Mrs. Forrest and Anne Burras
The first women to arrive in Jamestown, Virginia were a Mrs. Forrest and her maid, Anne Burras. Mrs. Forrest was the wife of one of the settlement's men, Thomas Forrest. These first two women in Jamestown arrived in 1608, about one year after the colony was founded. They arrived just in time to experience what came to be called The Starving Time during the winter of 1609-1610. At that time, Jamestown was a fort covering about one-acre, also referred to as Fort James, and the home of some 200 persons.
With in the walls of Fort James these two women found one storehouse and a church that Captain John Smith described as looking something like a barn. There were homes that were likened to shacks that seemed ready to tumble down. It was in this environment that Mrs. Forrest gave birth, during the starving winter that left only about 60 persons alive.
First Wedding in Jamestown
It is uncertain as to whether Mrs. Forrest and her newborn survived that winter but Anne Burras did. Anne was only fourteen when she arrived in Jamestown and was soon wed to a laborer ten years her senior. This was the first wedding performed in Jamestown. In time, Anne gave birth to a daughter they called Virginia who also lived through the starving winter.
Anne and her husband, during that starving winter were among the women, men, and children who had to resort to eating dogs, horses, rats and mice, as well as snakes. There is a record of one woman who met her demise during that time and of her husband dining upon a unique cuisine. He killed and ate her. For this deed his friends and neighbors burned him to death.
Temperance Flowerdew
Temperance Flowerdew, after surviving a hurricane at sea and consuming many sea rations of rats, arrived in Jamestown in 1609, just in time to partake of the winter famine. She survived the winter and went on to become the wife of two of the colony's governors.
Miss Flowerdew's first husband at Jamestown was Captain George Yeardley. He later was knighted, in 1618, and became one of the wealthiest men in Virginia. In time, Yeardley was the proud owner of several plantations, one of which he named Flowerdew in honor of the now titled Lady Yeardley. After her husband's death Temperance Flowerdew Yeardley, at about age forty-two, married Captain Francis West.
Joan Pierce
Joan Pierce also survived Jamestown's starving winter. Joan's husband, William, was far away that winter, stranded with the passengers aboard the Sea Venture (or Sea Adventure.) Joan's husband returned to Jamestown and the Pierces became wealthy planters.
Jane Pierce Rolfe
The Pierce's daughter, Jane, became the third Mrs. John Rolfe after the death of Pocahontas, Rolfe's second wife. Rolfe had arrived in Jamestown in 1610 aboard the Sea Venture. With Rolfe was his first wife who died shortly after their arrival.
After the starving winter Jamestown began to prosper. John Rolfe had introduced the cultivation of tobacco, giving the colony the economy it badly needed.
Mail-order Brides from England
Jamestown also had a new charter that gave each free colonist a tract of land. But now, the men who did not have wives needed and wanted them. Perhaps of all the important events to take place in 1619 was the arrival of more women to Jamestown. The Virginia Company of London sent several shipments of mail-order brides in return for payment in tobacco for the women's passage to America.
Sources:
Athearn, Robert G. The New World: American Heritage New Illustrated History of the United States, Volume 1. Dell Publishing Co., Inc., New York, 1963.
Collins, Gail. America's Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines. Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2003.
