Saturday 2 October 2010

Donalds in America HQ

From all the letters we have and all the advertisements in the Virginia Gazette - we know that Page's Warehouse or Hanover Town was at the centre of Donald operations before the War.

Robert Donald wrote to Washington:

"My first acquaintance with your Excellency was at our mutual Wesley friend Governor Dinwiddies on your return from the Ohio in I think 1751 or 2 and next day I had the honour of your company to my residence at Pages in Hanover County, and was afterwards often in your company at Williamsburg"

and Alexander wrote to Jefferson:

“I am free to say, that when we used to pass some jovial days together at Hanover Town, I did not then imagine, that at this time you would be in Paris, Ambassador to the Court of Versailles. Some People in your High Character would be very apt to forget their old acquaintance, but you are not, and I must be allowed to do myself the justice to declare, I never entertained an Idea that you would."


Awful toad once more, but never mind that. And again - Alexander to Jefferson:

"He ships very little from this place, or Pages (where you and myself have passed some happy days)."

So it has always been a big deal to find the place. At one stage it lost out by only one vote to becoming the state city of Virginia to Richmond - but then it fell into obscurity. Basically the river silted up - and the reason it silted up is because all the fields were cultivated for tobacco which meant all the soil washed off the fields when it rained. So Page's growth was based on tobacco and then died because of tobacco. The fact that General Cornwallis burnt it to the ground in 1781 and there was another Civil War battle there didn't help - but today, nothing is said to remain.

So off I went to try and find it. The first thing I located was this at the end of a drive:


Not sure if that is legible - but it reads: 

Hanover Town
Grant's Crossing
A once thriving village which in 1781 by a small vote missed being capital of Virginia. Here on May 27, 1864 the Federal Army under Lt General Grant crossed the Pamunkey in Its movement from the wilderness to the James. Here also crossed Sheridan and Dahlgren. 

Once again, haven't come all this way, so drove down the drive and came to a farmhouse. This was the home of Joyce Rice and I asked her permission to walk down to the river, explaining who I was etc and she very kindly said I could. 

Again, not sure if this sign is legible, but it reads: 

Hanover Town
Site of the Old Forte Matuxon
Dismantled in 1676 by Major John Page
Page's Warehouse, port of entry and export established by Matthew Page long prior to 1734. Competed with Richmond for Capital of Virginia. 

So I was there - the seat of Donald power and wealth! 

Have to admit - there isn't too much to see now: 

Think you will have to take their word for it that this was the site of the town and that is the Pamunkey River on its movement from the Wilderness, although it didn't seem to be going that fast today. 

Then went back to talk to Joyce - she had been from Richmond, Virginia, but also had visited Richmond, England. Her husband died in 2000 - he had fought in the second world war and is buried near the river. Here she is - she has had a cat explosion - there were loads of them everywhere - I think at least three in this picture


Her house behind the porch was built from bricks from old houses in Richmond which were being pulled down - so maybe Donald bricks there?

As a very special gift - Joyce gave me the base of a very old bottle which had been dug up from Page's. 


May not look like much to you - but I had always hoped for something like a fragment of a clay pipe from Page's so this is great, something to treasure. I shall have my fellow fellow Grant Gilmore III check out its authenticity as an archaeology expert - but this is definitely early 18th century glass to me. Would be pushing my luck to have AD initials on it - but still, very exciting. 

I have Joyce's email so will keep in touch with our developments about Page's and left her a copy of Robert's letter to Washington. She will welcome back Donalds anytime - let's dig around and try and find the missing parts to the bottle next time! 



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