We met on July 25-27, 2019, in Williamsburg, Virginia, to join in the celebration of the 400th Anniversary of our Nation’s representative government. In 1619, the House of Burgesses was established as the first democratically-elected legislative body in the British American colonies, meeting for the first time in Jamestown, Virginia. Joseph Bridger, one of his sons, three grandsons, and one great-grandson served as a Burgess for Isle of Wight County.
On Friday, more than 50 cousins visited the laboratory at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia, where Alain Outlaw and his team are cleaning, researching, and cataloging the artifacts that they have found at Whitemarsh. We were able to see and touch items that our Grandparents owned and used almost 360 years ago. The most exciting find was that of a slim piece of lead that was used to hold a window in place. The lead was dated 1678, likely the year Whitemarsh was built. (Read about window leads here.) We then visited the archaeological site at Whitemarsh near Smithfield, Virginia. We ended the day with a barbeque dinner sponsored by Historic St. Luke’s Church Restoration, Inc.
On Saturday, 75 cousins attended our banquet and annual meeting at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel. Bill Hodsden provided an update about future plans related to Whitemarsh and St. Luke’s Church and how we can continue to support St. Luke’s for many, many years to come through the Bridger Family Association Legacy Fund.
