A Precis of the Accomplishments of Some Early Virginia Settlers, Judy David Campbell Chapter, DAC, Huntsville, Alabama 1979, Flood Section, p 1
Came to Virginia on the Swann in 1610 when he was about 15 years old. He survived the terrible hardships of the early days of the first permanent English Colony in the New World when six-sevenths of those who came from England died or were massacred, between the first landing in 1607 and 1625. Although he was only a boy when he landed in Virginia, John Flood was active and energetic and rose to high honors.
Those who had come over to Virginia before the "Coming away of Sir Thomas Dale" who left Virginia for England in November 1616 were entitled to be called "Ancient Planters", and as such were qualified to have 100 acres of free land..
After living in Jamestown, in 1616 John Flood was in the employ of the Reverend Alexander Whitaker at Charles City; by 1624/5 he was living at Jordan's Journey, Charles City County (later Prince George County), and it is there that he is shown on the muster as "John Fludd, arrived in the Swan, 1610; Maragret, his wife, in the Supply, 1620 Frances Finch, her daughter, in the Supply 1620; and William "Fludd", his son, aged 3 weeks".
In 1638, John Flood patented 2,100 acres on the S side of the James River in James City County (which became Surry County in 1652), for the transportation of 42 persons. In 1650, "Capt. John Flood, Gent" surrendered this patent and was given another 1,100 acres. Among his headrights were listed: John Flood, an Ancient Planter, Margaret his wife, Frances Finch her daughter, John Flood, Jr.
John Flood's service in the House of Burgesses spanned about 36 years. In 1629/30 he represented Flower Dew Hundred: in 1631/32 he served from Flower Dew and Westover; he was Burgess from James City County in 1642/43, 1645, 1652 (when he was Speaker of the House), and in 1655/56.
He was a Captain in the Militia in 1643 (and probably earlier), a Lieutenant Colonel in 1652 and Colonel in 1653.
Captain Flood had become so proficient in the language of the Indians, and so tactful in his dealings with them, that after peace had been established in 1646, he was made official interpreter for the Colony. The Grand Assembly held at James City October 5, 1646, enacted "That upon any occasion of message to the Gov'r or trade, the said Necotowance and his people the Indians doe repair to fforte Henery alias Appmatucke fforte, or to the house of Capt. John ffloud, and to no other place or places of the south side of the river, att which places the aforesaid badges of striped stuffe are to be and remaine"…"Be it also inacted that Capt. John ffloud be interpreter for the colony, and that for his service therein and transporting such Indians as shall be employed from time to tyme to the Gov'r in message or otherwise, he is to be allowed from the publique the salary of four thousand pounds of tob'c yearly." The Grand Assembly hed at James City July 5, 1653, ordered "And the commissioners of York are required that such persons as are seated upon the land of Pamunkey or Chickahominy Indians be removed according to a late act of Assembly made to the purpose, and Coll. John Fludd to go to Tottopottomoy to examine the proceedings of business and to deliver it upon his oath".
At the time of his death in 1658, he was Chairman of the Surry County Commission which held Court and administered the affairs of the county. Colonel Flood died between June 1658 when he sold a red cow to Anthony Holburt, and November 14th of that year when his son Thomas deeded land which his father formerly held by lease. John Flood made a will, but it was lost, and only parts are given in some Surry County documents.
John Flood's first wife was Margaret Finch, widow of William Finch, who brought her and their daughter France to Berkeley Hundred in January 1620 on the Supply. In September 1620, William Finch and his wife were shown as the holders of 50 acres of land each, but later William Finch was shown as "dead and his wife as "remarried". Margaret Finch and John Flood must have been married in 1621 or 1622, for in 1652, John Flood, Jr. (who was a headright of his father in 1638) signed a deposition stating he was thirty years old.
