some 1200 acres on the New Poquoson (now Poquoson)
River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay just beyond the mouth of the
York. He called his new plantation "Thropland" after the family estate
in England. By 1635, a church had been built on his land and New
Poquoson Parish (later Charles Parish) was established, the records of
which are the earliest extant Parish records in Virginia. As the Parish
then embraced the areas on the west side of the river, the Chismans and
other families who had settled on Chisman's Creek, sailed over in their
sloops or came in their shallops, to worship there on Sundays.

Captain Christopher Calthrope, the Virginia planter, served both York
and Elizabeth City in the House of Burgesses during the period,
1644-1660, and also was one of the Commissioners for York County. He was
replaced in the latter office, 1661, since he had gone _Southward_, the
designation then for the area, which lay on the southern border of
Virginia and the northern boundary of the present state of North
Carolina. Vast tracts of land were available there, and Calthrope, still
land hungry, acquired acreage in the Nottoway region, on which his great
grandson was living in 1756.

Shortly after Calthrope's demise, his widow Anne petitioned the York
County Court to grant her administration of his estate, and on 24 April,
1662, she gave bond with very good security in return for her
appointment. Six months later the inventory estimated the estate, with
several items not then accounted for, at "30,480 pounds of tobacco and
casks." The widow, a son and three daughters shared in the estate, which
not only included land in York and at the _Southward_, but possessions
in a considerable number.

Both tobacco and corn were raised on the Calthrope land, hives of bees
were kept, and a dairy was in operation. To aid the family enterprise
there were nine indentured servants, one of whom, Thomas Ragg, later
became the husband of Elinor Calthrope.

Four draught oxen did the hauling on the low-lying plantation. Also
there were six steers, thirteen milch cows, five heifers, four yearlings
and seven calves, the cows obviously supplying the dairy equipped with
ten milk trays, a tub and earthenware pan. Three sows, two barrows and
four shoats completed the list of livestock.

All other possessions are listed in the "outer room, the chamber and
the shedd." These three areas constituted the Calthrope home. In the
chamber where the family