1619 Immigrants from Newgate Prison
Kikotan, later named KecoughtanWhen the English colonists arrived in Jamestown in 1607, there was a tribe of Algonquian Indians residing in the vicinity of Hampton Roads. The natives were treacherous under Chief Powhatan, who had slain the weroance at Kikotan in 1597. He then appointed his young son Pochins as successor at Hampton Roads. Some of the tribe had escaped and resettled along the Plankatank River, but Powhatan found and annihilated them in 1608. Actually, the English explorers were welcomed in 1607 by friendly Indians. However, two years later, after John Smith sent Captain Martin to take over the island inhabited by the Nansemonds, while he was doing so, seventeen men mutinied and went to Kikotan to purchase corn, but were killed. Martin abandoned his cause to take Nansemond Island and returned to Jamestown. The colonists then built Fort Algernon at Old Point Comfort beside their main village in October 1609. Although unwelcome at Kikotan, the English continued to land at Hampton Roads. In 1619 the English ship Margaret from Bristol landed at Kikotan on November 30th. The vessel deposited a number of prisoners from Newgate Prison in London, named as follows:
- George Gascoigne for housebreaking, London
- John Fyerbrasse for a stabbing, London
- Nicholas Ball for stealing, London
- Robert Heskyns for stealing a mare, London
- John Michell for stealing, London
- Roger Ward for stealing, London
- John Cooke for stealing, London
- John Lovett for stealing, London
- WIlliam Sharpe for breaking into Lord Paggett's house, Middx.
- Nicholas Trott for plotting a robbery, Middx.
- William Clapham for breaking into Lord Digby's house, Middx.
- Hugh Barrage for stealing a mare, Middx.
- John Peircy for housebreaking and stealing, Middx.
- George Sandes for stealing a gelding, Middx.
- William Narslake for steaing a mare, Middx.
- Maddar Julyan for stealing, Middx.
- John Robinson for stealing, Middx.