The Impact of the New Town

With the establishment of Fredericksburg in 1728, Ferry Farm took on a new distinction. Situated directly across from this new trade center, the plantation featured a ferry crossing and access to the Rappahannock River. In 1727, the plantation passed from the hands of small planters to a member of the local gentry—William Strother, lawyer and representative in the House of Burgesses.

Strother Coat Of Arms
The Coat Of Arms for the Strother family.

The Strother Landscape ~ Strother built a new house and kitchen along with several outbuildings. So far, only the remains of the kitchen have been found.

Excavating the Cellar ~ Excavators uncovered the remains of a 16 ft x 16 ft stone cellar that was destroyed by fire shortly after 1740. The cellar was full of burned coarse earthenware pottery (used for food preparation and storage) and bottle glass. It appears to be the remains of the farm’s kitchen. The cement walls in the background are part of a twentieth-century farmhouse cellar that was built directly on top of the Strother cellar remains.

Thimble
Thimble ~ This copper alloy thimble looks remarkably similar to its modern-day successor, and most likely belonged to Strother’s wife or one of his six daughters.

Wine Bottle ~ This wine bottle, recovered from the cellar, is of a type first manufactured in the 1720s.

Delft bowl fragments
Delft Bowl ~ Also found in the cellar, this highly decorated bowl may have been used during tea drinking.