“Y” is for Yeamans, Sir John [1611-1674]

"Y” is for Yeamans, Sir John [1611-1674]. Governor. Yeamans was born in Bristol, England and was a Royalist officer during the English Civil War. In 1659, he and other Royalists fled to Barbados where he became a large landowner, judge and member of the council. After his business partner died under mysterious circumstances, he lost no time in marrying the wealthy widow. In 1665 Yeamans briefly led then abandoned the settlers of the unsuccessful colony at Cape Fear. The Lords Proprietors named him the third Landgrave of Carolina. And when he belatedly arrived in the colony, he successfully claimed the office of governor. A thoroughgoing rogue, Yeamans sold food at inflated prices to settlers for his own profit. At the time of his death, proprietary orders removing Sir John Yeamans from office were on their way across the Atlantic.