The Story of Jamestown (continued)
"NEW TOWNE." It is in the 1619 to 1624 period that
the first clear picture of Jamestown emerges, for this period
corresponds with the earliest known property records that exist. The
town had outgrown the original fort in some years past and now appeared
as a fairly flourishing settlement. The records reveal that many of the
property owners were yeomen, merchants, carpenters, hog-raisers,
farmers, joiners, shopkeepers, and ordinary "fellows," as well as
governors and colonial officials. The "New Towne" section of James City
developed in this period as the old section proved too small and the
residents began to build more substantial houses, principally frame on
brick foundations. The Indian massacre of 1622, that wrought such heavy
devastation in the colony, did not reach Jamestown which was warned
through the efforts of the Indian Chanco. It did temporarily cause
congestion in the Jamestown area however, as the survivors from the more
distant settlements fell back for safety and to regroup. The punitive
Indian campaigns that followed were directed from Jamestown by the
governor, who resided there.
The population figures taken in these years give a
good idea of the size of Jamestown in this period. In February 1624, it
is recorded that 183 persons were living in Jamestown and 35 others on
the island outside of the town. These are listed by name, as are the 87
who died between April 1623 and the following February. The death toll
suggests that the mortality rate was continuing high and that it was
still difficult for newcomers to adapt themselves to the Virginia
environment. In the "census" of January 1625, a total of 124 residents
are listed for "James Citty" and an additional 51 for the island. In the
over-all total of 175, 122 were males and 53, females. At that time,
Governor Sir Francis Wyatt and former Governor Yeardley had two of the
largest musters for the town, which included women, children, indentured
servants, and Negroes. Nine Negroes were listed for Jamestown and the
island, evidently some of those brought there in 1619.

The remains of a brick and tile kiln (c. 1650)
found at Jamestown. This is the best preserved and most complete of
several kilns that have been uncovered, showing that the Jamestown
residents manufactured many of their bricks and roofing
tiles.
Aside from the population statistics, the musters of
January 1625 give much more information. Jamestown had a church, a
court-of-guard (guardhouse), 3 stores, a merchant's store, and 33
houses. Ten of the colony's 40 boats were here, including a skiff, a
"shallop" of 4 tons, and a "barque" of 40 tons. There were stores of
fish (24,880 pounds to be exact), corn, peas, and meal. There were four
pieces of ordnance, supplies of powder, shot and lead, and, for
individual use, "fixt peeces," snaphances, pistols, swords (to the
number of 70), coats of mail, quilted coats, and suits of armor (35 of
them complete). The bulk of the colony's livestock seems to have been
localized in the Jamestown area about half (183) of the cattle, a
little more than half (265) of the hogs, and well over half (126) of the
goats. The one horse listed for the colony was at Jamestown.
The "census" clearly indicates that the population of
Jamestown was not keeping pace with that of the colony. The needs of
tobacco cultureopen fields and new soil and the abundance of
navigable waters in the rivers, bays, and creeks of tidewater Virginia
led to a scattered population, based on the plantation system. These
factors prevented the rise of trade centers and large towns for almost a
century, despite the best efforts of both home and colonial officials.
The idea was to make Jamestown the center of social, political, and
economic life and to develop it into a city of some proportions. In
size,it never attained that of a city and it failed to dominate trade
and commerce. It was, however, the hub of political and social life for
as long as it was the capital of Virginia92 years. Hence, its
story is vital to an understanding of American beginnings. Its citizens,
in their daily life and work, developed the origins of many of our
institutions, styles, and customs in speech, in architecture, in dress,
and in government organization.
VIRGINIA MADE A ROYAL COLONY. The Virginia Company
established the first permanent English settlement in America, but did
not reap the profits that it had expected. Despite reorganization and
large expenditures, it never achieved its full objective and was
increasingly subject to criticism. Matters reached a head in 1624 when
James I dissolved the company, thereby removing the hand that had guided
Virginia affairs for 17 years. With this act Virginia became a royal
colony and continued as such until the American Revolution made it free
and independent. From the point of view of operations in the colony the
change was almost painless although there was concern over land titles
and a continuance of the assembly which had already voiced its feeling
on taxation without representation. The company governor gave way to the
royal appointee, but most, institutions were left intact.
Sir Francis Wyatt was the last company governor, and
he continued in office for a while as royal governor. When he left for
England, in 1626, Yeardley again became governor and served until he
died at Jamestown the next year. Capt. Francis West was named to the
post as deputy. Another deputy, Dr. John Pott, followed next in turn,
and he was replaced by the royal appointee, Sir John Harvey.
GOVERNOR HARVEY DEPOSED. Sir John Harvey first came
to Virginia in 1624 as a member of a committee to report on conditions
in the colony. It was in 1630 that he returned as royal governor and
settled himself at "James cittie, the seate of the Governor." In 1632,
he had a commodious house here and was complaining of the expense of the
entertainment that he had to finance in "the Governors owne house."
Whether because of his personal nature, his own view or interpretation
of government, or because of the severe opposition that confronted him,
he managed to become thoroughly disliked throughout the colony. His
high-handed and autocratic methods arrayed even his council against
him.
In the end, his council, in meetings at Jamestown,
moved to depose him, naming another to act in his steada bold
measure, indeed. The assembly, in May 1635, approved this action, and
Harvey was returned to England to answer the charges placed against him
there. The King, it is true, returned Harvey to his post as royal
governor in 1637, but undoubtedly both he and Harvey were impressed by
the action that the colonists had taken to redress their
grievancesthey had deposed a royal governor.
|