Gooch, William, lieutenant-governor of Virginia (1726-1749), was born October 12, 1681, in Yarmouth, county Suffolk, England, and was descended from an ancient family. His grandfather was William Gooch, of Suffolk, and his father was Thomas Gooch, alderman of Yarmouth, who married Frances, daughter of Thomas Love , of Norfolk county. His uncle, William Gooch, had emigrated to Virginia at a very early date and become a major in the York county militia and a member of the Virginia council, dying in 1655.
The subject of this sketch entered the English army at any early age and took part in all of Queen Anne's wars, being present at the battle of Blenheim. In October, 1727, he superseded Robert Carter as lieutenant-governor of Virginia, and for more than twenty years conducted the affairs of the colony in a manner which occasioned complaint neither in England nor in America. Indeed, it is said that in this respect he stands alone among colonial governors. Still his administration was a period of much activity in Virginia. In 1730 tobacco notes, a new form of currency, were devised which proved salutary. The frontier line was pushed to the Alleghanies, and the valley of Virginia was settled with hardy and enterprising German and Scotch-Irish settlers. Norfolk was chartered a town, and Fredericksburg, Winchester, Richmond and Petersburg were founded. The first newspaper in the colony, the Virginia Gazette, was published in Williamsburg in 1736. The boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina was run. In 1740, on account of the unexpected death of Major-General Alexander Spotswood, Governor Gooch assumed command of the four colonial battalions transported to join the British troops under Admiral Vernon in an attack on Carthagena in New Granada. he was absent one year, during which time Rev. Dr. James Blair, president of the college, acted as governor. The campaign proved unsuccessful, Gooch was severely wounded, and contracted the fever from which many of the English troops died. Upon his return to Virginia in July, 1741, he resumed the government of the colony, and among other events which followed, the capitol accidentally caught fire and was burned in 1746. On June 20, 1749, he embarked for England, to the great sorrow of all the people of his colony to whom he had endeared himself by his noble and disinterested conduct. He died in London, December 17, 1751. Governor Gooch was created a baronet November 4, 1746.
His wife was Rebecca, daughter of William Stanton, Esq., of Hampshire, England. He had an only son, William Gooch, who died in Virginia. his wife survived him till 1775,and in her will left a beautiful silver gilt communion service to the college chapel. This memorial of this excellent woman, who was once the first lady of Virginia, is still preserved in Bruton Church in Williamsburg.
The family of the Gooch name in Virginia are descended from Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Gooch, who was living in York county in 1656, and was an adherent of Nathaniel Bacon, Jr., in 1676. He was probably a member of Governor Gooch's family.
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[cos1776 Note: possible error . More research needed.]
