And by another Deed dated and recorded February 20, 1653, Walter Broadhurst, (who was a representative from Northumberland County in the House of Burgesses), as attorney for Mrs. Anna Bernard, conveys this land to John Heller.

The Letter to Mr. Broadhurst, under which he acted, is also recorded with the Deed.

It was printed in the "William and Mary Quarterly" for October, 1895, in an Article entitled "Washington and his Neighbors," and shows Mrs. Bernard to have been a woman of character and refinement.

It is as follows:

"ANNA BERNARD, her letter to Mr. Walter Broadhurst:

"NOBLE SIR:

"I give you many thanks, for the care of my business. I cannot resolve of my coming to the Potomac, myself, 'till the return of the ships, which makes me desire you will be pleased to have that land seated (that is, settled with inhabitants), for me.

"I will give one hundred acres to any honest man, forever, to seat it.

"I should be glad of a good neighbor, but I desire this hundred acres may lie without me, or outside of this tract of land, and not hinder my view, or lie between me and the river, the view of which will be my pleasure.

"Sir, I shall wholly trust you for the seating of this

land, and I am confident, that you will do this for me as for yourself.

"I love to have what is mine, entire, so that I may not trespass my neighbor, nor he, me.

"In what charge you are at in my business these lines shall oblige me to pay; and your love and care, I shall ever study the best way of returning.

"I give Mrs. Broadhurst many thanks for accepting so poor a token, and I should be glad of a good occasion, to draw you and Mrs. Broadhurst into these parts; that I might not only enjoy your company, but pay part of the respect I owe you. My service waits on you both.

"My daughter, Anna Smith, presents her services to you both, and Sir,

"I am your most humble servant,

"ANNA BERNARD. “FEBRUARY 20, 1653, this letter was Proved." (That is Admitted to be Recorded.)

Her daughter, Anna Smith, was the wife of Major John Smith, Speaker in the House of Burgesses, first a resident of Warwick County, and afterwards of Gloucester County.

Mrs. Anna Bernard and Major John Smith are mentioned in the General Court Records for 1670, as the guardians of John Matthews, Esq., grandson of Governor Samuel Matthews.

There is a sketch of this Smith family in the "William and Mary Quarterly," vol. iv.

Mrs. Anna Bernard died 1670.

Richard Bernard, born 1608, married in London,

November 24, 1634, Anna Corderoy, and died in the year 1650.

He is believed to have been a son of John Bernard.

Among the emigrants, from England to Virginia, about this time, were Thomas Bernard and William Bernard, afterwards called Captain and Colonel; who are believed to have been the brothers of Richard Bernard.

In 1612, the Bermudas were granted to the "Virginia Company," Encyclopedia Brittanica, vol. 3, page 599.

They were frequently called the "Somers Isles," after Sir George Somers, a member of Parliament, and one of the original patentees for colonizing Virginia.

Sir George Somers was appointed Admiral of Virginia, and died at Bermuda, where he had gone for provisions for the Colony, November 9, 1610.

The "Virginia Company" and the "Somers Islands Company," consisted of the same persons, and were conducted under the same management.

In the "Collections of the Virginia Historical Society, New Series," in the Library of the Maryland

Historical Society, are contained the proceedings of the "Virginia Company of London," from 1619 to 1624.

Vol. i, page 20: "At a meeting held November 17, 1619, Mr. Bernard was present."

Vol. i, page 128: "At a general Court held for Virginia, June 13, 1621. Mr. Bernard was present.

"On this occasion, a motion was made, that as the Companies of London and other towns had adventured money towards their plantations, some course be thought upon, to make some profit of these lands, the like having been done in Ireland with good success, and a Committee for that purpose was appointed, of which Mr. Bernard was a member."

Vol. ii, page 104 says, that he was present at a general, quarter Court, held January 31, 1620-1621.

In 1622, he was appointed Governor of the Somers Isles, to succeed Nathaniel Butler.

Vol. ii, page 184, says: The Virginia Court, being dissolved into a Somers Islands Court, Lord Cavendish taking the chair, choice was made of six persons to represent the company, and Mr. Bernard, GovernorElect, was selected as one.

And in vol. ii, page 205, at a meeting held May, 7, 1623, he is spoken of as the "New Governor Captain Bernard, lately deceased."

In "Smith's History of Virginia," first published in London in 1629, and re-printed in Richmond, 1819, in the account of the "Somers Isles," is this quaint statement, vol. ii, page 165:

"MASTER JOHN BERNARD, sent to be GOVERNOR."

"To supply this place, was sent by the noble adventurers, John Bernard, a gentleman, both of good means and quality, who arrived within eight days after Butler's departure with two ships, and about one hundred and forty passengers, with arms, and all sorts of munitions, and other provisions sufficient.

During the time of his life, which was but six weeks, in reforming all things he found defective, he showed himself so judicial and industrious as gave great satisfaction, and did generally promise vice was in great danger to be suppressed, and virtue and the Plantation much advanced.

But it so happened, that both he and his wife died in such short time, that they were both buried in one day, and in one grave, and Master John Harrison chosen Governer, until further orders came from England.

On page 145, in the distribution of the lands, were