SHELLBANKS

I.1

Irene Weston's material

Papers of .I'.argarct Sinclair, Em:.:. Hutton,The Beverley Family of Virginia, p 29

I . .G-",pt_..'J'hC?!!la._.fl!J:e.Krgy (born 1582 - di ed sometime pri or to 16'10)

orieinal land grant - carne over Iiln the "George" in 1821, or~i5inallyto land in James City County. In 1531 he patented 500 acres of landon the northwest branch of Back River ~nd by 1635 it was part of a2000 acre plantation knOVIn as "Drayton". The m.:iiden name of his wifeis not k~o\m. She is listed as Lucy, born in 1598 and she outlived him.Of their several children, only the name of the eldest is reoorded.

II. Thomas Purefo~ (essential dates unknorm but he was deoeased before1675)---Tne name of his Wife is not recorded, nor are the names ofseveral of their Children, only one daughter

III. Frances J?J.!.refoy, who married first, Richard Hand (it is saidthGt hs was killed by pirates) but he died before or around 1689,secondly she married William Lowry. This brought about a diVision ofthe land with part of the portion descending to the Hand side eventuallybecoming lrnown as "Sherwood" and the Lowry property takine; the namepf Shellbank. ~-_._,

This property was about 4~ miles from Hampton on the Southwest Branohor Back River (7)

The hous e is said to have been bui It in 16--With five dormer Windows on the front. Largeend. Back of the house and to the right sideenclosed garden waB at the front door.

lt wa~ 8 story and a halfohimneys were on eitherwas a large vine. An

In thin hcuse, tradition maintains that Gen. George I'iashington priorto tile surrender of his i.la.1esty I s English forces at torktovm oftenwent. Capt. Wm. Lowry was on George Washington's Staff. 1758.

Dr. EJd~~one2 has the dining hable from Shellbanks. He w~s left itby his aunt, Mrs. Virginia Jones Newman when she died.

In our home we had sevsral piecesof furniture that came from ::ihellbank.As you k"ow there were no male heirs and the property was sold. Mygraddmother was Frances Lowry Sinclair, daughter of Thomas WhitingLowry and ~artlw Boush Mallory binClair.

Shellbanks was bought by Ii.ro. '.ary liemingl':ay_of Boston and presentedto Ham ptun Institute in 18"78 -for the specia 1 benefi t of indian students'then~eing cared-"-for under the patronage of the Federal Government.At first the Indians were divided into tVIO v-oups - one half working inthe morning & the other half working in the afternoon. They lived intents and had their meals in a canvas covered shelter.

Some Negro students were added to the gr~up. The farm served as alaboratory for both Indians and Negroes.

In 1892month.Hampton

General Armstrong wrote that the boys were on wages of J10 ai-c was G'eneral Armstrong, a Federal Officer, who establishedInstitute.

The night school was supervised by Booker T. Washington.

In 1902 a model cow barm was built and given by ~~~re~. Peabody, aTruetee. !On Dec. 1902 a big fire destroyed the home & all the dwellil

houses. $100,000 was spent on a large acho-:,l bUilding and stockfor the farm. One gable of the school was used for girls and thewOljlen teachers.

Mr. Jo~-Y~h~ng~r was a superintendent of the ~hellbankk Farm. Thei'e.rm I'WS used for educational purposes. Shellbanks was latertaken over (aold) by the United States Government to add to LangleyAir Force Baae. Thia aection is still known as the Shellbanks area.

Several yeara ago the government planned to build over the oldLowry Family Burying Ground. Dexoendenta gave permission for theremains to be moved to St. John's Church Yard, Hampton. THerevoday in oousin Frenohxe Lowry's Plot ia a vault to the Lowl'ys ofShellbanks.

lt wua John Lowry and a oommittee who aelected the present eite ofSt. Johri-'Ei--o-nuroh in 1728.

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