Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/134

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY


triculated at Queen's College, Oct. 15, 1591, aged 17. Sir Thomas Hinton was of Chilton- I-oliet. Wiltshire. The register of the parish gives the births of Thomas, April 8, 1600, and William, July 25, 1605, sons of Thomas Hin- ton Esq. and Katherine his wife; also the burials of Mrs. Katherine. wife of Mr. Thomas Hinton, Oct. 11. 1609, of Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Hinton (doubtless the son) Sept. 20, 1658. and of Thomas Hinton, Sept. 22,, 1658.

Stoner, John. On Sept. 29, 1634, the King wrote to the governor of \'irginia stating that the bearer of his letter. John Stoner, had been appointed one of the councillors of that colony. and his majesty's agent to treat for a yearly contract for tobacco. On Jan. 21, of the fol- lowing year. Governor Harvey wrote that Mr. Stoner had died on his voyage to X'irginia.

Browne, Henry, came to \'irginia about 1 534 and was evidently a man of property and influence. He had grants for several large 'tracts of land at various points in James City county, and was known as Col. Henry Browne of "Eour Mile Tree," his plantation locating it! the ancient "Pace's Pains." He was also appointed to the council in the year of his arrival and is believed to have remained a member of that body until the surrender of the colony to the parliamentary forces in 1652. He was one of the strongest of Harvey's ad- herents and when the majority of the council proposed to depose the governor, Capt. Fjrowne is said to have disliked the proceed- ings so greatly that he made an excuse of Sickness and retired to his home. Before this time. Capt. Thomas Young in a letter of July 13, 1634. states that only tw'O of the council were indifferent to Harvey's conduct as gov- ernor, Capt. Purefoy and another (Browne),


who was "an honest and plain man. but of small capacity and less power." When Har- vey was returned to power, Browne was one of the few councillors who acted with him and was present at meetings held in Jan. and Feb.. 1636-37 and Jan.. 1639, and was one of the few members of the council wdiom the King ordered retained. Upon the accession of (jOv. W'yatt. the adherents of Harve\ were in general disfavor in the colony ana Browne was turned out of office. Oct., 1640. h amounted to only a suspension, however, for in the following March he was reinstated. He was included in the royal commission of 1641 under Berkeley, and after the temporary retirement of the royalist element at the time c' the protectorate, was restored to the coun- cil when Berkeley was again made royal gov- ernor in 1660. In a deed of 1652, Browne is referred to as "Colonel Henry Browne." He died in 166 1 or 1662, leaving a daughter Mary who married Lieut. Col. William Browne, who lived at "Four Mile Tree." and left many de- scendants.

Menifie, George, came to X'irginia in July, 1623 and settled at Jamestown. He was for 'ong one of tlie wealthiest and probably the leading merchant in the colony, and repre- ttnted Jamestown in the house of burgesses In 1629. He made frequent voyages to Eng- land, probably beginning as early as 1625. In 1635, he was appointed a member of the coun- cil, and for a time was inclined to restrain the other councillors from their proposed arrest of Harvey, but after mature deliberation, be- came of a like mind with them. He it was \hat answered Harvey, when that violent offi- cer asked the council what was the cause of the people's petition against him, and brought down the governor's wrath upon him. Har-