es" and "Newport newes." The name seems established before
Gookin and his friends, the Newces, entered the scene; hence it is
improbable that Newce or Newcetown, Ireland, is responsible for the
name. The name "Newportes Poynte" is shown on Robert Tindall's map of
1608 but it refers to a point on the York River rather than to the
Newport News site.

Daniel Gookin was a friend and associate of Sir William Newce and
Captain Thomas Newce, both prominent in Virginia affairs, yet not of
long time in the Colony, and like them was from Newcetown in Ireland.
All had plans to establish a strong settlement in Virginia. As early as
November, 1620, the Company had agreed to pay Gookin to transport some
livestock to Virginia. He was promised a patent in Virginia for a
"particular" plantation. His arrival and establishment, late in 1621, is
recorded in a letter of the governor and council in January, 1622:

There arived heere about the 22th of November a shipp from mr
Gookine out of Ireland wholy uppon his owne adventure,
withoute any relatione at all to his contract with you in
England which was soe well furnished with all sortes of
provisione, as well as with cattle, as wee could wishe all men
would follow theire example, hee hath also brought with him
aboute fifty more uppon the adventure besides some thirty
other passengers, wee have accordinge to their desire seated
them at Newportes news, and we doe conceave great hope (if the
Irish plantacone prosper) that frome Ireland greate multitudes
of people wilbe like to come hither....

His plantation did, it seems, prosper, yet not without loss in men and
effort. In the spring of 1623 when forty new men reported to the
settlement things were not good. "Of all Mr. Gookins men which he sent
out the last year we found but seven, the rest being all killed by the
Indians, and his plantation ready to fall to decay." At the time of the
Indian massacre he refused to take refuge in a stronger place deeming
his settlement strong enough to withstand attack. With thirty-five men
he succeeded in this and, it seems, was the first to reach England with
news of the massacre. His son Daniel Gookin, Jr., evidently took over
the management of the settlement when he left.

The census of 1625 from "Newportes newes" lists only the muster of
Daniel Gookin and would indicate that neither he, nor his son, was in
residence at the time. The listing shows