(My Ancestral Line to Thorowgood/Thoroughgood)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Land patent in 1637 showing "Capt Adam Thorogood (vizt) one hundred and fiftie for the transportation of three negroes..." Reference: Patents, No. 1, Vol. 2, 1623-1643, p. 516)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Augustine Warner listed as one of many indentured servants via Capt. Thoroughgood/Thorowgood’s land patent; he is also George Washington’s headright ancestor, Reference: Land Patents, No. 1, Vol. 1, 1623-1643, p. 178)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(The image attached is a primary source document proving Captain Adam Thoroughgood was an enslaver, Reference: Norfolk County, Va Deed Book A, 1637-1646, p. 17).

“…I Sarah Gookin late wyfe and relic of Captain Adam Thorowgood deceased…doe take for my self one Negro woman named Mary being due to me out of…the share of negroes belonging to the said Thorowgood estate decd…January 1642”

Captain Adam Thorowgood/Thoroughgood came over to Virginia Colony in 1621 as an indentured servant for Edward Waters at the age of 18; he would eventually become a Burgess in 1629 and then serve on the Virginia Council. Additionally, he was a commissioner for Elizabeth City County in 1629. He had one of the largest land patents, over 5000 acres, for the importation of over a hundred servants—-including three Africans. One of those servants was Augustine Warner, head-right ancestor to President George Washington. Some of his notable descendants include Daniel Parke Custis — first husband of Martha Dandridge Washington — and founding father George Mason IV. Thorowgood/Thoroughgood married Sarah Offley daughter a Virginia Company of London investor named Robert Offley. One of Thorowgood/Thoroughgood’s enslaved people was a female named Mary. She is mentioned as part of his estate; thus proving he owned enslaved.

It's crucial that we acknowledge the parts of our history that have perpetuated harm and injustice. We need to ensure that our public spaces, especially our schools, reflect values of equality, justice and inclusivity. Enshrining the name of someone who played a part in the enslavement trade sends conflicting messages to our students, about whom we honor and why.

As his descendant and the Americans who have signed this petition, our request is simple - rename Thoroughgood Elementary School. By doing so, we can begin to demonstrate that we're committed to acknowledging our troubling past while ensuring it does not continue to indelibly mark our present. It's time to create a learning environment that is free of the shadows of past atrocities, an environment that respect and upholds the rights of all. 

Thoroughgood Elementary School, named in his honor, continues to provide an accolade for a man who participated and influenced the institution of slavery.

Please sign this petition to encourage the relevant authorities to rename Thoroughgood Elementary School. Your signature will show your commitment to educating our children in an environment reflective of our collective progress towards equality and justice. Together, we can rewrite a wrong from America’s past.