Robert Wynne (1622–1675) was a
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
politician and landowner, who had the second longest tenure of any
Speaker of the
House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses () was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It existed during the colonial history of the United States in the Colony of Virginia in what was then British America. From 1642 to 1776, the Hou ...
, having been elected by his fellows during the Colony's "Long Parliament" as well as represented
Charles City County from 1658 until his death in 1675 (as
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion by Virginia settlers that took place from 1676 to 1677. It was led by Nathaniel Bacon against Colonial Governor William Berkeley, after Berkeley refused Bacon's request to drive Native American India ...
was beginning).
[
]
Early life
Wynne was born in
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, being baptized there on December 22, 1622. His grandfather, also Robert Wynne, had been mayor of Canterbury in 1599, and other relatives had served in
Parliament
In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
.
[
]
Career
After emigrating to the Virginia colony during its tobacco boom as well as military skirmishes with the Dutch, Wynne settled in Charles City County, Virginia
Charles City County is a county (United States), county located in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated southeast of Richmond, Virginia, Richmond and west of Jamestown, Virginia, Jamestown. It is ...
by early 1656, though he may have arrived in Virginia earlier during the English Civil Wars. Wynne became one of the county's justices of the peace, which jointly administered counties in that era, though he was fined for poor attendance in September 1659. He also did not serve as a burgess in that year's assembly, though he did the years before and after.[ By 1671, Wynne also served as guardian for John Edloe, the son of former burgess Matthew Edloe of nearby James City County, after complaints had been made that a later husband of Edloe's widow was not managing those lands for the boy's benefit.
Governor Sir William Berkeley convened the House of Burgesses in 1661 and did not dissolve it and convene another session until 1676 (after ]Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion by Virginia settlers that took place from 1676 to 1677. It was led by Nathaniel Bacon against Colonial Governor William Berkeley, after Berkeley refused Bacon's request to drive Native American India ...
began). Thus the same legislature (albeit with some replacements after resignations or deaths) met in seventeen sessions during that period. At the Long Parliament's second session in 1662, members elected Wynne as their Speaker to replace Henry Soane, who had died during that first recess. Under Wynne's leadership, the House took an active role in business previously left to the Governor and Council, creating a standing committee to advise the Governor between sessions.[ Fellow burgesses elected Augustine Warner Jr. as their speaker, replacing Wynne, in the 1674 session.
]
Personal life
He married Mary, the widow of former Charles City County burgess Francis Poythress, who had already borne children (including a son named Francis Poythress (d. 1688)) with her first husband. She also bore children of this second marriage, including at least two sons and a daughter.
Death and legacy
Wynne died in 1675; his will was dated July 1.[ That will admitted to probate mentioned a daughter who had married George Woodliffe and had a grandson named after that son-in-law.][John Frederick Dorman et al., Adventures of Purse and Person (4th Ed. 2007) vol. 3, p. 707]
See also
* Hugh Gwyn ( 1590-1654)
References
1622 births
1675 deaths
Speakers of the Virginia House of Burgesses
People from Charles City County, Virginia
Politicians from Canterbury
English emigrants
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