New Jamestown Discovery Reveals the Identities of Four Prominent Settlers

http://vita-brevis.org/2015/07/jamestowne-chancel-burials/ - Links to 3-D illustrations of the burial site and its contents.

We have profiles here on Geni for two of bodies identified.
Capt. Gabriel Archer of Jamestown was a major figure in the earliest years at Jamestowne. Because of the presence of a reliquary, identifying the remains as those of a probable Catholic (or crypto-Catholic ), his prominent role as a chronicler of the early colony, service as secretary and councilor, and highborn status at home in Essex, his identification is also nearly certain. Archer died before the end of the “Starving Time” between 1609 and the summer of 1610. While he did not have lineal descendants, near kinsmen did, and his brother, John Archer, inherited his stockholdings in the Virginia Company.

Reverend Robert Hunt, of Jamestown whose identity seems the most certain, was the first pastor of the Anglican parish at Jamestowne. Burial in the chancel, or elsewhere in the parish church, was and remains customary for founding pastors, although this burial seems as likely because his death occurred so far from his home in England. Assigned to Virginia from the parish of Heathfield in Sussex in 1606, he arrived with the first settlers in 1607, and his pastoral service extended through early 1608. His will was probated in England in the summer of 1608. Hunt left two children, a son and a daughter, in England.

We need to hurry up and get the other two - Captain William West and Sir Ferdinando Wainman - built since there are so many internet articles about the discovery of the bodies and their identities. We want their Geni profiles to be at the top of the list when people start searching on the names.

You're right. Luckily West & Wainman are in the same family group.

Some data to wade through

http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/wainman/36/

Here is West's profile:
Capt. Sir William West of Jamestown

I've got a rough start on Sir Ferdinando Wainman of Jamestown. Anyone who has anything meaningful to add, please help out!

Erica, that article from genealogy.com you shared for Wainman looks good. I'll read it this evening and add what I can use. Thanks!

Sir Ferdinando Wainman of Jamestown

From http://vita-brevis.org/2015/07/jamestowne-chancel-burials/

Sir Ferdinando Wainman (Wenman, Weyman) was a stockholder in the Virginia Company who arrived with the governor, Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (or Lord Delaware), in June 1610. While most articles say he was a relative of Lord De La Warr, he was specifically a first cousin, the son of Jane West, youngest child of William West, 1st Lord De La Warr. He was, like Archer, a member of the Virginia Council, and he rendered other service to the colony. He died later in 1610, and George Percy (son of the Earl of Northumberland), Lord De La Warr’s predecessor and successor as governor, lamented the passing of this “honest and valiant gentleman.” The Records of the Virginia Company also demonstrate that a later patent was awarded to Sir Thomas Weyman.

Looks like Sir Ferdinando had married

https://books.google.com/books?id=f6wKAAAAYAAJ&vq=Wenman&pg...

daughter Risley of Chetwood in Bucks

Yup! saw that article first because I get Vita Brevis on Facebook. I used it to connect Ferdinando to the tree. The article from genealogy.com cemented the relationship.

Ancestry tree (uncited but so far it's been an accurate tree) has the wife as Frances Risley, born 1580, daughter Elizabeth born 1600 in Averly

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/47727555/person/6903776397

Yes, that appears to be correct, Erica. I found where it was noted in the Virginia Company records that "June 28, 1620 Sir Ferdinando Weynman allowed upon Acc to his daughter for 100 adventured wth Lo: Lawarr 4 shares." From the visitation you found, we know the wife was a Risley, sister of Risely de Chetwood of County Bucks.

I'm going to add the wife and daughter now.

Okay - I've got a whole book on Risleys with a chapter on Chetwoods.
https://archive.org/stream/risleyfamilyhist00lcrisl#page/n20/mode/1....

I've looked at two separate genealogies of the Risleys of Chetwood and none are claiming a marriage to Wainman (of any spelling). One would think they'd have wanted that marriage recorded, as Ferdinando was related to the Wests/de la Warrs.

Okay I had to go to IRELAND to confirm it, but Ferdinando's wife's name was Frances and her father's name was William.

Gotta go do other stuff now but we've got a good tree for Ferdinando now.

I locked the info on Robert Hunts profile, but if anything needs to be changed, feel free.

And here's the pedigree of Risley, of Chetwood & Barton

https://books.google.com/books?id=c8lOAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA20-IA29&am...

Dear Erica,

You stated previously that Captain Gabriel Archer" he did not have lineal descendants", but I had listed a son George Archer using information from about 8 MyHeritage matches, and just list two of George's offspring Mary Fowler (Archer) and George Jr. Archer. I may have had the jump on the 4 leaders, because when I first checked Archer, I found "No Path" from Geni, but when I looked at his tree I saw several merger duplication artifacts, which I fixed up and then I had a path. Ferdinand was an easy name to spot among the West-Wenman cousin. Capt. William West profile was different, since his relationship to the other Wests was ambiguous in the NY Times and other places, but the least likely Chicago Tribune gave the hint of "Uncle" and I found him listed in only one of many MyHeritage matches for his father, so I created a new profile for him.

Thanks for supply a good number of documents too.

BestRegards,
Floyd Bliss Hanson

Thank you Floyd! This is great work by the team. Looks like Ferdinando's daughter married, so the hunt is on for a Mr. Lloyd ...

Hello Cousin Erica... This past Thursday, I went to Jamestown. While there, I visited the burial site of all four individuals. There was a lecture on them and the uncovering of some artifacts. When these artifacts were discussed, they had a problem fully identifying some of them? Then I recalled what one of them might have been. Dr. Kelso was going to be at the site later that evening for a find raiser but tickets for the event were already sold out? I got in contact with Dr. Kelso's associate, Dr. James Horn and I helped him in identifying one of the artifacts. I identified myself as being related to John Archer and just now got the family line to Gabriel Archer. What may have been discovered, may be the find of the decade regarding the artifacts... more about it and it's possible impact will be revealed after additional tests on the artifacts and the way they were buried... WOW!

It's amazing, isn't it. And you're related to the (possible) Recusant (secret Catholic).

I noticed the people who work on the site and also are getting married are now doing so in the church site - the same place Pocahantas and John Rolfe were married. What history.

Fascinating!!

Awesome work!! How cool is this!! What's even more amazing, is having the ability to perform such research. Know, this discovery, is truly a blessing for each of us but especially for those performing their own family genealogy work. Hopefully, this discovery will lead to finding other sites with the intention of identifying more family members.

Update: When I was at Jamestowne on Sept. 8th., I was also with my distant cousin, Milliejo Smith, when we talked to Dr. Horn. Knowing that Milliejo is a distant cousin to Capt. John Smith, I would later look more into her chartings and found she is 5-6th. Great Grand Daughter to "Thomas 'The Planter' Grey" of Jamestown. Last week we attended a lecture on "The Knights Templers" in Beverly Hills, whereby we are waiting additional facts that a set of symbols found on one of the artifacts... "The Mysterious Ampule" found in the grave of Capt. Gabriel Archer, might have possible Templar origins??? If this artifact is authentic, it may hold the relics of "St. Mary Magdaline", which is revered by The Templars. Until additional tests are made... be it real or false relic in nature, it still brings up the question of this artifact being buried with Capt. Archer?

This seems to be true Millie Jo... Pardon some of my errors in not giving more details about the artifacts in question? Both your Great Grandfather+ and our ancestral cousins at Jamestowne do seem to match up and the Templar angle as well. I hope that the artifacts and relics found are real and will re-write the founding of Jamestowne to say the least! I am looking onto the family lines as to The Templars and St. Mary Magdaline... most incredible what is being found :)