Location: Colonial NHP, Jamestown, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:55pm

Transcription of marker: John Harvey served as a member of a royal commission investigating conditions in Virginia in 1624. As a reward, he received land at the east end of New Towne. There he probably built a residence and a wharf.

A temperamental sea captain, Harvey was twice charged with beating others–a servant for demanding his freedom and Richard Stephens, a councilman and frequent Harvey opponent.

When newly knighted Sir John Harvey returned as the new governor of Virginia in 1630, he acquired additional property, the former Governor Sir George Yeardley’s lot across Pitch and Tar Swamp and this prime New Towne lot. Here he built a fine house that often doubled as the statehouse during the 1630s.

Although the crown replaced Harvey as governor in 1639, his house continued in use as a statehouse through the 1640s and 1650s. When Sir William Berkeley arrived in 1642, it again doubled as a town residence for the governor. After Bacon’s rebels sacked and burned Jamestown in 1676, the house was rebuilt for a final time.

My impressions: I don’t know what is more surprising to me: a private home being used as a statehouse or the fact that it continued that way after the owner was no longer governor. I guess, thinking about it a little more, it is less surprising than it initially seems, because the governor was an appointed position at the time. I wonder if Governor Harvey returned to England after he was replaced. If so, he wouldn’t have needed it any longer, at least for a while. (I mean, he did leave in the 1920s and return to serve as governor.

I wonder what qualities there were that led the crown to decide that a “temperamental former sea captain” was suitable to govern the colony. Was his style a help or a hindrance? Or was he temperamental enough that the English were just as happy to see him on the other side of the ocean from them?

Location: Historic Jamestown, Colonial NHP, Jamestown, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:55pm

Transcription of marker: Although councilman Colonel Thomas Swann resided across the James River at his Swann Point plantation, he also leased a Jamestown tavern that provided accommodations to colonists who attended the assembly and courts, or had business in town.

Documents and excavation of a large brick foundation identify this structure as possible Col. Swann’s tavern. The elongated four-room ground floor was typical of such establishments. An abundance of bottle glass and a brass spigot from casks of beer or cider stored in the cellar, provide additional evidence of such use.

Because Col. Swann, nicknamed “ye greate toad,” advised the rebel Nathaniel Bacon, his Swann’s Point plantation remained undamaged during Bacon’s Rebellion. Charred timbers here, however, suggest that his tavern burned during the sack of Jamestown. Repaired by 1679, the tavern continued to operate along with the dozen others in the town.

My impressions: The first thing that started ringing bells from this marker for me is the name Nathaniel Bacon, because at about the time I was starting to snarf landmarks and log them on Markeroni (and later on this blog), my wife and I drove to a church retreat a couple of hours away. And on the way, we passed numerous historical markers. On the way home, I counted about a dozen. But because of distance, time, and the fact that we were driving another member of our congregation with us, we didn’t stop for any of them, but I definitely remember the odd-sounding title of Bacon’s Castle. So, while I expect I’ll learn more when we make our next trip that way and I’m able to read the marker, I also know what name to research should I want to learn more in the interim.

The other thing, related to that, is to think about the influence of being an insider. From the retelling on this marker, Swann was able to use his insider’s “pull” to keep his lands across the river safe from Bacon and his rebellion. But it also shows that the pull has limits, as the tavern here apparently burned. Some things seem to be with us forever, and insider influence seems to be one of them!

Location: Historic Jametowne, Colonial NHP, Jamestown, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:55pm

Transcription of marker: The remains of Jamestown now lie buried beneath the ground. Archeologists have unearthed some of the known town site, but the original foundations of structures would erode quickly if left exposed to wind, weather, and acid rain. The foundations have been reburied. The bricks you see here today are modern reproductions of the original foundations underneath.

My impressions: This is another case of good placement. The marker is as you are entering the park, so you learn this as you’re going in. In one sense, it’s disappointing not to be seeing the actual structures that were originally built there. But by explaining that upfront, I understood why that’s the case and was able to enjoy the site without the frustration that would have come if I’d found out later.

I also raise my eyebrow a bit at the specification of “acid rain.” I can understand that it would make rain more of a hazard than “plain old rain,” I found it a little distracting, especially when paired with wind and weather: natural phenomena. Because what I want to take away from this is a reminder that one has to be careful with irreplaceable historical artifacts. There’s the stereotypical image of somebody in an archives wearing gloves and gingerly handling old books and papers, but even the building materials here would disappear if re-exposed to nature’s whims. Although I guess “plain old rain” would be included under “weather,” making acid rain a different hazard…perhaps.

Location: Historic Jamestowne, Colonial NHP, Jamestown, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:45pm

Transcription of monument:

[north side]

Virginia Company
of London
Chartered April 10, 1606
Founded
Jamestown
and sustained
Virginia
1607 — 1624

[west side]

This monument
was erected by
the United States
A.D. 1907
to commemorate
the three hundredth
anniversary of
the settlement here

[south side, at same level as other engravings]

Jamestown
The first permanent
colony of the
English people
The birthplace of
Virginia
and of
the United States
– May 13 — 1607 -

[south side, on the base]

“Lastly and chiefly the way to prosper and achieve good success is to make yourselves all of one mind for the good of your country, and your own, and to serve and fear God, the giver of all goodness, for every plantation which our heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out.”

Advice of London Council for Virginia to the colony — 1606

[east side]

Representative
government in
America
began in the
first House of
Burgesses
assembled here
July 30, 1619

My impressions: This is a very tall and impressive monument. There seems to me to be something very American about the obelisk: I don’t recall any off the top of my head that I saw in Canada, but this is the third significant one I’ve seen in the U.S. (The other two were in my pre-snarfing days: the Washington Monument in Washington, DC and the Masonic monument to Washington in Alexandria, VA.) I don’t know what that says that the United States adopted the obelisk so often as a symbol.

Coming, as it does, as you are entering Historic Jamestowne, the monument is a great introductory reminder to how much history the place holds. It also challenged a bit of my faulty memories of history. I had it in my head that Nova Scotia was the birthplace of representative government in the British Empire, but the Internet tells me I’m mistaken. Nova Scotia saw the start of representative government in Canada, but that came in 1758, well over a century later than the establishment of the House of Burgesses here. (In fact, Nova Scotia celebrated the 250th anniversary of its establishment there just last year.)

It also awes me to see a monument like this and know that it was made early in the 20th century and that it was erected without all of the technology we have today. And to think of the number of hours it would have taken for all that lettering…what patience and dedication and craftsmanship!

Location: Historic Jamestowne, Colonial NHP, Jamestown, VA 23185

Visited: July 4, 2009, 1:40pm

Transcription of marker:

George Yeardly arrived in Jamestown in 1610, was appointed captain of the guard, and eventually lieutenant governor. Later knighted and appointed governor of Virginia in 1618, he issued the Great Charter in 1619, establishing the first representative government in Virginia.

In 1620, Yeardly acquired a seven-and-a-quarter acre lot extending east from this location. A 1625 muster roll listed the members of Yeardly’s large household: Yeardly; his wife Lady Temperance Yeardly; their three children; and 24 servants, including three African men and five African women (eight of the first nine Africans documented at Jamestown). The muster also lists 50 cattle, 40 swine, and 11 goats and kids on Yeardly’s lot. In addition to three dwellings, Yeardly owned three boats — a barque, four-ton shallop, and skiff.

At this location, archaeologists excavated the brick foundations of a structure that may have been Yeardly’s. Scattered building materials along Back River suggest that two additional dwellings, perhaps for servants, may have been located at the eastern end of his lot.

My impressions: After writing about the markers on the Colonial Parkway, it’s nice to get to a marker that has a bit of meat to it. And after being in Yorktown, where Americans fought to gain control of their country from the British, it’s a bit of a start to remember that, oh yes, the British were in charge here. I like that this marker both explains who Governor Yeardly was as well as gives a link to the place you are standing when you see it.

It is also staggering to see a family of five requiring two dozen servants. It was a different age, that’s for sure! And more than 100 animals…well, I guess I can see how they would keep many servants busy, since that seems like the type of work a governor would not want to sully his hands with.

Notes for future snarfers: This marker is on the path behind the visitor center, after you’ve paid your admission or shown your National Parks pass.