Robert Whitaker was the son of Thomas Whitaker and living at "The Holme" in 1480. He had one son, Thomas Whitaker, who was born at "The Holme" in 1458 and died there in 1529. He married Johanna [Unknown] and had two sons: John Whitaker, (no information) and Richard Whitaker, born in c.1504, and was living at "The Holme" in 1543. He died in 1588. Thomas Whitaker, the younger son of Richard Whitaker (living in 1543), b. c1504, d. 1588; m. 1530, Elizabeth Nowell, who was the daughter of John Nowell, Esq, of Read, England. When his older brother died in 1527, Thomas Whitaker succeeded to "The Holme". Two of Elizabeth's brothers were to be especially influential on the Whitaker Family. (view Whitaker Family Record)

1. Robert Whitaker, oldest son of Thomas Whitaker and Elizabeth Nowell, m. Margaret Greenwood. They were the ancestors of Dr. Thomas Dunham Whitaker, noted divine and author of The History of the Original Parish of Whalley, 1806. This Branch of the family inherited "The Holme" and lived there until 1912.
2. Richard Whitaker, second son of Thomas Whitaker and Elizabeth Nowell. We have found no record of a marriage or children.
3. William A. Whitaker, youngest son of Thomas Whitaker and Elizabeth Nowell, b. 1547, d. 4 Dec 1595. William became a Doctor of Divinity and was Master of St. John's College, Cambridge University, England.

In 1431, reference was made to Thomas Whitaker of "The Holme". It was originally a 40-room manor house built in 1603 and was the seat of the Whitaker family from the 15th century. The first Whitaker to arrive at "The Holme" was believed to be Richard de Whitacre, who arrived in Cliviger in 1340 from 'High Whiteacre' at Padiham. The families are descended from the first families of Lancashire, the Sherburnes, Townleys, Stanleys, and Harringtons and continued this tradition by later marrying into the Towneley family and later the Newells of Read, according to the celebrated historian Dr. T. D. Whitaker who, as well as being vicar of St. John's Church in 1788, also planted many of the fine trees around the house.

The ancestral seat of the Whitaker family is a "messuage" called "The Holme", located near Burnley in Lancashire. 'Messuage' is a Latin word meaning a dwelling, together with its barns and outbuildings and adjoining land, what we might call an estate. It is contrasted with "menage", which refers to the people living in a household. The Holme, with about 34 acres of land, apparently came into the possession of our Whitakers early in the fifteenth century, perhaps in 1431, when Thomas Whitaker, our first known ancestor, appears in a land record. As early as 1302, Henry de Lacy (a Lancashire nobleman) granted the tenement of Robert de Holme to William de Middlemore and Margery his wife, and to Margery's heirs (ref: Thomas Dunham Whitaker, "History of Whalley Parish", p.203).

In 1334, Roger de Holme released to Richard de Towneley all the lands Roger's father had given; and Henry, son of Roger de Holme, confirmed the deeds of his father and grandfather ("History of Whalley", p.257, 219). The Whitakers may have acquired the estate either through the female line, via Margery Middlemore's heirs, or through the Towneleys, with whom the Whitakers were early related. When William Whitaker died in 1641, he held the capital messuage called "The Holme", as well as other messuages called Thieveley, Grimshaw, and Backclough, with 42 acres. He apparently had to pay the king at his castle, Clitheroe, a sort of quitrent of 23 s, 7 1/2 d, per annum.

The Holme is a picturesque two-story stonebuilt house, with stone-slated roof, standing amidst beautiful scenery in the valley of Cliviger, facing south. The plan follows the usual type of central hall and projecting endwings [the shape of an "H"], but in the course of time and as a result of rebuildings and alterations has lost some of its original features, though retaining many of the characteristics of the earlier building. It is said to have been constructed originally of wood, but the middle and east wings appear to have been rebuilt in stone about the year 1603 or before. (ref: "A History of Lancashire" p.482)

In March 2003, the middle and east wings burned (the police suspected arson). Three-hundred-year-old oak beams fell in on the walnut floor in the living room, with its fieldstone fireplace and mirrored wall. Since The Holme is a national landmark, it is supposed to be restored to its former state, but by whom? The west wing and the 1854 northeast addition were not affected.

William Whitaker was born at "The Holme" in 1547. Under the Law of Primogeniture, the estate was to pass to his oldest brother, and he, as third son, was sent off to get an education and enter the church. He advanced in life through the preferment and influence of his Nowell uncles and other powerful men. Thank goodness, he acquitted himself creditably at every stage and gained a reputation of earning the fame and power he came to have. After attending the common school in Burnley, William was taken to London, where his uncle Alexander Nowell, D.D., Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, enrolled him in the church's "prep school". At the age of 16, William matriculated in Michaelmas Term, Oct 4, 1564, at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Another uncle, Robert Nowell, bequeathed an annuity of 40 lbs. to his nephews, William and Richard Whitaker, in his will in 1563, admonishing Richard to find a good wife, if he could. In a codicil to the same will, Robert left an annuity of 40 lbs to his nephew, William Whitaker, then A.B., scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge. The will was attested by William Cecil, later Lord Burleigh. The master of Trinity College was the Rev. Whitgift (afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury), who singled William out for special favors, because of William's indefatigable study of scriptures, the commentators, and the schoolmen. William was regarded as an authority in both Latin and Greek. He took his B.A. in 1567-8, was made a Fellow of Trinity in 1569, and took his B.D. at Trinity in 1578.

He was ordained priest and deacon at Lincoln, Dec 21, 1576; was appointed University Preacher in 1577; and invested with the Prebendary of Norwich in 1578, in which year he was also "incorporated" at Oxford University. In 1580, through the influence of the Nowells and Lord Burleigh, Queen Elizabeth appointed William A. Whitaker "Regius Professor of Divinity" at Cambridge University. At the time, there were only three Regius Professors in all of England, and only one in Divinity. Shortly afterwards, the Queen made William A. Whitaker, Chancellor of St. Paul's Cathedral, 1580-1587. In 1587, also, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity.

In 1586, Queen Elizabeth appointed him Master of St. John's College, in Cambridge, England over the protests of some of the Fellows who objected to William's Calvinistic Puritanism. William had gained his position through influence and patronage, but his administration was based wholly upon merit, scholarship, ability. His judgements were soon regarded as fair, just, and impartial, which soon made him one of the most loved of Masters. In his "History of the College of St. John the Evangelist, Cambridge" (1869), Thomas Baker is almost unbounded in his praise for William Whitaker as one of the greatest Masters of all time. William held the post for eight years, until his death in 1595. William published several major works of theology in his lifetime and left several others in manuscript. His works are all extremely Puritan in argument and tone, he being an ardent follower of Calvin and Deza. Still, he came to be respected as the foremost theologian in the time of Queen Elizabeth.

In 1573, 1574, 1578, and again in 1673, he published Greek translations of Latin verses by his uncle, Alexander Nowell. These translations were widely regarded for their grace and beauty. In 1581, he published a bilingual (Latin and Greek) "Ten Answers to Edmund Campion, the Jesuit." An English translation (with the Latin on facing pages) was published in London in 1606, by Richard Stock. In 1582, William published "The Pope of Rome is the Antichrist." Over the years, he published learned disputes over scriptures with John Durei, the Scottish Jesuit (1583), Robert Bellarmine (1588), and Thomas Stapleton (1588). In all these arguments, William was said to have stated the opposition's position fairly, with clarity, and then offered his counterarguments with such logic and force, that even his opponents respected his abilities and arguments. Some of his opponents are said to have hung his portrait on their walls as a gesture of admiration and honor. In November and December of 1595, he was working with others in London on the so called Lambeth Articles. In inclement weather, he caught a cold, which worsened, and he died Dec 4, 1595.

He was buried under a modest monument in Old Chapel, St. Johns College, Cambridge. This Old Chapel was demolished before 1869, and now all that remains are a few stones marking the foundation. A memorial tablet to William Whitaker was installed in the center of the anteroom of the New Chapel. The epitaph reads (in English): "Here lies Dr. Whitaker, formerly Regius Professor Divinity, a man gifted with eloquence, judgement, clarity of mind, memory, industry and sanctity. But his humility, rarest of virtues, outshone all of these. He was Master of this College for more than eight years, farsighted, defending the right and punishing wickedness."

A biography of him was written by Rev. Edward C. Brookes, B.D., M.A., Somerleyton Rectory, Suffolk, entitled "Dialogue and Syllogism in the Sixteenth Century, a Study in the Life and Theology of William Whitaker (ob. 1595), Master of St. John's, 1587-1595, Regius Prof of Divinity, 1580-1595," (unpublished thesis, 1971, University of Leeds). The Archives of St. John's College has a [poor] typescript copy.

There are two portraits of William A. Whitaker in the Master's quarters at St. John's, one in the master's office, one in the guest bedroom. William A. Whitaker married twice: first to [Unknown] Culverwell, who was apparently mother of at least the oldest child, and second to Joan (Taylor) Fenner, widow of Dudley Fenner, mother to at least the youngest.

Alexander Whitaker was an older brother to our Jabez Whitaker. At the age of 19, in 1604, he received a Master of Arts degree at St. John's College, Cambridge, England. He was received into the ministry and given a good parish in the northern part of England. By birth and by training he was intimately attached to the Puritan movement within the Church of England which desired reform, but not to separate or subvert. He studied at Trinity with young men who would later be greatly known and associated with the Massachusetts Bay Colony: John Winthrop (Governor), John Cotton (grandfather of Cotton Mather) and John Robinson (pastor of the Pilgrim Fathers). As an undergraduate, Whitaker was touched by the same concern for signs of true faith which so exercised Cotton and Winthrop. In 1609, at the age of twenty-four, Alexander was ordained priest and began his career in the Church of England. He was "well approved by the greatest, and beloved of his people, and had competent allowance to his good liking, and was in as good possibility of better living, as any man of his time." Seemingly, his future held sure success and an edifying career as a "godly pastor." He was happily settled, had property and a good reputation.

Alexander was pastor less than two years when he began to strongly "entertain a purpose of going to Virginia." For months he had "serious deliberations" and "many distractions and combats with himself" of "many inward temptations and outward discouragements and dissuasions" from friends. He won his inward battle and "settled his resolution that God called him thither, and therefore he would go. His heart had the motive of a missionary and without pressure or inducement he believed he was called an apostle to the gentiles in the "barbarous country of Virginia, where the name of God hath been yet scarce heard of." So upon hearing the appeals that came from the Virginia Colony" as a wailing cry from his own brethren for help ---- all the more persuasive for the fascinating doom of danger and pain for Christ's sake...." He sailed from Land's End, Mar 27, 1611. The voyage ended May 22, 1611, at Point Comfort, Virginia Colony. In the early part of Sep, 1611, Sir Thomas Dale, 350 men and Rev. Whitaker left Jamestowne and pushed up the James River. Henrico (Henricopolis) was founded by this group. Among the earliest buildings was a brick church. Sir Dale founded a second settlement at the western angle of the junction of the Appomattox with the James and called it Bermuda Hundred. Rev. Whitaker, who pastored both of these settlements, established his residence at Coxendale, midway between the two parishes.

"Pocahontas, the Indian princess, lived a year in honored captivity in charge of Sir Thomas Dale and the Rev. Whitaker, being carefully instructed and fashioned to piety and civility, a docile pupil; she confessed faith of Jesus Christ, was baptized by Whitaker." In Apr, 1614, Rev. Whitaker performed the marriage ceremony of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. Rev. Whitaker wrote GOOD NEWS FROM VIRGINIA, published in 1613. It was the first work in English written on American soil. William Crashawe wrote the dedication for the work. Rev. Whitaker drowned in 1617 while crossing the James River. He is remembered in the history of our young country as "the Apostle of Virginia."

Jabez Whitaker was sent to the Colony of Virginia with the rank of Lieutenant by the Virginia Company of London, in charge of tenants for one of the plantations known as the "College Land" -- set aside for the endowment of an Indian College "for the training up of the children of those Infidels in true Religion, moral virtue and Civility." By November he settled near Jamestowne in charge of fifty colonists, and gave a "good acompt of the trust reposed in him." Due to the Indian uprising known as the "Indian Wars in the Colonies" The College land (Indian College) was postponed until 1618 where it was later chartered as the "College of William and Mary". The Virginia Company of London gave orders to Jabez Whitaker for the laying out of grounds for a university at Henrico, of which the Indian School was to be a branch, and endowed it with 10,000 acres of land.

In late 1619, Lieutenant Jabez Whittaker1 and perhaps as many as fifty men were sent by the Virginia Company to Jamestowne Virginia. According to Whittaker, he and his men built a 40' by 20' "guesthouse" to season new immigrants. They also erected other dwellings, and fenced in their acreage and livestock. The tenants who worked on the Company Land agreed to serve for seven years in return for 50% of the profits of their labor. Additionally, the Virginia Company provided the tenants with a year's supply of food and cattle along with clothes, weapons, tools, and other equipment. This "guesthouse" became, in times of illness, the first hospital in Jamestowne, Virginia. Jabez Whittaker also invented the familiar Virginia split-rail fence, for which he received an award.

Jabez sailed back to England aboard the Bona Nova in 1621. We know this from reading the 'Records of the Virginia Company' that the ships in the 1618-1620 era left London on the Thames River and arrived in Virginia in the Isle of Wight at Cowes and that Jamestowne in Virginia had its own separate port. We know from this same passage, of 100 men aboard the first known trip of the Bona Noua, 50 were Captain Weldon's men and 50 were Lieutenant Jabez Whittaker's men."

From 1624-1626 he was Captain and a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. In 1626, he became a member of the Colonial Council of Virginia. Shortly afterwards, he received a letter from his father-in-law Sir John Bourchier "ordering him back to England to his wife and child." He left Virginia for England in 1628. That child was William Whitaker, born 1618 in Surry, England. It is uncertain when William came to Virginia, but in his older years, he was a Major and eventually promoted to Colonel in the Virginia Militia.

William (Son of Jabez) had two sons:
1. (Capt.) Richard Whitaker, born in James City Co, VA, 1643
2. William Whitaker (Jr. or II), born in Warwick Co, 1645
Richard, the oldest, was granted land patents in James City Co., 1666 and 1668 (135 acres each), adjoining 100 acres part given him by William Whittaker, his deceased father. In 1676 he patented 600 acres in Warwick Co. In 1680, he was a military and civil officer in Warwick Co. and from 1680-99, he served 20 years as a member of the House of Burgesses. In 1696, he was high sheriff of Warwick Co. VA and was denounced by Nathaniel Bacon as one of the supporters of governor Lord Berkeley. Berkeley was governor of Virginia for 35 years and did much to establish a lifestyle which continued to modern times.

Officers Barracks
Fort Delaware, Delaware
February the 6th, 1865

Dear Wife and Children

Although I have written to you since I have been here and no assurance that either of my letters have reached you, the extreme anxiety of my mind induces me to write again, hoping that of the three, one may at least reach you. My health is good and I am doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances. We are all very much elated at present with the prospect of a general exchange of prisoners at an early day. But our hopes may be blighted, and we may have to remain for an indefinite period.

S.H. Drummund, William Kay, Jasper Hays and Jasper King are at Point Lookout Md., all well the last I heard from them. J.H. Thompson, Monroe King and S.J. Nowlin are at Elmira, New York. They were also well. It may be possible that those at Point Lookout may have been exchanged at this time, as I understand that some have gone on exchange from this place. You cannot imagine how anxious I am to hear from you. The last letter I received from you was written some time in August last. I will address an envelope and put a U.S. Stamp on it and enclose in this on which you will put a Confederate Stamp and enclose a letter to me immediately on receipt of this.

The weather is extremely cold here, but we have plenty of fire. I hope you will feel no unnecessary anxiety in my behalf. I hope the imprisonment that I am now enduring will redound to the good of my never dying soul, for I am fully of opinion the hand of the Allwise Providence is in the matter, that God Almighty has thus incarcerated me in prison, shut me out from all the vain allurements of the world and thus leave me without excuse, for in here we have nothing to detract the mind from meditating upon His Holy word, and at His own good time we will be released.

Kiss the dear children for me, accept my love, my compliments to relatives and friends, I have not heard from my regiment since I was captured. May God bless, encircle you with his protecting arm, comfort you in distress and protect you from all harm is the prayer of your devoted husband.

Fountain Whitaker

Shortly after this letter was written, Fountain Whitaker was released on an exchange of prisoners agreement. He was forced to find his way back to Tennessee by means of walking home that winter. He died of the extreme cold and malnutrition, trying to get home to his wife and children – 1865.

Mrs. Joseph Fornance, Norristown, PA, has the door from the house formally occupied by Andrew Knox, near Norristown, PA, at which he stood alone with a broadsword and defended himself against eight armed Tories – sent by the British army to take him. The desperate manner in which the Captain defended himself is to be seen from the bullet holes in the door as well as the impressions of the butt ends of the muskets and marks of the bayonet.

In 1777-78 when General Washington with his army lay at Valley Forge, the General commissioned Andrew Knox to cut off the supplies of the British army which held Philadelphia. He did this so well that General Howe of the British army offered 1,400 lbs. Sterling for his person and thirty armed men sent to take him and a neighbor, Captain Robert Curry. Eight of the number arrived at the dwelling at midnight and commanded him to surrender. He refused and met them at this door with his sword and used it so freely as they attempted to enter that they were compelled to retreat. Knox was slightly wounded; each of them received a wound; two wounded so seriously that their tracks in the snow and blood stains led to their capture the next day by revolutionary troops near Norristown. Both were hung at Center Square, four miles north east of Norristown.

General Washington and Benjamin Franklin visited Knox in his home after the attack and congratulated him upon his bravery. Some say Andrew Knox was a Captain.

The Attackers: Emoch Supplee and Robert James – Escaped John Stuthersand Abisha Wright – Captured William Thurlow and Unknown – Wounded (Hanged)

Reference by volume and page to the documentary or other authority upon which the record was found. Private on furlough in Capt. Jacob Peterman's Co. Dec. 11, 1778 - see PA Archives - 2nd Series, Vol. XIII, page 696. Said Andrew Knox, General Commissioner of Peace PA Colonial Records 1853 - Vol. XI, page 215 Andrew Knox, commissioned by council of Safety of Penn. to collect clothing, Nov. 8, 1777. Penn. Colonial Records 1852, Vol. XI, pages 339-40. PA Archives, two series - Vol. III, pages 707. Andrew Knox, according to "Martin's Bush and Bar" was June 5, 1777, commissioned by Justice of Court of Common Peace and Quarter Sessions of Peace and Orphans Court. On Sept. 28, 1778, was Justice of Orphans Court. PA Archives- 2nd Series- Vol. III, page 625 History of Montgomery County PA, Page 1163. Biographies - Men of Montgomery County - M Auge, 1879, page 591

Mrs. Elizabeth McMillan Quinn was a survivor of the luxury transatlantic ocean liner Andrea Doria
On the night of July 25, 1956, a collision between the ocean liners SS Andrea Doria and MS Stockholm prompted one of the largest civilian maritime rescues in history. While 1,660 passengers and crew were rescued and survived, 51 people died with the ship as a consequence of the collision which included the remarkably successful rescue of 1,660 of her 1,706 passengers and crew. The evacuated luxury liner capsized and sank the following morning.

Reference to the documentary at history.com and the "Secrets of the Dead": The Sinking of the Andrea Doria on PBS Online and shown on The History Channel – see Secrets of the Dead The Sinking of the Andrea Doria (TV episode 2006) – IMDb., Tragedy and Rescue at Sea (23 July 2005). AndreaDoria.org.