MARTIAU

French Huguenots

Capt. Nicholas Martiau

Capt. Nicholas Martiau , b. 2 Apr 1591, France or York , Yorkshire , England ; chr. 1619; d. Mar 1657, Yorktown, York Co., VA; bur. 1657, Yorktown, York, VA; m 1st bef. 1646, VA to Isabel Beech , b. ca. 1592, York, Yorkshire, England; d. VA; m 2nd 1627, Elizabeth City, VA to Elizabeth "Jane" Berkeley , b. 1593, VA; d. 1624-1625, Elizabeth City, VA; m 3rd to Isabella Felgate .

Colonial Government Service

He served as a Justice of the Peace and member of the House of Burgesses March, 1623-4; for Kyskyake and the Isle of Kent Feb 1631-32; also for Kyskyake Feb 1632-33.

Captain Nicholas Martiau,  a French Protestant refugee, emigrated from France to Virginia in 1620 aboard the ship "Francis Bonaventure".  He was a French Huguenot.  Captain Nicholas Martiau patented the land on which Yorktown was built. 

In 1631 he patented 1300 acres on the South bank of the York River .  This land was to become the parent of seven (7) Virginia counties:

Charles River

James City

Charles City

Elizabeth City

Warwick

Isle of Wight

Further between 1651 and 1753 four (4) of these counties subdivided in to five (5) additional counties:

From York :            Gloucester                              From Charles City :             Prince George  
                                   New Kent                           From Isle of Wight:              Southampton  
                                                                                 From Surry:                           Sussex

Nicholas  & Elizabeth ( Berkeley ) Martiau  had eight (8) children:

1.       Mary Jane Martiau , b. after 1598, France ; d. bef. 1657, VA  
2.       Elizabeth Martiau , b. 12 Dec 1625, Elizabeth City, Hampton, VA; d.24 Jan1686/87 in York Co., VA; married George Reade  1641 in Yorktown.  
3.       Mary Martiau , b. 1627, Elizabeth City, York Co., VA; d. bef. 1657, VA.  
4.       Richard Martiau , b. 1630, Norfolk , Elizabeth City , VA  
5.       Nicholas Martiau , b. 1623, Elizabeth City , VA; d. bef. 1657.  
6.       Sarah Martiau , b. 1629, Elizabeth City , VA  
7.       Mary Martiau , b. ca. 1624, Elizabeth City, VA; d. bef. 1657, VA  
8.       Jane Mary Martiau , b. ca. 1630, Elizabeth City, York Co., VA.

Elizabeth Martiau

2.  Elizabeth Martiau , daughter of Nicholas  & Jane (Unknown) Martiau, b. 1625, Elizabeth City, York Co., VA[i]; d. 24 Jan 1696[ii], Yorktown, York County, VA; bur. Grace Episcopal Churchyard[iii]; m. 1 Mar 1640/41, York County, VA[iv] to Colonel George Reade  Esq ., son of Robert  & Mildred (Windebank) Reade , b. 25 Oct 1608[v]; d. 1674[vi]; bur. Grace Episcopal Churchyard, Yorktown, York Co., VA[vii] . Elizabeth (Martinau) Reade m 2nd aft 1674 to John Boteler .

George  & Elizabeth (Martiau) Reade  had a (1) daughter:

2.1.  Mildred Reade , m. Colonel Augustine Warner Jr , b. 1643; d. 1681

John  & Elizabeth (Martiau) Boteler  had a (1) daughter:

2.2.  Alice Boteler , b. aft. 1674  

[i - iii] "Cemeteries of City of Poquoson, Virginia and Some Cemeteries of York County, Virginia", p. 96, by Jessie Fay Forrest, edited by James H. Mero (published by Hugh S. Watson, Jr. Genealogical Society, Hampton, Virginia).
[iv] "Marriage of York County, Virginia", p. 50, compiled by Vincent Watkins (1986) Poquoson, Virginia.  I have a second date of marriage as 1641, Yorktown, VA.
[v - vii] "Cemeteries of City of Poquoson, Virginia and Some Cemeteries of York County, Virginia", p. 96, by Jessie Fay Forrest, edited by James H. Mero (published by Hugh S. Watson, Jr. Genealogical Society, Hampton, Virginia).