Richmond's Links with North America (Richmond Local History Society Paper)

Richmond Local History Society, 1989-10-01. Paperback. Good. Richmond Local History Society Paper No. 4 [Published date: 1989]. Paper covers, 40 p. Staple bound. In good condition. Glossy illustrated paper covers have light bumping and creasing to edges and corners and light to moderate overall scuffing, aging and soiling. Binding tight (staple bound). Pages lightly aged but unmarked. NOT Ex-library. NO remainder marks. Black and white illustrations throughout. Contents include: William Byrd and Richmond, Virginia; A Washington Connection; Elihu Yale; Governor Thomas Pownall; The Penn Family; An American Colonist's Property in Richmond; 'Richmond Hill' in New York City; Captain Vancouver. [from introduction] The short articles in this booklet tell of only some of the connections which Richmond, Surrey, has had and still has with North America. Most of them deal with important personalities who were, for a time at least, residents of Richmond in Surrey - or of nearby Petersham. I have not tried to record recent exchanges between Richmond in Surrey and Richmond in Virginia, or modern business connections with American firms, or other possible variations on the 'links' theme. I hope that the booklet will add to the interest of American and Canadian visitors to Richmond, and that it will also be of interest to Richmond residents, few of whom know of these links, except for the story of William Byrd's naming of his new city. I hope, too, that some American visitors, versed in the local history of their own home towns, will be able to continue and develop some of my stories. What more is known, for instance, of Arthur and John Spicer of Sittingbourne Parish by the Rappahannock River in Virginia and of their descendants? How many of the forty or so Richmonds in the United States, or the dozen in Canada (that I have so far been able to trace) were named after Richmond, Surrey, or - at one remove - after Richmond, Virginia? Certainly some were not. The Duke of Richmond, Governor-General of British North America in 1818-19, is responsible for some of the Canadian ones; earlier Dukes for some American Richmonds; a Mr Richmond for Richmond Township in Rhode Island. But surely Richmond, Virginia, is not the only one whose name reflects some direct link with an original founder or settler.