3 " «U^ O^ -0. * « c< ^d* ,r V ^ D v s * • , "^\ V V ^ x o v ^ A "-V * o ~0 V K r"C> ° <* v\ V* v vV 4 Q^ er (v. Q < n n^ < (X n ui n _j H < ^ CQ Q- _: ca" . CQ ^r Q ^ PLJ < CQ CU -J U Z CQ o > a CQ CU O O ON CQ 1—1 i E- H < O' CQ 0- u CO a CU ♦ illlii: ;® Hi^bujays Byu/ays# OF TH1 A BOOK OF INFORMATION, flilllil I DESIGNED AS A HANDBOOK FOR THE USE OF TOURISTS AND ALL OTHERS INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY, SOIL AND TOPOGRAPHY OF THE PENISULA. BY E. I. BEALE. mommem NEWPORT NEWS, VA. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. [1907.] LIB3AJW of CONGRESS f Two ©odes Received i MAR 4 1907 _J*opyrt«ht Entry /1g-, //- 'foy CLASS A XXc„No. J COPY 8. ' rr- . rrn iB H l i fc wu i Bill , . Copyright 1907. BYE. I. Beale. , b PREFACE. Re alizing that to attempt to transcribe every note, worty incident ot historical interest occurring on the Pe- ninsula, or to describe every place made famous by such happenings would be a work in which the limits of a huge book would be severely taxed, this publication does not claim to have entirely covered the field in pre- senting the following tacts and descriptive data con- cerning the place and times of the begiming cf the Na- tion. It has on the contrary kept out of the beaten track and refrained from treating of the places made so familiar by the popular illustrations, and our search has been more for the fugutive facts in history than to re- main among those already known. In the general construction of our work there has become apparent many imperfections. These are due in the main to errors of omission, To such of these as the reader may find we ask his kind indulgence, in- asmuch as the entire work of compilation, illustiating, printing and binding has passed through one pair of hands. We believe that the Peninsula will in time to come Le found a treasure trove to the antiquarian and to the patriotic American citizen a land of most blessed mem ories. To further each of these objects is the purpose of this humble volume, and to these ends we dedicate its pages. E. I. B. MAP OF THE PENINSULA. THE PENINSULA The Lay of The Land FROM EARLY COLONIAL days until the present time that ro- mantic portion of hallowed ground lying between the rivers James and York, its eastern boundary washed by the long ocean swell rolling in between the Virginia capes, has been without a true distinctive name. To-day we speak with reverence the name "Old Dominion," having reference of course to the present State of Vir- ginia. And yet when that time worn designation was given to this Commonwealth this portion of ground was the only spot on the North American continent inhabited by the white race. EN Dat Virginia Quintum was the motto on the coat of arms adopted by the London Company in 1619 — "Behold, Virginia Yields a Fifth." This was twelve years after the landing of the colonists at Jamestown. At that time the English crown held sway over the do- minions of England, Scotland, Ireland, France (pre- sumptively) and Virginia — the fifth dominion. Some of the court papers, it is said, referred to the dominion- of Virginia, and because of this fact, so states William. Henry Lee, the name "Old Dominion originated. An English statesman, commenting bitterly upon the inflamatory utterance of Patrick Henry in fhe Vir- ginia House of Burgesses, said: ''Let us take from Vir- ginia her honored name and substitute therefor this name: -The Place of Treason." That was certainly the English view in the succeeding years and no one cherished it more deeply than did Lord Dunmore dur- ing his erratic career. And there were no pec pie en the continent of North America that resented the mis- government of the Crown more than those who dwelt in the shadow of the House of Burgesses. Coming farther down the years when a giant problem was confronting the Federal generals regard- ing the best method of marching upon Richmond, this section again came into prominence and was desig- nated the "Virginia Peninsula" such appearing on many of the war records. Later, in deeper signifi- cance, tersely "The Peninsula." This later appel- lation has more or less clung to the land we are de- scribing. In very recent years it has been referred to as the "Cradle of the Republic," for it was here that two incipient revolutions in the early days of the col- onies foreshadowed the rising and final turning of the tide in 1776. That this intensely interesting section comprising the counties of Elizabeth City, Warwick, York, James City, Charles City, New Kent and Hen- rico should have become the theatre of the most stir- ring events connected with the history of the United States has almost been a source of wonderment. Just whether or not the patriotic Americans will in the fu- ture bestow upon this section a new name remains to be seen. For our purpose, however, throughout these pages, the term Peninsula, referring to the counties above enumerated, will suffice. The physical and topographical characteristics of the famous peninsula are interesting to a remarkable degree. From its hills and streams, from its soil en- riched by the alluvial deposits of centuries, much in- teresting data may be derived. It is true that the Peninsula does not boast of any mineral resouisesyet that which she holds in store, and that which is held in her note book of time will amply offset any dis- crepancy in this regard. In movements political destiny chose to] make the Peninsula the theatre of most momentous events. In like manner nature chose it for vast movement of the elements. Far back in time, when the earth was young, the Peninsula was without doubt in the form of a chain of islands connected by long and dreary sand. spits. The topographer notes with keen interest the heaping up of places, due to the accumulating ac- tion of the waves, a. id corresponding depressions due to portions remaining at tide level. In the early days the sand spits evidently sheltered deep and dismal la- goons, for at the extremity of the Peninsula such a formation is quite plain. 5- One of the most remarkable places in this regard is to be found at Yorktown. Here the ground is raised about thirty feet above the surrounding country. It seems that the ancient town is built upon a spot pre- pared especially for it. An immense deposit of red marl is heaped up forming the strongest foundation to be found on the Peninsula, and great boulders of this rock marl, roughly hewn into shape, form the walls of the old church at this place. Cornwallis' Cave, one the places of note at Yorktown and the only cave on the Peninsula was probably formed by the quarrying out of marl for building purposes. This marl is com- posed of myriads of tiny shells, a hundred of which could be held upon the thumb nail. In contradistinction to this there is a peculiar de- pression one mile due north of Newport News — the site of an inland sea, as it were — where the vegeta- tion has an appearance somewhat similar to a tropical region. Great plumed grasses rear their heads a dozen feet above the ground. Festoons of moss, dark and heavy, unite with the dense foliage in shutting out the sunlight from banks of giant ferns. In the rainy season this place presents the appearance of a tree grown lake, the surface of the ground being at dead level with the tide. Here are bred countless swarms of mosquitoes millions of which are of the va- riety known as anopheles, or the malaria carrying mosquito. If it were not for the therapeutic value of the salt air as antidote the lower places in Newport News wouldjbe pest ridden from this source of infection. 6. In the threatened crusade against the mosquito by the general government an important army post (For- tress Monroe) will have removed from its vicinity one of its principal sources of danger from a yellow fever outbreak if this"lake of the woods' Vis treated annually to a generous application of kerosene, Exploration of the soil in this peculiar depression brings forth evidence that this lagoon has existed for centuries. The giant trunks of trees are met with many feet below the surface of the ground. It is on a portion of the Peninsula— perhaps the only place- — where excavation to the depth of twenty feet does not reveal the presence of marine deposit, and the soil is a deep black wood mould superimposed upon a blue clay which has the consistency of bar soap. This peculiar condition of the soil extends well in- to the city of Newport News. Indeed one-half of the city is built upon a soil partaking of this nature, while a large partis upon sand. The Chesapeake & Ohio railway, after it leaves Morrisons, six miles above Newport News, has upon its right as it comes down the Peninsula, a ridge of sand gaining in elevatien, while upon its left stiff blue clay, of which we have be- fore spoken, continues to the shores of Hampton Roads. Another point of ;dissimilarity between these examples of soil formation is that the sand dwindles away to a high attenuated point, while the rich black soil, with the basis of clay, constantly widens until it forms the greater part of Elizabeth City county. 7- While the purview of this volume does not em-, brace a critical examination of the terrestial formation in its diversified aspects, we realizing such would be tiresome to many readers, we prefer, nevertheless, not to pass too lightly over this part of our subject. The writer has taken specimens of the under soil at many places upon the Peninsula. These examina- tions have been in many instances at a depth of twenty feet and the findings present quite a uniform appear- ance as we reach a midway point between Richmond and Newport News. The Chesapeake & Ohio railway traverses the "backbone" of the Peninsula and is in close proximity to the great springs which are the source of the fine streams which water the Peninsula. The ground falls gently away from this ridge until it reaches within a mile or two of either great river and then is spread ov- er a level plateau. It was upon this plateau on the shore of either river that John Smith says the "firste plantations were seated, being more soe, however, by reason of the^shelter of the forest from the cold wind, on the James than the other river. i" One peculiar characteristic of the Peninsula is to be found in the fact that the streams tributary to the James and York rivers and the Chesapeake Bay over- lap one another. Thus a traveler up the Peninsula will sometimes cross within a few hundred yards two i. At the time Smith was writing this river had no name. Later it was known as the Kiskiack, taking this name from a tribe of Indians re. siding near where Yorktown now stands. In 1624 it was spoken of as the Charles river, this yielding in turn to the present name of York. 8. streams ,each of them running in an opposite direction Just outside the wall of Brufon Churchyard, to the north, is % a ravine leading to "York river, while in the garden of the Rectory, just across the street, a sweet little spring issues forth to join the James. The first place on the lower part of the Peninsula where the longsineous streams overlap one another to any extent is on a line running from Denbeigh to Big Bethel. It is not until we cross these streams, almost bisecting the Peninsula, that we find any considerable evidence of the formation of marl. This would seem to support the theory that beyond this point the upper portion was thrown up in violent marine action, while adjacent to Newport News and Hampton Roads the earth has grown by the tedious accumulative action of the tide. Soon after the C. & O. railroad was built a well was dug at Williamsburg to supply a tank for the en- gines. At the depth of thirty feet some of the most beautiful crystals of the carbonate of lime were found. So clear and glittering were these crystals the finders believed that they had unearthed a diamond mine, and for a time excitement reigned subsiding only when an expert properly classified the stones. A gentleman residing in Williamsburg has a large oyster shell com- pletely encrusted with the deposit. This incident is of value to show how close at one time were the sea and the mountains. From the line drawn from Denbeigh to Big Bethel the composition of the deeper soil changes very little throughout that portion of the Peninsula with which these pages chiefly deal. The order of forma- tion is as follows: . i. Marl. Red near the surface but very white at a depth of from twenty to thirty feet, merging into a delicate blue as it borders on running water. 2. A very tenacious clay. Usually almost white but frequently striated with red and blue. 3. Gravel about the size of peas. 4. A conglomerate. Ferruginous sand stone, sand clay and gravel. Sometimes clusters of escallop shells attaining a size of dinner plates. 5. A rich red clay. 6. Subsoil. Sandy on uplands, clayey on "plateaus." 7. Soil. Loamy on uplands, compact but very dark and exceedingly fertile in "bottom" lands. In arranging the order for describing the forma- tion east of our dividing line, or, properly, Elizabeth City county, we will reverse the above and thus enumerate: 1. Soil. Very black with great natural fertility. Especially adapted to market gardening. 2. Subsoil. Light, loamy, a tendency to sand. 3. Sand, clay and gravel. 4. A very fine, quickly shifting sand —tide-level — water. An excellent way to study the topography of the Peninsula is from the standpoint of the military en- 10. gineer. From the very earliest times of the pioneers to that of the great fratricidal struggle of nearly a half century ago, the Peninsula has been recognized by every general, prominent in his time, as possessing superior military advantages. The redoubtable Cap- tain John Smith quickly saw the advisability of put- ting the Peninsula in a position of defense. In his first tour of exploration he was at once impressed with the strategic advantages of the Peninsula. When it is considered that the colonists had as much to fear from England's marauding neighbors as from the In- dians, there was reasonjor close topographical study of their surroundings. It has often been asked why the colonists went as far up the river as Jamestown and passed by so much fertile land near the river's mouth. In answer to this query we point to the delightfully quaint list of instructions given to the first officers of the colony, a paragraph of which reads as follows: " . . . But if you choose your place so far up as a bark of fifty tons will float, then you may lay all your provisions ashore with ease, and all the better receive the trade of all the countries about you in the land; and such a place you may perchance find a hun- dred miles from the river's mouth, and further up the better, for if you sit down near the entrance, except it be some island that is strong by nature, an enemy that may approach you on even ground may easily pull you out; but if he be driven to seek you a hun- dred miles in boats, you shall from both sides of the II. river it is narrowest, so beat them with muskets as they shall never be able to prevail against you."i Thus we see that the colonists were in constant dread of a foreign foe although apparently isolated in the New World, and Captain John Smith, noting the narrowness of the Peninsula, early conceived a plan to establish outposts where Williamsburg now stands as well as above Jamestown, a plan that was immedi- ately put into operation. It seems that this fear had not subsided as late as 1626, four years after the first Virginia massacre. Governor Francis Wiatt made recommendation to the council at Jamestown to fortify aline from Martins Hundred (2) to Kiskiack (Yorktown) to protect the Peninsula. In the same year the council at James- town, in the transaction of important business con- nected with safeguarding the plantations, entered the following order: "The Court hath thought fitt with ye first means for many considerations to seat a sufficient party at Kiskiack, both as regards of ye opportunity we shall thereby have to annoy the Indians, and as a good re- 1. Fiske's Old Virginia and Her Neighbors, Vol i, p. 72. 2. Hundred is a designation frequently f6und in Virginia nomencla - ture. The origen of this term is far back in antiquity. In feudal times it had reference to a portion of a province large enough to furnish a hundred partisans armed and equipped for the service of the baron or lord— such .an aggregation as Conan Doyle pictures in the "White Company." In later years the "hundred" partook of a somewhat similar meaning as "township" or "borough ;" but the original signification was doubtless present when Martin's Hundred was established. This place which was the bloodiest scene in the massacre of 1622 is at the mouth of Warwick river, about eight- teen miles from Newport News. 12. treat and release when we have been overforced by too powerful a foreign foe." I This turning back to the pages of early colonial history is for the sake of showing how closely military engineers of a later period followed those at the dawn of the American nation. During the operation of the British army on ,the Peninsula, culminating in the siege a.id capitulation of that army under Cornwallis at Yorktown, a temporary line of earthworks were hastily thrown up by the British to endeavor to check the advance of Lafayette(2) after crossing the James. These ancient works are a mile below Fort Magruder at a point on the Peninsula where the ridge of high ground is nearly bisected by two great ravines, one of which runs to an arm of College Creek that empties into the James, two miles below Jamestown; the other helping to form Queens Creek, a tributary of the York, upon which is Capital Landing, one mile from the Capital (3) at Williamsburg. The fortifica- tion is indented triangularly and is on a straight line about five hundred yards long. History repeated itself again when the Confeder- ate General Magruder threw his long thin line across the Peninsula from Martins Hundred to Yorktown. It 1. See Memories of Yorktown, Dr. Lyon G. Tyler, in the ^Richmond Times, Nov. 25, 1894; also Peninsula in History by the author, Newport News Daily Press, Feb. 23, 1902. 2. These earthworks were in such good state of preservation that the extreme left of Hooker's division was compelled to light a desperate battle before this position was taken. Stedman's notes on the Battle of Williams- burg, Mays, 1862. 3. The Capital was at the eastern end of Duke of Gloucester street. The landing spoken of was where the goods of state came ashore. 13- was in the vicinity of the former (Lee's Mill, the site of Newport News' reservoir) that another severe bat- tle of the Civil War was fought on the Peninsula. Military engineers could see at a glance that the deep and almost impassable ravines on the higher part of the Peninsula, the long, grass-lined creeks of the lower counties overlapping one another, the narrow passages through which a large body of men would find difficulty in passing without being at the mercy of the opposing force on either side, all offered the most strategic advantages to those on the defensive. So at least General McClellan found it, and every attempt to reach Richmond by way of the Peninsula re- sulted in failure, not because he was opposed by equal numbers, for. the disparity between the beligerents was always to the disadvantage to the Confederates, but of thli superior natural defences the Peninsula afforded. The water supply of the Peninsula is enormous. Meteorological conditions are such in this latitude near the ocean as to cause an abundant rainfall. The un- derground water-courses are voluminous, and although numerous salt marches abound, potable water is un- iversally present, except of cource where., it is con- taminated by contact with the .tide, by reason of in- sufficient drainage by superficial deposit, or when un- der the influence of calcium salts it becomes very "hard." As we approach the mountains volumetric press- 14- ure of subterranean streams is of course greatly aug- mented. Injthis regard it is interesting to note how these streams gather force as we proceed up^the Penin- sula. Illustrative of this we desire to show the corn- par itive standing for one month of three large bodies of water fed by springs. They are situated six, twelve and twenty miles from Newport News, j respectively, and offer very fair examples of stability of the Penin- sula's water supply:(i) •d co CO o_° u u CO CO St3 No, V u u U V as O CO V u ° Height (X V V > ■a o •a w T3 y « CJ a o 3 >>C ■** ^_, ^ H ° U v u be V « rt u . o s >»o. •°"2 cd u *t: £ e land £§ Uf ^2 c «J cfl N y « pond 3 3 fc > £ No. 1 20 5 ft 12 ft 10 .53 3X12 .5 9.5. x No. 2 30 8 15 4.20 i.3r 3X12 1.0 15. no3xx 00 00 00 0.20 2.76 7 X19 1.5 18. x A very careful survey was made of this pond, xx The site of a former millpond. Volume is represented by a large stream fed by numerous springs. Height of land is expressed in feet. The opportunity for studying the effect a con- tinued dry spell would have upon the water supply of the Peninsula was well afforded at the time this data was collected. The month was an exceedingly dry October, there being not over forty-eight hours of rain during the entire month. Byreferingto the above ta- ble it will be seen that rainfall caused a marked fluctu- ation of increase in the three stations, the almost im- i5- perceptible decrease in volume at the greater station evidenced the fact that danger of a water famine from any considerable diminution of the streams on the Pe- ninsula is out of the realm of possibility, The city of Newport News is furnished from this station, and al- though this city has more than doubled in matter of population, the resources of the powerful streams sup- plying the reservoir have not as yet scarcely been taxed, while the storage from the vast watershed re- mains practically- untouched because for the present, at least, pure running spring water is abundant, A beautiful natural phenomena is seen in a great spring that empties into the reservoir. The water* cold and sparkling, gushes forth from beneath an ov- erhanging ledge of marl with a peculiar musical sound. Roaring Spring is the name given to this fountain out of the hill. There are many "of these great springs in the vicinity of Williamsburg, and most of them seem to issue from far below the immense beds of marl, in which ca?e their purity is unquestioned. •J5» 0* • The flora and forestry of the Peninsula, while not particularly distintive from that of adjacent sec- tions, deserves, however, some mention in view of the relation ■■ both of the subjects bear to the char istics of the soih' As far as agriculture is '■concerned the realization of Its possibilities have never yet been attained under an intelligent system of cultivation. Some of the choicest bits of farming land to be found in any section 16. have been for the last century weakened down by successive crops of corn with hardly a thought of re- fertilization. We have before remarked the tropical appearance of the low ground at the extremity of the Peninsula. It is not within our province to treat of this subject botanically or to attempt a classification of the plants indigenous to the Peninsula. It is a peculiar fact that near Williamsburg, where the eountry is very broken, is the only place where mountain azalea is to be found in this section. This beautiful flower* is present in an abundance on the road leading to the Capitol Landing. A variety of woods is to be found. Pine of course predominates. Of this genus there are three kinds usu- ally to be found, the "long-leaf," soft grain of the low lands, having a heavy cork like bark and of very rapid growth, the "short leaf," with a' hard, flint-like grain, with a very thin bark and only to be found on the up- lands, and a variety known as the "spruce," having needles and cones very similar to the tree of that name, the grain and tensile strength presenting all the charac- teristics of the pine. The vagaries of the oak are here fully shown im irri- tating many trees of the forest especially the willow During the era of wooden ships the sections adjacent to Williamsburg, bordering on the waterways, furnished much valuable timber to the New England shipyards One notable feature of the forests of the Peninsula is the number of noble beeches everywhere to be found. 17- Inasmuch as this tree is one of slow growth each one of these great beeches is a monument telling of the colon- ial day, One notable specimen stands in cannon shot of Big Bethel. On its bark in legible characters are the names of the boys of *6i, both of the blue and the gray, The uplands produce oak, chesnut, cedar and hick- ory. Near the water courses are to be found willow, ash, sweet gum and maple. Along the shores of the Chicahominy cypress is abundant and is to be seen oc- casionally on the banks of the James as well as a few junipers. In many places on the Peninsula the mistle- toe, mysterious bloom of Yuletide, in immense clusters far up on the branches of the sweet gum are to be seen, and the happy holly in profusion decks the woods in emerald and crimson during the season of good cheer. The tourist, on going overland to Yorktown, will note the great quantity of Scotch broom. The hills near the monument are covered with this homely sedge giving the ancient town an Old Country appearance. Indeed it has of ton been remarked that the bright bloom of this wild broom and the quaint houses of the war bat- tered town, with the blue estuary of the York to throw a dreamy haze over the opposite hills, and^it reouires'no great flight of of fancy to imagine ^oneself in* the land of Bobby Burns. On the sand hills of the greater rivers large areas of the prickly pear are often seen forming a curios con- trast with its cactus like growth to the familar wild plants of this latitude. Another schrub, while indigenous to the Peninsula, but is snggestive of a warmer and more arid OLD CUSTOM HOUSE. STREET VIEW IN YORKTOWN, is: region, is the prickly ash, sending up its single stem eight or nine feet high with its umbeliferated foliage. A beautiful variety of ferns is to be found on the Peninsula especially near Newport News where their gi- gantic growth is palm-like im appearance. Frost is seen one or two weeks later on the Eay shore on the approach of. winter than in the interior. Frequently a light fall of snow occurs on tho uplands while on the Bay shore a warm fog neutralizes the effect of the cold wave. [The proximity of the Gulf Stream renders the winters very warm, the mean temperature rarely below 56 F., and the minimum seldom lower than 28 F. w IN COLONIAL DAYS. Highways and Byways. THE SEVERAL COUNTIES of the Peninsula embrace that part of the New World that throbbed with sturdy pulse in awakened.civ ilisation, hold within their boun- daries many places ot protound interest to the seeker after 1he quaint'and curious in early American history, and a visit to these out-o'-the^-way places, while sometimes difficult of accomplishing, will, however, acquaint the tie tourist with many places almost forgotten. Just now we would invite the tourist to roam at will over the Peninsula and visit the places that are hallowed tecAuse of the quaint happenings and history making incidents which brought them into prominence. And the sojourn among the memories of the early days mus be but transient, for our paths will lay from r/athetic Malvern Hill to the low-lying islands of the pecosons; from the grim walls of Fortress Monroe to the creamy hills that lock the Falls of the James. 20. Martin's Hundreds. The reservoir for Newport News is located at one of these most interesting spots. Extending a great distance over the breadth of the Peninsula is a great ravine penetrating almost to Yorktown and almosts bi- sects the Peninsula. This forms a division between the higher land of the upper counties, and those bordering on the bay, and one of utmost importance to the colonists as we shall presently see, The main stage road through Warwick Countv crosses this ra- vine at the most convenient point of passage and the road is flanked by verv high hills. This elevation has been well taken into account in everv military oreration on the Peninsula as elsewhere noted in in these pages. A considerable portion ^f this settle- ment — which is next with Hampton in age to James- town— laid ju c t west of these hills, and was sheltered bv them in view of the fjct that an outpost was earlv established ^here. This precaution was taken so as to give warning to the colonists above of the approach of an cnemv from toward the sea, But if the strategy of the pioneers was good that of the Indians was betler, and to them there was no difficultv in reaching the supposed secure location of Martin's Hundred, for it was an easv matter for them to steal through the swamps and deal this considerable settlement a severe blow and cut it off from the other colonies. In the massacre of 1622 this manouver was successfullv carried out and seventv-four people were butchered before the alarm could be given or a warn- ing taken. It was the intention of the colonists to so 21. fortify Martin's Hundred on the James as to make it equal in strength to Yorktown and thus command all of the approaches to the seat of govenment at James town, but political perplexities -arose directly after the Indian outbreak, besides this calamity so discouraged the plantation as to cause its temporary abandoment. There is nothing remaining of the original settlement or anything to mark the location of its principal build- ing. It was in the vicinity of Lee's Mill that the de- posed Governor Harvey found a refuge while waiting as a prisoner in 1639 to be carried back to England. Lee's Mill, or the reservoir is on the Chesapeake & Ohio railway with a local stop at the reservoir. The Stone House. A relic of the olden day which has long puzzled an- tiquarians is a mysterious building rudely constructed of stone standing on the banks of Ware Creek, which divides the county of New Kent from that of James City, and known in that section as the "Stone House," and from which also a magisterial district in the latter county takes its name. Many conjectures have arisen concerning this an- cient piece of masonry, one of the mcst interesting as as the most plausible, is that the adherents of Bacon erected it as a stronghold and rendezvous. Other writ ers ascribe its origin to a noted buccaneer and its use fo the storage of piratical loot, which is not at all plausible and still another that the "Stone House" was erected by a prehistoric race and ranks in mysterious origin to the famous round tower at Newport, R. I. The writer has before him Howe's History of Vir- ginia, a work especially devoted to the collection of data m CO H o z m x O c en m 22. of the quaint places of antiquity in the Old Dominion Published in 1845 it had an opportunity to discribe the places of historic interest before the shock of the Civil War effaced so many landmarks. With a thorough- ness that is convincing and with the naivete that charac- terised the writers of that period it thus discribes the ''SjoneJHouse:'' "The Stone House is distant from the mouth of Ware Creek five miles, from Williamsburg fifteen, and from Jamestown- twenty-two. The walls and chimney, which remain, are composed of limestone. The house is eighteen F and a half feet by fifteen in extent. It consists of a basement room under ground and a story above. On the . west side is a doorway six feet wide, 'giving entrance to both apartments. There are loopholes in the walls, measuring on the inside twenty by ten inches, on the outside twenty by four. The walls are in'the "basement two feet thick, in the upper story eighteen inches thick. The masonry bears marks of being executed with great care and nicety. The house stands in an extensive, waste of woods, on a high knoll or promitory, around the foot of which winds Ware Creek. The structure fronts on the creek, being ele- vated one hundred feet above its level, and stands back one hundred feet from its margin." After carefully surveying the different theories con cerning the origin of the Stone House and finding none of them satisfactorv, Howe advances another, which, if it be true, strikes an interesting "note at once. He makes the ancient stone structure the oldest building in the state, as well as the oldest milita.iy work in English America. And because he can quote from none greater, he quotes from the redoubtable John Smith himself as follows: 23' '•We built also a fort lor a retreat neere a convenient river, upon a high commanding hill, very hard to be asaltei, and easie to be defended but ere it was finished this defect caused a stay. In searching our casked corne, we found it halfe rotten, and the rest so consumed with so many thousands of rats that increased so fast, but their original was from the ships, as we knew not how to keepe that little we had. This did drive us to °ur wits end; for there was nothing in the country but what nature efforded " , . . But the wart of corne occasioned the end of al our works, it being work sufficient to provide victuall." — Smith's History of Virginia, B. Ill, p. 227. This would place the date of the building at least as early as the year after the landing at Jamestown. Howe argues that as it was "built as a retreat" the idea was that it was planned in case of a concerted attack by the Indians Jamestown became untenable, the little' block- house on Ware Creek, with accommodations quite am- ple for the little band, would furnish a safe refuge. And Howe argues well, for all who are aquainted with Smith's eiriy adventures would at once recognise the wonderful foresight of that remarkable man. "Neere a convenient "river," and "high commanding hill" of course is cumulative evidence in support of the theory, and the language : "hard to be asalted and easie to be defended" fullv agrees with the character of the build- ing, and the primitive mode of warfare of the times. The Stone House has apparentlv passei through all these years in an unfinished condition. Smith savs: "the want of corne occasioned an end of all our works," which explains the uncompleted appearance it has worn through the.ages. The "Stone House" is c' : stant from Toana, a lcral stop on the C. & O. Rai'way. twelve miks, and is most conveniently reached by livery from that station. Turkey Island. In Henricc County, equi-distant from Richmond, and Roxbury, a local station on the C. & O., eighteen 24. miles, and from Malvern Hill three miles, is a most re- markable monument telling of a great flood, which for violence must have been quite similar to the great political revolution, which it preceded only a few years. It is a monolith, eight feet high and two feet square at its base, and bears the following inscription: "The foundation of this pillar was laid in the calamitous, year 1771 when all the grreat rivers of the country were swent bv inundat'ons never be fore experienced, which chansred the face of nature, and left traces of its vio- lence that will remain for ages." [ Turkey Island is best reached by team from either Richmond or Roxbury. The Temple. On Temple Farm, one mile fr n m Yorktown, are the remains of a peculiar structure, the origin of which, like the "Stone House, " is lo^t in antiquitv. In form it is not unlike a temple, thus obtaining that name, Tradition asserts that the surviving Knights the Golden Horseshoe, in memorv of he who led them across the mountiins, erecfed the structure as a mys- tic shrine, hallowing the resting place of Sir Alexander Spottiswood, whose remains are interred a few rods awav. A Broken Shaft. Lving near the shores of the Poquoson River, not far from Hunt's Wharf, could be seen, just prior to the Civil War, a shaft of white marble, broken six fee* from its base, It contained no inscription but bore a heraldic device. The mystery surrounding its orm ; n and final disappearance remains to day unsolved. 25j York-Hampton Parish Church. There is a magisterial district in York County bearingthe name of Poquoson (an attempt to Indian-ise the physical characteristic of the immediate section.) In the earliest colonial day it became a mcst desirable place for settlement, being within a few hours ride of Jamestown, and contiguous to Kecoughtan — after- wards^Hampton — a rapidly growing colonial seaport. Within a mile -or two of where the road from Po- quoson branches into the main stage road from York- town to Hampton, is the site of the old York- Hampton parish church. Manv of the old tombs are still in ex" istence and tell l>rief stories of some of colonial Vir- ginia's illustrious dead. The place is overgrown and there is nothing now remaining to suggest the presence of a place of worship. It occupies a conspicuous place, however, in Meade's Old Churches, to whose pages the reader is invited for a more detailed description. In 1706 the parishes of York and Hampton were united and placed in charge of one minister. The site of this ancient church is twelve miles from Hampton and Yorktown, and within a quarter of a mile of Smitb- ville, where for a number of years a tavern and stage relay was kept. TWO FORGOTTEN NAVAL HEROES. On the Pembroke farm, one mile from Hampton, are four ancient tombs, two of which are in memory of naval heroes ofTthe colonial day. Another iVthat of the Rev. Mr. Andrew Thompson, born in Stonehenge, Eng.. r and who was "minister of the^parishf spoken of jn above article,' and'died Sept. n, 17 19/ aged 46~years. The first "stone we shall describe is that of John 26. Nevill, Esq., an admiral in the English navy. The in- scription is as follows: Here lies the body of JOHN NEVILL. ESQ., VICE-ADMIRAL of HIS MAJESTYES fleet and COMANDER in chief e of ye squadron cruising in the West Indies who dyed on ye Cambridge, ye 17th day of August, 1697, in the ninth yeare of the reigne of WILLIAM the Third aged 53 years. The next in order and the last we shall copy the in- scription of, furnishes the theme for a fascinating tale of the terrible outrages visited upon the colonists by a foe if anything more rapacious than the Indians:— This stone was given by his Excellency, FRANCIS NICCHOLSON, ESQ., Leiu.et'nt and Governour Generall of Virginia in memory of PETER HEYMAN, ESQ., Grandson to SR PETER HEYMAN, of Summerfield in ye county of Kent. He was ye Collector of ye custom in ye Lower district of James River and went voluntary on Board ye King's Shipp Shoreham in purfuit of a pyrate who greatly infested this Coast after he had behaved himself seven hours with undaunted courage was killed with a small shott ye 20th day of A prill 1709 in ye engagement as he stood next ye Governour upon ye Quarter Deck and was here honourably interred by his order. AdmirafNevilFs tomb has armorial bearings, viz: a chevron, three demi-lions rampant; crest: a demi-lion rampant, holding a sword erect, issuing from a ducal coronet. The stone is too badly worn and broken to trace a motto or t'he tinctures, which, however, are very seldom seen on tombs. The fourth stone, which has no historic value, is in memory of Thomas Curie, Gent., who died in 1700. These four stones are cemented together and pre- served as the last relirs of a populous citv of the dead and to mark the site of the first colonial church of Hamp- ton. The half-acre of tangled underbrush abuts on a suburb west of Hamnton known as Lincoln Park, and is reached bv convevance, or bv walking. The Fjpst fort at Old point Comfort. Old Point Comfort was at once seen to be the place for a great military stronghold by the colonists, all of whom were keenly alive to the dangers besetting them from the ocean marauders of that day. It was not until 1630, however, that active measures were taken toward accomplishing this much to be desired work. The As- sembly which was convened in the winter of that year, in March, passed the following: •'Mait of ffortifications was aa"ain^ taken into consideration, and Capt. Samuel Mathewes was content to undertake the raysing of a ffort at Poynt Comfort: whereupon Capt. Robert Ffelgate, Capt. Thomas Pur f urv, Cant. Thomas Graies, Capt. John Utey, Thomes Wllloby. Mr. Tho. Heyrick and Leu't. Wm. Perry, bv full consent of the whole Assembly were chosen to view the place, conclude what manner of fforte shall bee erected, and to compounde and agree with the said Capt. Mathews for the building raysing am? finishing the same." &c— Howe's History of Virginia, p. 252. Captain Samuel Mathews was evidenty of the most aggressive spirits when prompt action wa> required In the rebellion against Harvey in 1635 it was this stout old captain, known everywhere as "one who lived bravely, kept a good house, and was a true lover of Vir- ginia," that threw his arms around Harvey and held him until his corn-patriots, recovering from fear at his daring, came to his assistance and made the arrest of the tyranical old governor complete. Captain Matthew's plantation adjoined Martin's Hundreds and extended eastward along the shore of the James, its eastern boundary said have included Newport Point, or as Captain John Smith, in a quaint burst of erudition, gives it the French equivalent of Newport Ness, in turn corrupted by the colonists to jNewport's News. An old map in the possession of a friend of the writer places the first fort at Old Point some distance north of Fortress Monrce. Why this location was se- lected the author has searched in vain for a reason as it seemed to defeat the object in view — tbe defence of the channel. The Seven Tides. Middle Ground lighthouse stands at a place in Hampton Roads frequently the scene of a marine phe- nomena. In the negro oystermens' parlance it is "de place ob de seben tides." It seems that just at this spot the incoming tide, bringing the greenish-blue wa- ter of the ocean, meets the tide'ebbing from six rivers emptying into Hampton Roads. Passengers to Nor- folk have frequently observed a well defined triangle f9 of a neutral tint, bordered deeplv on each of the con- verging lines by ripples o L ' foam, and then shading off into the dark red of James River, the earthy blackness of Elizabeth River, and ocean blue, respectively. It is a beautiful spectacle and fills one with awe in be hold- ing another wonderful w^rk of nature. This phenomena was noticed bv the colonists at a very early date. An old chronicle, relating the visit of Captain John Smith to Kecoughtan, says that the meet" ing between the doughty captain and the braves took place at the spot we have decribed,— -"where the tydes meet and ye grate fishes feede." An Ancient Causeway; In a dense piece of woods, about three miles north of Newport News, on the borders' of a morass, are the remains of an old causewav excavated regularly for fifty yards or more. When the writer visited it last (1890) some of the logs used as piling could still be seen. Whether this work was colonial or its intended use for that period, it is impossible to say. KlSKIACK. When Captains John Smith and Christopher New- port sailed around to Werowocomoco on their cere- monial visit -to Powhatan in 1608, they noticed on the south side of York, or Kiskiack, River a small tribe of Indians known by the latter name. The seat of this tribe. was aboutfour miles above where Yorktown now stands, and the Indians resident there must have been the guardians of the graves of their, brethren past and gone. From the earliest period to the present time this place has been noted for the great number of In- dian relics found there. An attempt has been made to preserve the name of this lonely tribe in the euphonious one of ''Cheesecake," -'under which homely desig- nation a church in the same vicinity flourished in ante bellum days. The Reservoir and Site of Battle of Lee's Mill. [Also a Part of Martin's Hundred. IT IS WORTHY TO FOLLOW the manner in which a dominion grew out of the feeble colony that landed at Jamestown. Looking far back across the centuries it seems that the movement of affairs politi- cal was as rapid as was then need- ful; considering the tedious means of communication, and the exposed condition of the colonies, it must indeed have been slow. This volume will inevitably link the remote past to the throbbing present. Our paths have laid among the misty places of antiquity, and to rush into the hurrying bustle that" industrialism is fast bringing into the sec- tion with which we deal, would apparently be a rude transition. This must nevertheless happen as we take each county in regular order and give its history, location, and other incidents of interest to the visitor. ELIZABETH CITY COUNTY. Population, Census 1900, 19,460; Hampton, 2764. We will come in from the sea. Elizabeth C'ty was one of the eight original shires into which Virginia was Battle Between the King's Ship, Shoreham and theTirate— See Page 26. (Drawn by E. I. Beale. ) i_r\ -l-J 00 CJ i— t 's— Z D- 1—1 T3 H O Z c