1 Groweere and Goneere
1641 March 31 – John Graweere, a black servant who may have later changed his last name to Gowen, is listed in a lawsuit. [The suit of John Graweere reveals that there were greater restrictions on the ownership of personal property by black servants. In addition, Graweere’s successful petition to purchase his child indicates another difference between white and black men. Graweere’s decision to use the court to secure his son’s freedom indicates that he was one of the many blacks in Virginia who knew how to use the colony’s institutions.]
Whereas it appeareth to the court that John Graweere being a negro servant unto William Evans was pmitted by his said master to keep hogs and make the best benefit thereof to himself pvided that the said Evans might have half the increase which was accordingly rendered unto him by the said negro and the other half reserved for his own benefit: And whereas the said negro having a young child of a negro woman belonging to Lieut. Robert Sheppard which he desired should be made a christian and be taught and exercised in the church of England, by reason whereof he the said negro did for his said child purchase its freedom of Lieut. Sheppardwith the good liking and consent of Tho: Gooman’s overseer as by the deposition of the said Sheppard and Evans appeareth, the court hath therefore ordered that the child shall be free from the said Evans or his assigns and to be and remain at the disposing and education of the said Graweere and the child’s godfather who undertaketh to see it brought up in the christian religion as aforesaid. Source: McIlwaine, ed., Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial Virginia, p. 477. http://www.virtualjamestown.org/practise.html
https://archive.org/stream/minutesofcouncil00virg/minutesofcouncil00virg_djvu.txt
https://archive.org/stream/minutesofcouncil00virg#page/554/mode/2up
1641 March 31 – Whereas it appeareth to the court that John Graweere [?] being a negro servant unto William Evans was Emitted by his said master to keep hogs and make the best benefit thereof to himself provided that the said Evans might have half the increafe which was accordingly rendered unto him by the said negro and the other half reserved for his own benefit: And whereas the said negro having a young child of a negro woman belonging to Lieut. Robert Sheppard which he desired should be made a christian and be taught and exercifed in the church of England, by reason whereof he the said negro did for his said child purchase its freedom of Lieut. Sheppard with the good liking and consent of Tho: Gooman’s overseer as by the deposition of the said Sheppard and Evans appeareth, the court hath therefore ordered that the child shall be free from the said Evans or his assigns and to be and remain at the disposing and education of the said Graweere and the child’s godfather who undertaketh to see it brought up in the christian religion asaforefaid.
McIlwaine, ed., Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial Virginia, p. 477
https://archive.org/details/minutesofcouncil00virg/page/476/mode/2up?view=theater
1648 June 22 – Deposition of John Goneere:
John Goneere sayth uppon his oath, tht he never knew any sort of fleash brought in, or spent in the howse of Tho: Munday since his comming uppon this land, more then hoggs properly belonging to the sd Munday. And specially he sayth tht he never knew Edw: Hudson bring any fleash into the howse of Tho: Munday, though frequendy hee went into the woods to kill meate. And further he sayth, tht he knoweth not of any private place, eyther abroad or att home, wherein meate was hid.
Jurat cora Gour
Archives of Maryland vol 4, by Browne, William Hand, 1828-1912, ed. cn; Hall, Clayton Colman, 1847-1916, ed. cn; Steiner, Bernard Christian, 1867-1926 ed; Maryland Historical Society. Court & Testamentary Business, 1648. p. 391. Provincial Court of St Marys
https://archive.org/details/archivesofmaryla04brow/page/390/mode/2up
1648 June 22 – Deposition of Edward Claxton:
Edward Claxton sayth uppon his oath, tht Edw: Hudson did shoote a fayre Sow of Mr Brent’s, uppon the Land of the sd Mr Brent in the Ile of Kent, about 3 weeks agoe, & tht uppon the report of the gun, he this Dept came up to him, & saw the sd Hudson, sett his dog uppon the sd Sow.
And afterwards see him cutt the throate of the sow. And then Mr Brent’s folks comming in, uppon the report of the gun, & the cry of the sow, the sd Hudson, hid the sd sow in a marsh.
And this Dept went home wth Hudson to Tho: Munday’s howse. Where the sd Dept heerd the sd Hudson, tell the sd Munday, tht he had killed a sow, & tht Mt Brents folke came to him, & inquyred & sought, what he had killed:
But for any thing he knew, the sow was not fownd. And next morning afore day, the sd Munday spoke to this Dep to fetch the sd sow home, to the sd Munday’s howse. Who went not; But Hudson went, & came home, & sayd the sow was there.
And the next night the sd Dept & Hudson brought the sd Sow to a branch of a Creeke neare Brownes. Where the foresd Munday & John Goneere, had appoynted to meete them, to helpe to bring the Sow home. Munday came not, but John Goneere came, & carryed one halfe of the sd Sow, to the sd Mundays howse. Where the sd Munday dressed it, & his Wife held the light.
And further this Dept sayth tht when the sd Hudson told the sd Munday he had killed this Sow: Hee added tht hee wished hee had beene sick in his bed, when hee did it.
And further he sayth not.
Jurat, cora Gour
Sig: Edward Claxston.
Archives of Maryland vol 4, by Browne, William Hand, 1828-1912, ed. cn; Hall, Clayton Colman, 1847-1916, ed. cn; Steiner, Bernard Christian, 1867-1926 ed; Maryland Historical Society. Court and Testamentary Business, 1648. p. 391-392. Provincial Court of St Marys
https://archive.org/details/archivesofmaryla04brow/page/390/mode/2up
1648 June 22 – John Goneere sayth uppon further examination tht he heard Edw: Hudson tell Tho: Munday tht he had killed a hog & hid it. And tht Mr Brents men came to him, uppon the killing of it; & sd tht he thought they had not fownd it. And further heard the sd Hudson appoynt the sd Munday & this Dept to meete him in the night, to helpe to bring home the hog & tht the sd Munday went not, but sent this Dept who carryed halfe the hog to the sd Mundays howse.
Jurat coram Gour
Archives of Maryland vol 4, by Browne, William Hand, 1828-1912, ed. cn; Hall, Clayton Colman, 1847-1916, ed. cn; Steiner, Bernard Christian, 1867-1926 ed; Maryland Historical Society. Court and Testamentary Business, 1648. p. 392. Provincial Court of St Marys
https://archive.org/details/archivesofmaryla04brow/page/392/mode/2up
1648 June 22 – Att a Court held att Henry Morgan’s howse att Kent, 22 Junis. Present-Governor Capt. G Brent}
Thomas Mathews in the behalfe of the Ld Propr complayneth agst John Goneer, That being called to answere uppon his oath, not having the feare of god afore his eyes, hee answered falsly & agst his knowledge, whereby he committed a willfull Purjury. Wherefore the sd Thomas Mathews requyreth in the behalf of the Ld Propr the sd Goneere to be brought to condigne punishmt.
John Goneere not having any thing to say for his defence, more then tht it was the first time, he ever committed the like offence. The Court adjudged him to bee nayled by both the eares to the pillory, with 3 nayles in each eare; & the nailes to bee slitt out, & afterwards to be whipped with 20 good lashes. And this to bee exequuted immediately, before any other busines of Court be proceeded uppon, warrt to the Sheriffe ad Exequend.
Archives of Maryland vol 4, by Browne, William Hand, 1828-1912, ed. cn; Hall, Clayton Colman, 1847-1916, ed. cn; Steiner, Bernard Christian, 1867-1926 ed; Maryland Historical Society. Court & Testamentary Business, 1648. p. 393. Provincial Court of St Marys
https://archive.org/stream/archivesofmaryla04brow/archivesofmaryla04brow_djvu.txt
Goyen Family Tree 