A Pictorial Booklet On Early Jamestown Commodities And Industries - free ebook by J. Paul Hudson

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A Pictorial Booklet On Early Jamestown Commodities And Industries

J. Paul Hudson

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A Pictorial Booklet

A Pictorial Booklet

On Early Jamestown Commodities And Industries By J. PAUL HUDSON Jamestown, Virginia Illustrated by Sidney E. King VIRGINIA 350TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION CORPORATION WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA 1957 COPYRIGHT©, 1957 BY J. PAUL HUDSON, JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA Jamestown 350th Anniversary Historical Booklet Number 23...

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INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

In the pages which follow only a few of many goods and commodities made, collected, or grown at or near Jamestown during the seventeenth century will be discussed. No pretense is made to do more than touch lightly on the ones mentioned most frequently by the early settlers. With the exception of tobacco, grape vines, and herbs, agricultural products are omitted. Jamestown has never received proper recognition as the place where many American industries were born in the New World. Few people are

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BOATBUILDING

BOATBUILDING

On April 27 1607, the day after the Jamestown colonists landed at Cape Henry, some of the settlers began to build or assemble a small boat. George Percy, one of the original colonists, reported that it was completed and launched on April 28. It appears, therefore, that 350 years ago—on the sandy beach near Cape Henry—the Jamestown bound colonists made their first important commodity by hand in the New World. Contemporary records reveal that many small boats were built at Jamestown from the earli

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TIMBERING

TIMBERING

Timbering was one of the first activities undertaken by the Jamestown colonists and was one of the first English industries in America. The day the settlers arrived they began cutting down trees, for timber was needed to build their fort and town as well as to export to the mother country. Thomas Studley, a member of the first colony, reported that clapboards were made for loading on the ships which were to return to England: Now falleth every man to worke, the Councell contrive the fort, the re

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BARRELS AND CASKS

BARRELS AND CASKS

(COOPERING) As early as 1607 barrel staves were made at Jamestown for exporting to England. Later, when tobacco and other crops were grown successfully—and a few commodities were produced in Virginia for export—barrels, casks, and other wooden containers were made by the cooper in large numbers. John Lewes was the first cooper to reach Jamestown, arriving in January, 1608. Others followed him throughout the seventeenth century; and for almost a hundred years their craft was an important one in t

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POTASH AND SOAP-ASHES

POTASH AND SOAP-ASHES

Soap-ashes and potash were among the first commodities produced by the English in America. Potash was made from soap-ashes (wood ashes, especially those obtained from burning ash and elm) and was used at Jamestown for making both soap and glass. Soap-ashes were exported to England as early as 1608, and throughout the remainder of the century it appears that both potash and soap-ashes were shipped to the mother country, As early as 1621 soap-ashes were selling for six shillings to eight shillings

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PITCH AND TAR

PITCH AND TAR

Pitch and tar—used by shipbuilders from time immemorial for caulking and covering seams of vessels—were made at Jamestown as early as 1608. After the second supply ships reached Jamestown in October, 1608, one of the settlers wrote: No sooner were we landed, but the President dispersed [as] many as were able, some for glasse, others for pitch, tarre, and sope ashes. A month later trials of pitch and tar were carried to England by Captain Christopher Newport, as reported by Thomas Studley, one of

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IRON

IRON

It is possible that small amounts of iron were smelted at Jamestown in earth ovens or Catalan-type furnaces during the early years of the colony. In 1955 archeologists unearthed a circular-shaped pit which contained charcoal, burned oyster shell, iron ore, pieces of smelted iron, and slag. It is known that some iron was made in earth ovens in England during the early years of the seventeenth century, where iron was smelted in holes dug in the ground. The fires were fed with logs and charcoal, an

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A JAMESTOWN BLACKSMITH SHOP

A JAMESTOWN BLACKSMITH SHOP

A blacksmith, James Read by name, was a member of the first group of colonists who planted the Jamestown settlement in 1607. Perhaps he helped forge the small chisels which Captain John Smith mentioned (writing of the month of September, 1607): As yet we have no houses to cover us, our tents were rotten, and our cabbins worse than nought: our best commoditie was iron which we made into little chissels. Many small chisels have been unearthed at Jamestown, and one may wonder whether any were made

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GLASSMAKING

GLASSMAKING

Glass was made at Jamestown in 1608-1609, and again in 1621-1624, its manufacture being one of the first English industries in the New World. Among the colonists who reached Jamestown in October, 1608, were "eight Dutchmen and Poles," some of whom were glassmakers. When Captain Christopher Newport sailed for England a few weeks later he carried with him "tryals of pitch, tarre, glasse, frankincense, sope ashes; with that clapboard and waynscot that could be provided." It is not known what kinds

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FURS AND HIDES

FURS AND HIDES

Shortly after the Jamestown colony was planted the English adventurers explored the rivers and bays in the vicinity of the settlement, visited many Indian villages, and traded colorful articles to the natives in exchange for foods, furs, and other commodities. The first exploring party left Jamestown a week after the establishment of the colony. Twenty-four of the settlers sailed up the James River as far as the falls, a distance of about ninety miles. At Arahatteak (near present-day Richmond) t

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BUILDING

BUILDING

The day the colonists landed at Jamestown, May 14 1607, they began building a triangular-shaped fort ("a pallizado of planckes and strong posts, foure foote deepe in the ground, of yong oakes, walnuts, &amp;c."), "a setled streete of houses," a church, a guardhouse, and a storehouse. It is apparent that all men familiar with tools and building skills were extremely busy during the first few weeks, especially the four carpenters in the group (William Laxon, Edward Pising, Thomas Emry, and Rob

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TOBACCO

TOBACCO

When Jamestown was established in 1607 the Indians living in Tidewater Virginia were smoking a leaf from the native tobacco plant, Nicotiana rustica . It was a bitter tasting leaf of rather poor quality, and never cultivated on a large scale by the early planters. About 1611, seeds of a West Indies tobacco plant, Nicotiana tabacum , were introduced into Virginia. A year later John Rolfe experimented with the seeds from the West Indies plant, together with tobacco seeds from South America. The ex

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WINE

WINE

During the early years of the Jamestown settlement the Virginia Company of London encouraged many agricultural pursuits, including the planting and cultivation of grape vines and the making of wine. The reasons seemed to have been twofold: first, to make money for the Virginia Company, whose stock-holders had invested much capital in the new colony; and secondly, to insure the mother country a steady flow of inexpensive wine—which was impossible as long as continental merchants charged exorbitan

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SILK

SILK

During the early years of the seventeenth century England was paying exorbitant prices for silk. Most of it was purchased from the Mediterranean countries—France, Italy, and Spain. Some was imported from the Near East, and small amounts from the Orient were bought from Dutch sea captains. As extremely high prices were being paid for the precious cloth, the Virginia Company decided to experiment with silk culture in the new colony. Silk was made at Jamestown during the seventeenth century, but th

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POTTERY

POTTERY

There is definite evidence that pottery was made at Jamestown over 300 years ago. A kiln site was uncovered in 1955, and nearby were found overfired pots, misshaped vessels, and mis-glazed pieces—undoubtedly from the "waster" pile. Also found near the kiln site were two complete pots, and hundreds of fragments from local-made vessels which were used in the colony between 1625 and 1650—indisputable evidence that crude, utilitarian, lead-glazed earthenware was made at Jamestown during the seventee

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METALWORKING

METALWORKING

As early as 1608 two goldsmiths—William Johnson and Richard Belfield—emigrated to Jamestown. With them were two refiners and a jeweler. Although John Smith wrote that these artisans "never had occasion to exercise their craft," it is possible that they made a few small objects of silver, pewter, and latten metal (a brass-like alloy). In spite of the fact that few specimens of silver and pewter were found at Jamestown, seventeenth century records and inventories indicate that many Virginia famili

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FISHING

FISHING

When the first settlers planted their small colony at Jamestown the tidewater rivers and bays teemed with many kinds of fish and seafood. Varieties which soon appeared on the colonists' tables included sheepshead, shad, sturgeon, herring, sole, white salmon, bass, flounder, pike, bream, perch, rock, and drum; as well as oysters, crabs, and mussels. The day after the colonists reached Virginia, April 27 1607, George Percy observed that the oysters were large and tasty: We came to a place where th

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BREWING

BREWING

One seventeenth century building unearthed at Jamestown appears to have been used as a place where beer, ale, brandy, and other alcoholic beverages were made. Nearby were found pieces of lead, which may have been part of a lead cistern which held barley, and inside the building were three brick ovens, which may have been used for drying malt. A handle from a copper kettle was discovered near one of the ovens, and pieces of copper and lead pipes were recovered not far from the building. Historica

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HERBS AND MEDICINAL PLANTS

HERBS AND MEDICINAL PLANTS

Among commodities which the early Jamestown settlers searched for were herbs and medicinal plants. It is possible that Thomas Wotton and Will Wilkinson, surgeons with the first colony, were the first members of the English medical profession to collect and experiment with New World plants. The few colonists who wrote of their travels in Virginia frequently made mention of the herbs and native plants. George Percy related that five days after the settlers had planted their colony at Jamestown, Ma

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FURNITURE

FURNITURE

Virginia in the seventeenth century was a woodsman's paradise, and there is every reason to believe that most of the furniture used in Jamestown houses was made by colonial cabinetmakers. In the forests grew magnificent specimens of oak, walnut, pine, cypress, cedar, maple, and many other varieties; and although contemporary records are scanty, it is believed that the "James Citty" furniture makers made skillful use of such woods. William Strachey, who reached Jamestown in 1610, wrote that the c

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The Box-Maker and Vehicles

The Box-Maker and Vehicles

The Box-Maker 1, smootheth hewen-Boards 2, with a Plain 3, upon a Work-board 4, he maketh them very smooth with a little plain 5, he boareth them thorow with an Augre 6, carveth them with a Knife 7, fasteneth them together with Glew, and Cramp-Irons 8, and maketh Tables 9, Boards 10, Chests 11, &amp;c. The Turner 12, sitting over the treddle 13, turneth with a throw 14, upon a Turners-bench 15, Bowls 16, Tops 17, Puppets 18, and such like Turners work. Courtesy Folger Shakespeare Library, Wa

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Spinning

Spinning

Line and Hemp, being rated in water, and dried again 1, are braked with a wooden Brake 2, where the Shives 3, fall down, then they are heckled with an Iron Heckle 4, where the Tow 5, is parted from it. Flax is tied to a Distaff 6, by the Spinster 7, which with her left hand pulleth out the Thred 8, and with her righte hand turneth a Wheel 9, or a Spindle 10, upon which is a Wharl 11. The Spool receiveth the Thred 13, which is drawn thence upon a Yarn-windle; 14, hence either Clewes 15, are wound

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Bread-Baking

Bread-Baking

The Baker 1, sifteth the Meal in a Rindge 2, and putteth it into the Kneading-trough 3. Then he powreth water to it, and maketh Dough 4, and kneadeth it with a wooden slice 5. Then he maketh Loaves 6, Cakes 7, Cimnels 8, Rolls 9. &amp;c. Afterwards he setteth them on a Peel 10, and putteth them thorow ye Oven-mouth 12, into the Oven 11. But first he pulleth out the fire, and the coals with a Coal-rake 13, which he layeth on a heap underneath 14. And thus is Bread baked, having the Crust with

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"Harvesting" Ice

"Harvesting" Ice

Research on painting by author. Photo courtesy National Park Service. "Harvesting" Ice At Jamestown About 1640 Conjectural Painting Although not a commodity in the strict sense of the word, an icehouse was indispensable in preserving certain products. Archeological explorations at Jamestown revealed that icehouses were built on the island over 300 years ago. Ice was "harvested" during the winter months, and often remained in storage as late as September or October. It was used for cooling bottle

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A Happy Home In Jamestown

A Happy Home In Jamestown

Research on painting by author. Photo courtesy National Park Service. A Happy Home In Jamestown Conjectural Painting The early Jamestown settlers were self-sufficient to a large degree when they arrived in the New World, and so they remained. Cut off from communication with the mother country for long periods of time, they had to rely upon their own resources. If they needed a thing they usually had to make it with their own hands or do without. These homemade objects—including cloth, pottery, t

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SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bailey, Worth. "Joseph Copeland, Seventeenth Century Pewterer." Antiques , April, 1938. 188-190. ----"Lime preparation at Jamestown in the Seventeenth Century." William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine , 2nd series. January, 1938. 1-12. Bruce, Philip Alexander. Economic History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century. New York, 1935. 2 vols. Forman, Henry Chandlee. Jamestown and St. Mary's: Buried Cities of Romance . Baltimore, 1938. Harrington, J. C. Glassmaking at Jamestown. Richm

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