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Overview: Our historic weekend celebration of the birth, in 1603, of Peter Montague (Jamestowne Colony), was a moving experience for each and every one of the 20-35 who traveled from Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, and of course Virginia, to attend the weekend event. The entire three days have been beautifully photographed for posterity and assembled into a CD-based photoalbum set to music by Skiles and Janet Montague.
-7 Nov (Friday): Kicked of tour with a beautifully catered evening social at the historic Fairfax-Moore-Montague home of Robert L. Montague, III, in Old Town Alexandria. The evening, attended by at least 35 people (we had only planned for 30), concluded with a traditional birthday song and cutting of the best tasting cake this attendee has ever eaten. This was the neighborhood of the famous Lee family. Four of Robert E. Lee's aunts married Montagues.
-8 Nov (Saturday): The day was spent at Jamestowne Settlement and Jamestowne Island viewing the archival digs, and touring the attractions. In the Jamestowne Chapel, Father Bob Pritchard (a Peter Montague descendant) presented a brief "Service of Remembrance of Peter Montague", which had been prepared in advance. It was a perfectly appropriate religious experience imagining that Peter himself undoubtedly sat in the same place 382 years earlier, in that same environment under such totally different, and difficult circumstances. Could he possibly have imagined that he might one day have 10th, 11th, and 12th generation descendants reflecting on his life with awe and humility? Later, the Vice-President of the Virginia Genealogical Society, Donald W. Moore, presented a talk on "Life in 17th Century Virginia" during which time our group almost doubled in size with passers-by sitting down to hear Mr Moore. As we listened, the sun setting low on the horizon to our right, and our field of view was directly southward across to the other side of the James River where Peter had spent his first 5-7 years, All the stars above conspired to create an unforgettable coming together of people, events, weather, and "destiny". Later we all rejoined at the Williamsburg Lodge for a 3-hour dinner social.
-9 Nov (Sunday): The busiest day of all included a wide-ranging tour of Middlesex, Essex, and Lancaster Counties. With Robert (Bob) L. Montague, III as our tour guide leading our caravan of cars in his antique 1954 station wagon, we made four memorable pitstops: (1) First Stop-- Middlesex Co., to Montague Island along Montague Road, to see the second oldest standing Montague home in America, built circa late 1700s by Col Philip Montague. It is officially on the books as dating from 1810. The last Montague property was sold at the death of William Latane Montague, abt. 1838. Thomas Edison's second son, William Leslie Edison (1878-1937), owned the home from Apr 1906-Jan 1907. It was purchased by William Kellar in 1910 and has ever since been in the Kellar family. (2) Second Stop-- Nesting (formerly Perrott's Neck and possibly the oldest house in Middlesex Co., dating to 1650s, next door to Montague Island. The home was owned, from 1849 to about 1919, by Joseph C. Eubank whose dau Cordelia Gay Eubank m. the arguably most famous Southern Judge of Virginia civil war history, Robert Latane Montague, (whose great grandson is our very own tour leader Bob (Robert L. Montague, III). (3) Third Stop-- Essex Co., where sits the oldest Montague home in America, built circa 1760 by Abraham Montague, son of Abraham, son of William, son of Peter II, son of Peter the immigrant, and currently in the loving care of Dr and Mrs Eugene Wiegle (pronounced Whygull). How Bob ever found it was a mystery, as it is isolated deep into the woods. The Weigles could not have been more gracious in allowing us access into and around their home. All of us were honored by, humbled by, and appreciative of their hospitality. (4) Fourth and Final Stop-- The homestead and gravesite of Peter Montague where a large granite memorial was placed in 1903, by then Governor of Virginia, Andrew Jackson Montague, to commemorate the 300th Anniversary of Peter Montague's birth in 1603. Some of us found the remains of the "burnt chimneys" homestead about 100 yards away. By this time, the sun had set leaving our group immersed in the beams of our automobile headlights. A scripted ending could not have been more memorable. Thirty minutes later we retired to Bob's Urbanna home "Sandwich" for a farewell tea and final discussion about the time travel we had all just experienced.
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