Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper

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Thomas Colepeper 2nd Baron Colepeper (1635–1689), was the colonial governor of Virginia, 1677–1683.

He was the son of Judith and John Colepeper. As a royalist, his father left England at the end of the English civil war following the execution of Charles I and also Thomas left the country at sixteen. While in self imposed exile he married the Dutch woman Margaret van Hesse in 1658 and returned to England on Charles II's restoration.

Colepeper was made administrator of the Isle of Wight which involved little administration but did add to his wealth. He was made governor of Virginia in 1677 but did not leave England until 1679 when he was ordered to by Charles II. While there, he seemed more interested in maintaining his land at Northern Neck then governing and soon returned to England. Rioting in the colony forced him to return in 1672, by which time the riots were already quelled. After apparently appropriating £9500 from the treasury of the colony he returned to England and Charles II was forced to dismiss him, appointing Francis Howard, 5th Baron Howard of Effingham.

Colepeper lived the rest of his life in London with Susannah Willis and their two daughters. He left a will in favor of Willis and her daughters which was suppressed. Catherine, his only child by his wife Margaret van Hesse, inherited much of his wealth and married Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron in 1690.

[edit] References

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Brown, Stuart E., Jr. (1965). Virginia Baron, The Story of Thomas 6th Lord Fairfax. Berryville VA: Chesapeake Book Company.