John Ferrar

• Comment: This individual appears to be notable, but this draft requires further work before acceptance into article space. Robert McClenon (talk) 02:41, 22 November 2018 (UTC)

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John Ferrar, (Dec 2 1588-28 Dec 1657), 3rd son of Nicholas Ferrar the Elder, Master Skinner of St Sithes Lane, London was a London merchant and brother of Nicholas Ferrar. He was deputy treasurer to Edwin Sandys of the Virginia Company of London. John and Nicholas Ferrar were second only to the governor in their activity in the company,Peter Peckard says that he was Deputy Governor of the Virginia Company. And on page 85, made “King’s Council for the Plantation “. John Ferrar also gave refuge to King Charles I, from the forces of Cromwell, but realizing that his house was well known and suspecting that the Parliamentarians would seek the King there, he escorted him to Coppinford, where he spent the night before leaving for Stamford. He and his brother Nicholas are credited with being the influence behind "The Great Charter" which established self governance in Virginia and America .

Not to be confused with his cousin John Ferrar the Elder, Esquire, Gent of London, also a wealthy merchant and father of Councillor William Farrar

John Ferrar's role in the Virginia Company and Self Governance

John Ferrar was elected deputy governor/ treasurer to Sir Edwin Sandys on April 23, 1619 and played a major role in the Virginia Company.

John Ferrar and Nicholas Ferrar were instrumental in the management, administration and preservation of the company Chas. M Gayley states: "These Men and their fellow patriots were already, by the charters of 1609,1618, the founders of representative government in Virginia, and by the 1620 Charter of 1620 of representative government in New England as well". .

The meetings of the Virginia Company of London were held at house of Nicholas Ferrar the elder, father of John Ferrar and his brother Nicholas Ferrar the younger. Nicholas the elder was Master of the Skinners guild and one of the first shareholders in the Virginia Company of London. Sir Edwin Sandys , john Ferrar and his brother Nicholas made changes that resulted in the growth of the Virginia colony from 1,000 persons in 1618 to over 2,200 people in 1619. The years 1618-1619 are significant because they are the years of the” Great Charter”, in which a set of instructions were given to the newly appointed Governor Sir George Yeardley

See also: Virginia Company § ”The Great Charter”

The birth of representative government in the the United States can be traced from this “Great Charter” as it provided for self governance from which the House of Burgesses and a General Council appointed by the Governor were created

'On 24 July 1621 the treasurer, council and company of adventurers and planters for the Virginia Company of London, passed an Ordinance and Constitution that codified the instructions sent in 1619

Little is known of this John Ferrar, who played such an important role in the Virginia Company other than in the numerous documents of the Virginia Company and the Ferrar papers "Between 1619 and 1622, factions developed within the company as a result of the administration of Samuel Argall deputy governor of the colony. Argalls exploitation of the lands and the trade of the company for private benefit;led to the formation of an administration under Lord Cavendish, John Ferrar, Nicholas Ferrar, Sir Edwin Sandys), Treasurer and Earl of Southampton .. The Sandys-Southampton party supported the parliamentary opposition in England, and thus the king and Sandys became bitter political rivals."

Some blame John Ferrar for the financial problems of the company caused by Edwin Sandys and On 24 May 1624, the company was dissolved, terminating in bankruptcy, and on 15 July, a commission was appointed to replace the Virginia Company of London and establish the first royal colony in AmericaHowever the representative government, the House of Burgesses, that resulted from the first and second charters remained in place..