18th-Century People
The
Foundational Story
Meet the Nation Builders, Mothers, Farmers, Field Hands, Brewers, Blacksmiths and Baptist Preachers.
Our nation’s origin story begins in Williamsburg. Here, in this capital city of Virginia, many kinds of people lived and worked together. Some had come by choice, hoping to find opportunity. Others were captured and brought by force. Indigenous people found their world upended by strangers. In Williamsburg, all kinds of people sacrificed, endured, and achieved. It was a community of aspiration and contradiction – and it became a crucible for revolution.
Story Collections
America’s Nation Builders
From recognizable names like Jefferson and Washington to people whose names did not grace your history book, meet the Nation Builders who helped shape their time and whose legacies continue to influence and inspire American ideals.
Patrick Henry
The Revolution’s most renowned orator
Thomas Jefferson
Author of the Declaration of American Independence and third president of the United States
James Armistead Lafayette
Double agent during the Revolution
Marquis de Lafayette
Washington’s trusted French officer
James Madison
The Father of the Constitution.
George Mason
Author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights
Gowan Pamphlet
Preacher and founder of Williamsburg’s First Baptist Church
Jane Vobe
Successful Williamsburg tavernkeeper
Ann Wager
Educator at the Bray School in Williamsburg
George Washington
Commander of the Continental Army and first president of the United States
Martha Washington
The First First Lady
George Wythe
Teacher of some of early America’s most influential minds
Stories of Women
Women played important and, at times, unexpected roles in early Williamsburg. Their stories, often hidden in the historical record, illuminate their rich contributions to eighteenth-century Virginia's social, economic, and political life. Join us as we celebrate and examine the experiences, lives, and relationships of these women.
Margaret Bannerman
A Woman’s Struggle against Her Fraudulent Husband
Abigail Briggs
An Indigenous Woman in a White Court
Lydia Broadnax
Unheard Witness to the murder of George Wythe.
Margaret Hunter
The businesswoman behind the Millinery Shop
Judith Jackson
A Black Loyalist Flees Virginia
Clementina Rind
The Widow Who Printed the American Revolution
Jane Vobe
Successful Williamsburg tavernkeeper
Ann Wager
Educator at the Bray School in Williamsburg
Martha Washington
The First First Lady
Stories of Black Life
During the 18th century, half of Williamsburg’s population was Black. Discover these American stories of resilience and explore those who lived, loved, and strove to create a better future.
Lydia Broadnax
Unheard Witness to the murder of George Wythe
Fanny and Moses
The Incomplete Story of Underground Allies
Aaron Griffin
Search for Freedom
John Harris
The Anatomy of a “Runaway” Advertisement
Judith Jackson
A Black Loyalist Flees Virginia
James Armistead Lafayette
Double agent during the Revolution
Gowan Pamphlet
Preacher and founder of Williamsburg’s First Baptist Church
Cesar Tarrant
Patriot Pilot
Stories of American Indian Life
American Indians, Native Americans, and/or Indigenous peoples were a regular and frequent presence in 18th-century Williamsburg. These diverse Native nations influenced American culture, democracy, and its struggle for independence. The explorations of these American Indian nations and their role in our collective story then and now are essential in understanding modern American life.
Attakullakulla (Little Carpenter)
A Skilled Diplomat and a Powerful Orator
Abigail Briggs
An Indigenous Woman in a White Court
Logan
The Mystery at the Heart of the Shawnee-Dunmore War
Robert Mursh
An American Indian Revolutionary
Nanyehi (Nancy Ward)
A Respected Leader among the Cherokee
People of Williamsburg
Eighteenth century Williamsburg was a community on the brink of revolution. Learn the stories of ordinary people during extraordinary times.
Attakullakulla (Little Carpenter)
A Skilled Diplomat and a Powerful Orator
Margaret Bannerman
A Woman’s Struggle against Her Fraudulent Husband
Lydia Broadnax
Unheard Witness to the murder of George Wythe.
Robert Carter III
An Unlikely Emancipator
Fanny and Moses
The Incomplete Story of Underground Allies
John Harris
The Anatomy of a “Runaway” Advertisement
Patrick Henry
The Revolution’s most renowned orator
Thomas Jefferson
Author of the Declaration of American Independence and third president of the United States
James McClurg
Well-known physician in Virginia and resident at Custis Square
John Murray
Fourth Earl of Dunmore
Robert Mursh
An American Indian Revolutionary
Gowan Pamphlet
Preacher and founder of Williamsburg’s First Baptist Church
Peyton Randolph
A Moderate Revolutionary
Clementina Rind
The Widow Who Printed the American Revolution
Peter Scott
Williamsburg’s First Cabinetmaker
Jane Vobe
Successful Williamsburg tavernkeeper
Ann Wager
Educator at the Bray School in Williamsburg
Nanyehi (Nancy Ward)
A Respected Leader among the Cherokee
Martha Washington
The First First Lady
George Wythe
Teacher of some of early America’s most influential minds
