The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-19
HISTORICAL.
JAMES CITY, VA.

odds and Ends of it's Early History.
 This was the imposing title given to the cluster of tents. log cabins and dugouts in which began American life and American citizenship. Curiously enough, although under the patronage of King James and a few great nobles, the settlement was largely an indus trial and cooperative experiment. The Virginia Company, which later became the London Company, was composed of adventures and planters; the former investing money in the enterprise and the latter usually becoming active set tiers under head rights which meant contract for future labor to pay their passage over. The adven- turers were largely of the merchant class and younger sons of the mo- bility and gentry who in that day learned trades and became mechanics. without loss of cash Such of the ad- venturers who came to James City in it's early days were mostly of this ty5e and had to bring a years provisions, ammunition and other supplies.
 Captain Smiths first action, as is well known. was to erect a tent and hold Divine service, consecrating the ground to England, their labor to the Virginia Company, and the future glory of the enterprise to King James, An entirely satisfactory arrangement, par ticularly to the Virginia Company. All had to work and all were dubbed ser wants" They were at once set to work on the palisades or wooden walls which were to surround the settlement and on the mounds to mount their guns and buildings to protect their supplies and ammunition. A community all "eat- ing from a common kettle" ("sciscos Plantation type of Colony'D Scisco does not say whether each man had his own horn spoon, but 1t is proba ble. There was no such thing as prlvate property in land; that belonged to the compa- ny, When an adventurer came over ne had the right to a certain amount of land. and was not called servant But that came later, Captain SMith's reign was strict and wise; a just and pious man who allowed no profanity The penalty for an oath was to have the offender stand erect and hold his arms above his head while some one poured water into his sleeves al the wrist9 The work was hard and un- usual; the hours were long. and some of the men would not work, although they ate; but the climate was mild, though warmer than England. the country was beautiful, the Indians friendly and interesting, and the men themselves naturally consenial. There We're no convicts among them and very few ln Virginia at any time. So life went very well in those days. One of their amusements was to play bowls They learned from the Indians to make flour from sunhower seed. and to cure fever with what is known as James, town (JimsonD weed Chinquapins and wild berries varied their diet, They had honey trees for "swe tncss," the woods were full of game and the music making mocking brd. and the long evenings were lighted by candles of myrtle wax. So James City, Vir- gina. grew in the years between 1607- 09 F. s. H.
 Crhis Is the first of a series of in teresting historical notes upon tho founding and settlement of Jamestown. It was crowded out of our space last week and for fear the D. A. k. read CTS did not see it where published will reprint, and continue in our next issues.)
 Stale HistOriaO