Colonial politician; born in
Westmoreland,
England, about 1589; appointed surveyor of the
Virginia plantations under the London company in 1621.
In 1627 the governor of
Virginia gave him authority to explore the head of
Chesapeake Bay; and in 1631 Charles I. gave him a license to make discoveries and trade with the Indians in that region.
With this authority, he established a trading-post on
Kent Island, in
Chesapeake Bay, not far from the site of
Annapolis.
When Lord Baltimore claimed jurisdiction over
Kent and other islands in the bay,
Claiborne refused to acknowledge his title, having, as he alleged, an earlier one from the
King.
Baltimore ordered the arrest of
Claiborne.
Two vessels were sent for the purpose, when a battle ensued between them and one owned by
Claiborne.
The
Marylanders were repulsed, and one of their number was killed.
Claiborne was indicted for and found guilty of constructive murder and other high crimes, and fled to
Virginia.
Kent Island was seized and confiscated by the
Maryland authorities.
Sir John Harvey, governor of
Virginia, refused to surrender
Claiborne, and he went to
England to seek redress.
After the
King heard his story he severely reprimanded Lord Baltimore for violating royal commands in driving
Claiborne from
Kent Island.
In the spring of 1635
Claiborne despatched a vessel for trading, prepared to meet resistance.
The
Marylanders sent out two armed vessels under Cornwallis, their commissioner, or councillor, to watch for any illegal traders within the bounds of their province.
On April 23 they seized
Claiborne's vessel.
The latter sent an armed boat, under the command of
Ratcliffe Warren, a Virginian, to recapture the vessel.
Cornwallis met
Warren with one of his vessels in a harbor (May 10), and captured it after a sharp fight, in which
Warren and two of his men were killed; also one of Cornwallis's crew.
This event caused intense excitement.
The first Maryland Assembly, which had convened just before the event, decreed “that offenders in all murders and felonies shall suffer the same pains and forfeitures as for the same crimes in
England.”
A requisition was made upon
Governor Harvey for the delivery of
Claiborne.
That functionary decided that
Claiborne might go to
England to justify his conduct before the home government.
A court of inquiry—held three years afterwards to investigate the matter—resulted in a formal indictment of
Claiborne, and a bill of attainder passed against him.
Thomas Smith, next in rank to
Warren, was hanged.
Claiborne, who was now treasurer of
Virginia, retaliated against
Maryland by stirring up civil war there, and, expelling
Gov. Leonard Calvert (1645), assumed the reins of government.
In 1651
Claiborne was appointed, by the council of state in
England, one of the commissioners for reducing
Virginia to obedience to the commonwealth ruled by Parliament; and he also took part in governing
Maryland by a commission.
He was soon afterwards made secretary of the colony of
Virginia, and held the office until after the restoration of monarchy (1660) in
England.
Claiborne was one of the court that tried the captured followers of
Nathaniel Bacon (q. v.). He resided in
New Kent county, Va., until his death, about 1676.
