We know that some Muslims were enslaved and transported to Virginia but
not how many or for certain when. My excellent friend Ed Bond, who has
written the only useful book on seventeenth-century Virginia religious
history, called my attention several years ago to this obscurely placed
but interesting anecdote:


John Clayton, The Defence of a Sermon, Preach'd upon the Receiving into
the Communion of the Church of England, the Honourable Sir Terence
Mac-Mahom, Baronet, and Christopher Dunn: Converts from the Church of
Rome (Dublin, 1701), Preface.

When sometime I was Minister of James City in Virginia . . .  I Baptiz'd
also many Negroes, which had been there lamentably Neglected. But I got
my Brother, who was a most Eminent Lawyer, to take off one grand
Obstruction that had Obtain'd, Viz, a Notion, that Negroes being
Baptiz'd were immediately Free. For their Masters would rather hazard
their Salvation, trusting God Almighty with their Souls in the other
World, than loose the Benefit of their Service in this; as they would
often too profanely express it. But above, my Conversion of a Turk was
most Remarkable, Sir William Berkley the Governour, and greatest Patriot
that that poor Country ever knew, bought three Turkish Slaves, and being
as good as great; after sometime he endeavoured to Convert them; and to
encourage them, he offered them their Freedom, and to give each of them
a Plantation, if they would be Christians, two of them embraced the
Faith, but the third was Obstinate, when Sir William had laboured much,
and tried all Methods, but in vain; pleas'd with the generous spirit of
the Man, who told him; Worldly Advantage and Freedom, are the greatest
Temptations this World affords, and therefore it is doubtless thy
Conscience, and a noble Resolution, makes thee so steady to thy
Principle, and no Man shall ever suffer under me for being Honest, and
sincere. God give thee Grace, and his enlightning Spirit in his own due
time, and in the mean season I'll give thee thy Freedom and a
Plantation, as well as to the others; where this Man lived a Mahometan
for many Years, till he was fourscore years Old; when it pleas'd God to
work so effectually by my means, that I Converted him, and Baptiz'd him
publickly, in the Church at James City, the Honourable Lady Berkley,
Widow to Sir William, being God-mother, &c. he continued very devout,
and came nigh 20 Miles to Church, generally every Sunday, as long as I
continued in that Country.