nt of the company and the need for further
colonization led to grants of land in return for service to the company
by officials or for promoting the transportation of colonists. For the
services of Sir Thomas Dale to the colony, the Council for Virginia
awarded him the value of 700 pounds sterling to be received in land
distribution; to Sir Thomas Smith for his noteworthy efforts as
treasurer or chief official of the company, 2,000 acres; and to Captain
Daniel Tucker for his aiding the colony with his pinnace and for his
service as vice-admiral, fifteen shares of land. Similar rewards could
be made under the company to ministers, physicians, and other government
officials.

As a further stimulus to expand the population of the colony and to
enhance agricultural production, the company beginning in 1617
encouraged private or voluntary associations, organized on a joint-stock
basis, to establish settlements in the area of the company's patent.
These "societies of adventurers" were to send to Virginia at their own
expense, tenants, servants, and supplies; and the associates were given
certain governmental powers over the settlement that approached the
position of an independent colony. They were authorized "till a form of
government is here settled over them" to issue orders and ordinances
provided they were not contrary to the laws of England. In relation to
the four original boroughs of James City, Charles City, Henrico, and
Kecoughtan (later Elizabeth City), the hundreds or particular
plantations in government were "co-ordinate and not subordinate"; and
some of them sent representatives to the first Assembly held in 1619
under Governor Yeardley.

The amount of land in these sub-patents depended upon the number of
shares of stock of the associates, and in effect the grants served as
dividends to the shareholders. One hundred acres were granted for each
share with the first division of land, and the promise was made for an
equal amount upon a second division of land provided the first was
"sufficiently peopled." There was to be some choice in location by the
associates, although certain restrictions were imposed. No grant was to
be located within five miles of the four original boroughs, and the
plantation should be ten miles from other settlements unless on opposite
sides of an important river. These provisions were designed to provide
for expansion and at the same time avoid conflict among plantations, yet
they tended