Youngblood-Armstrong & Allied Families
voyage, Edward Waters returned to England to bring over more Colonists and came out a second time in 1609 with Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers in the "Sea Venture". The "Sea Venture" was wrecked in July 1609," on the still vexed Bermuther" en route to Virginia. The following year, 1610, the ship-wrecked colonists continued on their way to Virginia. However, Edward Waters and Christopher Carter remained to hold possession of the little island, named by them, "Somer's Islet." When Governor Moore returned to England in 1612 he appointed Edward Waters a member of the Governor's Council to rule the Bermudas during his absence. It was during his stay on the island that he is said to have obtained three million dollars worth of ambergris. If the ambergris story is true, Edward Waters was probably the wealthiest man to reach the shores of the new country in colonial days.
Six years later, Edward Waters set sail for his original destination and settled on the south bank of the James River. That same year, Lady Grace O'Neill landed in the Virginia Colony on the ship, "Diana". She was barely fifteen years old. Four years later she and Captain Edward Waters were married.
The love story of Edward Waters and Grace O'Neill has been woven into a historical novel, "To Have and to Hold", by Mary Johnston. How much of the story is true and which is fictional has not been definitely determined. History tells us that Lady Grace was a cousin of Admiral James O'Neill of the Royal Navy of King Charles the First of England, whose wife, Lady Anne O'Neill was a Lady in Waiting at the Court of Queen Henrietta Maria. Admiral O'Neill left England when Oliver Cromwell overthrew the royalists and had King Charles I beheaded along with many other royalists. England under Cromwell did not look with favor upon followers of the King. Admiral O'Neill brought his family to this country, settling in Maryland where many of their descendants are found today. The name is sometimes spelled "O'Neal" and was later shortened to "Neal" by the Maryland descendants.
In the novel "To Have and to Hold," Mary Johnston the author, says that Lady Grace left England because a Court marriage had been arranged for her which was distasteful. Eluding her Uncle who favored the marriage, Lady Grace exchanged places with her maid and in disguise set sail for Virginia.
However there may be more truth than fiction in Mary Johnston's story since it is certain that Lady Grace remained in Virginia for four years, under the chaperonage of the Governor and his Lady, before marrying Edward Waters. In those days the
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