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 governor’s 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 Virginia’s 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 governor’s 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 Virginia’s 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. Marker 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.
More about this marker. On the left is a "Portrait of Alexander Spotswood by Charles
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, June 21, 2009
2. Governor Alexander Spotswood Marker
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 Spotswood’s 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 1,127 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 23, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.
