George Fenwick (Parliamentarian)

George Fenwick
2nd Governor of Saybrook Colony
In office 1639–1644
Preceded by	John Winthrop the Younger
Succeeded by	Theophilus Eaton(New Haven Colony)
CommissionerforConnecticut River Colony
In office 1643–1645 Serving withEdward Hopkins,John Brown
In office 1647–1648 Serving with Edward Hopkins, John Mason, William Whiting, John Brown,Roger Ludlow
Member of Parliament forMorpeth
In office 1645–1648
Preceded by	John Fenwick
Succeeded by	Robert Mitford
Personal details
Born	1603? England
Died	1657 England
Profession	Parliamentarianand governor

George Fenwick(1603?–1657), was an EnglishParliamentarian,and a leading colonist in the short-livedSaybrook Colony.

Early life

Fenwick was the son of George Fenwick ofBrinkburn,Northumberland, and Dorothy, daughter of John Forster of Newham, was born about 1603.Fenwick was called to the bar atGray's Innon 21 November 1631, and admitted ancient on 24 May 1650.

Settlement in America

He took an active part in the scheme for colonising Connecticut, signed the agreement of the patentees withJohn Winthrop the Youngerin 1635, and visited Boston in 1636.In 1639 he settled with his wife and family in theSaybrook Colonyat the mouth of theConnecticut River,as agent for the patentees and governor of the fort of Saybrook.In 1642 upon the death of Native American leader,Wequash Cook,Fenwick took in Cook's son, Wenamoag, to raise, but it is unknown what happened to Wenamoag after Fenwick's wife died and Fenwick returned to England in 1645.

Letters written by him during his residence in America are printed in theMassachusetts Historical Collections,iv. 6, 365, v. 1, 223, and in the publications of thePrince Society,Hutchinson Papers,i. 120. At the meeting of the commissioners of the united colonies in 1643, Fenwick, as agent of the patentees, was one of the two representatives of Connecticut.On 5 December 1644 he sold the fort at Saybrook and its appurtenances to theColony of Connecticut,pledging himself at the same time that all the lands mentioned in the patent should fall under the jurisdiction of Connecticut if it came into his power. The non-fulfilment of this promise led to numerous disputes, and in 1657 the colony refused to give his heirs possession of his estate until they paid 500£for non-fulfilment of the agreement and gave an acquittance of all claims.Fenwick returned to England in 1645. While living at Saybrook he lost his first wife; her monument is said to be still extant there.

Parliamentary career

On 20 Oct 1645 Fenwick was elected to theLong Parliamentas member forMorpeth.During theSecond English Civil Warhe commanded a regiment of northern militia, took part in the defeat of Sir Richard Tempest by Lambert, relievedHoly Island,and recapturedFenham Castle.On the surrender of Berwick he became governor of that place, apparently at first as deputy forSir Arthur Haslerig.Fenwick was appointed one of the commissioners for the trial ofthe king,but did not act.In 1650 he took part inCromwell's invasion of Scotland, was madeGovernor of LeithandEdinburgh Castlein December 1650, and tookHume Castlein February 1651.He was also one of the eight commissioners appointed for the government of Scotland in December 1651, after theTender of Union.

In the two Protectorate parliaments of 1654 and 1656 he representedBerwick,and was one of the members excluded from the second of those parliaments.

Private life

Coat of Arms of George Fenwick

According to his monument in the parish church of Berwick, Fenwick died on 15 March 1657, and this is confirmed by the fact that a new writ for Berwick was moved on 26 March 1657.His will, signed 8 March 1657.In some accounts Fenwick is confused with Lieutenant-colonelRoger Fenwick,who was killed in theBattle of Dunkirk,4 June 1658.

Fenwick was twice married: first, toAlice, daughter of Sir Edward ApsleyofThakeham,Sussex, and widow of Sir John Boteler ofTeston,Kent (he died 2 August 1634).Secondly, to Catherine, eldest daughter of Sir Arthur Haslerig, born in 1635, who married, after the death of Fenwick, Colonel Philip Babington, and died in 1670.

References

Attribution

This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Firth, Charles Harding (1889). "Fenwick, George".InStephen, Leslie(ed.).Dictionary of National Biography.Vol. 18. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 328.