Jamestown: The First Permanent English Settlement in America

Founding of Jamestown

• Year: 1607
• Location: Jamestown, Virginia
• Significance: First permanent English settlement in the New World
• Established by: Virginia Company of London
• Purpose: To establish a colony, seek gold/commodities, and find a passage to the Orient
• Ships involved: Susan Constant, Godspeed, Discovery
• Initial Colonists: 104 men and boys

Early Struggles

• Harsh Conditions: Disease (dysentery, typhoid), saltwater poisoning, native attacks, internal conflict
• Leadership: Captain John Smith - imposed order, traded with Powhatan Confederacy
• "Starving Time": Winter of 1609-1610 reduced population to 60 survivors

Arrival of New Leadership

• June 1610: Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr arrives with supplies and settlers
• Notable Figures: Francis, John, Nathaniel West (kin), other English gentry

The Importance of the Church

• First Church: Built shortly after arrival
• Subsequent Church: Built by 1608 within the fort, used until 1616
• Purpose: Worship and burial of prominent figures

Archaeological Discoveries

• Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation: Initiated 1994 by Dr. William Kelso
• 2013-2014 Excavations: Discovery of four aligned graves in the 1608 church site
• Notable Findings:
  • Graves indicating high social status
  • Coffins with superior craftsmanship
  • Discovery of a military sash with silver threads

Identified Individuals

• Captain William West:
  • Arrived June 1610, kinsman of Governor Thomas West
  • Killed in 1610 or 1611, buried in church chancel
• Sir Ferdinando Wenman:
  • Governor’s first cousin, first English knight buried in America
  • Died of illness in 1610
• Reverend Robert Hunt:
  • First Anglican minister, died 1608
• Captain Gabriel Archer:
  • Early leader, critic of John Smith, died during starving time

Genetic Discoveries

• Ancient DNA Analysis:
  • Revealed shared mitochondrial DNA between West and Wenman
  • Suggested a maternal link not shown in historical records
• Historical Puzzle:
  • Suggested possible illegitimacy
  • DNA led to discovery of Captain William West being the illegitimate son of Elizabeth West
• Impact of Discovery:
  • First use of DNA to uncover illegitimacy in early colonial America

Conclusion

• Historical Relevance: DNA as a tool to unlock historical secrets
• Future Prospects: Potential for more discoveries in Jamestown and globally

Note: This lecture highlights the intersection of history and modern science in uncovering the past, emphasizing the importance of archaeological and genetic research in rewriting historical narratives.