by Carson Hudson
It’s well known that the first permanent English settlement in America was established at Jamestown in 1607. Those first settlers who arrived here aboard those three small ships brought their English beliefs with them, among which was the tradition of keeping Christmas.
Because of several factors, however, such as the summer heat, bad water, lack of food, and not-so-good relations with the local Algonquian Indians, there was not much to celebrate during that first Christmas of 1607. Indeed, there were not many left around to even think about Christmas. Out of the original 104 men and boys, only 39 were still alive by December.
But new settlers arrived, and the colony slowly took root. By the next year, things were nowhere near certain, but a group of Englishmen under the command of Captain John Smith did manage to enjoy a Christmas party of sorts…
It seems that it was going to be another hard winter, so Captain Smith negotiated a tentative trade agreement with Wahunsonacock, known to us today as the great chief Powhatan. Accordingly, late in December of 1608, Smith and his men set off to “truck” for corn with various Indian towns around the tidewater area.
Near present day Hampton, Virginia, they found themselves caught in a sudden winter storm. The prospect of weathering the ice and snow without adequate shelter was frightening, but fortunately the nearby Kecoughtan Indians extended their hospitality. The Kecoughtan “werowance” or local chief, named Pochins, invited Smith and his party to stay in his village.
For about a week, the English and Indians enjoyed each other’s company in a round of eat, drink, and be merry. In Smith’s words, the ”extreame winde, rayne, frost and snow caused us to keep Christmas among the Salvages, where we were never more merry, nor fed on more plentie of good Oysters, Fish, Flesh, Wild-foule, and good bread; nor never had better fires in England, than in the dry smoaky houses of Kecoughtan.”
There were no Christmas trees or lights, nor any Santa Claus or figgy pudding, but there in Hampton, was the first recorded English Christmas celebration in North America.
Of course, even when history seems happy, there are unpleasant truths … Less than two years later, the English would attack and destroy the Kecoughtans in 1610, seizing their village which eventually became the town of Hampton… But for a week at least, in a smoky Indian longhouse and among people of totally different faiths and values, there was peace on earth and good will among men.
Carson Hudson is passionate about history. As a practicing historian and author, he writes, consults, and lectures on American history for local colleges, museums, and educational projects. And, now shares his stories with http://SmartRegion.org. Story originally published on Carson’s blog, The Tidewater History Examiner.