Edward DIGGES, GOVERNOR

                   1. Col Edward Diggs entered Grays's Inn in 1637 and immigrated to Virginia about 1650. He purchased a plantation of 1250 acres from Capt John West, (brother of Lord Delaware West), in Hampton Parish, York Co. VA. He was appointed to the Council in 1654 and served as Governor of Virginia 1655-58 when he was sent back to England as an agent for the colony. He was again sworn of the Virginia Council in 1660. He was a promoter of silk manufacturing in the colony. Only four of the names of his 13 children are known?
Col. Edward Digges and Samuel Digges were brought to Virginia in 1650 by Col Lewis Burwell, Gentleman. [William Shirley was also brought by Col. Lewis Burwell].
Generation 14/ Edward Digges, Colonial Governor of Virginia; born at Chilham Castle, Kent, England; entered Gray's Inn, May 1637; emigrated to Virginia in 1650. His Plantation, Bellefield, near Yorktown was where E.D. tobacco was arised, which never failed to bring in England one shilling when other tobacco would not bring three pence. He was the first promoter of silk culture in America. The ancient mulberry of Williamsburg were planted at his order for silk culture. He was elected Governor by the Assembly of Virginia in March 1655 and was sent to England in 1659 as the Colony's Agent to secure the rights of the Colony. He helped in settling a long-standing controversy between the Colony of Virginia and Lord Baltimore in Maryland, and was Auditor General of Virginia from 1670 to 1675. His wife was Elizabeth Pye or Page. They had six sons and seven daughters, of whom the eldest was -