Henry Soane (1622–1661) was a

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

politician, real estate investor and landowner who served in 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 establishe ...

1652–55, 1658, and 1660–61, and was its

Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...

in 1661.

Early and family life

He married Judith Fuller, which whom they had five children. His son William Soane and grandson Henry Soane II would also serve in the House of Burgesses representing Henrico County and James City County, respectively. His daughter Judith Soane first married Henry Randolph I (the clerk of the house of burgesses) and after his death in 1673, Major Peter Field of Henrico County. His son John Soane became a noted surveyor, as well as agent of the Royal African Company, but never married and gave his plantation in Henrico County, Poplar Spring, to his brother William and his surveying instruments to Williams' son Henry Soane II. The progenitor of a political dynasty that spanned two centuries, Soane is the great-great grandfather of President

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...

Career

Soane began speculating in Virginia real estate by 1651, patenting land on the upper side of the Chickahominy River, as well as the northeast side of the Mattaponi River and the south side of the Rappahannock River. His main plantation was in James City County, and in 1626 he purchased 2200 acres. His and his eldest son Henry Jr's land in New Kent County totalled 2800 acres by 1656. Some of the land was along Diascund Creek, which became the dividing line between James City County and New Kent County in 1651. The Mattaponi land was then in New Kent County. He assigned his 45- acres on the Rappahannock River patented in 1652 to Governor Sir Henry Chicheley in 1654 James City County voters repeatedly elected Soane as one of the men representing them in the House of Burgesses, and burgesses elected him as their Speaker. During his speakership, he asked Col. Fransis Moryson and Randolph to prepare a collection of acts passed by the legislature, for which he received tobacco worth 50 pounds sterling and which was published in London in 1662.Kukla

References

Speakers of the Virginia House of Burgesses People from James City County, Virginia 1622 births 1661 deaths English emigrants {{Virginia-politician-stub

Early and family life

Career

See also

References