Discovery of burials at Jamestown

Question

Has anyone else seen this interesting article about the discovery of certain important burials at Jamestown? They have found four people buried under a church there: Rev. Robert Hunt, Capt. Gabriel Archer, Sir Ferdinando Wainman, and Capt. William West. Interesting read.

Note: "Jamestown" is a link, even if it's not underlined :(

Comments

The last few days in the news here, we are learning about studies on the remains of sailors lost at Pearl Harbor.  DNA and this new deep research is doing so much to rebuild, or fill in the blanks, of the past.  It is amazing.

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I believe this is one that took an hour of PBS-tv (Perhaps Secrets of the Dead, perhaps another show) that told of death, starvation and bad water as a Welcome to the Wild Americas. The Indians had given up on the settlers and this was well in advance or separate from The Mayflower. The adventuring settlers were buried one by one in a mass grave and one woman's bones showed signs of cannibalization. When people are desperate they do what they must but diseases carried in the remains were passed to the hungry.

Answer 1

First, let me say, that I am laughing at myself, at how exciting this news is.  Goosebumps!

 

 

 

Got me motivated to create a free space page http://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:Jamestown%2C_Virginia_Colony&public=1

 and also to make sure all four of these gents had profiles.  (Two did).

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hunt-5519

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Archer-1913

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/West-7563

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Wainman-19

Each of the above gents now have links to their very videos put out by Jamestown Rediscovery, and they also put up two videos on the silver box found with Capt Gabriel.

 

 

Also found this spectacular resource for Jamestown and other settlements such as Flowerdew Hundred, Charles City, Archer’s Hope, and Chaplin’s Choice. http://historicjamestowne.org/history/genealogy-records/ which I added to the Virginia Colony and Jamestown, Virginia Colony Genealogy Resource categories. 

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Virginia_Colony_Genealogy_Resources

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Jamestown%2C_Virginia_Colony%2C_Genealogy_Resources

For a very modest fee of $4.95 you can purchase the records that to quote their page:

"To help you research your family roots, the Jamestown Biographies Project has paired 20 years of archaeological findings with census, church, and tax records from both Virginia and Europe into one database. It includes detailed information about settlers who arrived during the first 18 years of the colony’s existence (1607- 1624). The records do vary, but for many settlers you can find out where they came from, where they settled in Virginia, what their occupation was, and who their parents and children were."

 

Now these four gents, the above project and genealogy resource pages can use some work, so please feel free to jump in and add information, images, documentation...they are still pretty bare bones...no pun intended!  LOL

Answer 2

I just saw it! What a great find! I am so excited about it. Going to be keeping a eye out for more information.  :)

Comments

I saw that. Truly exciting. I believe that it was in collaboration with the Smithsonian.

In another article this week, apparently archeologists have found the foundation for the original Presidio in San Francisco, California which (of course) was part of a chain of missions and presidios intended to secure California for Spain.

So, this very week, the study of (US) East Coast colonialism has been advanced as well as that of the (US) West Coast. "From sea to shining sea" as it were!

History buffs and genealogists, aren't we so lucky to be living in 2015 when technology can do so much in finding our roots?

Answer 3

I read it via Eastman's blog last night, very interesting stuff.  I thought it might make a good project for Wikitree for someone with more time than me.

Comments

Here's a starting point perhaps: http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Jamestown%2C_Virginia_Colony

 

And also, this could be a sub project of  http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:US_Southern_Colonies if anyone is interested in heading this up I can support with a member or leader heading this up.

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I am interested.  I added my name.

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Thank you so very much.  It would be great if we could get all of the original settlers set up, linked and sourced.  I know that spectacular site is getting at least $14.85 from me for my son's ancestors that came in 1623  LOL