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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
Claiborne, William. The ancient family of
Claiborne derives its name from the Manor
of Claiborne or Cliborne, in Westmoreland
county, England, near the river Eden, and
which is named in the Domesday Book (A. D.
1086). William Claiborne was born about
1587 and came to Virginia with Gov. Wyatt
in 162 1, in the employ of the Virginia Com-
pany as surveyor-general of Virginia at a
salary of thirty pounds a year, a house and, in
all probability fees. He quickly became promi-
nent in colonial affairs, and, in 1624, was com-
missioned by the King as first royal secretary
of state, a position which he held off and on
for eighteen jears. In 1626 he became a
member of the council. On July 22, 1629,
he- received a commission from Gov. Pott
appointing him captain and commander of all
the forces to be levied for a war against the
Indians, and as a reward for the successful
conduct of the campaign, was granted, in 1640,
a tract of land on the Pamunkey river. In the
l?tter year he petitioned the King to create an
office which should have the keeping of the
Virginia seal. The King referred the matter
back to the governor and council of Virginia,
who decided that such an office was appro-
priate and appointed Claiborne to fill it. In
1634 through the influence of Harvey he lost
his place as secretary of state, but on Apr. 6,
1642, Charles I. appointed him treasurer of
Virginia for life. He again commanded forces
against the Indians in 1644, and again received
a grant of land in reward. Claiborne was a
great explorer and traded with the Indians as
well as fought them. In 1627, the govern-
ment of Virginia gave him permission to dis-
cover the source of Chesapeake Bay and ex-
plore any body of water between the thirty-
fourth and forty-first parallels of latitude, and,
on May 16, 163 1, the King granted a license
to "our trusty and well-beloved Wm. Clai-
norne" to trade in the colonies of New Eng-
land and New Scotland, and commanded Gov.
liarvey and the council to allow him to do so.
Claiborne soon afterwards established a trad-
ing post on Kent Island near the present city
of Annapolis, and this caused him to oppose
with great persistence the efforts of the Balti-
mores to establish the colony of Maryland.
When in 1632 that part of Virginia lying north
of the Potomac was granted to Cecilius Cal-
vert, Lord Baltimore, the Virginians includ-
ing Claiborne protested against it on the
ground that it was a territorial spoiliation.
They brought the matter before the King and
urged that in revoking the charter and assem-
bling control over Virginia both his father
James and himself had given assurances that
the intention was to alter the form of govern-
ment, not to dispute property rights. The
political existence of the colony remained as
much a fact as before, and if the King could
giant away Maryland, he could grant away
Jamestown itself. The King and his commis-
sioners of foreign plantations were neverthe-
less adverse to this view, and the legality of
Baltimore's charter was upheld.
The Virginians hoped, however, to except Kent Island from its operation on the ground that the Island was actually occupied by Vir- ginia settlers. They argued that the assur- ances given at the revocation meant, at least, that actual occupation was to be respected. It made no difference whether Claiborne had any title to the soil or not, under his license to trade ; the colony of Virginia had extended its laws over it, and the occupation was a legal one.
When, therefore, Leonard Calvert, Balti- more's governor, called upon Claiborne to recognize his authority in Kent Island, the
