CJ(#49) A Witness

Very few primary documents exist during this period of Cadwallader's (JO-1) history as governor of the Bahama Islands.  One document can be found in the records of South Carolina.  Cover sheet shown:

It is dated "5 Oct. 1691", and is the will of a Joseph Barker (BARK-1).  It reads:

"Joseph Barker (BARK-1), Island of New Providence, merchant, bound on a voyage to New England.  Wife: Hannah (BARK-2), all estate.  Exors: wife, with assistance of Capt. Richard Holloway.(HOL-1)  Wit: Cadwallader Jones (JO-1), Gilbert Ashly (AS-1), Thomas Bulkley (BUL-1).
D: 5 Oct. 1691."

It was common practice that an individual traveling by ship made his will. [Makes some statement about the safety issues.]  Here, a merchant of the "New Providence" [Bahama Island : the terms used varied depending on who was writing the documents and who they believed actually had the rights to these islands.]  Was planning a trip to "New England". [Most likely the Boston area.]  Perhaps he was trying to establish trade with this area.  This document shows that our Cadwallader (JO-1) and Thomas Bulkley (BUL-1) were both serving together as a witness of this will dated Oct. 1691.  It also shows that there were "merchants" actively involved in trade along the colonial coast as far north as "New England".

Additional directives were given from the Lords Proprietors during this same month.  Dated Oct. 23, it reads:

"Lords Proprietors of the Bahamas to Colonel Cadwallader Jones. (JO-1) You will apply  all our perquisites to the fortification of the Islands.  We do not understand the people's petition that they may hold their land always at the same rate, for we disclaim all power to raise rents when land is once granted.  We see that factious people have told the people of Providence that we have done injustice to the people of Caroline, by changing their constitutions.  They were altered for the people's advantage only.  We have appointed Colonel Philip Ludwell to be Governor there.  signed: Craven, Ashley, P. Colleton." [Col. Entry BK., Vol. XXII, p. 200.]

CJ (#48) Setting The Stage

On the 19th of June 1690, Cadwallader Jones (JO-1) arrives to the Bahama Islands as the new Governor.  The last three post has presented the key factors that were to impact the lives of those who begin writing the pages of history.  The stage is set for a history that had become the accepted record of this story, but it is not the whole record.  It begins this summer of 1690 with the stage set as follows:

Thomas Bulkley (BUL-1) was a merchant under a Protestant plan to settle a group called the "Eleutherian Adventurers" at "Eleuthera". [Greek word meaning freedom]  Our Cadwallader (JO-1) was Catholic, under the authority of a group of "Proprietors" who claimed the Bahamas as part of their "Carolina".  Monarchist -vs- Republican; Catholic -vs- Protestant; with the only common ground being their view of social status.  Setting the stage for the next story in the life of Cadwallader Jones (JO-1).

CJ (#47) Cultural Dynamics (3) Social Class

Social class becomes the third distinct category that placed folks into separate groups.  During the time of our Cadwallader (JO-1), this category was an important aspect of their very existence.  Viewed in the context of previous post, the following is shown:

"Yeomen" verses "Gentlemen"; or those who work with their hands, and those who do no manual labor, defines this segmented society.  Mutual exclusive would be these categories, so that a genealogist could separate one individual from another by knowing which of these categories an ancestor resided.

The broad structure of this "social class" is shown in the following drawing:

Peerage to the poor organized the social groups accepted during the time of our Cadwallader Jones (JO-1).  "Catholic", "Monarchist", "Gentry", would classify our Cadwallader.  The rest of the Bahama accounts reflect the writings of another, "Protestant", "Republican", "Gentry" named Thomas Bulkley (BUL-1). [also spelled Bulkeley]  Our story continues!

A good reference for this is "The World We Have Lost, England Before the Industrial Age", by Peter Laslett, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1965.

CJ (#46) Cultural Dynamics (2) Government

The second item that separated individuals into different groups was "government".  The form or type of government that one believed to be the best to give your allegiance.  At this point in the life of our Cadwallader Jones (JO-1) it was the "Monarchists" verses the "Republicans".

A monarchy was the undivided rule or absolute sovereignty by a single person.  This had been the standard form of government throughout Europe.  It was called by most the "Divine Right of Kings".  A person who supported and followed this structure was called a "Monarchist".

Those individuals who felt that a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected representatives is called a "Republic".  These representatives were responsible to them (the citizens), and were governing according to  recognized law. 

These two distinct forms placed an individual into different camps.  Just like you could be a "Catholic" or "Protestant" (last post), but not both at the same time, you could be a "Monarchist" or "Republican".  This would form two different groups.

At this point in 1690, our Cadwallader Jones (JO-1) was a "Monarchist".  The majority of folks who occupied the Bahamas were "Republicans" and "Protestants".  A source of conflict for all yet to come.

More to come.

CJ (#45) Cultural Dynamics (1) Religion

Our ancestors lived in a historical context that was uniquely their own.  This context often contained certain dynamics that would influence the thoughts, speech, and action of the individual.  For our Cadwallader Jones (JO-1), this would involve a number of influences that are important to recognize in this period ["The Glorious Revolution" 1688-1689].

Cultural dynamics I will call them, since they were the major items that influenced the behavior of those folks involved.  They are: 1) Religion, 2) Government, and 3) Social Class.  These dynamics were the most important influences active at this point in history.  Individuals and families were separated from one another along these lines.  To understand the life and times of Cadwallader Jones (JO-1) [especially the record following his time as Governor of the Bahamas], it will be important to grasp these cultural dynamics.  These items will be presented individually in the next few posts.

Let's begin with "Religion".

One or the other, you could not be both at the same time.  Here, a "Catholic" is defined as a person who belongs (or believes) in the Catholic Church.  A "Protestant" is defined as a person who denied the universal authority of the Pope, and believed certain "Reformational  principles".

The figure above shows a dividing line between the two belief systems.  If you claimed to be "Catholic" you could not be a "Protestant" at the same time.  This dynamic would then place the individual into "one or the other" categories.

Our Cadwallader Jones (JO-1) was Catholic.  Many who had settled the Islands were Protestants.  These Protestants called the Islands "Eleutheria" [meaning freedom] and intended this settlement to be a republic.

For references see:

Our First Revolution, by Michael Barone, Crown Publishers, N.Y., 2007.

The Story of The Bahamas, by Paul Albury, Macmillan Education Ltd, London, 1975.

CJ (#44) Arrives Bahama Islands

It was on the 19th of June, 1690 that our Cadwallader Jones (JO-1) arrives to the Bahamas.  It took some 2 years from the time he left Virginia, his travel to England, his appointment as Governor, and his arrival to the Bahamas.  By way of review:

          1) his last record in (Old) Rappahannock Co., VA dated 8 Sept. 1687 - see post CJ (#39) dated Monday, Feb. 23, 2015.

          2) his appointment as Governor of the Bahama Islands - dated 14 Nov. 1689 - see post (CJ #40) dated Thursday, 23, April, 2015

          3) his arrival as Governor of the Bahama Islands, dated 19 June, 1690 - this post!

I have been unable to discover any records pertaining to this two year period.  I would suspect that initially that our Cadwallader (JO-1) first went to Maryland to associated family and business partners to arrange his travel to England. [Average time of passage around 4 months.]  He would have most likely traveled to London where the family had business arrangements [Eastcheap market area], and was the political center of the colonial world.  The Berkeley connections to the Proprietors of the Carolina settlements [Bahama Island now part.] would have served as a help.  At any rate, it was after this date [19 June 1690] that the life of our Cadwallader Jones (JO-1) takes on a whole new story.

CJ (#43) Proprietor

A proprietor is defined as one who has the legal right or exclusive title to anything.  It is one who holds the title to a thing in his own right.  It was a common feature in English land law that for every piece of land there must be a proprietor who exercised control over it.  The land across the great pond certainly offered the upper classes [in England] a way to generate income from large estates.

The "Crown" had the sole power to make original land grants in the new lands.  This was the case for the new lands called Carolina.  A group of men became the "proprietors" of the area which included the Bahamas.  There goal was to make money.  These men were:

                                 1) George Duke of Albemarle, Master of his Majesty's Horse
                                 2) Edward Earl of Clarendon
                                 3) William Earl of Craven
                                 4) John Lord Berkley
                                 5) Anthony Lord Ashley Chancellor of the Exchequer
                                 6) Sir George Carteret, Vice Chamberlain of his Majesty's Household
                                 7) Sir William Berkley, Knight
                                 8) Sir Peter Colleton, Baronet

        "....the true and absolute lords proprietors of all the province of Carolina." [May 1, 1668]

The "Instructions for Granting Lands in Carolina November 21, 1682" can be found in Foundations of Colonial America, A Documentary History, Vol. III - Part 2 : Southern Colonies, Edited by W. Keith Kavenagh, pp. 2468 - 2475.  It was under these instructions that Cadwallader Jones (JO-1) was appointed governor of the Bahamas by this group of proprietors on November 14, 1689.