4 July 2007: Westmoreland Celebrates Signers Who Are
Descendants of Richard Lee II

4 July 2007: Flowerdew Hundred Announces Closing

16 June 2007: Capt. John Smith Shallop Lands at Colonial Beach (added July 19)

11 May 2007: Issuance of Jamestown Stamp

26 April 2007: Re-enactment of First Landing at Cape Henry,
First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach

14 April 2007: Rule of Law Conference Commemoration
and Plaque Unveiling, Jamestown Island

14 April 2007: Rule of Law Conference Commemoration
and Plaque Unveiling, Jamestown Island

    On Saturday, April 14, Susan Godman Rager, Governor of the Chesapeake Bay Company, was one of approximately 250 University of Richmond Law School alumni and guests who traveled from the Hotel Jefferson in Richmond to Jamestown Island for the unveiling of a plaque presented by the English Inns of Court to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of the founding of the Colony at Jamestown in 1607. The plaque was presented by the Rt. Hon. Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. There were a number of distinguished British guests who witnessed the ceremony, including the Rt. Hon. Lady Justice Arden, D.B.E., Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the Rt. Hon. Lord Mance, Law Lord, Appellate Committee of House of Lords, United Kingdom, the Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Rix, Court of Appeal of England and Wales. Distinguished American participants in the ceremony were the Chief Justice of the United States, John G. Roberts, Jr., Justice Sandra Day O'Connor (Ret.), United States Supreme Court, Justice Donald W. Lemons, Supreme Court of Virginia, and Chief Judge Deanell Tacha, United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

      The group traveled by motorcade from Richmond to Jamestown Island, arriving in time for the 1:45 p.m. ceremony. Dignitaries were escorted to the tent on the lawn near the Archaerium by the Jamestown/Yorktown Foundation Drum and Fife Corps.

Dignitaries Escorted to Tent for Ceremony                  Photograph c2007 S. G. Rager

      Introductions were made by Justice Lemons, and at 1:50 p.m. the plaque was unveiled and presented with remarks by Chief Justice Roberts, Lord Phillips, and Justice O'Connor. Following the unveiling, the group attending enjoyed a reception and touring the Archaerium. Tours of the current archaeological dig near the Memorial Church were led by Dr. William Kelso, whose pioneering efforts over the years have been responsible for most of the knowledge of the early Jamestown community.

Dr. Kelso points out features of current "dig"             Photograph c2007 S G Rager

       The Rule of Law Conference, which took place April 11-14, was sponsored by the University of Richmond Law School, as part of a national effort to commemorate the founding of the first permanent English settlement in Jamestown 400 years ago. The conference was part of a series titled "Foundations and Future of Democracy." Former Presidents George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher are the Honorary Chairs of the conference series. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor (Ret). is the Honorary Chair of the America's 400th Anniversary commemoration.

Susan Godman Rager after April 14 Ceremony

Plaque Presented by English Inns of Court April 14 at Jamestown Island     Photograph c2007 S G Rager     

26 April 2007: Re-enactment of First Landing
First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach, Virginia

    On Thursday, April 26, the first of the re-enactments of the landings by the Jamestown settlers took place. April 26th was the 400th anniversary of the coming ashore at Cape Henry, which was the first landfall made by the English explorers before making their way up the James River and choosing Jamestown as a place of settlement.

    The April 26th re-enactment took place at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. Susan Godman Rager, Governor of the Chesapeake Bay Company, was among the attendees. The re-enactments scheduled feature the replica ships from Jamestown Settlement Park, as well as smaller shallops. Re-enactors from Richmond portrayed Captain Christopher Newport, the Reverend Hunt, Bartholomew Gosnold, and others on that first journey. While fog prevented the three ships from participating, the smaller shallops were on hand. (Aren't we glad that our ancestors were not as deterred by weather conditions such as fog 400 years ago?). Other re-enactments took place in between April 26th and the 400th Anniversary Weekend, at various sites along the James River.

Re-enactment of First Landing, Virginia Beach     Photograph c2007 S G Rager     

11 May 2007: Issuance of Jamestown Stamp

    On Friday, May 11, the United States Postal Service introduced the 41-cent Jamestown stamp, which features the ships Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery. The stamp is in the shape of the fort at Jamestown. Only 60 million of these stamps have been printed, and will likely be coveted by collectors. They are on sale at United States Post Offices until the supply runs out. First day covers were available at the Historic Jamestowne Visitor Center on Jamestown Island.

4 July 2007: Westmoreland Celebrates Signers Who Are
Descendants of Richard Lee II

    On Wednesday, July 4, Westmorelanders and others gathered at Burnt House Field at the Lee graveyard to celebrate the 231st anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and to remember the role played in that important historic event by Richard Henry Lee, and his brother, Francis Lightfoot Lee.

Photos of Burnt House Field ceremony by S. G. Rager

The Lee brothers, both Signers of the Declaration of Independence,  were Westmoreland natives and the sons of Thomas Lee and Hannah Ludwell Lee, and grandsons of Richard Lee II and Letitia Corbin Lee. The event was organized by the Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Society, under the leadership of its President, Virginia Felts Brown, shown at left, who is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Company of the Jamestowne Society. The program included remarks by Virginia Brown, as well as an engaging presentation by a re-enactor who played the part of Richard Henry Lee to an attentive audience. At the conclusion of the program, many in attendance traveled to Yeocomico Church for a church service which began at 9:30 a.m.  The Burnt House Field is the former site of Machodoc Plantation, which burned in the early 1700s. Thomas Lee was master of the plantation at the time of the house's burning, and he shortly thereafter began the construction of Stratford Hall, also in Westmoreland County.

Richard Henry Lee is buried at Burnt House Field with his parents and his grandparents; his brother Francis is buried in the Tayloe graveyard at Mount Airy in Richmond County.

It was announced at the ceremony on July 4th that this will be an annual commemoration at Burnt House Field.  This year's event took place at 8:30 a.m. A good crowd was in attendance - plan now  to attend next year! Chesapeake Bay Company members Virginia Brown and Susan Rager attended the 2007 event.

4 July 2007: Flowerdew Hundred Announces Closing

Flowerdew Hundred, open to the public for the past thirty-five years, has announced its permanent closing October 12, 2007. Flowerdew Hundred is revered by Jamestowne Society members as the home of Sir George Yeardley and his wife, Temperance Flowerdew, and later, of Abraham Piercey. It is suggested that those interested in this valuable historic site make plans to visit before it closes. There is a museum on site and Flowerdew Hundred has been a treasure trove of archaeological discoveries not just from the Jamestown era, but also from much earlier times. The site is located at 1617 Flowerdew Hundred Road, Hopewell, VA 23860, not far from Richmond. You can also see a replica of an early windmill similar to what George Yeardley is believed to have built on the James River site.

Because of the news of the closing this fall, it probably would be advisable to call ahead of any planned visit just to make sure they are open. Normal hours (to this point, anyway) of operation are Mondays through Fridays, 10 to 4, with the last tour leaving at 3:30 P.M.

The museum contains interesting information on the inhabitants over the years of Flowerdew Hundred, and many artifacts which have been discovered there. Some of the exhibits now in place at the Archaerium on Jamestown Island are on loan from Flowerdew Hundred. The closing is sad news - do make the best of the time left to visit! The website is http://flowerdew.org. Enjoy the photographs below which were taken by Susan Rager during a 2006 visit to Flowerdew Hundred.

Below, from the Flowerdew Hundred Museum, a map shows the location on the James (you can click on the photo and open a much larger version in a .pdf file so you can see details):

Photos from Flowerdew Hundred c2006 S G Rager

Shown below, again from the Flowerdew Hundred Museum, a model of the replica windmill erected on the site, believed to be like what George Yeardley built there in the 1620s (click on the photo to open a larger .pdf version so you can read the inscription):

Shown below is a map of Flowerdew Hundred itself, pointing out various locations of archaeological importance (again, click on the picture to access a much larger .pdf version so you can read the information more clearly):

Shown below, from Flowerdew Hundred's Museum, is a medallion which belonged to Sir George Yeardley (click on the photo to see a .pdf file for viewing details more clearly):

Shown below is a photograph of the deed which conveyed Flowerdew Hundred from the Yeardleys to Abraham Piercey. Chesapeake Bay Company member Susan Rager is a descendant of Sir George Yeardley, and member Diane Scott is a descendant of Abraham Piercey (click on photo to access much larger .pdf version for greater detail):

16 June 2007: Capt. John Smith Shallop Lands at Colonial Beach

    On June 16, a replica of Captain John Smith's shallop came ashore at Colonial Beach in Westmoreland County on its journey to recreate the voyages of Captain John Smith along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Bay Company member Kathy Waltermire was there, and took these photos of the shallop and of a re-enactor of the Indian princess Pocahontas. The landing coincided with the annual River Festival in the Westmoreland County town.

Photographs by Kathy B. Waltermire

Photographs by Kathy B. Waltermire