Jamestown Sister Settlement Found

Feb. 1, 2007 — U.S. army archaeologists believe they have located a very early English settlement known as "Henrytowne," which they say historical accounts and artifacts suggest was contemporaneous with Jamestown — America’s first permanent English colony.

While Jamestown, founded in 1607, probably predates Henrytowne by at least a few years, the newly identified Virginia Beach Cape Henry site could have been home to one of the nation's earliest English colonies, indicated lead archaeologist Randy Amici.

He will present information about the site, located off Virginia’s Lynnhaven River, at the Middle Atlantic Archaeology Conference in March.

"From 1609-1610, Jamestown residents suffered what was called ‘the starving time,’" said Amici, who is based at Fort Eustis in southeast Virginia.

Only 60 out of 500 colonists survived this devastating period that, Amici explained, led Governor Earl De La Warr to call for the establishment of other satellite communities outside of Jamestown.

"He was exploring different ways to survive and to be profitable," Amici said. "Remember that the Virginia Company came here to make money and that was not happening to their satisfaction, especially since news of the famine led to a drop in investments from England."

He thinks Henrytowne must have been one of the earliest Jamestown satellite settlements.

Located 40 miles from Jamestown, the site was originally excavated prior to a housing development construction project in 1955. Scientists then found iron rods, iron tools, ceramic pipes used for smoking tobacco and pottery shards. These indicate the town had a blacksmith’s forge, a pottery kiln and possibly a store, according to the army scientists.

Amici recently conducted historical research and found references to an early 17th century town located at Cape Henry. One mention is in a 1613 letter authored by Lieutenant Governor Samuel Argall, who describes a fishing ship in the area that was to send its catch "to Henries Towne for the reliefe of such men as were there."

Amici also has seen existing earthwork for Apasus, a Chesepian Indian settlement at Virginia Beach located two miles from the proposed Henrytowne. Historical records suggest an English fortification was built near an abandoned Native American village, so Apasus might have been that village.

He pointed out that a map created by John White in 1587 shows Apasus, but that Apasus is missing on another primary early map, created some 20 years later by John Smith. Henrytowne also is not depicted, but he suggested residents there might have been breaking the law.

"There was a directive issued that colonists were not to mingle with the ‘naturals,’ meaning the Native Americans, but this must have been going on at the site," said Amici, who explained that Chesepian pipe stems were found around the Henrytowne area.

Martin Gallivan, a College of William and Mary anthropologist, told Discovery News that he was not familiar with the particulars of the possible Henrytowne site, but he has found substantial evidence for nearby Native American settlements, such as Chief Powhatan’s capital Werowocomoco. These suggest the Indians had far more sophisticated towns than previously thought.

A replica of Henrytowne is now being constructed three miles away from the Virginia Beach archaeological finds. It is scheduled to open before April 26, when the 400th anniversary of Jamestown will be celebrated.