USA > West Virginia > History of West Virginia > Part 2
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The whole of that part of the continent claimed by Great Britain without any well-defined boundaries was called Virginia, in honor of the maiden queen. Two ships were sent out to make discoveries. They were commanded by experienced officers, and sailed from London in April, 1584, and in July reached the coast of North Carolina, on which a landing was effected. Here they remained until September, when they re- turned to England and gave such a glowing descrip- tion of the country which they had visited that seven ships were immediately fitted out, conveying one hun- dred and eight men, who sailed as colonists to the New World. As the ships neared the Carolina coast they came within sight of the beautiful island of
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Roanoke. Charmed with the climate, the friendliness of the natives and the majestic growth of the forest trees, the latter far surpassing anything they had seen in the Old World, they decided to locate on this island. Most of the colonists were men unaccustomed to work and who expected that in some unknown way in the New World wealth would flow in on them like a flood. Not realizing this fond hope, they became disheartened, and when the supply ships arrived bringing abundant supplies they crowded on board and returned to Eng- land. Fifteen, however, consented to remain and await the arrival of fresh colonists from the mother country.
In the year 1587 Raleigh sent out another fleet, carrying a number of families destined to augment the Roanoke colony, but when they arrived no trace of the fifteen men who had remained on the island could be found, they having been murdered by the In- dians, and it was only by the promise of the com- mander to hasten back to England and return with re- inforcements that they could be prevailed upon to remain upon the island. Shortly after the fleet sailed on the homeward voyage an event occurred which is worthy of note in the history of colonization. This was no less than the birth of the first white child born of English parents in North America. She was the daughter of Ananias and Eleanor Dare, and was christened "Virginia," in honor of their adopted country. She was born August 18th, 1587. Her fate is involved in the mystery which enshrouds that of the whole colony.
Scarcely had the ships reached Europe when a war broke out between England and Spain, and the
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"Island Empire " brought every available force to bear against her powerful rival, both on land and sea. The Invincible Armada had to be swept from the ocean and the safety of England secured before Raleigh could send aid to his colony on Roanoke. It was 1590 when the vessels were despatched, and when they ar- rived at the island the commander was alarmed to find that the colony had forever disappeared. Its fate will ever remain a profound mystery. That all fell victims to savage barbarity is most probable. Some writers have indulged the idea that they were merged into the tribe of Tuscarora Indians; but while humanity may dictate such a hope, credulity must entertain a doubt of the hypothesis. This was the last attempt of the noble Raleigh to found a colony in America. Thus he saw the cherished hope of his life end in failure. Soon after an ignominious death upon the scaffold put an end to all his ambitions. The sixteenth cen- tury closed and the whole American continent still re- mained an unbroken wilderness inhabited only by wild beasts and savage men.
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. CHAPTER II.
THE SETTLEMENT OF JAMESTOWN.
Important Events in the World's History-The London Company-The First Voyage made under its Auspices-First Permanent English Settlement in America-The Beginning-The Government of the Colony-Captain John Smith -- His Administration of the Government-His Captivity and Rescue by Pocahontas-Return of Newport-Smith's Explorations.
WE have not space to notice in detail that interest- ing portion of American history known as the period of "Voyage and Discovery," and therefore pass at once to the results which followed it.
The world was ready for great events. With the fifteenth century came the revival of learning in Europe. Copernicus had systematized the universe ; Vasco da Gama had doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and Portuguese navigators were steering their ships over Indian seas; the Turks had entered Europe and made Constantinople the capital of the Mohammedan world; Amerigo Vespucci's first account of the Western World had been published and eagerly read all over Europe; Grecian scholars had crossed the Alps and laid the foundation for that intellectual development which was to dispel the darkness and gloom that had enshrouded Europe during the long period of the Dark Ages. The printing press came just in time to supply the demand which the thirst for knowledge had created, and now the next great event in the world's history was to be the founding of a permanent Eng- lish colony in the New World.
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One hundred and fifteen years had passed away since that October morning when Rodrigo Trianna set up the cry of "Land," and it was now the year 1606. In that year James I. granted to a company of wealthy London merchants a patent for all that part of North America lying between the 35th and 40th degrees of north latitude. The London Company had as the ob- ject of its creation the founding of a colony on the Atlantic coast of Virginia. An expedition was at once fitted out, and one hundred and seven colonists bade adieu to the shores of the Old World to find a home in the wilds of the New. They saw first the coast line of England and then the blue hills of Ire- land fade away in the distance. Then thoughts of the home-land gave place to those of that far-away strange land to which they were going. On the 26th day of April, 1607, they reached the entrance of Chesapeake bay, and to the points on either side they gave the names of Charles and Henry, in honor of the sons of King James. Further within the bay, upon another projection, they bestowed the name of Point Comfort, because of the comfortable anchorage they found there. Captain Christopher Newport, an experienced navigator, steered the vessels up a beautiful river, which they called the James, in honor of their beloved sovereign. The voyage was continued for fifty miles, when they landed, and on the north bank, on the 13th day of May, 1607, laid the foundation of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America. An eminent historian has said that " This is the most im- portant event recorded in profane history." Here was planted the germ from which was to spring the grandest republic the world has seen. Here, on the
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banks of the James, had landed the men who were destined to light a lamp of liberty which all the tyranny of after ages could not extinguish.
Of the one hundred and five colonists who came to Virginia more than one-half are classed as " gentle- men " and the remainder as laborers, tradesmen and mechanics. Such were the founders of the oldest American State.
The London Company had prepared a form of gov- ernment for the colony before the departure from England. This code was placed in a sealed box until the arrival in Virginia, when it was opened and the government established according to its provisions. By it all powers were vested in a body of seven coun- cillors, whose names were as follows: Edward Maria Wingfield, John Smith, Christopher Newport, John Ratcliffe, John Martin, Bartholomew Gosnold and George Kendall. Wingfield was chosen president- in other words, the first governor of Virginia.
While most of the colonists engaged in felling trees and building huts, Captain Newport and Smith decided to explore the country, and accordingly sailed up the James as far as the falls of that river, where they paid a visit to Powhatan, king of all the Indians in that region. Here just below the falls, near the present site of the city of Richmond, was the capital of him whose word was absolute law to the savage nations, over which no civil code could ever have exerted the least influence. This monarch of the forest received the foreigners with courtesy, and mani- fested no uneasiness at their intrusion. After a short stay the party returned to Jamestown, and Newport sailed for England. Shortly after his departure the
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colonists began to realize their true condition. They were three thousand miles from home and friends, upon an unknown shore, surrounded by wild beasts and wilder men, subject to pestilence, and added to these was civil dissension. The latter resulted in the dis- placement of Wingfield in the presidency, and the deposing, imprisonment, and finally the execution of Kendall. . Newport was in England, and Ratcliffe, Martin and Smith were the only remaining members of the council. Ratcliffe was chosen president, but being a man of neither courage nor ability, he volun- tarily resigned an office which he was incompetent to fill. Smith and Martin alone were left, and the latter elected the former president.
Captain John Smith, who by his efficient manage- ment of the affairs of the colony won the title of " The Father of Virginia," was a soldier, a traveller and a statesman. His life is one filled with adventure and daring exploit. He was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1579, and was early apprenticed to a merchant; but at the age of fifteen he left his master and went to Holland, served a while in the Dutch army, then found his way to Austria, where he enlisted under the flag of that country and engaged in a war with the Turks. He was, at length, wounded, taken prisoner, and after his recovery was carried to Con- stantinople, where he was sold as a slave and taken to the Crimea. Here he was subjected to the severest treatment and his life rendered a burden. From such abject slavery he determined to escape. An oppor- tunity soon presented itself. He was engaged in thrashing wheat about three miles from home, where his master visited him once a day. Smith watched his
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opportunity and despatched him with a flail, hid his body in the straw, mounted his horse and fled to the woods. After many days' wandering he found his way into Poland. Thence he travelled through Germany, France and Spain to Morocco, where he remained some time, and then set out for England. He arrived just as the expedition was fitting out to colonize the new continent of America. He immediately attached himself to the expedition and sailed for Virginia, where he displayed those high qualities of statesman- ship which secured the permanency of the colony.
When Smith began his administration the colony was on the verge of ruin. Already disease had carried off one-half of the settlers, among whom was Gosnold, a member of the council and one of the best men in it. Had not the early frosts of winter put a stop to the ravages of the pestilence, not one would have survived to tell the fate of the others. With the disappearance of disease, and the better administra- tion of Smith, everything began to show signs of improvement. One of the first acts of the new management was to begin the erection of better buildings; the fortification was strengthened, a store- house erected, and other preparations made for the winter. The great object now was to secure a stock of provisions for the ensuing winter. The Indians had grown a plentiful harvest, but to secure a portion of it was no easy task. Smith, however, determined to undertake it, and in company with five companions he descended the James as far as Hampton Roads, where he landed and went boldly among the savages, offer- ing to exchange hatchets and coin for corn; but they only laughed at the proposal, and mocked the
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strangers by offering a piece of bread for Smith's sword and musket. Smith, ever determined to suc- ceed in every undertaking, abandoned the idea of barter and resolved to fight. He ordered his men to fire among the savages, who ran howling into the woods, leaving their wigwams, filled with corn, to the mercy of the English; but not a grain was touched until the Indians returned. In a short time sixty or seventy painted warriors, at the head of whom marched a priest bearing an idol, appeared and made an attack. The English a second time opened fire, made a rush, drove the savages back and captured their idol. The Indians, when they saw their deity in the possession of the English, sent the priest to humbly beg for its return. Smith . stood with his musket across the prostrate image, and dictated the only terms upon which he would surrender it, viz. : that six unarmed Indians should come forth and fill his boat with corn. The terms were accepted, the idol given up, and Smith and his party returned to Jamestown with a boat-load of supplies.
Smith could not remain long inactive. No sooner did he see the colony in tolerable condition for this, its first winter in the New World, than he, in company with six Englishmen and two Indians, embarked in the pinnace and sailed up the Chicahominy river. The opinion prevailed at Jamestown, and also with the London Company, that by proceeding up this stream it would be possible to reach the Pacific. Smith knew the utter absurdity of such an opinion, but humored it for the purpose of gratifying his own desire to make explorations. He ascended the river as far as possi- ble in the pinnace, then leaving it, as he supposed in
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a safe place, he selected four of the Englishmen to guard it and with the remainder of the party con- tinued the journey in a canoe. When they could pro- ceed no farther in this way Smith travelled on foot with only an Indian guide. The men left with the pin- nace disobeyed orders and went on shore. One of them fell into the hands of the Indians, who learned from him the direction in which the captain had gone. Pursuit was made at once, but when they came up with him he defended himself so bravely that they dared not approach him until he fell into a swamp, when he was at length forced to surrender.
His captors carried him before their chief, who re- ceived him with all the pomp and ceremony known at a savage court. A long consultation was held to determine the fate of the distinguished prisoner, and it seemed that the death angel, that had hovered around him all along the journey of life, was about to claim the victory. The consultation terminated ; the exe- cutioners rushed forward and dragged their prisoner to a large stone, upon which it had been decided his head should be crushed. The awful moment was come ; the club that was to end his toils and difficulties, and with them the hope of Virginia, was raised. But an advocate appeared to entreat his release. It was none other than Pocahontas, the chieftain's own favorite daughter, who stepped forward and begged that the prisoner might be spared, and when she found her prayers unavailing she seized his head and placed it beneath her own to shield it from the fatal blow. Powhatan could not resist the pleadings of his favorite child and yielded to her wishes. Smith was released and allowed to live. In a few days he concluded a
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bargain with the old chief by which he was to re- ceive a large tract of country in exchange for two cannon and a grindstone, which he was to send back from Jamestown by the Indians who accompanied him home. When they arrived at Jamestown, Smith, under pretext of instructing the Indians in the use of the cannon, discharged them into the trees, at which the savages were so frightened that they would have nothing to do with them. The grindstone was so heavy that they could not carry it, so they returned with a quantity of trinkets instead.
During the winter and spring the little colony had not been forgotten by the company in England. Newport, soon after his arrival in London, was again despatched to America. With his vessel came another, commanded by Francis Nelson. Both ships were freighted with everything which could be necessary for either the colony or crew. Newport arrived in safety, but Nelson, when nearing the capes, was over- taken by a storm, and carried so far out to sea that he was forced to put into the West Indies, where he made the necessary repairs, and then reached his des- tination. Smith and Newport again decided to visit Powhatan ; he received them in the same dignified manner as on the previous occasion, and during the conference the chieftain exhibited so much diplomatic skill that he was on the eve of closing a bargain with Newport which would have been very disadvantageous to the colony. But this Smith prevented by exhibit- ing some blue beads, which he succeeded in making the old chieftain believe were of great value, and at length exchanged a pound or two of them for about seven hundred bushels of corn. But no sooner had
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they returned to Jamestown with this new addition to their former stock than, as is usual with ill-gotten gains, a fire broke out and consumed the greater part of it, together with a number of their cabins and some arms and bedding.
But this was not all. Newport, instead of returning to England immediately, remained at Jamestown four- teen weeks, consuming the provisions that he should have left for the defenceless and helpless colony after his departure. His delay was occasioned by the fact that he had brought over with him several refiners of gold who had discovered some glittering earth near Jamestown which they pronounced gold. All the available force was engaged in loading the ship with this worthless clay. The mania prevailed to such an extent that Smith says, " There was no talk, no hope, no work, but dig gold, wash gold, refine gold, load gold." The cargo was at last completed, and New- port set sail for London. When the "Phoenix," the ship of Captain Nelson, was to be loaded, Smith, in- stead of permitting it to be freighted with " fools' gold," fitted her out with a cargo of cedar wood. This was the first valuable shipment made from Virginia.
Smith accompanied the "Phoenix " as far as the capes, taking fourteen men with him and two open boats, the latter to be used in executing his long- cherished design of exploring the Chesapeake. In this work nearly three months were occupied, and three thousand miles of coast and river were explored and accurately mapped. The map of the Chesapeake bay made by Smith at this time is still preserved, and is a marvel of exactness. It is the original upon which all subsequent delineations have been based.
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CHAPTER III.
VIRGINIA UNDER THE SECOND CHARTER.
Lord Delaware-Alarm at Jamestown-New Settlements-Imbecility of Martin -Civil Dissension-Smith bids adieu to Virginia-The Starving Time- Jamestown Abandoned-Sir Thomas Dale-Division of Property-Sir Thomas Gates, the Governor-Virginia under the Third Charter-Marriage of Rolfe and Pocahontas-Administration of Sir Thomas Yeardley-Establishment of Representative Government-First Mothers of Virginia -- Introduction of Af- rican Slavery -- A Liberal Constitution-The Massacre of March 22, 1622 -- Dissolution of the London Company-Virginia under Royal Government.
IT was on the 23d day of May, 1609, that King James revoked the first charter of the London Com- pany, and at the same time granted a new one, by which the government was completely changed. The new patent included all the country lying between the mouth of the Cape Fear river on the south and that of the Hudson on the north, the Atlantic on the east and an undefined boundary on the west. The com- pany was permitted to choose it's own councillors, and they in turn were to select the governor. Lord Dela- ware was chosen to this high position for life.
The British government now began to dream of a flourishing empire in the West, which should be tribu- tary to the parent one, then rapidly rising to the first place among the nations of Europe, and accordingly surrounded Delaware with a retinue of stately officers whose high-sounding titles would indicate that they were the dignitaries of an opulent kingdom instead of a half-starved colony on the distant shores of Virginia. Sir Thomas Gates was commissioned lieutenant-gen-
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eral ; Sir George Somers, admiral ; Christopher New- port, vice-admiral ; Sir Thomas Dale, high marshal ; Sir Fernando Wainman, master of cavalry. These, with a long list of others, constituted the royal estab- lishment. But the long array of titled nobility was not without its effect upon the future of Virginia. Five hundred emigrants were speedily collected, and in June a fleet of nine vessels sailed for Jamestown. The gentlemen composing the new government sailed in the "Sea Vulture," the largest vessel in the fleet. When nearing the capes of Virginia a fearful storm was encountered. One small ship was lost, and the "Sea Vulture" was driven far out to sea and finally stranded on the rocks of the Bermudas, and did not reach Jamestown until April of the next year. The other vessels outrode the storm and reached their destination.
When the news of the appearance of so large a fleet in the bay was received it was thought to be a part of the Spanish navy, the object of which was the conquest of the colony. Everything was put in readi- ness for defence. Smith had in the meantime, by his kindness, won the good will of the Indians, hundreds of whom now responded to his call and joined in the defence against the supposed invasion. Fear was, however, soon changed to rejoicing. The supposed enemy proved to be friends. The emigrants having landed, they elected Captain Thomas West-the brother of Lord Delaware-president. The council- lors were all dead except Smith, and he, having the sympathy and support of the sailors, refused to sur- render the government to West. 1912819
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tween the old and newly arrived colonists, Smith de- cided to establish two new settlements, and accordingly selected a company of the best men, placed them under the command of Francis West and sent them to the falls of the James, there to erect cabins and establish a permanent settlement. He then placed another company under Martin and despatched them to a place called Nansemond, with the same object in view. Martin exhibited his imbecility by making an attack upon the natives in his immediate vicinity, and then by his cowardice and carelessness permitted them to return, attack his position and kill or wound a number of his men. He then sent for reinforcements, and when they arrived set a limit to his mismanagement by leaving his men to their fate and going to James- town, where he remained cowering under Smith's de- nunciation of his perfidy and cowardice.
The president, not hearing from his colony at the falls, determined to pay it a visit, and upon arriving he found that West had selected as the site of the projected town a location subject to inundation and possessing many other disadvantages. He offered to purchase from Powhatan the site upon which the city of Richmond now stands, but the restless adventurers, dreaming of rich gold fields further up the river, re- fused the offer, despising alike the president's kindness and authority. Smith was born to rule. With five of his own men he rushed boldly into the midst of the mutineers and arrested the ringleaders of the opposi- tion, but a hundred infuriated men gathered around them and compelled him to release the prisoners. Hle escaped to the supply ship, which lay at the foot of the falls, and, being supported by the sailors, he
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spent nine days here in making every effort to con- ciliate the turbulent spirits who were in a frenzy of excitement over the "gilded hopes of the South Sea mines," but all in vain.
Discouraged and well-nigh exhausted, Smith set out on his return. No sooner had he departed than the Indians attacked those left behind. The terrified wretches who escaped fled to Smith, whose boat had grounded on an island above Jamestown. Here the disturbers were again arrested. The president re- turned to the falls, satisfied the demands of the sav- ages and left all again under the care of West, who listened to the deceitful statements of the prisoners and released them. Thus Smith again saw his au- thority set at defiance and for the last time left the falls of the James.
His work was now nearly done. On the journey down the river his powder-flask exploded while he was sleeping and tore the flesh from his body in a frightful manner. Crazed with pain, he threw himself into the river to cool the terrible burning, and was nearly drowned before his companions could rescue him. Nearly a hundred miles lay between him and the only surgeon in Virginia-Dr. Russell-and to him he must go before his wounds could be dressed. In this pitiable condition he arrived at Jamestown, where Ratcliffe and Archer were being tried on a charge of treason. Fearing his evidence, they hired an assassin to murder him, but, when the fiend saw the sad state of his intended victim, his heart failed him and he was unable to fire the fatal shot.
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