Alexander Whitaker
Alexander Whitaker was an English clergyman born in 1585 in Cambridge, England. He attended Eton College and later Trinity College, Cambridge, where he earned his Master of Arts degree in 1608. Inspired by a sermon from his friend William Crashaw on the need for ministers in the American colonies, Whitaker immigrated to Virginia in 1611 to serve as a minister. Initially, he ministered in New Bermuda and later at Jamestown, where he may have played a role in the education and baptism of Pocahontas. Tragically, Whitaker drowned in the James River in the spring of 1617 at the age of thirty-two. His significance lies in his published sermon, "Good Newes from Virginia. . .", which provides insights into the state of the Virginia colony, its natural resources, and the Indigenous peoples. This work, printed in 1613, is notable for being the first American sermon to be published, contributing to early English travel narratives about America. Whitaker's experiences and writings offer a glimpse into the early colonial period and the interactions between European settlers and Native Americans.
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Alexander Whitaker
Writer
- Born: 1585
- Birthplace: Cambridge, England
- Died: 1617
- Place of death: James River, Virginia
Biography
Alexander Whitaker was born in 1585 in Cambridge, England, the oldest child of William Whitaker and Susan Culverwell. He went to Eton College in 1598, and in 1602 he matriculated at Trinity College, Cambridge University, his father’s alma mater. Whitaker completed his M.A. in 1608 before taking holy orders in 1609. On February 21, 1609, he heard his friend William Crashaw preach a sermon on the need for ministers in the new world. This sermon inspired Whitaker, who began to consider immigration to the American colonies.
On May 27, 1611, Whitaker left England to take the gospel to America. He first served as the minister for the town of New Bermuda, Virginia. Then, as the minister to Sir Thomas Dale at Jamestown, he may have instructed and baptized that nobleman’s ward, Pocahontas. Whitaker drowned while crossing the James River in the spring of 1617; he was thirty-two years old.
Whitaker’s importance derives from his one published sermon, Good Newes from Virginia. . . (1613). As part of the lengthy subtitle suggests, his sermon contains a “Narration of the Present State of the Countrey, and our Colonies There.” This narration rejoices that the Virginia Plantation has withstood attacks from within and without and is now a viable operation. Whitaker comments extensively on the habits of the Indians and on the topography and natural resources of the region. This commentary on Virginia has earned Good Newes from Virginia. . . a place in the genre of English travel narratives dealing with America. After delivering Good Newes from Virginia. . . as a sermon, Whitaker probably revised it some time after July 28, 1612, before sending it to his friend Crashaw in England. Good Newes from Virginia was printed in England in 1613 and became the first American sermon to appear in print.