Francis Howard, 5th Baron Howard of Effingham

Infobox_Governor
name = Francis Howard, 5th Baron Howard of Effingham


imagesize = 175px
order =
office = Crown Governor of Virginia
term_start = 1683
term_end = 1692
lieutenant =
predecessor = Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper
successor = Edmund Andros
birth_date = c. 1643
birth_place =
death_date = March 30, 1694 O.S./95 N.S.
death_place =
buried =
spouse =
profession =
religion = |

Francis Howard, 5th Baron Howard of Effingham (c. 1643 – March 30, 1694 O.S./95 N.S.)Birth year is estimated from baptism record. For death year, Bolton, p. 152 gives 1695 (New Style) while Tyler, p. 54 gives 1694 (Old Style). Both are corroborated elsewhere.] was a member of the Howard Family, descended from noted naval commander Lord High Admiral Howard, and a Crown Governor of Virginia.

Family

Francis Howard's paternal grandfather was the first cousin of both Charles Howard, 2nd Earl of Nottingham and Charles Howard, 3rd Earl of Nottingham.Although sources vary on the 5th Baron's ancestors' names and places of residence, the relation to the preceding Barons is generally agreed.] His maternal grandfather was Sir George Courthope of Whiligh, Sussex.Tyler, p. 53.] Francis was baptized on September 17, 1643 in Great Bookham.Bolton, p. 151.] On July 8, 1673, he married Philadelphia Pelham, daughter of Thomas Pelham, 2nd Baronet Pelham of Laughton and half-aunt of Thomas Pelham, eventual 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton. [http://www.thepeerage.com/p2707.htm#i27061 Thomas Pelham, 2nd Baronet Pelham of Laughton] from ThePeerage.com.] Francis and Philadelphia were the parents of Thomas Howard, 6th Baron Howard of Effingham and Francis Howard, 1st Earl of Effingham as well as another son and three daughters. [http://www.thepeerage.com/p2706.htm#i27060 Philadelphia Pelham] from ThePeerage.com.]

In 1681, Howard's cousin, the 3rd Earl of Nottingham, died and, just as his two half-brothers, did not leave a male heir. [http://www.thepeerage.com/p14592.htm#i145920 William Howard] from ThePeerage.com.] [http://www.thepeerage.com/p2966.htm#i29659 Charles Howard, 2nd Earl of Nottingham] from ThePeerage.com.] [http://www.thepeerage.com/p2966.htm#i29660 Charles Howard, 3rd Earl of Nottingham] from ThePeerage.com.] The earldom was declared extinct but the title Baron Howard of Effingham was passed on to Francis.

Virginia

Lord Howard was appointed Governor of Virginia in 1683.Bolton, p. 151 gives August 1683 while Tyler, p. 53 gives September 28, 1683.] His family relocated there in February 1684 and Howard spent much of his time living in Rosegill.Tyler, p. 54.] Howard commenced his duties as Governor on April 16, 1684.Brock, p. 27.] (The previous governor, Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper, had departed suddenly in 1683, and was replaced until Lord Howard's arrival by Col. Nicholas Spencer, Culpepper's cousin, agent, and President of the Council.) [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=CWiel4PVkEkC&pg=PA53&lpg=PA53&dq=%22nicholas+spencer%22+council+president&source=web&ots=_7ec8y8w2E&sig=qx48MO8t3GPvHZzQRG8l6SmNBHo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, Vol. I, Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, 1915] ] [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=0zUlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA27&lpg=PA27&dq=%22nicholas+spencer%22+council+president&source=web&ots=SJSwnCF0WL&sig=gNMYqwSjN5WxJrwC9_5FPB4Awsg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result Virginia and Virginians: Eminent Virginians, Robert Alonzo Brock (secretary of the Va. Historical Society), Virgil Anson Lewis, Vol. I, H.H. Hardesty, Richmond, 1888] ]

On June 23, 1684, Lord Howard sailed from Virginia for Albany, New York with his daughter, Philadelphia, where he and New York Governor Thomas Dongan brokered a July peace treaty with the Iroquois.Hatfield, p. 172.] The treaty succeeded in ending a series of raids by the Seneca nation on the frontier of Virginia.Tyler, pp. 53-54.] Although the Iroquois admitted to breaking the Covenant Chain, Howard and Dongan refrained from demanding reparations in hopes that they would continue attacks against their rivals in New France.Hatfield, p. 205.] While in New York, Howard and his daughter stayed at Dongan's house and spent much of their time socializing. Howard was impressed by the lifestyle of New York, as compared to Virginia, and urged his wife to bring good silver from England.Hatfield, p. 173.] Lady Howard arrived in Virginia but died on August 13, 1685 at age 31. Their daughter, Margaret Frances, also died while accompanying Lady Howard's body, destined for Lingfield.

In 1687, Howard again travelled to New York to negotiate with the Iroquois, with a stop in Philadelphia on the way.Hatfield, p. 206.] Despite his negotiation efforts, Howard was unpopular among Virginians. He ordered that no one in the colony could use a printing press for any reason and tried to gain the power to overturn laws and levy taxes. Land grants could only be passed if Lord Howard was paid a fee. He created a court of equity and named himself a petty lord chancellor. In 1687, he expelled Colonel Philip Ludwell from the Virginia Council, calling him "an abettor in fomenting disputes over which the Assembly was so obstinate." The expulsion backfired, however, when Ludwell's resultant popularity led to a meeting with King William. A successful meeting with the king led to Ludwell's council seat being restored on May 7, 1691.Tyler, pp. 145-146.]

Late life

Howard left Virginia for England on October 20, 1688 and spent much of his time in Little Chelsea in Kensington, Middlesex. He was allowed to remain governor of Virginia from afar at half the salary. Nathaniel Bacon, Sr., who had administered the colony during Howard's time in New York in 1684, did so again while Howard was in England until Howard's deputy, Francis Nicholson, arrived on May 16, 1690. Howard remarried on January 20, 1690 to Susan Felton, daughter of Sir Henry Felton, Baronet, and widow of Philip Harbord. [http://www.thepeerage.com/p2707.htm#i27063 Susan Felton] from ThePeerage.com.] His funeral took place at St Giles in the Fields.Bolton, p. 152.]

Notes

References

*cite book
last=Tyler
first=Lyon Gardiner
authorlink=Lyon Gardiner Tyler
title=Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography
publisher=Lewis Historical Publishing Company
location=New York
year=1915
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=CWiel4PVkEkC&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&dq=Ludwell+%22House+of+burgesses%22+1691&source=web&ots=_7ddavay5E&sig=wfVsPQquE-ZWRynQHHKvhH9UIsE&hl=en#PPA146,M1
*cite book
last=Bolton
first=Charles Knowles
title=The Founders - Portraits of Persons Born Abroad Who Came to the Colonies in North America Before the Year 1701
volume=1
publisher=Boston Athenæum
year=1919
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=DSoEAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA151&dq=Francis+Howard+Effingham+governor+virginia&num=100&as_brr=3&ei=A3M_SLqPOofQigGBqtWIBQ
*cite book
last=Hatfield
first=April Lee
title=Atlantic Virginia: Intercolonial Relations in the Seventeenth Century
publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press
year=2007
isbn=081221997X
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=cdUEwKoLe4cC&pg=PA205&lpg=PA205&dq=Iroquois+1684+virginia&source=web&ots=qL6Wch7cfE&sig=w8wSvaShLjQXnC9WcfifWgBhOws&hl=en
*cite book
last=Brock
first=Robert Alonzo
coauthors=Virgil Anson Lewis
title=Virginia and Virginians: Eminent Virginians
publisher=H. H. Hardesty
year=1888
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=0zUlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA27&dq=Francis+Howard+Effingham+governor+virginia&num=100&as_brr=3&ei=A3M_SLqPOofQigGBqtWIBQ#PPA27,M1

External links

* [http://www.greattradingpath.com/native-american-indian-history/executive-journal/volume-one-001-99.htm Selected text pertaining to Indian tribes] from the Executive Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. I, June 11, 1680 - June 22, 1699.