Lower Brandon Plantation
Encyclopedia
Lower Brandon Plantation (or simply Brandon or Brandon Plantation and initially known as Martin's Brandon) is located on the south shore of the James River
in present-day Prince George County, Virginia
.
The plantation is an active farm and was tended perhaps from 1607 on, and more clearly from 1614 on, so it is one of the longest-running agricultural enterprises in the United States. It has an unusual brick mansion in style of Palladio's "Roman Country House" completed in the 1760s, and was perhaps designed by Thomas Jefferson
.
It was established in 1616 by Captain John Martin
, one of the original leaders of the Virginia Colony at Jamestown
in 1607. The plantation was owned by the Harrison family
from 1700-1926. Restored by the Daniels family in the early 20th century, it is both a National Historical Landmark open to tours and one of America's oldest continuous farming operations.
(1560-1632). Captain Martin was one of the original colonists and a member of the first Council in the spring of 1607, when Jamestown
was first established.
Martin's new plantation
built on the 1616 land grant was initially named "Martin's Brandon", apparently incorporating the family name of his wife, Mary (née Brandon) Martin, daughter of Robert Brandon
, a prominent English goldsmith and supplier to Queen Elizabeth I of England
. They had been married in 1586.
In 1619, Martin's Brandon was one of the plantations represented when what became the House of Burgesses
, the first representative legislative body in the English colonies, met at Jamestown. The representatives of Martin's Brandon were Thomas Davis and Robert Stacy.
During the Indian Massacre of 1622
which occurred on Good Friday
, March 22, 1622, there were 7 deaths recorded at Martin's Brandon, including one woman and two boys. 347 deaths were recorded during the coordinated attacks along both shores of the James River, from the mouth of the river at Newport News Point on Hampton Roads
, west to Falling Creek
. http://www.jamestowne.org/massacre.htm
Captain John Martin died at Martin's Brandon Plantation in 1632. His grandson, Captain Robert Bargrave, inherited the plantation on Martin's death. In 1637, merchants John Sadler and Richard Quiney and mariner William Barker, bought Martin's Brandon. They and their heirs farmed it successfully until 1720 when it was sold to Nathaniel Harrison (1677-1727). (Richard Quiney's brother Thomas was married to William Shakespeare
's daughter Judith
).
After Nathaniel's premature death in 1727 it went into the hands of his son Nathaniel Harrison II, 1703-1791. Sometime before his death in 1791, Brandon came under the possession of American Revolutionary War
Colonel
Benjamin Harrison, 1743-1807. At his death, the property was divided between his sons, and Upper Brandon Plantation
was created.
Brandon Plantation (aka Lower Brandon) remained in the Harrison family until 1926, when it was acquired by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Daniel. The Daniels undertook the restoration of the house and grounds. In 1974, U.S. Congressman Robert W. Daniel, Jr. (1936-__) was the listed owner.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1969, and was further declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark
in 1985.
Measures to improve drainage around the home began on December 3, 2007, by Shannon Hill of Draper Aden Associates. Brandon is a National Historical Landmark. The manor house, furnished by the Daniels with 1760s era English and American furnishings, is open to tours. Their descendants continue to farm it in modern times. The agricultural activities represent one of America's oldest continuous farming operations.
Brandon, State Route 611, Prince George vicinity, Prince George County, VA
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
in present-day Prince George County, Virginia
Prince George County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,047 people, 10,159 households, and 8,096 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile . There were 10,726 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
.
The plantation is an active farm and was tended perhaps from 1607 on, and more clearly from 1614 on, so it is one of the longest-running agricultural enterprises in the United States. It has an unusual brick mansion in style of Palladio's "Roman Country House" completed in the 1760s, and was perhaps designed by Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
.
It was established in 1616 by Captain John Martin
John Martin (Jamestown)
Capt. John Martin was a Councilman of the Jamestown Colony in 1607. He was the proprietor of Martin's Brandon Plantation on the south bank of the James River...
, one of the original leaders of the Virginia Colony at Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
in 1607. The plantation was owned by the Harrison family
Harrison family
The Harrison family is a prominent political family in U.S. history. Most famously, this family produced numerous Governors of Virginia , as well as two U.S. Presidents: William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison.The family has a longer recorded heritage in politics, however...
from 1700-1926. Restored by the Daniels family in the early 20th century, it is both a National Historical Landmark open to tours and one of America's oldest continuous farming operations.
History
Brandon Plantation was part of a 1616 land grant of approximately 4550 acres (18 km²) on the south bank of the James River to Captain John MartinJohn Martin (Jamestown)
Capt. John Martin was a Councilman of the Jamestown Colony in 1607. He was the proprietor of Martin's Brandon Plantation on the south bank of the James River...
(1560-1632). Captain Martin was one of the original colonists and a member of the first Council in the spring of 1607, when Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
was first established.
Martin's new plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
built on the 1616 land grant was initially named "Martin's Brandon", apparently incorporating the family name of his wife, Mary (née Brandon) Martin, daughter of Robert Brandon
Robert Brandon
Robert Brandon was an English goldsmith and jeweller to Queen Elizabeth I of England. A prominent member of the Goldsmiths' Company, Brandon was elected chamberlain or treasurer of the City of London in 1583, a position he held until his death in 1591.-Royal goldsmith:Brandon became a freeman of...
, a prominent English goldsmith and supplier to Queen Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. They had been married in 1586.
In 1619, Martin's Brandon was one of the plantations represented when what became the House of Burgesses
House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses was the first assembly of elected representatives of English colonists in North America. The House was established by the Virginia Company, who created the body as part of an effort to encourage English craftsmen to settle in North America...
, the first representative legislative body in the English colonies, met at Jamestown. The representatives of Martin's Brandon were Thomas Davis and Robert Stacy.
During the Indian Massacre of 1622
Indian massacre of 1622
The Indian Massacre of 1622 occurred in the Colony of Virginia, in what now belongs to the United States of America, on Friday, March 22, 1622...
which occurred on Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
, March 22, 1622, there were 7 deaths recorded at Martin's Brandon, including one woman and two boys. 347 deaths were recorded during the coordinated attacks along both shores of the James River, from the mouth of the river at Newport News Point on Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
, west to Falling Creek
Falling Creek
Falling Creek is a tributary of the James River located near Richmond, Virginia. Approximately in length, it varies in width between at its source to several hundred feet in the Falling Creek Reservoir. Falling Creek rises in the Salisbury section of northwestern Chesterfield County and empties...
. http://www.jamestowne.org/massacre.htm
Captain John Martin died at Martin's Brandon Plantation in 1632. His grandson, Captain Robert Bargrave, inherited the plantation on Martin's death. In 1637, merchants John Sadler and Richard Quiney and mariner William Barker, bought Martin's Brandon. They and their heirs farmed it successfully until 1720 when it was sold to Nathaniel Harrison (1677-1727). (Richard Quiney's brother Thomas was married to William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's daughter Judith
Judith Quiney
Judith Quiney , née Shakespeare, was the youngest daughter of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway. She married Thomas Quiney, a vintner of Stratford-upon-Avon. The circumstances of the marriage, including Quiney's misconduct, may have prompted the rewriting of Shakespeare's will...
).
After Nathaniel's premature death in 1727 it went into the hands of his son Nathaniel Harrison II, 1703-1791. Sometime before his death in 1791, Brandon came under the possession of American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Benjamin Harrison, 1743-1807. At his death, the property was divided between his sons, and Upper Brandon Plantation
Upper Brandon Plantation
Upper Brandon Plantation was split off from Lower Brandon Plantation. The latter is also known as Brandon or Brandon Plantation.It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996....
was created.
Brandon Plantation (aka Lower Brandon) remained in the Harrison family until 1926, when it was acquired by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Daniel. The Daniels undertook the restoration of the house and grounds. In 1974, U.S. Congressman Robert W. Daniel, Jr. (1936-__) was the listed owner.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1969, and was further declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1985.
Measures to improve drainage around the home began on December 3, 2007, by Shannon Hill of Draper Aden Associates. Brandon is a National Historical Landmark. The manor house, furnished by the Daniels with 1760s era English and American furnishings, is open to tours. Their descendants continue to farm it in modern times. The agricultural activities represent one of America's oldest continuous farming operations.
External links
Brandon, State Route 611, Prince George vicinity, Prince George County, VA