Robert Sedgwick

Major General Robert Sedgwick (c. 1611 -–1656) was an English colonist, born 1611 in Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, and baptised on 6 May 1613.^[1]

Biography

He settled at Charlestown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1635, where he became a successful merchant and for many years represented the town in the General Court.

He was active in organizing the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, of which he became captain in 1640. In 1652 he was appointed commander of all the Massachusetts militia. He built Castle William, the first fort at Boston, and Oliver Cromwell promoted him to major general, making him the first Major General of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. With John Winthrop, Jr. and others, he established in 1643-1644 the first ironworks in North America.

Under authority from Cromwell, in July 1654 Sedgwick raided Acadia by conquering the French at Fort Pentagouet, Maine; Fort La Tour at the mouth of the St. John River; and Port Royal. In 1655 he accompanied the expedition which captured Jamaica. Just before his death there, Cromwell gave him sole command as the first Governor General of Jamaica. He died on 24 May 1656, and was buried halfway up the canyon to Spanish Town from Ocho Rios in a small Christopher Wren-styled chapel.^[2]

He was the great-great-grandfather of Theodore Sedgwick (1746–1813), the twice eighth great-grandfather of Edie Sedgwick and the twice ninth great-grandfather of Kyra Sedgwick. Sedgwick, Maine, was named in his honor.

References

• This article incorporates text from an edition of the New International Encyclopedia that is in the public domain.

External links

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online