The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1898-12-30
a VIRGINIA COLONY.
An InterestinE Pen-Ptcture OF Life
ON the Appomnttox EARLY I'm
the seventeenth Century.

been several times on the verge OF ruin,
the colony Of Virginia appeared, in the
beginning Of March, 1922, to have sur
mounted its difficulties, and to be In
fair way toward prosperity. In 1909
the number Of colonists had been re-
duced to go, and these were on the
| point of embarling for Newfoundland
| when Lord Delaware arrived with sup
| plies and more emigrants. In 1911
fresh arrivals, including large num-
ber Of women as well as men, raised
the number to 700, and the colony then
advanced rapidly in prosperity.
Friendly relations had been main
| tained with the Indians, this being due
chiefly to the marriage of John Rolfe
and Pocahontas, the daughter of Pow
hatan, the most powerful chief in Vir-
| ginia. The chief died in 1913 and was
succeeded by his younger brother
| The settlements of the colonists-were
scattered over wide extent of coun-
| try on both sides of the James river.
| The largest of these villages consisted
of wooden huts, raised, round a large
and substantial building, the abode of
Mr. Reginald Neville, who had been
one of the settlers that had come out
in 1907. He brought with him in craft
of 60 tons that he chartered for the
purpose Is farm laborers and their
wives, together with implements of
husbandry and store of commodities
likely to be pleasing to the natives.
Neville, a gentleman of much reso-
luton and energy, had emigrated in
consequence of quarrel that had taken
place between himself and one of the
Scotch noblemen who had come to Eng
land with James I. In spite OF the lack
of success that attended the previous
expeditions, he believed that there was
a great future for those who were early
in the field in the colony; and the fact
that those who had been taken out by
Grenville in 1885 had, after great hard
ships, been brought back to England
by Sir Francis Drake; that so taken out
the following year by Grenville all per-
ished, and that of 115 others left there
the following year no trace whatever
could be found in 1890, In no way shook
his belief in the future. Consequently
when he decided upon leaving England
he disposed of all his property and
Joined the little party who went out in
1907 under the auspices of the London
company.
1t was not long before he separated
himself from the others. They were
persons of very different rank and quail
ity, quarrels frequently sprung up
among them, and all would have per-
ished had not ole of their number,
John Smith, man of great energy, as
sumed the direction of their affairs
Reginald Neville saw at once that if
success was to be obtained it was only
to be found by separating himself en-
tirely from these people. And accord
ingly he journeyed with his own party
some so miles south of the James river
or, as it was then called, the Pow
hatan-and purchased from the chief
of that name tract of ground in ex-
change for the clothes, axes and other
articles he had brought out for that
purpose.
The plantation, called Cumberland
by its owner in remembrance of his
native country, stood within a mile or
two of the site now occupied by Cum
berland Courthouse, name familiar
to the world from its associations with
the civil war. The river near which it
stood, and which served as their high
way to jamestown, was the Appomat-
tox. Here he had lived undisturbed
and unmolested during the various
troubles between the colonists and the
Indians.
Mr.. Neyille's life at the little colony
that he had founded was a quiet and
peaceful one. The men he had brought
with him were all married; he had
picked his men judiciously, and none
of them had ever sought to leave him,
the troubles and misadventures of the |
main body of colonists plainly showing
them that they were far better off with |
their master than they would be were |
they to embark in affairs on their own
account
The government. of Reginald Neville |
was patriarchal in its character. Each |
couple had their own dwelling and a |
portion of ground that they could till
on their own account, having one days
liberty in each week for the purpose.
All were fed from a common store and
provided with all that was necessary.
He had brought with him several pigs
and some poultry; they had greatly in
creased in numbers. and now provided
no small portion of the meat for the
reneral consnmntinn. Game was album [