Virginia, whose shores were first explored by Sebastian Cabot, 1498, and again under the auspices of sir Walter Raleigh in the reign of queen Elizabeth, in whose honor it was named, was first settled by an English colony, under the charter of the London com pany, at Jamestown, on the James river, May 13, 1607—a colony consisting of gentlemen of fortune, and persons of no occupation, no families, twelve laborers, and very few mechanics. The friendly Indians sold them land and provisions; but the diseases of a damp climate swept off half the settlers the first autumn. The energy of captain John Smith saved the colony from destruction; and in 1609, it was re-enforced with 500 per sons, including 20 women and children, who were reduced by sickness and starvation to 60. They had embarked, to abandon the settlement, when lord Delaware came with emigrants and supplies. The marriage of John Rolfe to Pocahontas (q.v.) secured the friendship of the Indians. In 1619, 90 respectable young women were sent out from England, and sold to the planters for 100 lbs. of tobacco each; also 100 convicts, to supply labor; and a Dutch trader also sold them 20 negroes. In 1622, the colony was reduced by wars and massacres from 4,000 to 2,500: but in 1624 it became a crown colony, and increased, so that, in 1649, there were 15,000 English, with 300 " good negro servants," and 20 churches. The great production of tobacco caused such a fall in price, that half the crop was burned. In 1671, the population was 40,000, including 2,000 black slaves, and 6,000 English convicts and redemptioners, of whom 1500 a year were imported.
The now prosperous colony consisted of 48 parishes, but had, governor sir William Berkley thanks God, no free schools or, printing, which he hopes they may keep free of for a hundred years, and says: " God keep us from both!" In 1754, the colonial militia took. part in the French war; and maj. George Washington was in gen. Braddock expedition. In 1769, Thomas Jefferson, a member of the house of burgesses, which had been established in 1619, asserted for the colony the right of self-taxation, denying the right of parliament to tax the colonies. In 1773, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and Richard Henry Lee were appointed a committee to confer with the other colonies, and urged upon their delegates the declaration of independence. Virginia the earliest settled, largest, and most populous of the thirteen original states called the Old Domin ion, has been called the mother of presidents, four out of the five before 1825 having been Virginians. She was the first to propose the confederacy and the constitution. In 1861, April 17, the legislature of Virginia passed the ordinance of secession. The con federate government was invited to Richmond, which became the center of military operations. Virginia was restored to her place in the family of states on the Jan. 26th, 1870. See UNITED STATES. The pop. of Virginia in 1800, was 886,200, of which the slaves were 345,796; '20, 1,065,379—slaves, 425,153; '70, 1,596,318—slaves, 490,865; '70, 1,225,177—and no slaves.