Edward Waters

other_names = Robert Waters, Lt. Waters, Capt. Waters,

Edward Waters ( -- ) was an English-born adventurer in Bermuda and Colony of Virginia in the early 1600s. He is the namesake of Waters Creek in Newport News, Virginia.

Adventures in Bermuda

Described as a lieutenant and a "sayler" in 1610, Edward Waters (sometimes documented as "Robert") first traveled to the Colony of Virginia in 1609 aboard the Sea Venture of the "third supply". The Sea Venture encountered a tropical storm and was thrown off course. The passengers wrecked east of the uninhabited (and later named) St. George's Island in July, 1609.

After surviving the shipwreck, about 150 castaways aimed to self-rescue by building new a ship from salvage and native materials. Among other incidents, Waters conspired with a shipmate Christopher Carter to prevent the colonists from leaving Bermuda to Virginia.

Waters quarreled with another sailor, Edward Samuell, which led to a mortal attack with a shovel. In 1610, Edward Waters and Carter were residing on in an inner harbour island later named Smith's Island.

When George Somers returned to Bermuda in 1610 to gather supplies for Jamestown, Virginia, sailor Edward Chard joined the Smith's Island castaways. Later dubbed the "Three Kings of Bermuda", Waters, Carter, and Chard built cabins, constructed a shallop, fished the waters, and farmed the land from 1610 to 1612.

Some time between 1610 and 1612, the castaways discovered a large piece of ambergris. Waters quarreled with Chard over ownership, almost leading to a duel. Waters and Grace had two servants named Edward Bryan and William Arnall.

During the Indian attacks of 1622, Edward and his wife were imprisoned by the Nansemond people, near the Nansemond River. They were eventually able to escape to Kecoughtan by boat. As he and his wife were the first English to settle the area, it became Waters Creek (sometimes labeled Watts Creek).

Edward was a burgess for the General Assembly in 1625. In 1628, he was appointed a Commander and a Commissioner of Elizabeth City.

Waters died in either 1628 or 1630. He had two children: Margaret and William. William Waters born in Virginia before 1624, was a burgess of Northampton county in 1654, 1659, and 1660.