(Referring to Robert Beverley's History and Present State of Virginia )
Robert Beverley, sometimes called the Historian, was in England in 1705 when he was asked to review a chapter in a proposed book pertaining to Virginia. Beverley found the work so much in error that he said he could do better by writing a new work. The resultant book that he wrote was called History and Present State of Virginia , and was divided into four parts, The History of the First Settlement of Virginia to the Present Time , The Natural Productions and Conveniences of the Country , The Native Indians , and The Present State of the Country . The resultant book, and its later revision, are original rarities that are seldom found in libraries, but which are available today in reprints. The Virginia ruling class in Beverley's own day must have read the History with considerable interest, because the author was sharply critical of his contemporaries. In fact, he was so critical that he could not obtain any job in the Virginian government when he returned home. He spent the rest of his life on his plantation as a planter.
Germanna descendants have some reason to know Beverley. When John Fontaine went to Germanna in 1715, he stayed several days with Beverley and left a record of his impressions. Fontaine noted that Beverley was very interested in grapes and wine making. Beverley was a partner with Alexander Spotswood in the western land project on which members of the Second Germanna Colony were settled. He held the service contract of George Moyer.
In his writing, the Historian was a stout individualist whose views frequently differed from those held by the ruling faction. His failure to conform to the normal pattern of the governing class was a legitimate inheritance from an obstreperous father, Major Robert Beverley. The son of the Historian was another Robert Beverley, so that there three Roberts, the Major, the Historian, and the son. The Historian married Ursula Byrd, the sister of William Byrd, but Ursula died at the birth of the son.
In writing the History, Beverley adopted a simple and direct literary style that makes it an easy book to read. Pedantic affectations he could not tolerate. Simplicity and plainness were almost obsessions with him, both in his writing and his style of living. Although other Virginians imported finery from England and hung their walls with fancy portraits, e.g., William Byrd, Beverley furnished his own house with wooden stools and furniture made on the plantation.
The book is above all a set of first-hand observations, whether describing the countryside, the Indians, or the state of Virginia society. The weakest part concerns the annals of the earliest period pertaining to the founding of Virginia a century before he wrote.
After the original edition of 1705, Beverley issues a revised version in 1722 shortly before his death. In the latter version, he softened his observations on his contemporaries. He modified some of his views, such as the statement that Virginia pork, bacon, and all manner of fowls, were superior to any in England.
(28 Nov 04)
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.