tain John Harvey (later as
Sir John Harvey, Governor of Virginia) was sent over to obtain exact
information as to the number of people in Virginia, their names, where
they lived and what supplies and arms they possessed. The document
preserved in the British Public Record Office shows to what degree the
planters had spread their homes along both banks of the James River from
Henrico to Elizabeth City and Kecoughtan at the confluence of the James
River with the Chesapeake Bay (this point now Hampton Roads) and on the
Eastern Shore. In addition to the names of all persons living in the
colony, the ages of many are given, together with the times of their
arrival, and the names of the ships on which they came. Also, those
recently deceased are listed.

The 1232 persons living in Virginia, January, 1625, dwelt at
twenty-five locations. Several of these were large plantations, such as
Peirsey's Hundred, Mr. Treasurer's (George Sandys'), Martin's Hundred,
Captain Roger Smith's, Captain Samuel Mathews', Mr. Crowder's, Mr.
Blaney's and Newport News, where colonists lived in groups, presumably
as employees for the promotion of extensive enterprises. As previously
mentioned a number of these colonists at Henrico, James City, Charles
City and Elizabeth City were living on the Company's land. Yet, many at
this time dwelt upon their own acreages, assigned to them individually
in patents of record in a list sent to England the following year. For
instance, Lieutenant John Chisman and his brother Edward were living at
Kecoughtan on their patent of 200 acres, as was Pharoah Flinton who had
been assigned an 150 acre plot, and John Bush with his 300 acres, where
he dwelt with his wife, two children and two servants. For protection
against the Indians, palisades had been erected at a number of the
plantations.

Staples on hand are listed for every household, including corn, peas,
beans, oatmeal, fish, the latter both smoked and in brine. Besides, many
of the planters owned swine, poultry, goats and cattle. A few luxuries
were mentioned such as a flitch of bacon, cheese and oil. For
protection, the colonists possessed armor such as had been used in
England, but which probably proved to be of little use against the
stealthy natives in thickly wooded areas. Nevertheless, there were whole
suits of armor, including headpieces, coats of mail and coats of plate
and jack-coats (thickly padded jackets). The guns were of various types.
Many appare