Archer, Gabriel, was a man of talent and courage. He is described as of Mountnessing, Essex county, England. He entered Gray's Inn as a student of law Mar. 15, 1593. In 1602 he went with Bartholomew Gosnold to New England and wrote an interesting account of the discovery and naming of Cape Cod and Martha's vineyard. On his return he was active in arousing interest in an attempt to locate a colony in Virginia, and came with the first settlers. He was among the first to put foot to land at Cape Henry, Apr. 26, 1606, and was one of the two first settlers to Virginia to be sounded by the savages. He was appointed recorder of the colony, and on May 21, he went with Newport from Jamestown on a voyage of discovery up James river, and afterwards "wrote a Relatyon of the Voyage." The charter permitted a majority of the council to elect the president or turn him out, to turn out any member of the council and elect a substitute. It was, therefore, a veritable hothouse of faction. Archer seems to have furnished his full share to the quarrels of Jamestown, though probably no more than his share. He joined with Smith, Martin and Ratcliffe in displacing Wingfield as president, and afterwards when Ratcliffe admitted him to the council in Dec., 1607, caused Smith to be indicted "upon a chapter in Leviticus" for the death of two of his men on his trip up Chickahominy, and Ratcliffe, the president, approved the sentence of execution. And Smith would have been hanged the next day, had not Capt. Newport arrived the evening before (Jan. 2, 1608) and interfered to save his life.
When Newport set out April 10, 1608, to return to England, he carried with him both Wingfield and Archer, whose complaints on their arrival were directed with such good effect against the charter that a petition for a new one creating a more suitable form of government was soon presented to the King, and granted. Under this second charter dated (May 23, 1609) Sir Thomas Gates was made governor, and had the selection of his council, and Archer, flattering himself that he was rid of the dominance of John Smith, returned to the colony. Of the voyage he wrote an interesting account. But the unexpected happened, and Gates was wrecked on the Bermuda Islands. then to the disappointment of all the gentlemen of the rest of the expedition which got to Jamestown, Smith would not give up his commission, in which he was only technically right. Fresh brawls ensued, and after a few months Smith returned to England, while Archer remained and died at James during the Starving Time of 1609-1610.
