Colonial Meriwether Families Tree - Person Sheet
Colonial Meriwether Families Tree - Person Sheet
NameThomas Woodhouse 
, M
, MDeathabt 1665, Jamestown, James City County, Virginia
Web LinkJamestowne Society: https://www.jamestowne.org/wingfield---woodson.html
Biography notes for Thomas Woodhouse
Thomas was a resident of Jamestown for many years. Nicholas Meriwether served as his attorney in several instances. At times the townhouse that Thomas owned served as a meeting place for the Colonial government.
Although there is no evidence that Thomas was married, he is thought to be a possible father of the Elizabeth Woodhouse that Nicholas supposedly married.
Although there is no evidence that Thomas was married, he is thought to be a possible father of the Elizabeth Woodhouse that Nicholas supposedly married.
Notes for Thomas Woodhouse
Thomas Woodhouse. 9
As mentioned elsewhere in this volume, some family historians have incorrectly connected a Thomas Woodhouse to one of the wives of Nicholas Meriwether. However, there was a Thomas Woodhouse in the James City area that was well known to Nicholas. This Thomas apparently came to Virginia by 1637 when he is identified in the records as a millwright working for William Claiborne, possibly in the colony established by Claiborne on Kent Island. His later involvement (see below) with the area might indicate that he moved to Chickacoan when the Kent Island colony was ejected in 1638.
During the 1640s, Thomas Woodhouse accumulated land on the south side of the James River, in what would become Surry County in 1652. This may have led to the conclusion that “…after Claiborne was driven out of Kent Island, he resided at Smith’s Fort, in Surry County, Virginia, situated about two mile up Gray’s Creek, opposite to Jamestown.” In 1648, he also received a patent for 400 acres “… near the head of the N. W. br. of Smith Fort’s Cr., …”
In the 1650s, Woodhouse turned his attention to the north side of the James and Jamestown where he received a one-acre patent in Jamestown 17 October 1655 and 100 acres “below Goose Hill“ (see map 3–2) with William Hooker on 21 July 1657. The last would later be owned by William May. The one-acre patent on the James River was “towards Mr. Child’s orchard” and so was probably near William May’s later one-half-acre patent which bordered a Chiles. On 29 May
1658, Woodhouse with John Wood received 6,000 acres on the Potomac River, the patent for which also involves a connection with Nicholas.
After he settled in Jamestown, Thomas Woodhouse operated a tavern, perhaps on his one-acre patent. Alternatively, as McCartney states, when former Governor Berkeley retired in 1652 to Green Spring, he “…disposed of his three–bay brick rowhouse at Jamestown, selling one unit to the new governor [Bennett] and another to tavern–keeper Thomas Woodhouse.” In addition to quenching the thirst of the inhabitants, the tavern was used by the Virginia government to house the council, courts, governor, etc., after the first statehouse burned before June 1656 and again after the second statehouse burned before October 1660.
Woodhouse died between 18 December 1662 when he accepted a gelding and household goods as security for a debt he paid for Jno. Leeke, in the presence of Nicholas I, and 1 May 1665 when Nicholas I was identified as the administrator of Thomas Woodhouse’s estate.
As mentioned elsewhere in this volume, some family historians have incorrectly connected a Thomas Woodhouse to one of the wives of Nicholas Meriwether. However, there was a Thomas Woodhouse in the James City area that was well known to Nicholas. This Thomas apparently came to Virginia by 1637 when he is identified in the records as a millwright working for William Claiborne, possibly in the colony established by Claiborne on Kent Island. His later involvement (see below) with the area might indicate that he moved to Chickacoan when the Kent Island colony was ejected in 1638.
During the 1640s, Thomas Woodhouse accumulated land on the south side of the James River, in what would become Surry County in 1652. This may have led to the conclusion that “…after Claiborne was driven out of Kent Island, he resided at Smith’s Fort, in Surry County, Virginia, situated about two mile up Gray’s Creek, opposite to Jamestown.” In 1648, he also received a patent for 400 acres “… near the head of the N. W. br. of Smith Fort’s Cr., …”
In the 1650s, Woodhouse turned his attention to the north side of the James and Jamestown where he received a one-acre patent in Jamestown 17 October 1655 and 100 acres “below Goose Hill“ (see map 3–2) with William Hooker on 21 July 1657. The last would later be owned by William May. The one-acre patent on the James River was “towards Mr. Child’s orchard” and so was probably near William May’s later one-half-acre patent which bordered a Chiles. On 29 May
1658, Woodhouse with John Wood received 6,000 acres on the Potomac River, the patent for which also involves a connection with Nicholas.
After he settled in Jamestown, Thomas Woodhouse operated a tavern, perhaps on his one-acre patent. Alternatively, as McCartney states, when former Governor Berkeley retired in 1652 to Green Spring, he “…disposed of his three–bay brick rowhouse at Jamestown, selling one unit to the new governor [Bennett] and another to tavern–keeper Thomas Woodhouse.” In addition to quenching the thirst of the inhabitants, the tavern was used by the Virginia government to house the council, courts, governor, etc., after the first statehouse burned before June 1656 and again after the second statehouse burned before October 1660.
Woodhouse died between 18 December 1662 when he accepted a gelding and household goods as security for a debt he paid for Jno. Leeke, in the presence of Nicholas I, and 1 May 1665 when Nicholas I was identified as the administrator of Thomas Woodhouse’s estate.