[4] On the other hand, in the names of those arriving at Jamestown in the First Supply voyage in Captain John Smith's The General History, Book 3, Chapter 4, as reprinted in Haile at page 252, Spence is only listed as a "gentleman.
"[note 2] Martha McCartney supports John Smith's statement that Spence "reportedly" was the first farmer to work his own land on Jamestown Island.
[1] Because of his early arrival at Jamestown and continued residence there, Spence was considered an "Ancient planter", which was simply a descriptive term.
Under the terms of the "Instructions to Governor Yeardley" issued by the London Company in 1618, these colonists received the first land grants in Virginia.
[note 3] In January 1619, William Spence along with John Fowler received a patent for 300 acres in Archer's Hope, a few miles from Jamestown.
[1][8] A list of Virginia land patents sent to England in 1625 included 300 acres in Archer's Hope in the name of William Spence.
[11] Sara Spence died by April 3, 1627 when the court ordered the Reverend George Keith of Elizabeth City to inventory her estate.