I'm a new member, a novelist of historical fiction, and I'm trying to find
some good resources on life in the very early Virginia Colony (1617-1625).
While my book is fiction, I'm trying to make it as accurate as possible.

If anyone's curious, this book was inspired by the first breech of promise
suit in VA, which was between Cecily Jordan (nee Reynolds), the widow of
Samuel Jordan of Jordan's Journey/Beggar's Bush, and Rev. Greville
(spelling varies) Pooley.  She ended up marrying William Farrar (of Farrar
Is.), and one of their sons was my ancestor.  (She was widowed a total of 4
times!)  Anyhow, that was only the starting point for the story, and from
that spark, the rest has been pure invention.

So far, my best source of information has been Ivor Noel Hume's book
*Martin's Hundred.*  Its detailed accounts of articles found found in the
dig there and about construction techniques have been very helpful, though
I did later have to go back and revise my portrayal of Jamestown based upon
the recent archeological evidence.

Any other resources about day-to-day life or materials, especially first-
hand accounts of living in and around Jamestown, would be wonderful.

In important events, I can't find details on the arrival of the shipful of
marriagable women to Jamestown, nor on the arrival of the first shipload
blacks from the West Indies to be sold (apparently) as indentured
servants.  And details (names of ships, sizes, dates of arrival, etc.)
would be excellent.

Also, what kind of trade between the West Indies and Europe was common at
this time?  What was the standard of living like there?  I know they
already had plantations and slaves, but that's it.  I've found references
to Bermuda and Hispaniola, but nothing specific.

What was New Town like in 1619?  Where was it in relation to Jamestown?
When was the governor's mansion first built there, and what was it made
of?  Where were court cases brought?  What would the building have looked
like?  What are resources for court proceedings in English civil law during
this time?


A very specific question:

When the local parson was a curcuit-rider, how were banns posted?  The rule
from the Book of Common Prayer clearly states 3 weeks in succession, but if
the parson wsn't the for three weeks in succession, how was this possible?

Were the banns only read once?  Were they read by another member of the
community on Sundays he wasn't present?  Could that be legal?

Also, was a marriage legal if the banns weren't posted, yet a clergyman
performed the ceremony anyway?

Thank you so much for your time!

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