Near Lawrenceville in Brunswick County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Governor Alexander Spotswood
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, June 21, 2009
1. Governor Alexander Spotswood Marker
Inscription.
Governor Alexander Spotswood. . Alexander Spotswood (1676-1740) was Governor of Virginia from 1710 to 1722. Born in Africa of a Scottish family, he had distinguished himself at the Battle of Bleinheim and was wounded. He was appointed to the governors position in Virginia in 1710. He was an energetic and ambitious man, the first governor to see the promise and value of developing frontier lands. He desired stable relations with Virginias Indians as well as those in neighboring territories in order to preserve peace along the uneasy frontier by protecting the settlers. His motives were financial as well, as he wanted to capture the lucrative fur trade to the south of the James, and to do so he established the Virginia Company to trade with Indians at this fort which he laid out himself and named Christanna. His interest in the education and the religious education of Native Americans led to his support not only of the Indian School here, but also to the Indian School at the College of William and Mary. He built a house a half-mile east of Fort Christanna. After his term as governor, he married and retired to his home near his ironworks in Germanna in Spotsylvania County, named in his honor.
Alexander Spotswood (1676-1740) was Governor of Virginia from 1710 to 1722. Born in Africa of a Scottish family, he had distinguished himself at the Battle of Bleinheim and was wounded. He was appointed to the governors position in Virginia in 1710. He was an energetic and ambitious man, the first governor to see the promise and value of developing frontier lands. He desired stable relations with Virginias Indians as well as those in neighboring territories in order to preserve peace along the uneasy frontier by protecting the settlers. His motives were financial as well, as he wanted to capture the lucrative fur trade to the south of the James, and to do so he established the Virginia Company to trade with Indians at this fort which he laid out himself and named Christanna. His interest in the education and the religious education of Native Americans led to his support not only of the Indian School here, but also to the Indian School at the College of William and Mary. He built a house a half-mile east of Fort Christanna. After his term as governor, he married and retired to his home near his ironworks in Germanna in Spotsylvania County, named in his honor.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Education
Location. 36° 42.84′ N, 77° 52.228′ W. Marker is near Lawrenceville, Virginia, in Brunswick County. It can be reached from Fort Hill Road 1.1 miles west of Christanna Highway, on the right when traveling west. This marker is located within the Fort Christanna Historic Site. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Brodnax VA 23920, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southern Virginia, specifically in the Piedmont, and in Southside Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
(was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Hospital and School of the Good Shepherd (was approx. 2.3 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
More about this marker. On the left is a "Portrait of Alexander Spotswood by Charles Bridges." Courtesy of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. On the lower right is photo of "A glass insert from a cufflink found at the site of Spotswoods house."
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, June 21, 2009
3. Fort Christanna Historic Site.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 24, 2019. It was originally submitted on June 23, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,501 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 23, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.
