The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-05-18
Especial Reformer Correspondence

WILLIAMSBURG ' d., MAY ~
jamestown. williamsburg and York
town of this sacred peninsula hold prior
rights in Revolutionary struggles, sad
memories and traditions which super
abundantly testify to the answering
faith of the fathers who gave inspiring
birth to American patriotism between
the ancient rivers of the York and
James. In 1923 Gov. Wyatt ran a pale
between the rivers, and nine years later
DIR. John Pott received a patent for
/ 300 acres of land. Between the two
rivers on ridge was Middle Plantation.
Among the early settlers We're Sir Fran
els Wyatt and Henry Tyler, ancestor of
President Tyler. and Col John Page,
founder of the distinguished Page family.
Middle Plantation was included in
parish called Bruton and an act of the
assembly (1693) proposed site for
the free school and college" of William
and Mary. Five years later (169S) the
place was newly called Williamsburg,
with an area of 2S3 acres. The main
street was named Duke of Gloucester
street, in honor of Queen Anne's eldest
son. and the general assembly met that
wear 170J) for the first time. n pow
der magazine was erected by Gov. Spots
wood and is still conspicuous in its
bright red brick and vine-clad attire. y
large copper-faced granite marker stands
upon the site of Americas first state
capitol building with 152 distinguished
names in raised letters of the member
ship of the house of burgesses, including
five Signers of the declaration, and 1t
was here that Patrick Henry first kin
died the flames of revolution by his
speech against the stamp act, May %
80, 1868. Here Dabney Carr, March
| II 1873. offered and the convention of
luton to appoint a committee to CORE
spond with similar committees IN the
other colonies the first step toward a
union of states.
William and Mary college is the alma
mater of all the early American states
men, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe,
John Tyler. John j. Crittenden, Beverly
and John Randolph Tucker being on its
roll of fame This ancient and reyered
institution was fired by drunken soldiers
during the street fighting, as the armies
moved Richmond-ward after the fierce
Northumberland battle, two miles
below Williamsburg. in early May, 1862.
There is present student body of $50.
and many distinguished lecturers
are frequently there, Judge Alton
B. Parker being a recent visitor. \ half
+ century ago l was stationed as a regis
tering officer at Williamsburg and am
contrasting its present trim appearance,
E
artesian well water from 300 feet below,
electric lights and yelvety lawns of deep
green, with the uneven milelong Glouces-
ter street, implanted and war-scarred
buildings, but the multitude of then
pleasant acquaintance have left sad
vacancies.
In July. 1871, Lord CORVALLIS crossed
the James river at Old jamestown, %
/ years later $3.50 there was only single
/ residence theTe-the Manor house OF
/ John Amber, William and Mary faculty
and students celebrated in the ancient
+ borough Il few years ago-and ex-Presi-
dent John Tyler addressed 5000 people
on Jamestowns 250th anniversary. The
/ preservation of Virginia antiquities was
] made possible by the gift of % l-2 acres
Of land by Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Barney
and the government has erected u sub
stantial sea wall and conspicuous mofiu-
/ ment costing $4,000. The national as
ISOLATION of colonial DANES donated the
/ Memorial church in 1907 for additional
/ preservation of sacred Virginia antiqui-
! ties.
Yorktown's land was first patented
/ in 1921 by Captain Nicholas Marian.
/ a French WallOOn; 80 acres were sold
/ in 1851 for 4 town. The seat of York
county was moved from Halfway House
1 TO Yorktown in 1893. In 1907 the town
/ enjoyed an extensive trade with the
! West Indies; eight years later 1T15)
{ the UFSG united states custom mousse was
built at Yorktown; CORVALLIS surren-
dered Oct. 10, 1881, and the indepen-
4 dence of the colonies accomplished. Gen
/ eral Mcclellan made Yorktown his base
| in the Peninsula campaign. The cen
/ tennial anniversary of CORVALLIS 5 sur
render was observed and the corner
| stone was used as naval base by the
government. Its population is Just three
souls greater than 30 years ago.
A word may be said of the sister city
Of Petersburg, so long the narrow street
city or slow growth and prosperity. The
World war close stopped the manu-
facture of munitions at HopeweH and
abolished Camp Lee Pessimists ma
turally predicted that reaction would
produce a slump as used TO strike west
eu mining and oil towns; but on the
contrary Petersburg has undertaken a
milhon-dollar Improvement program
including bridge over the AppomattoX
two new school buildings and modern
market Certainly the sleepy city OF
Gen. William Malone is straight upon
the rally line.
When Lady Astor (nee Nancy Lang
horne) in the great Waldorf Astoria ball
room, Joined in singing the magical re
frain, Carry me back to Old Virginy,
Memory s slender fingers touched the
souls of a million sentimental Virgin