John Page (planter)

For other people with the same name, seeJohn Page (disambiguation).

John Page
Portrait c.1670
Born	circa 1627 East Bedfont,Middlesex, England
Died	January 23, 1692(1692-01-23)(aged 64) James City County,Virginia, British America
Occupation(s)	Merchant, politician, businessman, planter
Years active	1645–1692
Member of theHouse of Burgesses
In office 1665–1677
Governor	GovernorSir William Berkeley
Member of theVirginia Governor's Council
In office 1677 – January 23, 1692
Governor	GovernorHerbert Jeffries GovernorThomas Culpeper Acting GovernorNicholas Spencer GovernorFrancis Howard

ColonelJohn Page(c. 1627 – 23 January 1692)was an English-born planter, merchant, slave trader and politician who spent most of his life inNorth America.Born inEast Bedfont,Middlesex,Page eventually migrated to the Englishcolony of Virginia,where he lived inMiddle Plantationand served as a member of theHouse of Burgessesfrom 1665 to 1677 and a member of theVirginia Governor's Councilfrom 1677 to 1692. A wealthy landowner, Page donated land and funds towards construction of theBruton Parish Church.Page was also involved in the establishment of theCollege of William & Maryin 1693, as well as being a chief proponent of Middle Plantation being designated the colony's capital in 1698.

His efforts eventually resulted in the renaming of Middle Plantation asWilliamsburgin 1699, perhaps most well known as the birthplace of democratic governmental principals amongPatriot revolutionariesbefore and during theAmerican Revolution.In the 21st century, Page's Middle Plantation residence serves the modern home of the restored colonial-era tourism destination known asColonial Williamsburg,a popular travel destination inVirginia.

Biography

Bruton Parish Church,Williamsburg, Virginia. Original church built 1683 on land donated by Colonel John Page. The shaft commemorating Col. Page is at right of the church door in this photograph byFrances Benjamin Johnston.

John Page was born around 1627, likely in East Bedfont, Middlesex, the parish records for which do not survive for that period. He was a son of Francis Page, gentleman, of that parish.

John Page became a merchant, and emigrated to theVirginia colony;his sister Elizabeth (wife ofEdward Digges) and brother Matthew also emigrated to Virginia. John Page married Alice Luckin of Sandon, Essex, in roughly 1646, and Page claimed her as a headright in 1653, suggesting they were both in Virginia by the mid-1650s.She was a first cousin, once removed of the firstLuckyn baronet.The Pages originally lived in the New Towne section atJamestown.

The Pages settled inYork Countyin 1655. In 1662, the Pages had a large brick cross-plan house built in nearbyMiddle Plantation.A wealthy landowner, Page owned 330 acres (1.3 km²) in Middle Plantation, including much of what is nowDuke of Gloucester Street,Nicholson Street, and part of Francis Street in the restored area ofColonial Williamsburg.In 1672, Page patented 3600 acres (15 km²) inNew Kent Countywhich became Mehixton Plantation.He donated land and £20 for the first brickBruton Parish Churchwhich was completed in 1683, and was located immediately adjacent to the site of the present larger restored structure.In 1683, he came into possession of a tract of land which originally belonged to his brother Matthew inJames City Countyknown as Neck of Land. It is also known that he owned property atJamestownin New Towne section.

Col. John Page of Middle Plantation, Williamsburg, Virginia

John Page was a member of the VirginiaHouse of Burgessesstarting in 1665. He played a pivotal role in supporting the efforts of Reverend DoctorJames Blairin the founding of theCollege of William & Maryin 1693, which was located at Middle Plantation. Beginning in 1677, he is believed to have been an early advocate for moving the capitol to Middle Plantation, which eventually occurred in 1699, seven years after his death. (Middle Plantation was renamedWilliamsburgin honor ofKing William IIIshortly thereafter).

TheRoyal African Company's agent in Virginia in the 1670s,the Colonel was heavily involved in theAtlantic slave trade,not only trading and profiting on the chattel slave trade of human beings (agents received a seven-percent commission on sales),but also enslaving numerous people on his various properties as well.

Cartouchefrom the John Page house, Williamsburg, showing brick initials for Page, Alice (Page's wife) and the date of the house (1662). The J was not recovered.Colonial Williamsburg

Colonel John Page and his wife Alice Lukin Page are buried at Bruton Parish Church inWilliamsburg, Virginia.Their tombstone, originally located within the church graveyard, was later moved to the church vestibule. It reads: "Here lieth in hope of a joyfull resurrection the Body of Colonel JOHN PAGE of Bruton Parish, Esquire. One of their Majesties Council in the Dominion of Virginia. Who departed this life the 23 of January in the year of our Lord 1691/2 Aged 65"The tombstone carries thearmsof Pageimpalingthose of Lukin.

Family

Coat of armsof Col. John Page ofMiddle Plantation

The Page family was one of theFirst Families of Virginia,which later includedMann Page III,his brother U.S. Congressman and Virginia GovernorJohn Page,and later descendants such as U.S. Ambassador to ItalyThomas Nelson Page,andVirginian RailwaybuilderWilliam Nelson Page.

Colonel and Mrs. John Page named their eldest son Francis, and he also built a substantial brick home at Middle Plantation. (Present-day Francis Street inWilliamsburgis said to be named for him). Another son, Matthew Page, was born in Virginia in 1659 and became a planter. He was one of the original board of trustees of the College of William and Mary, a member of the Governor's Council, and was active in public affairs. He died on January 9, 1703.

Their grandson, Mann Page I (son of Matthew Page), also became a planter and wealthy landholder in Virginia, owning nearly 70,000 acres (280 km²) inFrederick County,Prince William County,andSpotsylvania Countyamong other locations. In 1725, Mann Page I began the construction ofRosewell Plantation,the Page mansion on the banks of theYork RiverinGloucester County.Mann Page I's wife Judith Carter was the daughter ofRobert Carter I.Mann Page I son John Page married Jane Byrd, a granddaughter of ColonelWilliam Byrd I.One of John Page's great-grandsons wasConfederateGeneralRichard Lucian Page.

Mary Page, the daughter of Col. John Page, married Walter Chiles Jr., son of Col. Walter Chiles of the Virginia Governor's Council.In his will of March 5, 1687, Col. John Page mentions his grandson John Chiles, as well as his "grandsonne John Tyler, sonne of my grand-daughter Elizabeth Tyler."Elizabeth Chiles had married Henry Tyler of Middle Plantation, and thus became the ancestorof PresidentJohn Tyler.

Virginia Gov.John Page,great-grandson of Col. John Page

Because of the propensity ofFirst Families of Virginia(FFV) to marry within their narrow social ranks for many generations, John Page may be legitimately counted as a co-progenitor with many other FFV patriarchs of their genealogically documented descendants, who include descendants of the families Byrd, Chiles, Dilliard, Tyler, Pendleton, Burwell, Nelson, Randolph, Carter, Harrison, Waller and others.

Legacy

Sketch ofMerchant's House,Williamsburg, likely that of John Page, 1702

Several sites of the Page family in Virginia and West Virginia have historical and archaeological significance.

• The site of their property at Jamestown has been identified by theJamestown Rediscoveryproject.
• Colonial Williamsburghas an extensive archeological study underway at the John Page home site atMiddle Plantation(nowWilliamsburg).Col. John Page owned much of what is today's Williamsburg, including Duke of Gloucester, Nicholson and part of Francis Street.
• The ruins ofRosewell plantation,the home of early members of the Page family and one of the finest mansions built in the colonies, sit on the northern bank of theYork RiverinGloucester County.In one of its rooms, which are all of cubic dimensions,Thomas Jefferson,a friend and the college classmate ofJohn Page(Col. John Page's great, great grandson) is locally rumored to have drafted theU.S. Declaration of Independence.In 1916, a fire swept the mansion leaving a magnificent shell which is testament to 18th century craftsmanship and dreams, and the site ongoing archeological studies.
• ThePage-Vawter House,a large Victorian mansion, was built in 1889 inAnsted, West Virginiaon a knoll in the middle of town.Industrialist and mining manager William andEmma (née Gilham) Pageraised their four children there, attended by a staff of 8 servants.In the 21st century, it still stands as evidence of the once-thrivingcoalbusiness and was listed on theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1985.

See also

• John Page
• Mann Page
• Rosewell plantation

Sources

• Virtual American Biographies
• Colonial Williamsburg
• USGenealogy.netArchivedMarch 3, 2016, at theWayback Machine

External links

• The John Page Site: Excavation of a Major House Site on the Bruton Heights Property by Colonial Williamsburg