Line 15, Edmund Scarborough; Father of Genius and Trouble

Edmund Scarborough was the son of Henry Scarburgh (Scarborough), Gentleman of North Walsham, county Norfolk in England, and his wife Elizabeth possibly a Humberstone. There has been some debate over whether Edmund’s mother was named Mary or Elizabeth, but the latest evidence points to Elizabeth being his mother. There were two Henry Scarboroughs in North Walsham at the time, one married to a Mary and another to Elizabeth. The local church of North Walsham still displays a monument to him. He and his brothers were granted arms and crest in 1614. That must have given young Edmund a boost up in society. Edmund was well educated and when he settled in the colony of Virginia sometime in the early 1620s he distingued himself. He was Commissioner of Accomac County, Va., a member of the Board of Justices, 1632, and of the House of Burgesses from 1628 to 1630. He brought all but his son, Charles with him to Virginia. Young Charles stayed behind to attend college at Caius College. He was a brilliant and influential mathemation until Cromwell became Lord Protector of England and his political party reorganized Cambridge where he worked. At that time he went to Oxford to study medicine and in 1648 he was admitted to the Royal College of Physicians. He later became physician to four English Monarchs, Charles II, James II and William and Mary. Charles became Sir Charles in 1669 when he was knighted and became a member of Parliament. He died in 1693 and was buried in Cranford, Middlesex, England.

The elder Edmund Scarborough died in Virginia in early 1635, having lived in the colony was about ten years. However he proved to be an influential man there, serving as Commissioner of Accomack County, in the House of Burgesses from 1628 until 1630 and on the Board of Justices in 1632.

Edmund’s role in the church in Virginia is not known. However, my guess, based on what he know of his sons, is that he was a firm member of the Church of England, if not a devote member. His son, Charles, seemed to go in the direction of whatever the politics brought his way but leaning toward the Church of England. His leanings were toward survival, serving as court physician to two Catholic Kings and a Protestant King and Queen, as well as surviving the change Puritan Common Wealth under Cromwell. Son Edmund Jr. thought was different story, as we will see.

***SOURCES***

1. http://www.esva.net/ghotes/scarb "Descendants of Edmund Scarborough" from Cynthia McDaniel, Ghote

2. http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~genea/westant.htm "Anthony West, James city, Virginia" from Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia 1607-1625

3. Ancestral Records and Portraits, Vol. I (found on Cynthia McDaniel's site]

5. Cavaliers and Pioneers by Nugent Vol. I

6. Southern Kith and Kin By Jewell Davis Scarborough

7. Edmund Scarborough bp. 1584 & William Scarborough of Bacon's Rebellion Posted by: Vickie Elam White, 2008 "Scarborough Family Genealogy Forum"    http://genforum.genealogy.com/scarbourgh/messages2240.htlm

8. Edmund Scarborough bp. 1584 & William Scarborough of Bacon's Rebellion posted by Cynthia McDaniel Ghote on "Scarborough Family Genealogy Forum"