The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-13

Z MAY slo, 1907.
relies that lie made critical research,
both In library and In field, and has
untattiied tle Foundations which wo
reverence to-day, und las Identified
the localities referred 70 IN tho history
or tho place With iii nccufaoy never
before approached. We THIS had tho
land secured, the Aea-wnll established,
and Interesting discoveries made, but
tic Church cohtinuhd In ruins, and the
a. u Y. A. was unable 70 I'D more
than put q shed over It's Foundations
To protect the unenrthed work. 1t was
| then That these noble women, whose
| splendid gift we are assembled today
to receive, cat1lu to the roscue OF that
spot, wliich. to them and us, was the
most sacred Oh the continent. II was
1T the suggestion of Mrs. Herbert a.
Cldburiic, tho president OF the National
Saciety OF Colonial Danes, that the at
| tentlon of that patriotic society was
called to tho ruins OF the church ut
Jamestown. It Is provided In the con-
sstitution Of, that society that It's OBJ
| iects shall be to ''colleut and preserve
manuscripts, traditions, relies ana mon-
umehts OF by-gone days, and TO pre-
serve and restore buildings connected
with The early history Of OUR country;
to dffusc llealthful and Intelligent III
formation concerning the past; to
create d. popular interest In our colon-
ial history: to Stimulate Il spirit OF
true patriotism and h genuine love Of
country. anu to Impress upon the
voting the sacred obligation OF honor
Ing the memory Of those American an
ccstors whose ability, vaior. sufferlngs
and achievements aro beyond Ill
praise"
With such purposes as these, what
cotild be more natural than that they
should devote their energies to the re-
| construction OF this ancient church,
and villa could have been more nppro-
pirate than that this suggestion Of Mrs.
Claiborne, Of Virginia, should have
| found a spontaneous response from
Massachusetts, and the following re-
| solution was offered at the meeting
Of the DANES In Washington, In May,
10O4
"Resolved. THAT 1t Is recommended
by the Massachusetts Society that a
permanent memorial be placed at
! clety OF the Colonial DIMES Of America.
to be completed at tho celebration In
1907
Position Of Jamestown.
The venerable Mrs. Richard S. Hale,
| OF Boston, supported this resolution In an
address replete with the finest feeling,
III WHICH, SIG Bdlu lIltil tIlc hS
Jamestown stood out pre-e1ninent; that
at one time 1t was believed that James
town was entirely abandoned, and that
Plymouth was the place; and that she
was ready to claim everything for Ply
mouth that anybody can claim. 1t was
thought that at Plymouth was tho first
organized government which was per-
manent In this country; but later re-
searches had shown that government
| never ceased in the Virginia Colony; and
| that, therefore, that Colony has by right,
and should have the credit. for being the
| first settlement which had an organized
government which began the country
1 which is our country now.
/ The first States to send in contribu-
1 tlons for this building were Kentucky and
| Michigan, and, altogether, over thirty
stntes have contributed to the recon-
struction Of the church. Tho design
| which was adopted was taken mainly
from the old church at Smithfleld, which
was built just about the time that the
first brick church was constructed here.
AS a guide for rebuilding this church.
the details OF the plan Of that church
wero worked out largely by Mr.. S. II.
Yonge. who also spent six weeks In, Eng
land studying church architecture, there.
| and who made q plan for the recon-
/ struction Of Of the church, but later his
| professional and official duties became
/ such that he could not carry 1t on and
the work was taken UP as labor Of
love by Mr.. Edmund NJ. Wheewright.
of Boston, who came to Richmond, visited
Jamestown and smlthfield, and made the
final and complete drawings, from which
this present church was built.
| We must all lament that Mrs. Hale is
not with US to-day to see the accom-
plishment Of her wishes: but three days
| after her generous apostrophe to James
| town she was taken to her last rest, and
/ the work which she SO nobly and patri-
otically began was assumed by Mrs. Bar
rett Wendell, also of Massachusetts
The great pains and precision with
/ which this work of erection has been ac-
complished is a sure evidence OF the
deep feeling with which the pious women
have executed their self-imposed task.
AS reported by Mrs Barrett Wendell. the
committee felt great responsibility in
undertaking this task. and In addition
to the great ability they had al
ready secured they invoked the adj
4 vice CT Mr. Glenn Brown, of the
National Institute OF Architects. The
greatest care was taken to restore In
every detail and particular the building
as It is believed to have been when origi-
nally constructed in $780, Even the old
glazed header bricks which we see
were gotten with great labor and OK
pensc from the Oldest co,oni al buildings In
this PENINSULA and brought here In bar
rels, to add to the perfection OF this
reconstructed church. | recito these de-
tails because they indicate the pious and
refined sentiments. as we'll as the force
and diligence. with which this work has
i been done.
Gratitude to Danes.
A 1t was understood and agreed by all
parties to this beautiful work that the
church when restored should be preserved
| and maintained for tho sacred purposes
4 for which it was originally built. All
feelings Of UNCONVENTIONAL or sectarln1
differences were merged In the one ex-
! allied thought that no sentiment OF DIFF
i ference should obtrude In the presence
Of this sacred and serene precinct. AS
+ the church had been originally founded