some American Families'' Clearfield; 7 edition (June 1, 2009) Retrieved 17 July 2018 *Dudley Digges *John Digges, married Mary *Nicholas Digges *Jane Digges, married Notley Rozer *Elizabeth Digges, married Anthony Neale *Ann Digges, married

Henry Darnall II Henry Darnall II (1682-1759) was a wealthy Roman Catholic planter in Colonial Maryland. He was the son of the politician and planter Henry Darnall, who was the Proprietary Agent of Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore, and served for a time as Dep ...

, eldest son of Henry Darnall (1645-1711), Deputy Governor of the

. Henry Darnall II was a wealthy planter. *Mary Digges * Catherine Digges (b. 1655), married William Herndon

Death and legacy

William Digges died on 24 July 1697, leaving a will which mentioned several large Maryland plantations "and directed that his plantation on the York River be used most advantageously for his daughters." However, the York River plantation was inherited by William's eldest son Edward, who on 21 Sept 1699 sold it to his uncle Dudley, William's younger brother.

Notes

Browning, Charles Henry, ''Americans of Royal Descent, Genealogies Showing the Lineal Descent from Kings of Some American Families'' Clearfield; 7 edition (June 1, 2009)
Retrieved 17 July 2018 * Nelker, Gladys P., The Clan Steuart, Genealogical Publishing (1970).

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Digges, William 1651 births 1697 deaths Virginia colonial people Colonial politicians from Maryland People of colonial Maryland Virginia sheriffs