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07.06.

1618: Lord De La Warr, after whom the State of Delaware was Named

1618: Lord De La Warr, after whom the State of Delaware was Named
Photo Credit To Wikipedia Commons

Story Highlights

  • Historical event:
  • 7 June 1618
  • British Lord De La Warr was a colonial governor in the territory of what is now the United States. He lived at the time of the famous Indian princess Pocahontas.

On this day in 1618, Thomas West, Lord De La Warr, died. The U.S. state Delaware was named after him.



Lord De La Warr was a colonial governor in the territory of what is now the United States. He governed over Virginia, the first permanent American colony in North America.

He had the title of Baron De La Warr, which he inherited from his father. Note that all English barons are commonly referred to as lords.

Lord De La Warr sailed to North America in 1610, just at a time when local British colonists, pressed by difficulties, thought about leaving the colony and returning to Great Britain.

Namely, the relations between British colonists in America and the local indigenous population (Indians) were troublesome.




The daughter of the head Indian chief was the famous princess Pocahontas. Before the arrival of Lord De La Warr, the Indians managed to kill the British colony leader John Ratcliffe.

It seems that Lord De La Warr, as the new governor of Virginia, managed to overcome the Indians. This enabled British colonists to stay and the British authorities in America to stabilize.

Lord De La Warr then returned to England, leaving his deputies in Virginia. It is interesting that one of these deputies – Samuel Argall – soon kidnapped Princess Pocahontas.

She was converted to Christianity and married to Englishman John Rolfe. Later, she and her husband moved to England, where she died.

When Lord De La Warr was informed of abuses by his deputies, he personally headed back to Virginia. However, he died on the ship during the voyage across the ocean, precisely on this day in 1618.

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