s time, settlers did
begin to drift in to this section of the James River basin. In 1619 it
appears that Captain William Pierce patented 650 acres in this quarter.
Pierce had been in Virginia since 1610 and in 1617 was well established
being Captain of the Guard at Jamestown where he had "the fairest
[house] in all Virginia." Now, however, he removed to his new holding
where, before March, 1622, he built another home and established his
residence.

Another prominent patentee at Mulberry Island was John Rolfe who had
"land on Mulberry Island Virginia" before March 10, 1621. He and "some
others," including William Pierce, obtained 1,700 acres by patent and
proceeded to "plant" it. His chief residence at the time was in Bermuda
Hundred and it is doubtful that he resided here. He had, it might be
mentioned, in 1620, married Jane the daughter of Captain William Pierce
and he appears to have lost his life in the Indian massacre.

It is not known how many others "planted," or lived, here at this time.
Evidently it was not sufficient to send a representative to the Assembly
in 1619. Whatever growth it enjoyed was checked by the Indian massacre
in 1622. It is recorded that Thomas Pierce, probably a son of William,
his wife and child, two men and "a French boy," were killed at Thomas'
house "over against Mulberry Island." The resettlement of the area after
the massacre was delayed. No persons are listed from this locality in
1624 nor were there representatives in the Assembly of the same year.
Within a year, however, the picture had changed.

The census of January, 1625 lists thirty persons, twenty-five males and
five women, at "Mulburie Island." Not much else is listed in the muster
except the arms of the settlement. The twenty-two suits of armor, the
thirty-seven "fixed pieces" and the forty-two swords would indicate
that protection was uppermost in the plans. There were several distinct
musters including those of Anthony Baram and Thomas Harwood, yet the
largest was that of Captain William Pierce. Although not in residence
himself, he had thirteen servants at Mulberry Island. Except for
Pierce's, there were no other servants save one of Thomas Harwood.

MARTIN'S HUNDRED (44)

This was one of the earliest of the "particular" plantations and had a
larger and more vigorous life than most. It has been said that this
might be listed as the leading, or model, Hundred in the Colony. It was
one organized and promoted by a group