Wateree Chapter, Colonial Dames XVII Century

11/01/2026

⚕️ **A Glimpse into the Apothecary of Early Jamestown!** 🏺

Among the fascinating discoveries unearthed by archaeologists at Historic Jamestowne are beautiful 17th-century apothecary jars, offering a glimpse into the medical practices and daily lives of the early English colonists.

These colorful ceramic vessels, known as *drug jars* or *albarelli*, were made of tin-glazed earthenware called Delftware. Decorated with hand-painted designs in shades of blue, purple, yellow, and orange, they were much more than attractive pottery. They served a practical purpose, holding medicines, ointments, salves, herbs, spices, and other provisions.

Medicine in early 17th-century Jamestown was a far cry from what we know today! The colony's medical practitioners relied on herbs, natural remedies, and preparations made from ingredients brought from Europe as well as plants discovered in Virginia.

Two apothecaries, Thomas Field and John Harford, arrived in Jamestown aboard the First Supply in January 1608. They would have been among the individuals responsible for preparing and supplying remedies for the struggling colony.

Archaeologists have uncovered thousands of fragments of these distinctive drug jars in the early James Fort archaeological deposits. Some were found in contexts dating to approximately 1610, including one discovered in a soldier's personal pit. Remarkably, some surviving jars even contain residues that may someday reveal more about the substances they held!

These seemingly ordinary household objects tell an extraordinary story of medicine, trade, craftsmanship, and the challenges of survival in early colonial Virginia.

The next time you see an antique apothecary jar, remember that its history may reach all the way back to the earliest days of English settlement in America! 🇺🇸

Photographs are from Historic Jamestowne

Sources & Further Reading:
https://historicjamestowne.org
https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/jamestownchemistry.html
https://www.jyfmuseums.org/Home/Components/News/News/65/148

11/01/2026

The Wateree Chapter, Colonial Dames XVII Century, enjoyed a delightful October meeting at historic Proctor Hall in Camden!

We were pleased to welcome guest speaker Linda Hawkins of Sumter’s Home Chapter, who brought along a wonderful display of antique dolls and an engaging PowerPoint presentation, “Timeless Treasures: Dolls of the 17th & 18th Centuries.”

Her program offered a fascinating glimpse into the history, craftsmanship, and charm of these treasured pieces of the past. Thank you, Linda, for sharing your knowledge and beautiful collection with us!

A wonderful afternoon celebrating history, fellowship, and the treasures of bygone days!

📷 Photo Credits to Christina Cashion Ewing

10/31/2026

10/28/2026

𝗘𝗱𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 “𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗱” 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮

By Christina Ewing, Wateree Chapter CDXVIIC Chaplain

As a descendant of Major Edward Dale (c. 1620–1695), I highly value the role my ancestors played in the early history of Virginia. Like many family historians, I expected to uncover records of land ownership, public service, and survival in the challenging world of the 17th-century colonies. What I did not expect was to discover a direct connection between my family and the earliest presence of William Shakespeare in the New World!

Edward Dale was born in England and came to Virginia in the aftermath of the English Civil War and the ex*****on of King Charles I. He settled in Lancaster County, Virginia, became a successful planter, and served his community as a member of the House of Burgesses. Dale also served at various times as the Westmoreland County clerk, a member of the Virginia General Assembly, and as the clerk, justice, high sheriff, “Collector of Publique and County Levies”, and “Commissioner of the Fort” for Lancaster County. His life reflects the growth of a stable, educated colonial society—one that carried English customs and values across the Atlantic.

After Dale’s death in 1695, an inventory of his personal library was recorded. Among the volumes listed was an extraordinary entry: “Shakespeares Workes – 1632 – Folio.” This book was a Second Folio edition of Shakespeare’s plays, printed in 1632, and it is recognized as the earliest documented record of Shakespeare’s works owned in colonial America. Learning this caught me completely off guard! What began as a simple research quickly turned into a moment of real surprise—and then pride.

In an era when most colonists owned only religious texts or practical manuals, my ancestor chose to bring one of the greatest literary works of the English language to the Colonies. Shakespeare’s plays, rich with insight into leadership, loyalty, justice, and human nature, clearly mattered even on the distant shores of early Virginia! Shakespeare, often called "The Bard" (a respectful nickname for one of the world's greatest poets and playwrights), was already celebrated in England for his comedies, histories, and tragedies. The mere fact that one of his folios made its way to Jamestown shows that even in the colonies, literature and culture mattered deeply.

Shakespeare's influence in the colonial world was subtle but powerful. His words shaped language and thought, helping colonists maintain a cultural and intellectual connection to England while forging a new life in America. Knowing that Edward Dale valued these works adds a deeply human and intellectual layer to his story-and to my own colonial heritage.

Today, this historic Shakespeare folio is preserved at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. Discovering that the book has survived and is now housed in such a renowned institution has given me a strong desire to visit the Folger in person. Standing there would feel like closing a circle-connecting my family's early American past with a living legacy that continues to inspire readers more than three centuries later.

This unexpected discovery forges a connection to and a reflection of colonial values- a commitment to faith, learning, and cultural continuity-and serves as a reminder that our ancestors were not only settlers and leaders, but also thoughtful stewards of the intellectual traditions that helped shape our nation.

Photos by Georgianna Ziegler
To read more about this, visit the Folger Shakespeare Library: https://www.folger.edu/blogs/collation/earliest-recorded-shakespeare-america/

10/19/2026

How about these for a kitchen backsplash?

We commonly refer to these tin-glazed earthenware tiles as Delft tiles. In Delft in the Netherlands, only 10 factories produced such tiles in the first half of the 17th century. Ornamental and easy to clean, they were used in the early settlement as wall tiles, joining the wall and the floor, as well as fireplace surrounds.

(Various other factories produced tiles as well, including in the cities of Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Harlingen and Haarlem.)

These tiles:
Animals were a popular subject, often based on early zoology books or drawn from recognized Dutch artists.

One tile found in Prince George County on the Jordan’s Journey archaeological site (c. 1620-35) is decorated with a camel! Several animal tiles were found in this settlement, but besides five bird tiles, most were too fragmentary to identify.

Both of our tiles are medallion tiles, with the animal set in the center of concentric rings. This style became popular after 1625.

The “cow tile” has fretwork corner motifs that were inspired by the Chinese Ming porcelain entering the Netherlands during the Wan Li Dynasty and was popular c. 1625-50.

The “rabbit tile” has quarter rosette corners painted in reserve, a style that began in the late 16th century.

At least 85 delftware tiles have been found by Jamestown Rediscovery at Historic
Jamestowne. These also date to the 2nd quarter of the 17th century.

10/17/2026

Wateree Chapter at the SC CDXVIIC Fall State Board of Management Meeting.

09/15/2026

⚖️ 𝔼𝕕𝕞𝕦𝕟𝕕 ℙ𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕕𝕖𝕟 (𝟙𝟝𝟙𝟡–𝟙𝟝𝟠𝟝):
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕟 𝔹𝕖𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕕 “𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℂ𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕀𝕤 𝔸𝕝𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕” ⚖️

At its center of this beautiful stained-glass panel are the arms of Edmund Plowden, one of the most celebrated lawyers of Tudor England. The panel, dating to 1573, is preserved at Middle Temple Hall in London, where Plowden was a prominent member of the legal community.

The inscription:

Edmundus Plowden Armiger
Edmund Plowden, Esquire.

Beneath his arms is a Latin inscription honoring the work he undertook for the Temple and for the legal profession.

Who was this man whose coat of arms was memorialized in stained glass during his own lifetime?

⚖️ Born into the ancient Plowden family of Shropshire, Edmund eventually inherited Plowden Hall from his father. He rebuilt and expanded the family house, and in the later years of his life returned there to live among the estates of his family. He became one of the leading lawyers of the Tudor era and was deeply involved with the Middle Temple, one of London's historic Inns of Court.

He was not simply a lawyer who argued cases. Plowden was a serious scholar of English law, and his Commentaries or Reports became one of the most influential collections of early English case law. Generations of lawyers would turn to his work.

The story that made his name part of the English language…

“The case is altered, quoth Plowden.”

According to the famous tradition, Plowden was defending a man accused of attending Mass during a period when Catholic worship could bring serious legal consequences.

Plowden discovered something important:

There had been no priest.

The supposed Mass had been staged by a layman as a trap to identify Catholics.

Plowden's response was essentially:

“The case is altered; no priest, no Mass.”

His client was acquitted.

The story became proverbial, giving us the expression:

“The case is altered, quoth Plowden.”

It is a wonderfully fitting anecdote for a lawyer whose reputation rested on the ability to examine the facts of a case and recognize when one changed fact could change everything.

But perhaps the most tangible reminder of Edmund Plowden is not his famous phrase or his legal books.

It is his tomb.

When Plowden died in 1585, he was buried in Temple Church in London, among the lawyers and members of the Inns of Court. His tomb monument and recumbent effigy remain there—a remarkably tangible connection to a man who lived nearly five centuries ago.

🛡️ His coat of arms — preserved in stained glass at Middle Temple Hall, dated 1573.

⚖️ His legal legacy — preserved in his Commentaries and Reports, which influenced English law for generations.

🪦 His tomb — still surviving in Temple Church.

📜 His famous saying — “The case is altered, quoth Plowden.”

Edmund Plowden was still alive when this glass panel was created in 1573.

He wasn't yet a figure of distant history. He was a living Tudor lawyer, walking the halls of the Middle Temple, practicing law and helping shape the legal tradition that would outlive him.

We can look at this beautiful piece of Tudor heraldry and remember the man whose name became synonymous with changing circumstances:

“The case is altered, quoth Plowden.” ⚖️📜🛡️

The Plowden family in America descends from him.

09/04/2026

👑 Ferdinand III “the Saint” — King of Castile & León 🇪🇸

Born in 1201 and dying in 1252, Ferdinand III became one of the most important rulers of medieval Spain. He inherited the crowns of Castile and León, permanently uniting the two kingdoms in 1230. ⚔️🏰

A deeply religious monarch and skilled military leader, Ferdinand played a major role in the Reconquista, capturing important cities including Córdoba (1236), Jaén (1246), and Seville (1248). Under his rule, Christian territory expanded dramatically across the Iberian Peninsula.

Ferdinand was also remembered for his personal piety, humility, and devotion to the Church. He died in Seville on May 30, 1252, and was canonized as a saint by Pope Clement X in 1671. 🙏✨

His legacy lives on not only in the history of Spain, but also through the many European royal families and noble lines descended from him. 👑🌿

Ferdinand III of Castile and León — king, warrior, unifier, and saint.

09/04/2026

ℍ𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕕𝕣𝕪 & ℂ𝕠𝕒𝕥𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕣𝕞𝕤

An object of the National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century is to maintain a Library of Heraldry and preserve the lineage and Coats of Arms of our Armorial Ancestors.

A Wateree Dame recently had five MORE Coats of Arms approved for her Colonial Ancestor, James Tate!

The armigers are:
🛡️Joan of Dammartin, Queen Consort of Castile & Leon
🛡️Ferdinand III "the Saint", King of Castile and Leon
🛡️Elizabeth of Bohun
🛡️Richard de Arundel, 10rh Earl of Arundel, 9th Earl of Surrey
🛡️Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy

08/26/2026

𝔽𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕊𝕒𝕝𝕖𝕞 𝕥𝕠 𝕎𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕨: 𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℕ𝕖𝕨 𝔼𝕟𝕘𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕎𝕙𝕠 ℂ𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕠 ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕚𝕟 𝟙𝟞𝟡𝟞

What if some of the people who lived through the turmoil surrounding the Salem Witch Trials decided to leave Massachusetts behind and start over in Carolina?

That is the remarkable story behind Wappetaw, the settlement that eventually became part of present-day Awendaw, South Carolina.

In 1696, a group of approximately 52 New England Congregationalists left Massachusetts and headed south. Their reasons were more complicated than simply escaping the witch trials. Many had also experienced the devastating Indian wars in New England, economic hardship, and religious and political turmoil.

Their voyage did not go as planned.

The settlers were shipwrecked near Cape Fear, North Carolina, and after a difficult period there, eventually made their way south to Sewee Bay, north of Charleston. They settled along the Wando River in an area associated with the Sewee people and established a community they called Wappetaw.

Who were the settlers?

Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a surviving complete passenger list naming all members of the 1696 company. The early Wappetaw church records were later destroyed.

However, historical and genealogical research allows us to identify some of the families and individuals associated with this early community, including:

John Whilden — one of the best-documented members of the 1696 group and an early founder of the Wappetaw Congregational Church.

Family names commonly associated with the early Wappetaw community include:

Bennett
Legare
Murrell
Simmons
Singletary
Wells
Whilden

These families became part of the fascinating network of New England immigrants who helped establish some of the earliest dissenting Congregational communities in colonial South Carolina.

⛪ By the end of the 1690s, the settlers had established the Wappetaw Independent Congregational Church, making it one of the earliest Congregational churches in colonial Carolina.

And there is another important layer to this story.

The settlers did not arrive in an empty wilderness. The Sewee people had lived in this region for generations, and the area contains archaeological evidence of their presence dating back thousands of years. The famous Sewee Shell Ring near Awendaw is a reminder of that much older history.

So today's Awendaw has a remarkable colonial story:

And perhaps the most fascinating part?

Some of the families who arrived in that tiny settlement would become ancestral families of the South Carolina Lowcountry, leaving descendants and place names that remain part of the region's history more than 300 years later.

From Salem to Wappetaw — a remarkable chapter in the story of South Carolina. 🌿🇺🇸