COLOXIAL COUNCILLORS OF STATE
25
lows of the colleges in the university there.
He emigrated to \'irginia when a young man
and was soon appointed clerk of Charles River
county. He appears to have been a friend of
Sir John Harvey, and wlien that governor was
succeeded by Sir Francis Wyatt, Wilhs
severely denounced the new governor, the
council and the house of burgesses for their
hostility to Harvey. For this he was con-
demned in 1040 to lose his offices, to be dis-
barred from practicing as an attorney, to be
fined and imprisoned during the governor's
pleasure. His period of misfortune was brief,
however, for in two years Wyatt was suc-
ceeded by Berkeley, and it is probable that
AX'illis's disabilities were removed. Certain it
is that in 1648 he was a justice of York county
and in 1652 was one of the first representa-
tives of Gloucester county. He was appointed
to a committee for the review of the laws of
\'irginia in March. 1658-59. and a year later,
ht also became a councillor and held that
office for many years, and even after he had
returned to England in 1676. He never re-
turned to \^irginia, but died in Kent some-
time between 1689 and 1691. He left all his
large estates in Virginia to his nephew Fran-
cis Willis, son of Henry Willis, and from him
descend our Virginia Willises.
Carter, Edward. Lieut. Col. Edward Car- ter was a burgess for Upper XorfolK in March 1657-58, and again in the following year. He was a councillor in 1659 and seems to have held his seat in the council until 1667, when his name appears as present at a session. He returned, however, to his home "Edmondton,"' Middlesex county, England, where he died in 1682.
Swann, Thomas, of Swann's Point, Surrey, countv, son of William Swann of the same
place, was a member of the house of burgesses
from James City county, Nov., 1645, ^^^ Oct.,
1(49. and, as Lieut. Col. Thomas Swann, for
Surrey. March, i>57-58. He was appointed to
the council in i()59 and held that office until
his death. He held many civil and military
posts in Surry county and seems to have been
a very prominent man there. During Bacon's
rebellion and llie preceding troubles. Col.
Swann acted with great moderation. He was
opposed to Berkeley's measures and signed the
proclamation of .April 11, 1676, calling for the
election of burgesses to meet in September, but
he did not follow Bacon in open opposition to
the government, and when Gov. Berkeley re-
fused to entertain the three commissioners sent
fiom England to suppress the rebellion, Swann
received them at his house at '"Swann's Point,"
opposite Jamestown and all their meetings
were held there. In Dec, 1677. the committee
of trade and plantations of the English privy
council, directed that Col. Swann be recom-
n-;ended to Gov. Jeffreys for some reward for
his kindness and expense in receiving the com-
missioners at his house after Berkeley had
refused. His tomb, with crest and epitaph is
at Swann's Point and thereon is recorded the
day of his death as the sixteenth of September,
"in ye year of cur Lord God 1680." The good
councillor seems to have had an unusual num-
ber of wives even for that marrying day and
generation, having been wed no le>s than five
times. He had many descendants; some of
them very distinguished.
Whitaker, William, of James City county, was a member of the house of burgesses at the session of Oct., 1649, April, 1652, Nov., 1652, July, 1653, Nov., 1654. Dec, 1656, and March. 1658-59. Soon after the last named session he was appointed to the council, and as "Major
