Charles Eden was an English member of the gentry who was born in 1673 and arrived in North Carolina to accept his appointment as the colony's governor in 1714. He was best known for being governor during the "Golden Age of Piracy," and some of Eden's critics argued that he was too lenient in allowing Edward Teach and other marauders to remain in the colony's waters. Aside from piracy, other issues Eden faced during his administration included maintaining peaceful relations with North Carolina's American Indian Nations and improving transportation throughout the colony. He died at his plantation, called "Eden House," in present-day Bertie County on March 26, 1722.