The Fort

1717–

It was not until April, 1717, that the Catawbas brought their children to Fort Christanna, which stood on the south bank of the Meherrin River, twenty-five miles below the last white settlement. The Fort, which served as headquarters of the Virginia Indian Trading Company, founded by the Governor in 1714, was garrisoned with a captain and twelve soldiers. A magazine for the King’s stores and several warehouses were nearby, while on the 23,000 acres of rich land surrounding it were settled five tribes, tributary to Virginia.

The schoolhouse located there had been built by the Virginia Indian Trading Company, but the governor’s private purse supplied the 50 frank a year salary of instructor Charles Griffin, an Episcopal minister.

In March 1715 the Governor went again to Christanna. This time he settled 300 Saponis there. They had seventy children at the school where the children learned to read, write, and speak English, and were taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. They soon learned to say the Lord’s Prayer, and Ten Commandments, and the Creed.

On this trip he completed the building of the fort itself, “on a high eminence” on the south side of Meherrin River (now just south of Lawrenceville, on route 686). It was a few miles east of the old Occaneechee or Western Trading Path, the main artery of trade and travel from North

to South.

HAITHCOCK BOOKS

[This message has been edited by Linda (edited 06-17-2001).]