The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-25

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1900, and of these 1000 were on that
Accomack peninsula lying between the
Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay. The spot
was first sought IN order 10 boil salt for
the Jamestown colonists. IL was found
20 be much healthier thar the James
river: the soil was quicker TO respond
TO cultivation. the climate healthier, It
abounded with fish and game In abund-
ance, the indian we're kindlier, and the
place easier TO defend. These circum-
stances attracted thither many OF the best
settlers Of the Colony. and as early as
1886 we find the names OF Scarburgh, Lit
Teton, Yeardly, West, Wise, Charlton,
Robins. Bowdoin, wilkins, Gusts, Not
tIngham, Gofigon, Eyre and others upon
its records. The continuous records are
still preserved. jamestown, Martins
Brandon, Flower de Hundred, Hcnrico-
polls, Bermuda Hundred and other places
arc often referred TO as the oldest Nir-
ginia settlements. In point OF actual pre-
s~Crvation the county of Accomack. now
divided into two counties, AccOmack and
Northampton is the only pot in all Viz
ginia. where the uninterrupted court re-
gisters are preserved. or where the bulk
of the present population consists Of de-
%scendants OF the earliest settlers Of that
period. The Isolated situation OF the
place; its ability TO supply. within itself.
Aiif HtAtcsdllto VI tOilllli idUlt lNllSf llt
absence OF any considerable element OF
new population, have resulted in the pro-
duction Of a compact well knit breed Of
pure Englishmen there Of the type Of
the English Woman as he was I'm the
early part Of the seventeenth century, the
Xix Of which is not TO be found. L ven
ture to say. elsewhere in America: and
/ doubt much whether, ever in England,
can be found any community which i'm
names. traditions. superstitions. prejudices
and virtues has so thoroughly preserved
10 this day the characteristic of the Eng
lishman Of that period.
This locality, and Williamsburg and
vicinity. are really the only communities
in Virginia strikingly representative Of
the earlier type Of Virginia settlers.
In olden time. these people, unlike the
New England settlers. had no grievance
against England. They were church
men and loyalists.
The Eastern Shore Colony was geo
graphically so distinct from the Western
Shore settlements that in several OF the
earlier royal DEGREES sent out to Vir-
ginia the commands from England came
addressed to our well beloved subjects
in the Colony of Virginia and the King
dom Of Accawmacke.
AS early as 1868 We nave an evidence
of the zeal Of the Accomack Coloaists
for their Royal Master in a report OF
Colonel Edmund Scarburgh, which may
still be read in the records Of that county,
wherein he describes his visit to the
Maryland line, accompanied by forty
horsemen "for pomp and safety" for the
purpose Of placing the Kings broad arrow
upon the houses of the Quakers and re-
ducing them to conformity.
In 1876 Nathaniel Bacon. backed by
many Of the late comers Of the Colony,
~inaugurated the famous Bacon's Rebel
lion. The colonists Of AccOmack were
united in loyalty to Sir William Berke-
ley, the kings representative, although
the people of the other parts Of the Viz
ginia Colony sympathized strongly with
Bacon.
Sir William Berkeley was forced to re-
tire for a time to Accomack, and, when
the rebellion was suppressed. RENTED two
years taxes 10 the counties Of Acco-
mack and Northampton as a reward of
loyalty. They were simpler and less pre-
tentious folk than those who came later.
Their love Of England was deep and
strong. Even in the Revolutionary pc
Rod they were conservative and slow TO
advocate Independence. Yet, when the
time came to strike n blow for liberty,
they showed the true bulldog English
grit: the first company that marched
from Virginia to join WashingtOn's army
at Philadelphia was the Accomack Com
pany, commanded by Captain John Crop
per, great-grandson of another John
Chopper, who, a hundred years before,
had fought for Berkeley and the king
in Bacon's Rebellion. The r~oll-call Of the
Revolutionary Company was filled with
names handed dow from the father to
son for generations, almost the same as
those of the ancestors Loyalist Com
pany Of the preceding century. Through
the war the Eastern Shore troops
were conspicuous for gallantry at Bran
DIVINE, Germantown, Monmouth, and
elsewhere. One company Of Accomack
troops was Daniel Morgan's famous regi-
ment of Virginia Rihemen, and served
until peace was declared.
The next distinct body or class of
of the jamestown Colony came
to Virginia from England at the time Of
the Commonwealth.
They were Loyalists. and many Of them
soldiers Sf King Charles army. I'm
doubtedly they were, as a class, Of much
higher degree than the very first corners.
was a common mistake. in view of the
prominence attained by many of the de-
scendants Of these later corners TO refer
to them as the Oldest settlers. Yet il
Is not true.
OF the Byrds, the Harrisons, the Car
ters. the Randolphs, the Blands, the JEFF
Persons, the Washingtons. the Berkeleys. |
the Beverleys. the Lees. and man. others
more or less distinguished. not one OF
them were in Virginia prior to the year
1910. All Of them seem to have come.
Impelled by the disturbing influences in
England. towards the close Of the reign
Of Charles 1.
Undoubtedly the coming Of such a
body of wealthy and refined people was
D. great accession to the Virginia Colony.
Thenceforth its career was marked by a
culture and pre-eminence II had not there
tofore known. The presence Of this large
body of wealthy and educated people in
he Virginia Colony made itself manifest
the pre-eminence which she at once
gained. and maintained so long. i'm all
Of government, the drafts Of our
constitutions. and the intellectual
fields calling forth the education and
experience of the higher classes of society.
This new element was not one whit more
from the New England Colonists
han it was from the earlier settlers of
Virginia. In some things they were like
he first corners. but in many respects
we're totally different. They did not come
rom England in search OF gold or South
Sea bubbles. 1t is true that they too
owed the mother country, and left ii only,
On compulslon. They doubtless lived. I'M
III they died. in the hope of a time when
hey might return In peace TO the home
IF their birth and live In loyalty to their
ightful sovereign. That time never came.
their sons became proud and cheerful
citizens of the colony. Blu. they were Of
/ different class from the early settlers.
md had Witnessed scenes in old England
had stamped their thoughts with
)~eculiar Impressions that those who laft