George Percy (governor)
The fragile aristocrat who documented the brutal, starving first chapter of England's Jamestown colony in Virginia.
1580–1632 (age 52)·Colonial Governor of Virginia·Birthday: September 4
Biography
George Percy was an unlikely pioneer. The younger son of an earl, he arrived in the New World in 1607 with the first band of English settlers, seeking status and adventure. Frail and often ill, he nevertheless witnessed and recorded the colony's desperate early years with unflinching detail. His writings, particularly 'A Trewe Relacyon,' provide the most vivid surviving account of the 'Starving Time,' a period of horrific famine and conflict. Percy served as President of the Council and Governor of Virginia during its most chaotic era, making difficult and often ruthless decisions to maintain a tenuous hold. More chronicler than conqueror, his legacy is the stark, invaluable primary source he left behind, painting a picture of suffering and survival that defined America's founding.
#1 When George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1580
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1580Born
1585Started school
1593Became a teenager
1596Could drive
1598Could vote
1601Turned 21
1610Turned 30
1620Turned 40
1630Turned 50
1632Died at 52
Key Achievements
- Authored 'A Trewe Relacyon,' a primary source document considered essential for understanding the early Jamestown settlement.
- Served as Governor of the Virginia Colony during the tumultuous period from 1609 to 1610.
- Was present at the founding of Jamestown in 1607 and held leadership roles throughout its most fragile years.
Did You Know?
He was the eighth son of Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland.
Percy's brother, Henry, was the 'Wizard Earl' imprisoned in the Tower of London for alleged treason.
His governorship was marked by extreme conflict, including the execution of a colonist for stealing food.
“Our men were destroyed with cruel diseases and swellings.”
