James Colleton (d. c. 1706) was a governor of the English proprietary
Province of Carolina
Province of Carolina was a province of England (1663–1707) and Great Britain (1707–1712) that existed in North America and the Caribbean from 1663 until partitioned into North and South on January 24, 1712. It is part of present-day Alaba ...
from 1686 to 1690.
Biography
Son of Sir
John Colleton
Sir John Colleton, 1st Baronet (1608–1666) served King Charles I of England, Charles I during the English Civil War. He rose through the Royalist ranks during the conflict, but later had his land-holdings seized when the Cavaliers were finally d ...
, one of the colony's founders, he took over some of the family's landholdings in
Barbados before being appointed governor by the colony's proprietors.
Upon his arrival in the colony he put a stop to a planned expedition against Spanish
St. Augustine
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Afri ...
, organized in retaliation for an earlier attack against
Charles Town. Since England and Spain were then at peace, the proprietors approved his action, much to the annoyance of the local leaders. He further angered the colonists by maintaining the government according to the colony's
Fundamental Constitutions in the face of popular opposition.
In 1687 the Lords Proprietors wrote to Colleton, angry that a member of his Grand Council had been abetting pirates. John Boone had been removed from the Council for smuggling supplies to
Henry Holloway
Henry Holloway (1931–1999) was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. A national representative forward, he played club football in New South Wales and Queensland and represented both states. Holloway later coached in Brisbane.
C ...
and a pirate named Chapman, and helping hide their loot. The Proprietors excoriated Colleton when Boone was allowed back on the Council: "This must not be. Men convicted of such misdemeanours must not be chosen again and restored. ... We are sorry to see the proneness of the Parliament of Carolina to such proceedings, and hope that they will not occur again."
By 1690 Colleton and the provincial assembly were at loggerheads, and Colleton attempted to rule without the assembly. This resulted in open resistance to his rule, prompting him to declare
martial law, although he quickly retracted this when he could not even control the militia. He was turned out of office by the arrival in 1690 of
Seth Sothel, one of the proprietors.
[McCrady, Edward]
''The History of South Carolina Under the Proprietary Government, 1670-1719''
/ref>
Colleton was the Speaker of the House of Assembly of Barbados from 1700 to 1701.
References
Colonial governors of South Carolina
Speakers of the House Assembly of Barbados
1706 deaths
Year of birth unknown
Younger sons of baronets
Colony of Barbados people
{{SouthCarolina-politician-stub