Time to Learn About Nathaniel Bacon

    There are many interesting stories in the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia that most people don't know, this is one of them.
   Nathaniel Bacon was born in England in 1647. He is one of many of his family with the name Nathaniel, so it can be somewhat confusing when doing research on him. He moved to Virginia in 1673 and lived along the James River, south of Richmond. The capital of Virginia at the time was still Jamestown, the original settlement founded in 1607. The town of Richmond had yet to be founded(that would happen in 1737 by William Byrd, owner of Westover Plantation along the James). The governor of the time was William Berkeley.

October 19th, America's True Independence Day

   Americans in the United States celebrate the Fourth of July every year as Independence Day. But perhaps we should be celebrating on October 19th as well. On this date, in 1781, at a small fishing town in Virginia, the articles of capitulation(surrender) were signed. Inside a farm house owned by Augustine Moore, British Lieutenant General Cornwallis surrendered to future president and commander of American forces, George Washington. Also present and signing the articles were Captain Thomas Symonds, British Navy, and Rochambeau, French commander who had assisted Washington in the final years of the war.