Gabriel Archer

Gabriel Archer was born to Christopher and Mary Archer of Mountnessing, Essex in England, in either 1574 or 1575. He graduated from St John's College, Cambridge in 1591. == Cape Cod ==

Gabriel Archer also explored Cape Cod under an expedition which was headed by Bartholomew Gosnold. Martha's Vineyard initially designated a smaller island, before the name was shifted to the larger island referred to as Martha's Vineyard to this day. Archer also recorded and most likely coined many other names from that voyage that are not still used in the present day, including Tucker's Terror and Hill's Hap. His records contain a description of most of the important events of the voyage, including finding and naming Cape Cod. During the course of the expedition, Archer engaged in trade with the local Wampanoag tribe and helped build a trading post at Cuttyhunk Island. However, the trading post was abandoned when Archer and the rest of the expedition returned to England. == Jamestown ==

Archer entered Chesapeake Bay in an expedition in early 1607 to aid in setting up the Virginia colony. A possible reliquary was found buried alongside him. == Catholicism ==

After Archer's grave was discovered in 2015, some of the archaeologists who had found it came up with a theory that Archer was secretly a Catholic, based on the manner of his burial. Archer's parents were at some point fined for not attending Anglican services because they were Catholic. Archer had also attended Cambridge, which was known at that time, according to James Horn of the Jamestown Rediscovery Project, to be a university with some Catholic presence. The piece of evidence that initially started the theory that Gabriel Archer was a Catholic, however, was a small silver box that was buried next to him. It is believed to be a Catholic reliquary that contains fragments of bones and a lead ampulla. Horn reports that the box was probably intentionally placed in the grave with him, presumably by one of Archer's fellow Catholics. However, the reliquary is not necessarily conclusive evidence, because at this time the Church of England was still shifting away from Catholic symbolism and Catholic practices were being repurposed for Anglican use. If Archer were a Catholic, James Horn and others have mentioned that that could provide a reason for his animosity with some of the top colonial leaders. Before this, some rosaries and crucifixes had been found at Jamestown, but there was no evidence that they came from Catholic settlers specifically. After disturbing Archer’s remains and the relics meant to accompany them in eternity, Historic Jamestowne has not reinstated the tomb and provides no explanation for this desecration. == References ==