The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-11
covered Viii several feet Of eartl, and

covered ,yitli several feet Of earth and
large trees grew above them,
Within the thicker foundations VIII be
noticed two fragments OF wall only nine
inches thick These narrow walls nrc
based on round cobblestones, and could
havc borne nothing but a fratnc SUPER
structure. There Is. good reason TO be-
lieVo tint these little fragments Of Wnll
nre parts Of the church h,iit shortly
before 1919, ia which tho first Virginia
Legislature assembled In that year. No
more interesting bits of brlclt exist IN
America than these relics Of tic building
Iii which legislation by the people Of tho
Western, World began.
First Brick Church.
Tho massive tlireo-foot foundations, with
their buttresses md tiled cllancei nre the
remains Of tho first Brick church built
4 In 1890 ~. Tho church was burnt by Bn-&
relics or the ilrc which were found In ex-
cuvatng) md rebuilt not long afterwards.
4 It Is not believed that the thick walls
were materially injured BY the ire. At
some unknown period early IN tho eigf-
tecnth century, the church wns q! aha ndon ned
ind gradually Disappeared. The entire
nron Of the church IS full Of graves, and
seine Of them contained spUrs, gold lace
and other evidences Of distinction IN
dress. s
After tho fragments OF the earlier
Church wall tho most interesting thing
III the ruins d tomb In front Of tho chan
Gel, which once bore inlaid brassos (re-
moved at some unknown time). This Is
the only example Of such q tomb IN Amer
lea 10 many the channels III tho stone
seem to show n pointed helmet, una otilerl
conventional indications Of knghtlood,
ana II his been plnusibly conJcctured that.
the tomb was In memory OF Governor 81
George year dlcy, who died at jamestown
In 1871. i,
Back OF the church Is tho graveyard
with number Of interesting OLD toi'los'
many of which have been In fragments,
but have now been restored as tar Us
possiblc. Caught In tho side OF Grcaut
sycamore Is part Of the tomb OF MIS-
Sarah (Iarrison) Blair, wife Of James
blair, the founder Of William and Mary
COLLEGE. on the other side OF tho tree Is
tho bnse OF Dr.. Blalrs tomb. AS MS
eptaph is known 1t IS intended to re
store the slab. Other tombs which may
bo mentioned are those OF members VI
the Ludwell family ancestors Of Richard
Henry and Francis I4ghtfoot Lee, the.
signers of the Dccaration), Of Lady
Frances Berkeley "a frngmenD, Of Mrs.
Elizabeth Drummond, dnughter-in-la"
Of William Drummond of Bncon's lse-
bcllion fa!no (rccently removed from
"Greenspring'), and Of William shcr-
wood, whose epitaph, as his Will sdirecteu,
states that he was Il great sinner.
Historic Foundations.
Leaving the church the visitor should
70 back up the river passing again
through the Confederate fort and cross
Ing the open space to the next ridge,
which has been long marked by an Oh
pcnr tree and an ancient brlckcd well.
Here, surrounded by wire fence, nc
VIII find the most extensive group OF
foundations which remains. They extend
from the river eastward for distance
OF two hundred and forty feet. The house
at the inshore end Of the row ut Is d..
vided into two sections by partition
walD was the Statehouso, built about l6o6,
and burnt by Bacon In 1916 IN front
of this Statchouse and most probably
on the side towards tho Confederate fort
took place the famous interview between
Bacon and Berkeley and around the
building gathered Bacon's musketeers' 4
demanding commission for their leader.
The Identification of this building. which
Is complete. and the excavation ana
preservation Of the remains are due to
Mr.. Yonge. 81
This statehouse was rebuilt on the
same foundations but was finally de-
stroyed by fire In 1868. and with 1t end
cd the history of old jamestown.
Returning TO the boat the visitor may
pausc again In the Confederate fort and
examine moro carefully this relic Of the
Lost Cause,'' which was erected In 1861,
under the orders Of General r. e. Lee
It Is most fitting that an era which was
SO momentous to Virginia and to the
whole country. should have such u me-
mortal at the birthplace Of the nation