William Hatcher (politician)

Family lineage

Born at Careby Manor, the ancient home of the Hatcher Family, in Careby, Lincolnshire, England, about 1614, he was reportedly (not in the official pedigree) the son of Thomas Hatcher, M.P., and brother to John Hatcher, M.P. His father, Thomas, was a Member of Parliament, who took up arms against the King on the Parliamentary side during the English Civil War and for this, was seized by the King's forces and indicted for treason in 1643. William was the grandson of Sir John Hatcher of Careby, the High Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1610. The great-grandson of the English Antiquarian, Thomas Hatcher, and the great-great-grandson of John Hatcher, M.D., Regius Professor of Physic (Cambridge) – one of the oldest professorships at the University of Cambridge, founded by Henry VIII in 1540.

Older Hatcher family records, kept in the Church of St. Stephen in Careby, were lost to fire in the 16th Century. Additional family records may be found in the archives in Stamford.

Henrico County, Virginia

Hatcher came into the American Colonies about 1635, settling in as a resident of Henrico County, Virginia. Family records attest that he came to the Colonies as a traveling companion and friend of the Parliamentarian, Sir Henry Vane the Younger. On June 1, 1636, he received a patent for land for the importation of himself and three others into the colony. In the land grant office in Richmond, Virginia, are recorded the several grants of land issued to this William Hatcher, in Book 1, page 433, 850 acres; Book 1, page 559, 150 acres; and, Book 6, page 529, 227 acres.

House of Burgesses

In their beginnings in Henrico County, the Hatchers were very well to do people, and William Hatcher became a member of the House of Burgesses from Henrico County. He served in the capacity of Burgess in 1644, 1645, 1646, 1649, and 1652 William was a very outspoken person with a high temper and quite was disciplined in the House and Court for his comments and actions, possibly owing to the treatment of his father, Thomas, by the British Crown.

House Session of November 1654

At the beginning of the Session of November 1654, the House of Burgesses made the following order:

"Whereas, Coll. Edward Hill, unanimously chosen speaker of this house, was afterwards maliciously reported by William Hatcher to be an atheist and a blasphemer...And foreasmuch as the said William Hatcher...hath also reported, That the mouth of this house was a Devil...It is therefore ordered by this house, that the said William Hatcher, upon his knees, make a humble acknowledgement of his offence unto the said Coll. Edward Hill and Burgesses of this Assembly; which accordingly was performed, and then he, the said Hatcher, dismist paying his ffees.”

His Majestie's Court

William Hatcher was again Burgess in March 1658-9. So far as extant records show, this was his last public service; but the temper which induced him to denounce Speaker Hill in 1654 got him into trouble again at the time of Bacon's Rebellion.

Court Hearing of March 15, 1676

At a court held by the Governor and Council, March 15, 1676-7:

"William Hatcher being brought forth before the court for uttering divers mutinous words tending to the disquiett of this his Majesty's countrey, and it being evidently made appeare what was layd to his charge by divers oaths, and a Jury being impanelled to assesse the damages, who bring the verdict that they award te said Hatcher to pay ten thousand pounds of tobacco and caske, which verdict of the jury this honourable court doth confirme; but in respect the said Hatcher is an aged man, the court doth order that the said Hatcher doe pay with all expedition eight thousand pounds of drest pork unto his Majestie's commander of his forces in Henrico county, for the supply of the souldiers, which if he fayle to doe, that he pay eight thousand pounds of tobacco and caske the next cropp, and pay costs."