-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Nancy D. Egloff
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2001 3:40 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: SHIPS TO JAMESTOWN 1607-1625




Dear Nancy D. Egloff & others:

Thanks to all who helped with the questions concerning ships to Virginia.  I
learned a lot.  Spent the last few days following through on the leads.

I found the JAMESTOWN NARRATIVES EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF THE VIRGINIA COLONY:
The First Decade: 1607-1617 - Edward Wright Haile at my library and it is a
great book.  I found I can buy it through Willow Bend Books for $35.00 +
p&h—in case anyone else is interested and your library, like mine, doesn’t
have it to take out on loan.

Nancy, I really appreciate your alerting me to Susan Hillier’s research on
ships to Virginia prior to 1630.  As Eric Grundset suggested, the Fairfax
County Library does have the microfiche in their Colonial Williamsburg
collection.  You said that what they have is just the appendix.  What is
included in the body of the work?

For others who may be interested in the contents of this source—for each
ship Susan Hillier gives the date of departure from England (when
known),date of arrival in Virginia (when known), name of the master and of
the captain (likewise) and any other data she had found concerning the
vessel. Everything is documented. There are just three fiche with perhaps 50
ships per fiche, so it isn't too laborious to study them, and they are most
enlightening.

Unfortunately, it proves that quite a number of the colonists didn’t know
the year they arrived!  However, it substantiates that some of the ships
came several different years—or twice in one year—so that one does not have
to wonder if the year was wrong in the transcribing.

I also found it interesting to be able to tell that some ships landed the
same day.  For instance, The “Starr”,  “Prosperous”, and the “Elizabeth” all
arrived 22 May 1611; the “Swan”, “Trial/Tryall”,  and  “Sara” all docked 30
Aug 1611.

Since several of the people on VA-Hist List agreed that there was probably a
ship “Hercules” which arrived in 1609 (as three of the colonists specified
they had come on Hercules in 1609), it was surprising to me to find that Ms.
Hillier’s list of ships did NOT include a Hercules in 1609.  All the people
who said they came in the “Hercules” in 1609 were living in Elizabeth
City—two of them were listed just seven households apart.  Perhaps they got
together and discussed it and decided it was 1609 when they came, but it was
really 1610?  Of course, records for the period are certainly not complete,
and it is also possible Susan could have missed the 1609 ship.  Yes, Nancy,
I would like to see Henry Moseley’s list.  I plan to visit you sometime.  Do
I need to make any appointment?

Netti

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