Archaeological breakthrough reveals Jamestown's hidden family secret
Recently, archaeologists made a remarkable discovery concerning the colonists of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. One of the prominent local families kept a secret that could have jeopardised their social standing.
The colonists of Jamestown notoriously earned their place in history. They engaged in acts of cannibalism, ate their own pets, and exploited people for slave labour.
As reported by the Geekweek portal, the latest DNA research on the remains of two prominent individuals from the local community proves that this is not all. After 400 years, more secrets have come to light.
During recent archaeological research around the church, which existed in Jamestown from 1608-1616, many skeletons were discovered, of which two belonging to men were examined.
Scientists' remarkable discovery in Jamestown
The skeletons were buried a short distance from the altar, indicating their high social status. The remains belonged to Sir Fernando Wenman and Captain William West.
Sir Ferdinando Wenman and Captain William West belonged to the influential West family, which included Thomas West, Third Baron De La Warr, and the first governor of the Jamestown colony. The study revealed a notable and unexpected connection between the two men—they were related through the maternal line, which explains the portal.
Further investigations by researchers led to the discovery that William West was the son of Thomas's aunt, Elizabeth, who never married. Thus, William was an illegitimate child. As is known, such children were a severe social problem in those times, especially among high-ranking families.
The case of the illegitimate child, wholly erased from the official records concerning the West family genealogy, was never to be resolved.
