Sir Ferdinando Wainman burial

Object Details

Summary: Sir Ferdinando Wainman, Master of the Ordnance (artillery and fortifications) at James Fort and an investor in the Virginia Company, was a knight who served in a high military position, being responsible for Jamestown's arms and armor. Wainman—born in 1576 in Oxfordshire, England, to an aristocratic family—was the first cousin of Thomas West, Lord De La Warr, the first governor of Virginia. Wainman arrived at James Fort with Lord De La Warr on June 10, 1610. Not long after their arrival, Wainman was appointed to his position as Master of the Ordnance, was placed in charge of the colony’s horse troops, and was named to the governing council. However, little is known about his time in Virginia. Wainman died in 1610 a few months after his arrival at James Fort at the age of about 35 years. Genealogical records indicate that Wainman was the first English knight buried in America. Given his status and relationship to Lord De La Warr, he would have been buried in the chancel of the fort’s church with the highest honors. Wainman’s death in the same year as another of De La Warr’s kinsman – Captain William West – may explain the similarities in their two coffins. Built in the same elaborate fashion, the materials for these coffins and perhaps their carpenter, would have recently arrived on the 1610 resupply ship carrying Lord De La Warr, William West, and Sir Ferdinando Wainman.

Credit Line: The Jamestown Chancel Burial investigation is a collaboration between the Smithsonian's Skeletal Biology Program, the Smithsonian 3D Digitization Program Office and Jamestown Rediscovery.

NMNH - Anthropology Dept.