Part 4

In the early days of the colony after tobacco had become a commodity for export, ships moored at the wharves of the plantations along the James, York and Rappahannock rivers and their estuaries. As trade increased, larger ships were used which anchored in the channels of the rivers, and the tobacco and other exports were carried to them by small boats--shallops, sloops, and barges. The government complained that it was losing revenue by this individualistic and unorganized shipping of the planters, and steps were taken to correct this. In 1633, it was enacted by the General Assembly that all goods entering in any vessel--ship, bark or brig, should discharge at Jamestown. This Act applied to the colonists in their exports as well, but the law was disregarded.

In 1680, places were selected in the different counties that had the advantage of accessibility and deep water where ships could gather to receive and discharge their cargoes. The establishment of these trading towns, as they were called, was by an Act as follows:

The General Assembly having taken into consideration the great necessity, usefulness and advantages of cohabitation ... and considering the building of storehouses for the reception of all merchandizes imported, and receiving and laying ready all tobacco for exportation and sale ... that there be in every respective county fifty acres of land purchased by each county and laid out for a town and storehouses....

The price of the fifty acres of land was set at 10,000 pounds of tobacco and casks. Lots of one-half acre were to be sold to individuals by a stated time at the price of one hundred pounds of tobacco. Twenty places were named in the counties where trading towns were to be established:

Henrico, at Varina. Charles City, at Flower de Hundred opposite Swinyards. Surry, at Smith's fort. James City, at James City. Isle of Wight, at Pate's Field, Pagan creek. Nansemond, at Huff's point. Warwick, at the mouth of Deep creek. Elizabeth City, west side of Hampton river. Lower Norfolk, on Nicholas Wise's land. York, on Mr. Reed's land. New Kent, at the Brick House. Gloucester, at Tindal's point. Middlesex, west side of Wormley's creek. Rappahannock, at Hobb's hole. Stafford, at Peace point. Westmoreland, at Nomini. Accomack, at Onancock. Northampton, north side of King's creek. Lancaster, north side of Corotomond creek. Northumberland, at Chickacone creek.

The towns were building up. Warehouses, churches, and prisons were erected in many of them, as well as private dwellings. An occasional court house could be found where legal proceedings were enacted. In 1691, however, an Act of the General Assembly changed many of the trading towns to ports, but was suspended later until the pleasure of the King and Queen on the subject should be learned. No definite action was taken until 1705, when Queen Anne, who ascended the throne in 1702, expressed approval. Then an Act for ports of entry and clearance was passed to be in use from the 25th of December, 1708. This Act provided that naval officers and collectors at the ports should charge Virginia owners of vessels no more than half of the fees required for the services of entering and clearing. The sixteen towns to become ports were named as follows:

Hampton. Norfolk. Nansemond. James City. Powhatan (Flower de Hundred). Yorktown. Queensborough, at Blackwater. Delaware, at West Point. Queenstown, at Corrotoman. Urbanna, at Middlesex. Tappahannock, at Hobb's hole. New Castle, at Wicomico. Kingsdale, at Yohocomoco. Marlborough, at Potomac creek. Northampton, at King's creek. Onancock.

The names of some of the trading towns were changed when they became ports, and soon became important and well-known throughout the country. Hampton, known first by the Indian name Kecoughtan (spelled in various ways) was settled in 1610. Although the name had been changed to Elizabeth City by the Company in May, 1620, upon the petition of the colonists, the old Indian name was still in use occasionally in the 18th century. In papers relating to the administration of Governor Nicholson is a list of vessels about to sail from "Keccowtan" in July 1705, sixty-seven sail of merchant ships bound for various ports of Great Britain. The names Kecoughtan, Elizabeth City, Lower James, and even Southampton were used interchangeably, and shown on records of the colony, until the Act of 1705, named the port Hampton. In British colonial records of 1700, we find Hampton Town, Elizabeth City and Keccowtan used in the same chapter.

F. C. Huntley in his _Seaborne Trade in Virginia in Mid-Eighteenth Century_, published in the _Virginia Magazine of History_, vol. 59, makes the statement that in the 18th century, Port Hampton handled the largest amount of shipping of all the Virginia ports, judging from the total tonnage of vessels entering and clearing as given in the records of the Naval Officers. He uses 1752, as a normal trade year of which he gives interesting statistics. He states that the tonnages that entered and cleared the Port Hampton naval office were distributed among five different types of rigging. Cleared: 64 sloops, 46 schooners, 16 ships, 20 brigs, 10 snows. Entered: 59 sloops, 40 schooners, 40 ships, 18 brigs, 12 snows. Of these a goodly portion were built in Virginia.

After taking part in laying the dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina, William Byrd II wrote on March 28, 1728:

Norfolk has most the air of a town of any in Virginia. There were more than 20 brigantines and sloops riding at the wharves and ofttimes they have more. It has all the advantages of a situation requisite for trade and navigation. There is a secure harbor for a goodly number of ships of any burthen. The town is so near the sea that a vessel can sail in and out in a few hours. Their trade is chiefly to the West Indies whither they export abundance of beef, pork, flour and lumber.

In the _Journal_ of Lord Adam Gordon, Colonel of the 66th Regiment of Foot, stationed at the West Indies from 1763 to 1775, is extracted the following: "Norfolk hath a depth of water for a 40-gun ship or more, and conveniences of every kind for heaving down and fitting out large vessels; also a very fine ropewalk. There is a passage boat from Hampton to Norfolk and from York to Gloucester." In the third quarter of the 18th century, Norfolk became the principal seaport of Virginia.

Yorktown was founded on land patented about 1635 by Nicholas Martiau, a Walloon who had come to Virginia in the summer of 1620. His grandson, Benjamin Read, sold fifty acres to the colony in 1691, and here Yorktown as a port built the first custom house, not only in Virginia, but in the country. A two-story brick building, erected about 1715, by Richard Ambler, who occupied the building as collector of customs for Yorktown in 1720. It became a port of entry for New York, Philadelphia and other northern cities, the importance of which was destroyed by the Revolutionary War. York County was one of the eight original shires in 1634, under the name, Charles river, changed in 1643 to York. The old custom house is still standing and is used as a museum for colonial and revolutionary relics.

The location of Alexandria on a large circular bay in the Potomac river soon gave that town great importance as a port and shipyard. For generations, tobacco and grain were shipped from there, and imports of many kinds brought in. Master shipbuilders turned out vessels manned, owned and operated by Alexandrians. From her ropewalk came the rope to hoist the sails made in her sail lofts. On May 19, 1760, George Washington went to Alexandria to see Col. Littledale's ship launched. He tells of another launching he attended there on October 6, 1768, when he "stayd up all night to a ball."

The two creeks flowing from near Williamsburg to York river on one side and the James on the other, played an important part in early colonial history. From York river sloops, schooners, barges and all manner of flat-bottomed craft sailed up Queen's creek to Queen Mary's port with its Capitol Landing within a mile of Williamsburg. The same kind of watercraft sailed from James river up College creek to Queen Anne's port with its College Landing near the city. Cargoes of mahogany, lignum vitae, lemons, rum, sugar and ivory were discharged. Received in return were tobacco, grain, flour and other commodities. Vessels on Queen's creek were required to pass through the custom house at Yorktown after that office had been established.

Because of a general complaint by masters of ships that there were neither pilots nor beacons to guide them in Virginia waters, the General Assembly appointed Captain William Oewin chief pilot of James river in March, 1661, to be paid five pounds sterling for the pilotage of all ships above eighty tons if he be employed, and if not employed due to the presence of the ship's pilot who guided the vessel, he received forty shillings. The pilot was required to maintain good and sufficient beacons at all necessary places, and toward this expense, the master of every vessel that anchored within Point Comfort, having or not having a pilot, was required to pay thirty shillings. Later the pilot or the company to which he belonged was required to keep one pilot boat of 18 foot keel at least, rigged and provided for use at all times.

EARLY FERRIES IN VIRGINIA

During the first quarter of the seventeenth century, the settler in Virginia used any kind of craft he possessed to cross the streams that separated him from his neighbor or for transacting business. Canoes, flatboats, scows, even sailing boats were pressed into service. These he propelled himself until he acquired a slave or two. Communication was aided by bridges across the smaller streams, and when horses became available, by crossing the rivers at the fords whenever possible.

The steady increase of settlers, however, created a demand for public transportation across creeks and rivers at the most travelled points. One of the first public ferries on record was started as a private enterprise in 1636, by Adam Thoroughgood. A skiff was rowed by slaves across the waters of Lower Norfolk, between what are now the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth. In a few months the demand for transportation became so strong that the ferry was taken over by the county, increased to three hand-powered vessels and supported by a levy of six pounds of tobacco on each taxable person in the county.

A second early ferry was that of Henry Hawley in 1640, when he was granted a patent by the court to keep a ferry at the mouth of the Southampton River in Kequoton, now Hampton, for the use of the inhabitants and other passengers during his natural life, not exacting above one penny for ferriage according to the offer in his petition.

"For the more ease of travellers," it was enacted by the General Assembly in January 1642, that the country provide and maintain ferries and bridges and the levy for payment to the ferrymen be made by the commissioners where the ferry is kept. This Act, establishing ferries at public expense, was repealed later and the court of each county given power to establish a ferry, or ferries in the county where needed at the instance of individuals. The court had authority to appoint and license the ferry keeper, to require of him a bond of twenty pounds sterling payable to His Majesty as security for the constant use and well-keeping of the boats. It was the duty of the court to order and direct the boats and hands in use at the ferries.

To encourage men to engage in operating ferries, it was enacted in 1702 that all persons attending on ferryboats should be free from public and county levies and from such public services as musters, constables, clearing highways, impressment, etc., and should have their licenses without fee or paying a reward for obtaining them. And if the ferryman desired to maintain an ordinary (public inn) at the ferry, he should be permitted to do so without fee for the license, but should be required to give bond for security. No other person should be permitted to establish an ordinary within five miles of such a ferry keeper. A warning was issued that any person not a ferryman who for reward should set any person over the river where there was a ferry, except for going to church, should pay for every such offense five pounds sterling, one-half to go to the ferryman and one-half to the informer, the full amount to the ferryman should he be the informer.

The county court was authorized in 1705 to make an agreement with the keeper of the ferry to set over the county militia on muster days and to raise an allowance for this in the county levy. All public messages and expresses to the government were to be allowed to cross ferry free. The adjutant general with one servant and their horses were exempted in 1738 from any payment on any ferry in the colony. Ministers of the church were likewise exempt from paying ferriage.

Dugout canoes of the Indians were among the first ferries used in Virginia and when more space was needed, two canoes were lashed together and secured by means of heavy cross pieces. In the _Journal_ of Thomas Chalkley, a traveller in Virginia, he tells of a ferry crossing made at Yorktown in 1703: "We put our horses into two canoes tied together, and our horses stood with their fore feet in one and their hind feet in the other." Later, flatboats, scows, barges, and more carefully planked boats were put into use. Rope ferries were necessary wherever the current was swift, but used as little as possible on navigable rivers because of the obstruction to navigation.

The number of ferries in the colony increased steadily from year to year. At nearly every session of the General Assembly some law was enacted "for the good regulation of ferries." In 1705, the Assembly published a list of ferries with corresponding rates of ferriage that crossed the James, York, and Rappahannock Rivers and their branches. The ferries but not the rates are given herewith as follows:

Ferries on JAMES RIVER and branches thereof--

Henrico county at Varina.

Bermuda hundred to City Point.

Charles City county at Westover.

Appomattox river near Col. Byrd's store.

Prince George County at Coggan's point, and Maycocks.

Powhatan town to the Swineherd landing.

Surry county, Hog island to Archer's Hope.

Sicamore landing by Windmill point to the widow Jones's landing at Wyanoke.

Mouth of the Upper Chipoake's creek over to the Row, or Martin's Brandon.

Swan's point to James Town.

Crouche's creek to James Town.

James City county at James Town to Swan's point.

James Town to Crouche's creek.

Williamsburg, Princess Ann port to Hog island.

Chickahominy, at usual place on each side of river.

John Goddale's to Williams's neck, or Drummond's neck.

Nansemond county, Coiefield's point to Robert Peale's near Sleepy hole.

Elizabeth City county at Hampton Town from Town point to Brookes's point.

Hampton Town to Sewell's point.

Norfolk town to Sawyer's point or Lovet's plantation.

Ferries on YORK RIVER and branches--

New Kent county, Robert Peaseley's to Philip Williams's.

Brick House to West point.

Brick House to Graves's.

King William county, Spencer's over to the usual landing place.

Thomas Cranshaw to the usual landing place.

Philip Williams's to Peaseley's point.

West point to Brick House.

Abbot's landing over Mattaponi river.

West Point to Graves's.

York Town to Tindal's point (Gloucester Point). This ferry was in continual operation until 1952 when a fine new bridge was opened for travel across the York. The ferriage in 1705 was seven pence half penny for a man, fifteen pence for man and horse.

Queen Mary's port at Williamsburg to Claybank creek in Gloucester county.

Captain Matthews's to Capahosack.

Tindal's point to York town.

Capahosack to Matthews's landing or Scimmino creek.

Bailey's over the Peankatank.

King and Queen county, Graves's to West point.

Graves's to Brick house.

Burford's to old Talbot's.

Captain Walker's mill landing.

Middlesex county, over Peankatank at Turk's ferry.

Ferries on the RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER--

Middlesex county, Shelton's to Mottrom Wright's.

Brandon to Chowning's point.

Essex county, Daniel Henry's to William Pannell's.

Bowler's, at the usual place, to Sucket's point.

Tappahannock to Webley Pavies, or to Rappahannock creek.

Henry Long's to the usual place.

Richmond county, William Pannell's over the Rappahannock.

Sucket's point to Bowler's.

POTOMAC RIVER--

Stafford County, Col., William Fitzhugh's landing to Maryland.

EASTERN SHORE--

Port of Northampton to the port of York.

Port of Northampton to the port of Hampton.

Rates on these ferries were fixed by courts and varied according to distance. Across the Southampton River in Hampton the rate was one penny, while from the Port of Northampton to Hampton, the price was fifteen shillings for a man and thirty shillings for a man and horse.

In 1740, the ferry from Hampton to Norfolk was described as follows: "From the town of Southampton, across the mouth of the James River, to the borough of Norfolk and Nansemond town; from the borough of Norfolk and Nansemond town, across the mouth of the James river, to the town of Southampton." The fare for this trip for a man passing singly was seven shillings, six pence; for a man and horse, five shillings each.

By February 1743, the ferries across the Chesapeake Bay had been expanded, and were described as follows: "From York, Hampton and Norfolk towns, across the Bay to the land of Littleton Eyre on Hungar's river in Northampton County; from the land of Littleton Eyre on Hungar's river in Northampton County, across the Bay to York, Hampton and Norfolk." The rate for a man was twenty shillings, for a man and horse, fifteen shillings each.

In 1748, another list of ferries, published in Hening's _Statutes_, showed that the number had more than doubled since 1705. The Potomac river had added fourteen to the number given at that time. Two ferries had been established on Nottaway: "From Thomas Drew's land to Dr. Brown's, and from Bolton's ferry to Simmons' land." The ferries in addition to those of 1705 are the following:

JAMES RIVER and branches--

Land of Henry Batte in Henrico County, to the Glebe land at Varina.

Westover in Charles City county, to Maycox, or Coggins point, and from Maycox to Westover.

Kennon's to Maye's on Appomattox river, and from Maye's to Kennon's.

Joseph Wilkin's or John Hood's land in Prince George county, to John Minge's land in Wyanoke.

Hog-Island, in Surry county, to Higginson's landing on Col. Lewis Burwell's land.

Jamestown to Swan's Point.

Cowle's to Williams's.

Cowle's to Hamner's point.

Crawford's to Powder point.

Boiling's point in Henrico county, over Appomattox river.

City point to Shirley hundred, at the ship landing, and from the said landing to City Point.

Ship landing at Shirley to Bermuda hundred.

Bermuda hundred to City Point.

Hemp landing at the falls of James river, to Shocoe's, on the land of William Byrd, esq.

Land of Stephen Woodson, in the county of Goochland, to Manacon town.

Henry Cary's land, over the river, to the land of the said Cary.

Henry Batte's, in the county of Henrico, to Alexander Bollings, in the county of Prince George.

Land of Col. Richard Bland, in the county of Prince George, to the land of Mrs. Anderson, in the county of Charles City.

Land of William Pride called the store landing, in the county of Henrico, to Anthony's landing, in the county of Prince George.

Store landing over Persie's stile creek, to the land of Peter Baugh.

Warehouse landing at Warwick, to the land of Thomas Moseley.

Mulberry island point in the county of Warwick, to Cocket's in Isle of Wight, and from Cocket's to Mulberry island.

Land of Richard Mosby in Goochland county, to the land of Tarlton Fleming, opposite to Mosby's landing.

Land of Tucker Woodson, to the land of Paul Micheaux near the court house.

Land of Bennet Goode to the land of Col. John Fleming.

Land of James Fenly to the land of William Cabbell, cross the Fluvanna.

Charles Lynch's plantation in Albemarle county, on the Rivanna, cross the said river, to the land of Richard Meriwether.

Land of Mr. Benjamin Cocke, cross the said river, to the land of the said Benjamin Cocke.

Land of Ashford Hughes on the north side of James River, near the mouth of Willis Creek, cross the river to the land of Robert Carter, and from the said Carter's to the said Hughes's.

Land of Lemuel Riddick, adjoining the public wharf in Suffolk, cross Nansemond river, to Samuel Jordan's land.

Land of William Pride in the county of Herrico, on Appomattox river, above the narrow falls, to the land of the said Pride over the river, in Prince George county.

Land of William Cabbell, in Albemarle county, at the mouth of Swan's creek, over the Fluvanna, to the land of Samuel Spencer; or from the said Cabbell's, over Tye river, to his land opposite.

Additional ferries on the YORK RIVER--

Chamberlayne's to Williams's.

Brick House to Dudley's, or Dudley's to Brick House.

Webb's to Lyde's, formerly Spencer's, in King William county.

Temple landing, over Mattaponi river.

West Point to Dudley's, or Dudley's to West point.

Capahosic to Scimino.

Seaton's over Piankatank.

Frazier's to Broach's, and from Broach's to Frazier's.

Walker town to Waller's, or Waller's to Walker town.

Turk's ferry over Piankatank.

Robert King's over Pamunkey to Blackwell's, or from Blackwell's to King's.

Sweethall to Claiborne Gooch's, or from Claiborne Gooch's to Sweethall.

George Dabney's over Pamunkey river.

Taylor's in King William to Garland's in Hanover.

William Pulliam's in Hanover, to John Holliday's in Caroline.

Richard Littlepage's to Thomas Claiborne's land, over Pamunkey, and from Claiborne's to Littlepage's.

Todd's warehouse landing, in King and Queen, to the land of Robert Armistead Bird, in King William.

Ferries on the RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER--

Whiting's to Gilbert's.

Land of Thomas Ley to Robinson's, or from Robinson's to Ley's.

Byrd's to Williams', or Williams' to Byrd's.

Tappahannock town to Carter's, or to Rappahannock creek, on either side thereof.

Tankersley's over Rappahannock river, to the usual place.

Germanna over the Rapid Ann.

Ray's plantation to Skinker's.

Urbanna to Chetwood's.

Urbanna, from the ferry landing to Locust point, on the land of Ralph Wormley, esq.

Johnston's plantation in Spotsylvania, to Washington's in King George.

Taliaferro's plantation of the Mount, to the land of Joseph Berry.

Philemon Cavenaugh's ford.

Wharf above the mouth of Massaponax creek, to the opposite landing upon Mr. Ball's land.

Fredericksburg warehouse to the land of Anthony Strother, or from Strother's to Fredericksburg.

Roy's warehouse to Gibson's warehouse.

William Lowry's to the land of Benjamin Rust, or from Rust's to Lowry's.

Falmouth to the land of Francis Thornton, in Spotsylvania.

Hackley's land in King George to Corbin's in Caroline.

Lot of Joseph Morton, in Leeds town, to the lands of Mrs. Brooke.

Lower side of Parrot's creek to Teague's creek, on the land of Baldwin.

Matthews Smith, and from that creek to the lower side of Parrot's creek.

Ferries on the POTOMAC RIVER--

Col. William Fitzhugh's land at Boyd's hole, over to Maryland.

Hoe's to Cedar point.

Tripplet's land below the mouth of Quantico creek, over to Brooks's land.

Robert Lovell's in the county of Westmoreland, over to Maryland.

Land of William Russel on Sherendo, cross into the fork, or cross the main river.