ND HUNDRED (6)

In February, 1619, the Virginia Company granted the authority to
establish a "particular plantation" in Virginia to a group composed of
Richard Berkeley, Sir William Throckmorton, Sir George Yeardley, George
Thorpe and John Smyth of Nibley. The initial move toward settlement
appears to have been made in the following summer when a ship, the
_Margaret_, was fitted out and dispatched with emigrants and supplies.
The 35, whose names are known, reached Virginia and on November 30,
Ferdinando Yate, one of the group who chronicled the voyage, reported
that "in the evening god bethanked we came to anker at Necketan
[Kecoughtan] in a good harbore."

It was a little later that the site of the settlement was selected on
the north side of the James. Reputed to contain 8,000 acres and 12-1/2
square miles, it was above Westover and "more towards West and Sherley
Hundred, and towards Charles Citty." Yeardley elected to describe it
thus to emphasize that it did not conflict with any claims of the Wests
at Westover. Yate concluded his journal relating "we are well settled in
good land by the means of the Governor of this cuntrie." He noted, too,
that "our house is built with a stoore convenient." "The people were
then following daiely husbantrie, sum to clering ground for corn and
tobacko, sum to building houses, sum to plant vines and mulberie trees."

A number of the papers concerned with the initial establishment of
Berkeley Hundred survive and at least give an insight into what was
intended. The undertaking was expected to reflect "to the honor of
allmighty god, the inlargeinge of Christian religion and to the
augmentation and renowne of the generall plantation in that cuntry, and
the particular good and profit of ourselves, men and servants, as wee
hope." There was a very special instruction, perhaps, of some unusual
note: "wee ordaine that the day of our ships arrivall at the place
assigned for plantation in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and
perputualy keept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty god." Was
this the first specific Thanksgiving Day in America?

Capt. John Woodleefe was named, and sent, as governor or commander of
the new plantation. He, a man of some years of experience in Virginia
affairs, was cautioned to keep his and Berkeley Hundred affairs separate
and not to seat his own people "unles full ten English miles from ..."
Berkeley. Specific orders were given him relative to building ho