RC THE RAPPAHANNOCK HS GAZETTE Newsletter of the Rappahannock Colonial Heritage Society Volume 3 Number 2 March/ April 2000 "Rolling a hogshead to Roy's warehouse" The Founding of Port Royal by Trip Wiggins This month we travel a short distance down river for our Rappahannock area excursion. Virginia was a colony founded in 1607 not as a haven for religious freedom, nor as a penal colony, but rather as an extension of England – a colony set up to make money for the Mother country. A year after its founding at Jamestown, Capt. John Smith set out, in the Discovery, to explore the vastness of the area sailing up the east side of the Chesapeake Bay and returning down the west side while traveling up several of the rivers into the interior of Virginia. One such river was named the Pembroke, in honor of William Herbert, the Third Earl of Pem- broke – a large investor in the London Company, the corporation behind the Jamestown experiment. Smith sailed up the river as far as “the falls” before returning. Four years later trade between whites and the natives was begun by Samuel Argall sailing up the same river – soon to be renamed the “Tappahannock”, then “Rappahannock” which name it still retains to honor the local native inhabitants. By the mid 17th century ships were routinely plying the waters of the Rappahannock to support the growing number of English colonists who had established plantations in the region. Moving upstream from the Chesapeake, “civilisation” was slowly moving up the river and overtaking the frontier. In the 1650's Col. John Catlett and his half-brother Ralph Rowzee had acquired land in Essex county as far up river as the current location of Port Royal. Being on the “frontier” meant always facing a potential attack by the now displaced and sometimes hostile Indians and pirates who were still plundering the area’s waterways in the mid-17th century. For this reason several forts were established along the Rappahannock (and the other primary rivers). Catlett was appointed the Colonel of the militia for the fort in the Essex county con't on page 3 The purpose of the Rappahannock Colonial Heritage Society is to bring together persons interested in preserving & COLONIAL FREDERICKSBURG perpetuating the heritage and culture of the colonial era in & FACTS around the Rappahannock River Valley of Virginia; to conduct historical research of persons, places & events relating to the 1732 Relocation of Courthouse from Germanna to Fbg. Rappahannock River Valley in Colonial times, and to organize 1716 Spotswood’s “Knight’s of the Golden Horseshoe” activities related to the Colonial era in an effort to educate travels to the top of the Blue the public about the ways of lif of our forebears in this area. 1752 Roger Dixon operates a ferry across Rappahannock River (at the foot of Rocky Lane). Ran till Dixon’s death in 1772. 2000 RCHS OFFICERS President: Diane Nolan [email protected] AMERICAN HISTORY TIDBITS Vice-President: Al Piercey [email protected] 1716 1st theater in colonies opened in Williamsburg Secretary: Trip Wiggins by William Livingston (later Fredericksburg's [email protected] first resident) Treasurer: Myra Wiggins 1710 English Parliament passes Post Office Act which [email protected] starts a postal system 1737 1st colonial copper coins minted in Connecticut Mar 1760 Much of Boston destroyed by raging fire UPCOMING EVENTS PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE April 9 - "Benedict Arnold Invades Chesterfield". 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. Citie of Henricus (Second permanent settlement in the As we continue to move forward, a number of impor- New World) Free. tant issues were addressed at the March membership meeting. April 15 - Easter Egg Hunt. Free admission to the grounds for The Articles of Incorporation were adopted and will be submit- participants. Regular admission to the Great House. ted right away for approval. We greatly appreciate all the work Stratford Hall. that went into the research, and writing to put this together. April 22 - "Spring has Sprung" - Explore 17th century English Many thanks to Myra Wiggins and her committee for a job very and Native American gardening techniques while lending a well done. helping hand in the gardens. 10am-5pm. Citie of Henricus. Free. The name of the organization was offically changed April 22 -"Easter Egg Hunt". Members of RCHS will be in to THE RAPPAHANNOCK COLONIAL HERITAGE SOCIETY. period attire to help with activities. Ferry Farm, The members also voted in favor of co-sponsoring the Scottish Fredericksburg, VA. Society/James Monroe Museum Block Party in May. This event April 27-30 - Ft. Frederick Market Fair; 27th, 12-6pm; 28th, celebrates James Monroe's birthday, his Scottish heritage and 10am-6pm; 29th, 9am-6pm; 30th, 9am-3pm. $ the colonial era in which he lived and practiced law in April 29-30 - Revolutionary War Weekend. Commemorate the Fredericksburg. There will be many activities and displays to 225th anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution- help children and adults learn more about the way our ancestors ary War. Yorktown, VA lived 200 years ago. May 6 - Scottish Block Party & Colonial Children's Festival. On March 4th many of us attended the Annual George 10am-3pm. 900 Charles St. F'burg. Co-hosted by James Washington Ball in Williamsburg, Va. We had a great time Monroe Museum, Scottish Society Fredericksburg, & together as we learned new dances, met new people from other Rappahannock Colonial Heritage Society. Donation reequested. historical societies and dance groups, got a chance to see some May 7 - "Here Comes the Judge". Attend the trial of a man who of the new things at Williamsburg town and to do some shop- is accused of missing church at the Citie of Henricus. 1:30pm ping. I would urge you to check out the calendar of upcoming and 3:30pm to witness the justice of 1613. Free. events in this newsletter and plan to join in the fun. May 13 - The founding of Jamestown. Special archeological DN lectures and children's activities. Jamestown, VA June 3 - "1776" at the Lazy Susan Dinner Theater, Woodbridge, VA. 2 Port Royal (con't) region and was killed in 1670 while defending the fort against an Indian attack. (In all probability, the “fort” was just the group of armed settlers and not a physical palisade structure.) By 1675 more and more people destined to lay the foundation of Spotsylvania county and Fredericksburg had appeared on the scene in the Port Royal area patenting thousands of acres. Included in the group were: Lawrence RCHS DANCE PLANS Smith; Robert Taliaferro; Anthony, John, and Richard Buckner; Thomas Royston and Francis Thornton. A key event in the founding of the town was the establishment of the first chartered tobacco warehouse by John Buckner on the Note: Dances are open invitation but require reservations site of current Port Royal. due to limited capacity. Colonial dress is required. Don't Remember, plantations were established by wealthy forget to bring your flatware, plates, bowls, glasses, etc. These land owners not as idyllic settings for homes – but to turn a items should match the time period as closely as possible; i.e. profit. The largest profit-making crop in the Virginia colony pewter or wooden plates, two or three tine forks,and pewter, was tobacco – but unless the owners had a way to get their glass, ceramic or brass mugs. tobacco to buyers it was useless. Virginia was blessed with an Cost: Non-members $8 / Members $6 for potluck dances. abundance of natural highways for transporting tobacco from Prices for dances with catered food will be announced prior to the plantations to market – rivers. The Potomac (or that particular dance. Patowmack), Rappahannock, York, and James were the “Interstate highways” of their time. All goods going into or April 1st - Masquerade Dance--Pot Luck. out of the colony went via ship. The land had not yet been Dress: Colonial attire or masquerade from any earlier time tamed to build highways very far. period. Thus, the founding of a tobacco warehouse was critical in the development of the area. Hogsheads of tobacco May 27th - Lawn Party at the Ferry Toll House could be stored safely out of the elements to await the next 208 Sophia St. Pot Luck. $6.00 for all. Please bring ship bound for market. While the large plantations along the a chair. river had their own wharves, inland plantations needed a port to get their crop to market. In 1716, John Roy bought Buckner’s warehouse and continued its operation. It ran without much competition until the Conway tobacco inspec- RAPPAHANNOCK COLONIAL DANCERS tion warehouse was built in 1734 – twelve miles further upstream in Caroline county. By now the area was brimming with people. No We have formed a Colonial Dance demonstration longer was it a simple frontier tobacco station – but real team. We have been asked by several people and organizations civilization was creeping in with all the trappings: churches to “perform” for functions, so we have formed a group that will (Church of England, of course, as it was an English colony), be able to meet those needs. We are looking for people who will shopkeepers, taverns, and families. Additionally “tithes” be dedicated to coming to rehearsals, getting the proper attire were being collected by the county government and Crown together and be available when we have a commitment to do a approved tobacco inspectors were provided housing at the demonstration. This will be a team striving to develop a level Roy warehouse. of expertise in this type of dance over time. For anyone who The Roy family, headed by Hugh, first came to wants to be on the demo team, contact Elaine Sturgeon, coordi- Virginia in 1634.