Thomas Everard (1719–1781) served as mayor of

Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It had a population of 15,425 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern par ...

from 1766 to 1767. He was a clerk at 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 ...

and lived in the Brush-Everard House in

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in Williamsburg, Virginia. Its historic area includes several hundred restored or recreated buildings from the 18th century, wh ...

. He supported the fight for independence from the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

, including serving on the committee that selected delegates from Virginia for the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...

. Orphaned at the age of 10, he was admitted to

Christ's Hospital Christ's Hospital is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, fee-charging boarding school for pupils aged 11–18) with a royal charter, located to the south of Horsham in West Sussex. T ...

, where he obtained an education. He then immigrated to Virginia, where he entered into an apprenticeship with Matthew Kemp. Upon the end of his apprenticeship, he obtained his first position as a clerk. He bought the house and property now called Brush-Everard House in Williamsburg and 1600 acres in western Virginia and at the edge of Williamsburg.

Early life and education

Everard was born about 1719 in St. Paul's Parish,

Shadwell Shadwell is an area in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London, England. It also forms part of the city's East End of London, East End. Shadwell is on the north bank of the River Thames between Wapping (to the west) and Ratcliff and ...

, in the

London Borough of Tower Hamlets The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London boroughs, borough in London, England. Situated on the north bank of the River Thames and immediately east of the City of London, the borough spans much of the traditional East End of London and ...

. He was baptized in August 1719. His father, William, was a skinner by trade. At the age of ten, he was admitted to

, a school established for the children of the poor and homeless in London. There he was trained, along with all his fellow students, to read, write, and maintain accounts. The students were called Bluecoat Boys because of their uniforms. He completed his education. After completing his education at Christ's Hospital, he was discharged in January 1735 to his uncle Edward Everard and Edward Athawes, a local merchant, who arranged for him to enter an apprenticeship in Colonial America. He then immigrated to the

Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia was a British Empire, British colonial settlement in North America from 1606 to 1776. The first effort to create an English settlement in the area was chartered in 1584 and established in 1585; the resulting Roanoke Colo ...

in 1735, where he was an apprentice to Matthew Kemp. Kemp was a clerk of James City court and the Secretary's office. He was also an alderman, justice of the peace, and a Representative of

Middlesex County, Virginia Middlesex County is a county located on the Middle Peninsula in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,625. Its county seat is Saluda. History This area was long settled by indigenous peoples; those enco ...

. Everard was an apprentice for six years at the Secretary's office, the first four of which were under Matthew Kemp, who died in 1739.

Career

Everard served in many other public offices, including being clerk of the York County court, the General Court, and of Elizabeth City County. He was also commissioner of accounts, before and after the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

, He was the mayor of Williamsburg serving twice from 1766 to 1767 and again from 1771 to 1772. He was also a clerk of the Committee of Courts of Justices at the

. Everard was a member of the Court of Directors of a psychiatric hospital (now called Eastern State Hospital).

Supported Virginia's independence

Everard signed the 1770 Non-Importation agreement in support of Virginia's fight for independence from the

. He served on the committee that elected delegates from Virginia to the

Personal life

He was married to Diana Robinson (born September 12, 1726), daughter of Major Anthony Robinson of

York County, Virginia York County (formerly Charles River County) is a List of cities and counties in Virginia#List of counties, county in the eastern part of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, located in the Tidewater (region), Tidewater. As o ...

. The Robinsons were a prominent family in the area, which helped him to become more prominent. They had two daughters: Frances "Fanny" married the Rev. James Horrocks of

Bruton Parish Church Bruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It was established in 1674 by the consolidation of two previous parishes in the Virginia Colony, and remains an active Epi ...

and president of the

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (abbreviated as W&M) is a public university, public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1693 under a royal charter issued by King William III of England, William III and Queen ...

. Martha "Patsy" married Dr. Isaac Hall of

Petersburg, Virginia Petersburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 33,458 with a majority bla ...

in 1774. Everard purchased the Brush-Everard House in 1775 and the rear portion of the property in 1773. He owned several enslaved people, including those who greeted visitors and rode in his carriage with him, such as when he traveled to the county court in Yorktown. He purchased 1000 acres in western Virginia and 600 acres on the edge of Williamsburg. He died in 1781, without evidence of a will. Diana, his wife, is believed to have died in the late 1750s or the early 1760s. After Frances's husband died in 1772, she was in poor health and moved back to her father's house until her death in December 1773. Martha lived with her father until or after her marriage in 1774. After her father died, Martha and her husband inherited property owned by her father and her sister.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Everard, Thomas 1719 births 1781 deaths 18th-century people from Virginia Mayors of Williamsburg, Virginia People educated at Christ's Hospital County clerks in Virginia Year of birth unknown