Edward Bennet | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 February 1577 |
| Died | Before 3 June 1651 probably in London, England where he had long resided. |
| Occupation | Merchant |
Edward Bennett (1577 – bef. 1651), was an English merchant based in London, and a free member of the Virginia Company. A Puritan who had lived in Amsterdam for a period, he established the first large plantation in the colony of Virginia in North America, in what became known as Warrosquyoake Shire (later as Isle of Wight County).
To satisfy headright requirements, men granted land patents had to recruit new settlers. Bennett is credited with recruiting more than 600 immigrants to the new world, most of whom were transported as indentured servants, required to work off their passage for periods of five or seven years.[1] The colony of Virginia needed workers to support its development.
Despite his involvement in developing Virginia, Bennett was based in London for most of his career. It was the center of his trading and political connections. He married there and all of his nine children were born there.