Bellfield Plantation
Historic plantation site in York County, Virginia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bellefield Plantation (or Bellfield, also called E.D. Plantation) is a historic plantation site located in York County, Virginia, United States. In modern times, the former site is located off the Colonial Parkway next to the York River and abuts Naval Weapons Station Yorktown.[2]
| Bellefield Plantation | |
|---|---|
| E.D. Plantation | |
 | |
 | |
| Type | Plantation |
| Location | York County, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 37°16′22″N 76°34′47″W |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Official name | Bellefield Site & Cemetery |
| Reference no. | Candidate Site 099-0002[1] |
In 1630, the Virginia Colony made the decision to plant a settlement on the York River:
"... for the securing & taking in of a tract of Land called ye fforest bordering uppon the cheife residence of ye Pamunkey King the most dangerous head of the Indian enemy ..."[3]
John West (governor) received a land grant for this purpose, 600 acres "on the east side of Felgates".[4] "Felgates" refers to Robert Felgate's 1632 grant of "350 acres lying at Kiskeyacke upon Pamunkey".[3] In 1635 after the "thrusting out" of Governor Sir John Harvey, John West was chosen as temporary replacement,[5] and served until 1637 when Harvey was restored to his position. In 1640, West was ordered to England, along with neighbor John Utie, Samuel Matthews (captain), and William Peirce (burgess) to answer charges in the Star Chamber. All four were eventually cleared, and returned to Virginia.
West sold the original 600 acres, along with adjoining land for a total of 1250 acres to Edward Digges in 1650.[6][7][8][9] It became known as the "E.D." Plantation at this time, and using slave labor, grew in fame for producing luxury tobacco.[10] The plantation remained in the family until 1787, when it was sold.[11]
The Plantation was known as "Bellfield" by 1811, when it was advertised for sale as "Belfield, 1.000 acres in York Co., the only estate where the famous E.D. tobacco was raised, which never failed to bring in England one shilling when other tobacco would not bring three pence."[11][8] The area would continue to be used for agriculture purposes up until 1918, when the US Navy purchased the land for establishment of Navy Mine Depot, Yorktown (in modern times called Naval Weapons Station Yorktown). In the 1930s as the Colonial Parkway was established, the land was transferred to the National Park Service.
| Date of acquisition | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1630 | John West (governor) | Virginia Colony land grant |
| 1650 | Edward Digges | purchased. Buried in Bellfield's cemetery. |
| 1675 | William Digges | inherited |
| 1697 | Edward Digges | inherited |
| September 21, 1699 | Dudley Digges (burgess) | purchased (from nephew). Buried in Bellfield's cemetery. |
| January 18, 1710 | Cole Digges (burgess) | inherited. Buried in Bellfield's cemetery. |
| 1744 | Edward Digges (burgess) | inherited |
| 1769 | William Digges (patriot) | inherited |
| June 19, 1787 | William Waller | purchased |
| Dec 1815 | Scervant Jones | purchased |
| September 9, 1829 | Richard R. Corbin | purchased |
| March 2, 1830 | Robert McCandlish | purchased. Buried in Bellfield's cemetery. |
| 1878 | Robert McCandlish (Jr.) | inherited |
| August 7, 1918 | US Navy | purchased |
| 1930s | National Park Service | land transferred |
Bellfield Plantation
Bellfield Cemetery
Looking East from Bellfield Plantation Site
Looking North from Bellfield Plantation Site
Looking East from Bellfield Plantation Site
Looking North from Bellfield Plantation Site
See also
References
External links
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