History of Bermuda Hundred Area
Bermuda Hundred was first settled in 1613 as a fishing Village with about 50 residents. The settlement was north of City Point near Hopewell and just below the “curls” on the James River. Today it is a small village.
The name Bermuda Hundred came from the Atlantic island of Bermuda where, in 1609, the ship Sea Venture sank as it was bringing supplies to Jamestown. The crew built a new ship from the parts and sailed on to Jamestown in 1610, finally bringing needed supplies to the starving community. The word “hundred” was an English term for assigning land that would support 100 units of people: troops, families, or other groups.
Sir Thomas Dale governed this community. He was also the Lt. Governor of the Virginia territory. Reverend Alexander Whitaker, known as the Apostle of Virginia, came to bring Christianity to the community and planted a church there.
​
Another well-known resident was John Rolfe. He found a strain of tobacco that would grow on Virginia soil and Englishmen liked to buy it, providing a great economic base for the colonies.
As the port was well known internationally, over time the community became the center for tobacco trade, traveling passengers with steamships coming and going. Trains from Farmville and other locations carried passengers, tobacco, and goods to and from the port. This was the first official port-of-entry to Virginia after Jamestown. It was also the first settlement to provide private land ownership in the colonies.
Bermuda Hundred almost became the Capital of Virginia. In 1780, Virginians voted between Richmond and Bermuda Hundred, with Richmond winning. About this time, Mary “Molly” Randolph lived there and wrote the first recipe book using Virginia foods instead of European foods. Published in 1860, it is titled The Virginia Housewife.
We are thankful that our Bermuda DAR Chapter is named after such a historically important and interesting place.
​
A stone marker was placed on a 10' x 10' piece of property at Bermuda Hundred in 1938, deeded as a gift to the Bermuda Hundred Chapter. The deed is recorded at the Chesterfield Courthouse.
​
​
Bermuda Hundred Chapter NSDAR
Charter Granted on May 1, 1931
Chester, Virginia
