Edward Hyde (1667 – 8 September 1712) was a British colonial administrator who served as the first governor of North Carolina from 24 January until 8 September in 1712, when he died in office. He governed during a time of tremendous turmoil, including an internal revolt known as Cary's Rebellion and an American Indian conflict called the Tuscarora War.
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Early life and career
Hyde was born in 1667 to a prominent family in England and was a cousin of Anne Hyde, the first wife of King James II of England. James II and Anne Hyde were also the parents of Anne, Queen of Great Britain who appointed Edward to both his Jamaican and North Carolina positions. Edward was a son of Robert Hyde and his wife Phillis Snyed of Cheshire in England. Hyde, along with his sisters, Anne and Penelope, was raised by his grandmother, since his parents died when he was about three years old. Hyde entered Oxford University in 1683, but he did not complete a degree. In 1692, he married Catherine Rigby, whose family was prominent in Cheshire. Virginian William Byrd described her in his diary as "an abundance of life". In 1702 Hyde was appointed by Queen Anne as Jamaica’s provost marshal. Hyde served in that position without ever travelling to the Caribbean but did not find it to be lucrative.