Background
Few facts relating to his early life are known. The date of his birth is unknown. George was born in England, United Kingdom. He was the second son of Edward and Jane (Norton) Popham of Huntsworth, Somerset.
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George Popham
Edit ProfileEducation
There is no information about his education.
Career
From November 1594 to May 1595 he served as captain of one of the vessels in Robert Dudley's expedition to Guiana and the West Indies, returning by way of Bermuda. While thus engaged, he captured from a Spanish vessel documents describing Guiana, which he turned over to Sir Walter Raleigh. He was among those who petitioned King James for a patent for lands in America and was among those named in the Virginia Company Patent of April 10, 1606.
He was holding the post of collector of customs at the port of Bridgewater in 1607. Sir John Popham and Sir Ferdinando Gorges projected a colony for "Northern Virginia. " His Majesty's Council for Virginia appears to have approved the scheme, and George Popham was named one of the council of seven to govern on the spot.
On May 31, 1607, he and Raleigh Gilbert commanded the two small vessels, Gift of God and Mary and John, which sailed from Plymouth, England, with the colonists. They reached the coast of Maine late in July, spent some time exploring, and Sunday, August 9, landed on what is probably the island of Monhegan to conduct church services. They chose their place of permanent settlement, August 18, on a point on the western side of the mouth of the Kennebec, and Popham was chosen governor. The two ships were sent home and the colony suffered a hard winter.
He died February 5, 1608, and, owing to troubles both in England and Maine, the colony was abandoned in the following summer.
Achievements
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George Popham was a pioneering colonist, erected the first English settlement in New England, Popham Colony, won the elections as President of the new colony. His first establishments included a storehouse and a historical fortification called St. Georges Fort. He was an associate of English Colonizer Sir Ferdinando Gorges in a colonization scheme for a part of Maine.
Personality
Quotes from others about the person
Ferdinando Gorges describes Popham as "an honest man, but ould, and of an unwildy body, and timerously fearfull to offende, or contest with others that will or do oppose him, but otherwayes a discreete carefull man. "
Connections
There is no information about his marital status.
