Nicholas Martiau ¹¹²

  General Notes:

He was a French Huguenot (in church of Threadneedle St.) and came to Jamestown, Virginia in the "Francis BonaVenture" in 1620 as a personal representative of the 5th Earl of Huntington to plan fortifications. He led a foray against the Indians at Falling Creek after the 1622 massacre. He joined the liberal party committed to the Virginia outlook, pleading for continuance if the House of Burgesses in 1623/4. A Huguenot was a Calvinist Protestant against the Catholic Church. Military Engineer. His plantation comprised of 1, 300 acres and included the site of the Battle of Yorktown. His wife, Jane Berkley, a widow of Lieutenant Edward Berkley. He was in the service of Henry Hastings, Earl Of Huntingdon and member of the Virginia Company, and educated as a military engineer. He was naturalized as an Englishman by royal decree.

Nicholas's defense of the French king, in an argument with Capt. Thomas Mayhew. forced him to take a loyalty oath in Jamestown in 1627. He was granted 600 acres as Chiskiack, which became Yorktown. In 1644, the Cheskiack Indians were moved to the Pianketank, where they would be forced out by Augustine Warner. The tribe seems to have vanished at that point. He served as Burgess 1632-33, and Justice for York County, 1633-57. With George Utie and Captain Samuel Matthews they sent the tyrant governor, Harvey, close prisoner back to England. Harvey returned bringing George Reade, Martiau's future son-in-law, but Harvey was forced back to England, leaving Reade as Acting Governor. Martiau moved to the present Yorktown site in 1630 on 600 acres, plus 700 headrights, where he grew tobacco. On this land Cornwallis surrendered his troops to Martiau's great-great-great-grandson, General George Washington in 1781. Martiau later was granted 2000 acres on the south side of the Potomac River, which he gave to Col. George Reade in 1657.

Nicholas married Living