Early days in King William County, Virginia -- which today encompasses the communities of Aylett, Cologne, King William, Manquin, and West Point  -- are recalled through a mixture of colorful tales and factual data in this 33-page booklet.

The spiral-bound booklet is comprised of excerpts from three rare vintage books: Historical Collections of Virginia by Henry Howe; Twelve Counties of Virginia by John H. Gwathmey; and Virginia, a Guide to the Old Dominion, a WPA Writer's Program publication. It is printed on 60#  8 1/2 x11" paper, with the print enlarged to fit the paper. The front cover is protected with a vinyl sheet.

 The excerpt from the Howe history, printed in 1845, is quite brief. It covers the early development of this area, while excerpts from the WPA book, give a nostalgic glimpse from a 1940 vantage point, including interesting historical notes and sightseeing possibilities. The bulk of this booklet comes from Gwathmey's 1937 contribution, sub-titled "Where the Western Migration Began", a rich resource for the names of early families. Many of these settlers and/or their descendants later migrated to the "western" states of Kentucky, Ohio, etc.

Among the many subjects discussed are: Opechancanough, a savage Indian king, and a comparison with his brother Powhatan; remnants of the Pamunkey tribe at Indian Town and the Mattaponi tribe near Goodwin's Island; how Piping Tree was named; Physical Features; Nathaniel Bacon and his followers; names of Confederate officers; early family names, like West, Waller, Moore, Dandridge, Aylett, Pollard (court clerks for generations), Carr, Browne, Gregory, Langborne, Pagw, Burwell, Littlepage, Lewis, Claiborne, Fox, Carter, Ruffin, Gwathmey, White, Snead, Lipscomb,  and others; County officers of 1702; Members of the House of Burgesses from King William County; Lafayette in King William County;  Civil War activities; Carter Braxton, a compatriot of Jefferson, Henry, Randolph and Washington; Bio of Capt. (Col.) William Dandridge of the Royal Navy; Chelsea, Burlington, Chericoke, Elsing Green, Auburn, Aspen Grove, Pampatike, Bear Garden (once Gen. Fitzhugh Lee's hq), and other estates; a tale of Philip Aylett and Sam Houston; the pre-1675 courthouse and it's 25 portraits;  "Mail Days", Cat-Tail Church and Mangohick Church; and other interesting bits of history and trivia.

Illustrations : a sketch of the King William Courthouse is the only illustration.