CONTENTS:

FORWARD
I. THE DOMAIN OF VIRGINIA
II. THE PENINSULAS OF TIDEWATER VIRGINIA
III. THE INDIANS OF VIRGINIA
IV. THE LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE
V. THE FOUNDING OF AN ENGLISH NATION IN AMERICA
VI. CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH
VII. THE PLACE OF SMITH'S RESCUE 
VIII. VIRGINIA FIRMLY PLANTED
IX. OLD WILLIAMSBURG
X. MARRYING IN OLD VIRGINIA
XI. THE GROWTH OF VIRGINIA IN COLONIAL DAYS.
XII. OBSERVATIONS ON TIDEWATER PEOPLE
XIII. THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, 1776-1860
XIV. THE NEGRO SLAVE IN VIRGINIA
XV. SECESSION AND CIVIL WAR
XVI. THE NEGRO AND HIS FORMER MASTER
XVII. COUNTY COURTS IN TIDEWATER VIRGINIA
XVIII. COUNTRY ROADS IN TIDEWATER VIRGINIA
XIX. LANDS AND PRODUCTS 
XX. LIFE AND CUSTOMS
XXI. MISCELLANEOUS
APPEXNDIX - LIST OF GOVERNORS OF VIRGINIA WITH SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES



FOREWORD

When I am old and feeble,
And cannot work any more,
Then carry me back to Old Virginia,
To Old Virginia's shore.

This sentiment doubtless was most forcibly expressed in the year 1907, 
during which there was witnessed an international celebration of the first 
permanent settlement of the English speaking people upon the American 
continent.

In aid of this event the Congress of the United States passed an Act 
approved March 3, 1905, entitled "An Act to provide for celebrating the 
birth of the American Nation, the first permanent settlement of English 
speaking people on the Western hemisphere, by the holding of an 
international naval, marine and military celebration in the vicinity of 
Jamestown in the waters of Hampton Roads, in the State of Virginia, to 
provide for the suitable and permanent Commemoration of said event and to 
authorize an appropriation in aid thereof and for other purposes."

The Act authorized the President of the United States to make public 
proclamation of this celebration, "inviting foreign nations to participate 
by the sending of their naval and such representatives of their military 
organizations as may be proper."

The proclamation fixed the time of the beginning of the celebration on May 
13, and ending not later than November 1, 1907.

The purpose of this book is to give a brief history of the efforts of the 
English to establish permanent settlements in Virginia, and to follow with 
interesting stories of the life and customs of the people inhabiting 
particularly that part of Old Virginia, known as the "Tidewater" section 
where American civilization began its first struggles for existence amid 
the forests of a new world whose only occupants then were wild beasts and 
savage men.

It was the fortune of the writer to pass more than twenty five years of 
his life in Eastern Virginia, beginning at the close of that great 
struggle-the War between the States--when there yet existed many of the 
customs and manners inherited from the forefathers of the quiet and 
orderly people inhabiting that section. By means of official and social 
intercourse with all classes of the citizens of Tidewater Virginia the 
writer is indebted for much of the interesting and amusing data herein 
submitted to the reader.

The book also contains the names of all the counties with date of 
formation and a valuable appendix giving a list with short biographical 
sketches of all the governors of Virginia.

This volume is, therefore, intended as a reference book as well as for 
general reading. Many of the narratives may appear disconnected, but the 
author wishes it understood that his purpose has been not to give a 
connected history but to present those facts of Virginia relating 
especially to the life and customs which are fast disappearing and of 
which there has been no chronicler.