Raleigh Gilbert (governor)

Sir
Raleigh Gilbert
Born1577
Devon England
DiedDecember 30, 1634(1634-12-30) (aged 56–57)
TitleGovernor of Popham Colony
SpouseElizabeth Kelley
Children5
Parents
RelativesSir Walter Raleigh (uncle)

Raleigh Gilbert (1577–December 30, 1634) was an early colonist of Maine who served as an early council president and governor of Popham Colony, and the captain of Mary and John.

Early life and family

Gilbert was born in Devon, England in 1577, the son of Humphrey Gilbert and half-nephew of Sir Walter Raleigh and Carew Raleigh.[1] His great uncle was Sir Arthur Champernowne and he was a cousin of Sir Richard Grenville.[2][3]

Gilbert was a member of the prominent Gilberts of Compton.[4][5] He married Elizabeth Kelley and they had five children.[6]

Popham Colony

In 1607, Gilbert served as admiral of the expedition of 120 colonists that left Plymouth on May 31, 1607, in two ships.[7][8] Gilbert was the deputy to George Popham, who was the president of the colony and captain of Gift of God. Gilbert was the captain of Mary and John.[9][10] Ferdinando Gorges described Gilbert as "desirous of supremacy and rule, a loose life, prompt to sensuality, little zeal in religion, humorous, headstrong and of small judgement and experience, [and] other ways valiant enough."

Governor

After Popham's death, Gilbert assumed the role as leader of the colony for six months.[11][12] In his role as leader of the colony, Gilbert was responsible for maintaining relations with the local Abenaki.[7] Contemporary historians have regarded Gilbert as an ineffective leader of the colony.[13] He provoked an attack by the local Wabanaki chiefs, Canibas and Arosaguntacooks, which resulted in the death of 13 settlers and the burning of storehouses and other buildings.[14]

Return to England

Arms of Gilbert: Argent, on a chevron gules three roses of the field[15]

In August 1608, Gilbert inherited a title and land in England following his elder brother Sir John Popham's death, and subsequently returned to England.[16][17][18] He led the construction of a ship to facilitate the return voyage, which may have been the first oceangoing vessel built in America.[4][14] His return to England caused the 45 remaining colonists to return to England as well.[10][1][19]

Upon returning to England, Gilbert resided at his ancestral seat, Compton Castle.[7][20]

Death

Gilbert died on December 30, 1634.

References

  1. 1 2 Lamont, Edward M. (2014-10-03). The Forty Years that Created America: The Story of the Explorers, Promoters, Investors, and Settlers Who Founded the First English Colonies. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. ISBN 978-1-4422-3660-8.
  2. ↑ Quinn, David B. (1979) [1966]. "Gilbert, Sir Humphrey". In Brown, George Williams (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. I (1000–1700) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  3. ↑ Levermore, Charles Herbert (1912). Forerunners and Competitors of the Pilgrims and Puritans: Or, Narratives of Voyages Made by Persons Other Than the Pilgrims and Puritans of the Bay Colony to the Shores of New England During the First Quarter of the Seventeenth Century, 1601-1625. Pub. for the Society.
  4. 1 2 Thornton, J. Wingate. Genealogical Memoir of the Gilbert Family in both Old and New England. Boston, 1850.
  5. ↑ Blake, William Phipps (1888). 1786. Centenary of Hamden, Connecticut: 1886. History of the Town of Hamden, Connecticut, with an Account of the Centennial Celebration, June 15th, 1886. Price, Lee & Company.
  6. ↑ Wright, William Henry Kearley (1887). The Western Antiquary. Latimer & son.
  7. 1 2 3 "Raleigh Gilbert & The Popham Colony". Bell Family History. 2023-04-11. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
  8. ↑ Analytical Historical Reference. National Historical Association. 1906.
  9. ↑ Magazine, Smithsonian. "Maine's Lost Colony". Smithsonian Magazine.
  10. 1 2 "Popham Colony | Maine: An Encyclopedia". March 12, 2011.
  11. ↑ Beckenstein, Myron. "Maine's Lost Colony." Smithsonian Magazine, February 2004.
  12. ↑ Chisholm, Hugh (1911). The Encyclopædia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and General Information. At the University Press.
  13. ↑ Parker, Arlita Dodge (1925). A History of Pemaquid: With Sketches of Monhegan, Popham and Castine. MacDonald & Evans.
  14. 1 2 Keller, Matthew J. (2025-09-15). Struggle for Survival: The Origins of the Thirteen Colonies. The M&S Press, LLC. ISBN 979-8-9931429-0-6.
  15. ↑ Burke's Landed Gentry, 1937, p.886
  16. ↑ Fairburn, William Armstrong (1945). Merchant Sail. Fairburn Marine Educational Foundation. ISBN 978-0-598-74741-9. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  17. ↑ Hildreth, Richard (1875). The History of the United States of America: Colonial, 1497-1688. Harper & brothers.
  18. ↑ Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. Genealogical Pub. 1915. ISBN 978-0-8063-1547-8. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  19. ↑ Howland, Edward (1877). Annals of North America: Being a Concise Account of the Important Events in the United States, the British Provinces, and Mexico, from Their Discovery Down to the Present Time (1492–1876) Showing the Steps in Their Political, Religious, Social, Legislative, and Industrial Progress. Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington.
  20. ↑ "Compton Castle". By the Dart. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
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