William Powell (Virginia colonist)  William Powell (before 1586 – January 1623), was an early Virginia colonist, landowner, militia officer and member of the first Virginia House of Burgesses in 1619. He was one of the two representatives of James City County, Virginia. Sources conflict as to whether William Powell was born in 1577 or 1585 or whether these were the years of birth of one or two other men of the same name. Although his date of birth is uncertain, the colonist William Powell obviously was born in England. William Powell, described as a gentleman, arrived in the Third Supply mission of nine ships, which brought additional settlers and some supplies to the surviving colonists at Jamestown, Virginia in 1609. Another source states that the records of the Virginia Company showed that William Powell, a subscriber of the company, came to Virginia in 1611 with Lieutenant Governor Sir Thomas Gates aboard the "Sea Venture". These statements are not entirely incompatible. The small ships of the Third Supply mission arrived in Jamestown in 1609 and Powell, who is identified as being in Jamestown before May 1610, must have been on one of those ships. The "Sea Venture", with Sir Thomas Gates and other prominent passengers, was beached in Bermuda after being caught in a hurricane and separated from the other ships. The surviving passengers did not arrive in Jamestown until May 1610, after being stranded in Bermuda for 42 weeks. They had to build two small vessels from remains of the "Sea Venture" and cedar from the island in order to complete their journey. On February 9, 1610, the Acting Governor Captain John Percy sent "Ensign Powell" and Ensign Waller to capture, or kill if necessary, Wochinchopunck, the chief of the Paspahegh and a sub-chief or tributary of the Powhatan. The chief had been harassing and even killing colonists. He even had tried to kill Captain John Smith during the previous year but Smith subdued him and took him prisoner, only to have him later escape. Finding they could not capture the strong Wochinchopunck, Powell killed him with a sword. Lieutenant Puttock, who had been closely following Powell and Waller, killed one of the chief's men. Deputy Governor Samuel Argall appointed William Powell as captain, responsible for the Jamestown defenses and its blockhouses, and further appointed him lieutenant governor in 1617. Powell was a member of the first Virginia House of Burgesses in 1619, representing James City County, Virginia.