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Please note that the meeting will be at 7:00 P. M. at the Surry County Va. Recreation Center. Our speakers will be: Mrs. Romaine Howell and Frank Jones. These two elder citizens of Surry County have absorbed not only the Surry County history they have seen, but have a remarkable memory of
information passed on from earlier generations. Few if any have as much insight
to our past. As an example, Frank Jones was there and remembers when the
pre-Revolutionary Old Tavern at Surry Courthouse burned in 1926. Do not miss
this opportunity to hear them relate their remembrances of times past.
The changing of the seasons in Surry County has been observed by European and African eyes for nearly four centuries. As I look over the river bank of the James River, I see a very similar landscape that colonists and Indians saw at the rise of the seventeenth century. The white-blossomed shad plants have already bloomed and our state tree, the dogwood, is ready to show its beautiful flowers. My father, Willis W. Bohannan, wrote similar thoughts fifty years ago when he was observing the advent of spring from his summer home overlooking the James River and Crouches Creek. As he looked at the James from its high banks he addressed how fortunate we are in Surry County. One can see a panorama of our country's first hundred years. From 1607 to 1700, the center of the Royal Colony of Virginia was on the James River. There were riverfront plantations on the James from Newport News westward to the fall line of the James at present-day Richmond. For much of the first half of the 17th century, Surry was part of the Jamestown Colony. The Surry side of the James was a food basket of the early colonists of Virginia. Pigs were kept at Hog Island and several early farmers grew crops for the Jamestown settlement. When Surry became a separate shire (county) in 1652, the people of Surry began to concentrate on events south of the James. Meanwhile, James City County looked northward to Middle Plantation, which gradually became the center of government in the colony. By 1700 the new capital of the colony was moved from Jamestown to Williamsburg. The new hub of government was on higher ground and less swampy. No longer could the colonists of Surry see their colonial capital. In 2007, the
Surry side of the Jamestown Colony will celebrate its 400th anniversary. Most
of the publicity will be centering around Jamestown Island and Williamsburg. It
has always been that way. Surry County does not get the same recognition as the
north side of the James. This may be a good thing. Surry County is one of the
last exclusively rural counties. The slow pace of our county is one of the
gifts its citizens have in this increasingly fast-paced modern world. We can
easily visit the modern world in Norfolk, Richmond, and Williamsburg. People
from Surry are blessed because they can return to the tranquility of their
home.
Our nominating committee, consisting of members- Kathy Thompson, Chair, Bess Richardson, Hannah Bohannan, Dorothy Grubbs and Faye Grandison present the following slate of officers and board members to serve the next two years. Officers can serve 2 two-year terms, except the treasurer who can serve unlimited terms.
The following members have been nominated to serve a three-year term as board members. Board members can serve two consecutive three-year terms, and then are ineligible to serve for one term. Our bylaws specify this rule to insure a rotating board.
Nominations from the floor may be made for all officers and board members.
by Jim Atkins This is believed to be the last surviving grist mill in Surry County. Its pond, approximately 300 acres, is certainly the largest. Located on the headwaters of Otterdam Swamp in the western part of the county, it has not been used for many years. The history of the Otterdam Swamp is secure.
During the Civil War, Confederate scouts, many from Surry, camping on the edge of the swamp, bedeviled the Union Forces from around Hopewell to Petersburg, Va. They served as the ears and eyes of the Confederate Army. They would slip out of the swamp and visit what is now Hopewell and observe the Union Army forces.
Information from them, passed on to Confederate forces in the Petersburg area, allowed the Beefsteak Raid, in which approximately 3000 cattle were stolen from the Union Forces east of Hopewell, Va. and taken through Surry and Sussex County along Cabin Point Road, crossing the Otterdam and Blackwater Swamps, to behind the Confederate lines in Petersburg Va. The Confederate Army ate very well for a short time. Gilmer's Civil War maps of Surry County show the mill as Johnson's Mill. Col. Gilmer was the Chief Engineer of the Confederacy, and it was his job to map the south for use by the Southern Army. Thankfully, three maps show Surry County. The originals are owned by the Virginia Historical Society and copies are available (at considerable cost). The road west from the mill crossed the Blackwater Swamp on Johnson's Bridge, long abandoned. Mill names can be confusing. Some denote the place (Spring Hill), some the owner, (Burgess) and some were known by the name of the miller. Surry County had many grist mills in its early history. So necessary were these mills that laws allowed the owner of one side of a stream or swamp to petition the county to allow him to secure the entire swamp or stream and two acres on the other side to build a pond and mill, if it was needed. Mill ponds and mills were built throughout the county. Avery's Mill pond was perhaps the largest and deepest in Surry County. Though surviving, it has not operated for many decades.
As a child I remember my father taking grain to another mill, Spring Hill on a Swamp in the edge of Sussex County. These mills clunked, groaned and squeaked as they ground meal and flour slowly between two large stones, one rotating and the other still. The miller got a percentage of the flour or meal ground instead of money. Of course he also bought or raised grain, which he ground and sold to non-farmers. While the grain was being ground I fished in the flood gate hole behind the mill. Small bream were numerous, and I loved visits to the mill.
Member Shirley Cockes owns part of Avery's Mill Pond. She contributes the following information. Dixon Cockes' grandmother, Ora Vaughan Cockes, took corn to the mill during the 1940's or 1950's. She would take a picnic lunch to eat beside the pond while her corn was being ground. Elbert O. Cockes bought his share of the property from Dr. John Williams of Petersburg in the early 1960's. The other two owners were John and Clem Sharp from Hopewell, and I believe that Dr. Williams was their uncle. I was led to believe, and I have no reason to doubt it, that at one time Dr. Williams owned most of the surrounding land that is now owned by various timber companies. In 1999 during the hurricane season that brought us "Dennis" one week and " Floyd" the next, the water level in the 300-acre pond rose to approximately 15-18 inches above the top of the dam. The dam suffered a 90-foot plus breach causing almost 300 acres of water, as deep as 25 feet to go rushing down the Otterdam Swamp. The best analogy of the effect would be flushing a huge john. Since then it has been rebuilt and the pond is full of water. Hopefully, improvements will prevent another breach. However, Mother Nature will control this. The log cabin was built by "Uncle John" Clem in 1927, according to a date on the fireplace. This was his vacation place. It has been expanded since then. The mill, pond and surrounding property, including the road across the dam, are private property and should be respected. JEA.
Recommended Reading from a Society Member For summer vacation, long winter evenings, or general enlightenment, consider reading Paul Johnson's A History of the American People. A national bestseller when it was published in 1998, his narrative of the history of the development of our great nation offers a rare opportunity to witness 400 years of American
history and to reflect on what tremendous lessons it holds for us as Americans and "the rest of mankind." Henry A. Kissinger wrote about the book, "Paul Johnson's A History of the American People is as majestic in its scope as the country it celebrates. His theme is the men and women, prominent and unknown, whose energy, vision, courage and confidence shaped a great nation. It is a compelling antidote to those who regard the future with
pessimism." I fully concur.
Transcribed by Dennis Ray Hudgins
To the Honorable the Speakers and other Members of the General Assembly of Virginia, the petition of sundry Inhabitants of the parish of Southwark, in the County of Surry respectfully represents - That there is a quantity of valuable plate belonging to the several Churches in the sd. parish the greater part, if not the whole, of which, (as your petitioners are informed) became the property of the Churches, by private donation. That ever since the dissolution of the Vestry this plate has been in the custody of private individuals, and for many years past, has never been used in the Churches at all; for although a Minister of the Gospel has been regularly inducted into the parish who still occupies the Glebe, yet he has long since ceased to preach in the Churches, assigning as a reason for such failure, that he did not receive an adequate compensation for his services, which your petitioners have no doubt was the fact. Your petitioners beg leave farther to represent to your resonable body that in some instances, the persons who originally had the care of the Church plate have died - and though they have no reason to believe that any of it has hitherto been embezzled or lost, yet they are confident that such must be the inevitable consequences of the frequent change of possession, which death, removal and other circumstances will produce. Your petitioners humbly conclude that since this property is no longer applied to the purposes for which it was designed by the donors that since, in deed, it has been lying entirely useless for many years, and, for the reasons above mentioned, is liable to be lost and wasted - it would be for the interest of all concerned that it should be sold for the benefit of the parish - Your petitioners therefore pray that your honorable body will pass a law authorising the sale of the Church plate in the parish of Southwark and directing the proceeds thereof to be applied to the use of the poor of the sd. parish in such manner and under such regulations, as to your honorable body shall appear proper - And your petitioners will pray & [signatures are]
Surry Pet. To Propt. Decemr.
12th 1809
(reasonable) reported
by David Burrell. I remember during my childhood in Washington, D.C., eagerly awaiting those trips to the family farm in Surry County, VA. My father, James P. Burrell, believed it was important for his sons to spend time down in the "country" to visit relatives. Before we even arrived at our farm, we would squeeze in the first visits. Because there were so many cousins, every hour had to be scheduled to make as many stops as possible. It seemed like everyone was related even if my father didn't know how. We went from one end of the county to the other listening to him talk about each set of families and what it was like for him to visit in the summer. When we pulled into Salisbury Road. near Savedge he beamed because these families were known as "good livers". While they were not wealthy they had a reputation for having more than most "colored" families in the county. This was where my great-grandmother, Lubertia Flowers Burrell, spent her childhood before marrying my great-grandfather, Pleasant Burrell and moving to Elberon, VA. No matter how muddy that road was after a rain, this was family, so through the mud we went. Years later after watching Alex Haley's Roots, I was hooked and ready to begin my African journey! I had a million questions to ask my father. The first ones were about slavery and plantations. What plantation did our ancestors in Surry come from? What African traditions did they hand down like Kunta Kinte? How come our older cousins never talked about slave life? Were there big family celebrations around Salisbury Road and Spring Grove after they were freed? My father would look at me puzzled and remarked that his people never said anything about being slaves. As far as he knew they were always free people. Well, that didn't make sense. All of my Black relatives from Surry and I couldn't get one slave story! I quietly wondered what happened? That's when I received documents from an older cousin, Clayton Flowers, on who these people where. The early census takers listed them as mulatto while locally they were known as the "mixed people". Today many would be called tri-racial, however some of those mulattos based on oral traditions may actually have been Indian or Indian-white and their descendants are still here. Salisbury Road today crosses Rt. 40 right above Savedge, VA. However, years ago it only went east and after a few miles became a path. The road runs along the north side of the Johnchecohunk Swamp and a few miles south of the Cypress Swamp. While some of the farms actually existed on the road, others existed on the network of paths that ran all through the woods between the swamps. Some of these small farms were called "patch farms". Also built on the main road was the Salisbury School during the mid 1800s. The former home of Edwin Flowers later became The Salisbury Hunt Club and the wives formed the auxiliary, The Salisbury Road Garden Club. Surry County had one of the largest populations of free mulattos during the colonial period in Virginia. Some even served in the Revolutionary War. The DAR (The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution) Library lists one of my ancestors, Jesse Peters, for military service in support of the American Revolution. Also born in this part of Surry and listed for service were mulattos Drury Walden (moved to NC), Charles Charity (moved to Cumberland Co. VA) and Samuel Stewart. Surry County also had Indian servants who suffered along with those listed as mulatto or Negro in the few surviving records documenting ethnic backgrounds of slaves. Historians have estimated that based on Surry County Tithables 1677 to 1703, Indians represented about 4% of the slave population. Therefore, all of the Indians in Surry were not extinct by the mid 1600s. One example from Surry County court records 1740-1745 list Robin as a negro man in one entry [160]. Then by entry [308] Robin is listed as an Indian son of Indian Sarah. Another example listed in the Virginia Gazette 3 Dec. 1772, "Committed to the Jail of Surry County, a Negro Man who says his name is Tom ... appears to be of the Indan Breed". Also terms Indian "Malatto", white Indian and dark mulatto can be found in Surry County records providing proof of the triracial ancestry within the population that existed. An uncertainty on the racial classification of these people by census takers and later attempts to remove any traces of Indian ancestry resulted in certain families being listed as mulatto. It is also believed that some Indian and Indian- mixed families as a survival tactic adopted the surnames and customs of the surrounding settlers and quietly passed as mulatto or white to remain safely in Surry. Due to the success of keeping that hidden, many of the descendants of these families have no idea of possible Indian ancestry in their families. That is until they start doing genealogy or a more surprising DNA testing. Many of the free mulatto families that lived along modern day Salisbury Road and its connecting paths have been identified by early census records. They had the surnames Flowers, Stewart/Steward, Slade, Roberts, Bailey, Howell, Artis, Doll, Debereau/Debricks/Debrix, Walden, Andrews, Canada/Cannaday, Charity, Mason, Ellis, Elliott, Cypress, Bradby, Banks,etc. Also allied families from surrounding areas were, James, Ruff, Blizzard, Scott, Slade, Clark, Clayton, Drew, Gilchrist, Clayton, Chavis, Peters, Valentine, Johns, Stephens, Savedge, Barham, Holmes, Byrd, Wooden,Wooten, Byrd/Bird and Taylor. The ancestors of these families according to oral or written history are believed to have been Indian-European, African-Indian or true mulatto mixture of African and European. The Surry County records show members of this group intermarrying so often, thus becoming a tri-racial clan where everyone is eventually related after a few generations. Mixed families tended to select spouses from other mixed families during and following the colonial period. While some of the senior descendants interviewed were told first hand of their history, others were forbidden to discuss past family history entirely. However, as descendants and historians of these families it is important to examine the entire community as tri-racial to discover any hidden Indian connections. This requires one to work like a detective, which Surry has no short supply of when it come to genealogy. The main challenge with sorting out these mixed families is the documentation. There are few records that survive that document all of these families because it is believed many remained quiet, hidden and away from trouble. One family that is documented is the Cypress family. Early county records show their ancestor Judith Cypress listed as an Indian in 1732. Records also indicate that one of her sons, William Cypress, married Rebecca Walden, (later listed as a mulatto) in 1785. Her children and grandchildren by choosing mulatto spouses became a part of that community and eventually were listed as Black. Those whose children and grandchildren continued to marry white spouses may have become apart of that community after a few generations. Therefore they were more likely listed by their complexion as anything but Indian. This is commonly referred to as "paper genocide". Many possible Indian and mixed Indian families migrating to or originating in Surry are believed to have merged into the large mulatto community as stated earlier. After Bacon's Rebellion it wasn't safe to be Indian, therefore after a few generations many eventually lost most of their Indian culture. Therefore, seeing a mulatto designation in colonial records does not always mean a person of mixed-race background; it could be an Indian. That makes the documentation and oral history of these families in Surry County very challenging but fascinating. Therefore as the old saying goes, "You must learn to see with the third eye and hear with the third ear". That's not easy! Since there is little documentation to help sort out the original groups that formed this tri-racial community, their descendants have used other methods. These include photos, oral tradition and DNA testing. Many of our elders today simply do not trust outsiders with their family history. Therefore, it is important for family members to help preserve and share those old photos and family documents that have secretly been put away. The photos and family histories donated to the Surry County Historical Society help to preserve the legacies and inspire younger descendants like myself. Another unwritten source is oral traditions handed down through the elders. I have had the most wonderful time interviewing senior relatives with sharp memories such as Daisy Butler Johnson, Clarence Mason and Clayton Flowers on Salisbury Road families. It was Clayton Flowers who provided me with the oral tradition (untold secrets) of Indian ancestry of the Blizzard and Flowers families. According to Clayton, his father handed down the story of Lucinda Blizzard Ruff born 1815 and reared by her mother Betsy Blizzard and stepfather James Ruff. Lucinda's father was said to have been an Indian. Lucinda was living in her father's Indian clayhouse, back from Salisbury Road, when she married James Burt Flowers in 1841. Some interesting facts on that house were that it was not brick, but a tile-like sun hardened clay house shaped more like a teepee than a cabin. Clayton's father remembered as a child going over to the remains of the house looking up toward the sky through a hole at the top. That hole was an outlet for smoke. One of James and Lucinda Flowers's daughters, Molly, married Mondoza Bailey, the son of Eldridge and Nancy (Debricks) Bailey. The Bailey family, also listed as mulatto, is also believed to have Indian ancestry by way of Weyanoke and Nottaway connections. So what is one scientific way of getting proof of this? Someone has to take a DNA test. My cousin and fellow historian, Gwen Wooden-Austin, a descendant of Salisbury Road area families on both of her parent's sides, took the test. When the DNA test results came back, it showed 34% traits of Native American ancestry. The next step is to determine which families have possible Indian ancestry and the specific tribes. This will be the biggest challenge due to limited resources. The cooperation of exiting tribes for common surname and migration patterns in most cases is almost impossible. Their tribal rolls and oral traditions are closely guarded from outsiders. However, it is important to remember that members of one tri-racial group often migrate from one mixed community to another. Surname patterns may be another clue to those mulatto families with an oral history connecting them with common surnames of nearby tribes. Some examples of mulatto families found in Surry County records during the colonial period with possible tribal links that require investigating are:
Other examples of mulatto families in Surry that have an oral tradition or documentation are Cypress, Peters, Gilchrist, Ellis, Flowers, Johns, Artis, James and Mason. One thing noticeable is that many of these "people of color" during the colonial period migrated into Surry from counties north of the James River including New Kent, Charles City, James City and York. That is where more research needs to be done on these families to possible establish tribal ancestry. In the future, I hope many more descendants of Surry County's mixed-race families will come forth and share their hidden Indian ancestry. However, we as members of the Surry County Virginia Historical Society, should encourage and support research that may uncover an entire history of the county not completely documented by county records. No one should be afraid to share their family history due to fear or ridicule. This is the same history that people like Walter A. Plecker, former registrar of the Bureau of Vital Statistics, spent years trying to erase in the state records from 1912 to 1946 by forcing Indians to be classified as Black. Hopefully more historians will start to research possible Indian connections within the records at the Surry County courthouse or other records of Chippokes Plantation, Richmond and nearby counties. I recently met a cousin, Chief Greg "Two Hawks" Stephenson, of the Virginia Eastern Band Cherokee Indians. He is also a descendant of Surry families and a valuable source on Indian culture. I have learned to accept of all my ancestry and possible mixtures of African, European or Native American. That's why I am eagerly awaiting the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian here in Washington D.C. in September. I've always
believed that Surry County, Virginia was one of the most interesting counties
to research because of all the history waiting to be uncovered. All I ever
wanted to know was who my ancestors were and why so much of their history is a
mystery. It is sad that it has taken so long for the history of these families
to be examined. Maybe it wasn't the right time? Well its time for someone to
come out and say it in writing. So here I go. I believe all the Indians did not
leave Surry and some are still here. They're just blending in as they had to
over the last three hundred years, quietly hidden within the bloodlines of some
Surry families, including the ones who lived along Salisbury Road.
Wilcox - Ramey family visits On April 13, 2004, eight descendants of three generations of Wilcox-Rameys from Charlotte, N. C. visited Carsley. Their ancestors lived there from approximately 1867 through 1904 and owned land in Carsley through 1945. They toured the Wilcox-Atkins- Sheffield home where their ancestors lived, and one was born, and saw a piece of Wilcox furniture. They visited Carsley Methodist Church, where they were members. They toured Ramey's Store, owned by their ancestor, John N. Ramey, and Rogers Store Museum, operated by their kinfolk, Watt Rogers. They visited the Susie Bishop farm and the Ramey-Wilcox farm near Spring Hill. (All kinfolk) By all
indications they thoroughly enjoyed their return to their Surry roots. It was
the first visit for the younger generation. They expect to return soon.
The Society is pleased to announce that we have received an ever-increasing amount of genealogical information on Surry Families. It now consumes over 25 cubic feet of file space. Most of this information is now filed and indexed. Don't Stop! Keep It Coming! The Society plans to purchase two additional horizontal legal size filing cabinets to enable us to organize our ever increasing information. We also expect that the two rooms in the Old Jail used for storage by Surry County will soon be emptied and made available to the Society. They are sorely needed. We are completely out of space. Also authorized by our board is the purchase of a new computer and Internet access at our office. This will allow us to directly access information from around the world. Eve Gregory will continue to manage our Web Site. She is doing a wonderful job. The Web Site has brought many new members to the Society. Check it out. Shirley Cockes has given Rogers' Store Museum an old National Cash Register, old barrel, and other items. We thank you. Kathy Thompson and Bess Richardson are to be commended for their faithful work in organizing our nearly overwhelming files of historical and genealogical information. Fay Savedge has researched and answered many genealogical requests for information. We
thank you.
This book presents a most important part of Surry County history that has been largely ignored. It was our largest village and port. It was most important in the Revolutionary War. It covers over three centuries beginning in 1643. It is published by Pearl Line Press. Mrs. Barbara G. Hopper, the daughter of Rebecca Frances Gwaltney and the late R. Ashton Gwaltney, was born and reared in Surry County. She was married to the late Laurie Pennington Hopper and is the mother of Patsy E. Rush and Thomas P. Hopper. Her roots go deep into Surry County history with lineage reaching back to early Jamestown. Always interested in history, she felt the need to preserve the stories of her husband's family as well as those of the other early residents of Cabin Point. Mrs. Hopper is a graduate of Surry County Public Schools. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BS in Elementary Education and a Master's degree in English Composition. Mrs. Hopper is currently employed as an English teacher at Surry County High School. Mrs. Hopper is very active in the Surry County Historical Society where she has served as secretary and is a member of the Executive Board.
The book will be on sale with a signing at our May meeting. Cost will be $20.00, which includes the sales tax. Checks are to be made payable to Barbara G. Hopper. If you want to order this book by mail, send $20.00 + $3.85 for shipping and handling for each book to
Make checks to Barbara Hopper. Include your name and complete mailing address.
Keep your membership up to date. Check the renewal date on your Newsletter mailing label. For example, 5-04 means you are paid up through May 2004. We are offering several books. Check them out!
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