In both the Revolutionary War and the War Between the States, City Point was a place of commanding importance. In the latter war it was the real capital of the United States for a brief period when President Abraham Lincoln called a Cabinet meeting in the old Eppes' mansion, Appomattox Manor, in 1865. General Grant occupied as his headquarters some of the old cabins on the Appomattox Manor grounds during the days when the Federals held the site.

Then there was a population of about 10,000 besides an army of 150,000 there.

In 1913 the Du Ponts built a dynamite plant on what was then the Hopewell Farm just beyond the present Hopewell depot. Emissaries of the Eppes family are said to have waited upon the representatives of the millionaire manufacturer and to have requested that the new plant be known as the "Hopewell" plant, since the name had been so intriguing a part of the community since its founding. This request the Du Ponts saw fit to comply with, and with the coming of the World War the Hopewell plant was converted into a gun cotton manufactory with an investment of about 75 millions of dollars, and with an output of about a million and a half pounds per day. The community became a bustling city overnight with 30,000 people finding employment in the munition factory. This boosted the population of the new city which had been incorporated July 1, 1916, to about 40,000. The Armistice meant the closing down of this great plant and at the 1920 census only 1,320 people remained in the city. Undaunted, loyal Hopewell residents induced several good manufacturing plants to locate within the confines, until today the city has a population in excess of 11,000 again. Such is briefly the history of this amazing little community.

 

 

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Mail Service History is Revealing

 

Chief Inspector K. P. Aldrich of the Post Office Department, Washington, contributes the following sketch of Hopewell's early postal history.

"The records indicate that under the date of August 21, 1794, the postmaster-general forward to Mr. Augustine Davis, the postmaster of Richmond, a bond, oath, etc., for the establishment of a post office at Bermuda Hundred and requested Mr. Davis to turn the papers over to some person 'proper for the office.' It may therefore be considered that August 21, 1794, is the date of the establishment of the post office at Bermuda Hundred. The first account of the office was as of January 1, 1795, and Dougald Ferguson is shown to have been the first postmaster.

"It is interesting to note that the post-master-general in writing to Mr. Davis referred to Bermuda Hundred as a port of much business in the mercantile line and stated that it was a matter of consequence to have an active, punctual and careful man for postmaster there.

"The records indicate that Dougald Ferguson resigned from the position of postmaster at Bermuda Hundred and that he was succeeded by Robert Walker, who is shown to have served from October 1, 1795 until his death about January 1, 1799.

"It is indicated that from the time of the removal of the collector's office (evidently the collector of customs) from Bermuda Hundred to City Point, apparently early in 1797, the mail, was delivered to City Point instead of to Bermuda Hundred, although the records do not indicate that the name of the office was changed officially until 1801.

"The post office established at Bermuda Hundred was supplied by a route from Osborne's, and the records indicate a John G. Woolfolk was the contractor on the route. It is indicated that Robert Armistead was a carrier who served City Point from about the time of the first mail delivery there. Around the year 1801, according to old records, Ralph Graves was carrier from Petersburg to City Point.

"The postal guide for 1798 lists the main post road in the United States as extending from Scoodic in Maine, down to Richmond, Osborne's, Petersburg, Harris's and Goldson's in Virginia and on to Saint Mary's in Georgia. One of the cross roads branching out from this main post road was the Osborne's by either Bermuda Hundred or Petersburg to City Point."

 

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Postsmasters Under Three Names

 

Bermuda Hundred, as has been noted, was served by Dougald Ferguson as First postmaster, then by Robert Walker and later by Andrew Forborn. When the office was changed to "City Point" the following occupied the post:

Andrew Forborn, January 1, 1801; John H. Peterson, February 28, 1811; Edward Pedcud, February 8, 1831; George E. Moody, July 21, 1840; James H. Bugleston, July 3, 1849; Henry E. Tuttle, October 6, 1853; Virginius W. Harrison, January 16, 1854; James D. Proctor, October 2, 1854; Samuel Cook, December 18, 1856; Archibald M. Drew, February 4, 1857; William S. Sinclair, August 24, 1865; William W. Moulton, December 8, 1865; Henry B. Pierce, May 8, 1866; George Palmer, March 25, 1870; Henry T. Cocke, August 27, 1885; Elizabeth W. Cocke, January 18, 1889; George L. Taylor, February 4, 1896; James D. Proctor, November 17, 1897; Roberta M. Ford, August 16, 1900; Mary L. Sherman, October 17, 1906; Grace J. Pierce, March 30, 1914; Henry L. Munt, April 13, 1915.

After the post office was changed again, this time to Hopewell in 1923, the postmasters have been:

John Hanlon, October 1, 1915; Francis P. Landon, April 28, 1922; Henry L. Munt (acting), July 20, 1934; Henry L. Munt, January 18, 1935.

 

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City and Section Have Many Historic Sites

 

"Off the main traveled highway a bit as we are, the general run of tourists miss our many historic places," commented Postmaster Munt in outlining some of the tentative plans for the forthcoming celebration. "Few realize the many points of outstanding merit we possess, and it is the hope of the celebration committee that this event will not only commemorate our 300 years of progress, but will prove the key to unlock our chest of historic treasures to an ever-growing army of visitors.

"Appomattox Manor, of course, must head our list. It is believed that this tract of land has remained continuously in one family longer than any other piece of property in America. It is possible that our celebration may be staged on the Eppes property and that will place any re-enactment of Captain Eppes' landing on practically the identical spot, just 300 years later.

"Other points of interest include Cawsons, the residence of Theoderick Bland and the birthplace of John Randolph of Roanoke. Bland was clerk of court for 58 years; Poythress, the home site of the Hon. Peter Poythress, Burgess, sheriff and official; the old Tavern site; the East India School site and Old Church site; the city Point wharves; the Cook home and Proctor place; the Cocke home, birthplace of General Cocke Weston and Mitchell, and the old town of Broadway, just west of the present city limits, across Bull Creek.

"Military sites of interest include the Confederate fort in Appomattox Manor gardens, an old one overlooking City Point Depot; Fort Abbott, erected by General Grant after the occupation and its line of breastworks. In the west end there is a Confederate rampart on a hill near our present high school and Federal ramparts near the city limits. There is the old sailors' cemetary at the head of the present Main Street, and last but by no means least is the giant pecan tree, on Pecan Street, considered the largest tree of its kind known."

 

 

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A Copy of Capt. Eppes' Original Land Grant

 

Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth

 

To all to whome these presents shall come I Capt. John West, Esqur. Governor and Capt. Generll. of Virginia send greeting in our Lord God Everlasting Whereas by Letters bearing date the twoe and twentieth day of July 1634 from the Rt. Honoroble, the Lords of his Majties, most Honoroble, the Lords of his Majties, most Honoroble. Privie Councell their Lordships did authorize the Governor and Councell of Virginia to dispose of such proportions of Lands to all planters being freeman as they had power to doe before the years 1625 when according to diverse orders and constitutions in that Case provided and appointed all devidents of Land any waise due or belonging to any adventurers or planters of what condition soever were to bee laid out and assigned unto them according to the severall Conditions in the same mentioned. NOW KNOW yee that I the said Capt. John West Esqr. doe with the consent of the Councell of State give and grant unto Capt. Francis Eppes one Thowsand seaven hundred acres of land scituate lying and being in the County of Charles (Vist) East upon Bay by his Creeke South into the maine land West upon Cason his Creeke up, Appamattuch river and North upon the Maine river fiftie acres of the said Seaventeene hundred acres of land being due unto him and said Capt. Francis Eppes for his owne personall Adventure into this Colony and the other sixteene hundred and fiftie acres by and for the transportation at his owne proper costs and charges of three sonns and thirty servants into this Colony whose names are in the records mentioned under his Pattent. To have and to hold the said Seaventeene hundred acres of land with his due share of all Mines and Mineralls therein conteyned with all rights and privileges of hunting hawking fishing and fowling alsoe all woods waters and rivers and all profitts commodities and hereditaments whatsoever within the precincts of the said Seaventeene hundred acres of land or to the said land or any of them in any wise belonging unto the said Capt. Francis Eppes his heires Executors Administrators and assignes for ever in as large and ample manner to all intents and purposes as is expressed in the said orders and constitutions or by consequence may be justly Collected out of the same or out of his Majties Letters Pattents whereon they are grounded. To be held of our Soveraigne Lord the King his heires and Successors As of his Mannor of East Greenwich in free and common Soccage and Not in Capite nor by Kts. Service Yeilding and paying unto our said Soveraigne Lord the King his Successors forever or to his or their gatherers for evry fiftie acres of land herein by these presents given and graunted yearely at the feast of St. Michaell the Archell. the fee rent of one shilling to his bajties. Use Provided alwaise that if the said Francis Epes his heires and assigne shall not plant or seate or cause to bee planted on the said seaventeene hundred acres of land within the time or terme of three yeares now next ensuing the date hereof tha then it shall and may be lawfull for any Adventurer or planter to make Choice of and seats upon the same. Given at James Citty under my hand and sealed with the seale of the Colony the 26th day of August 1635 and in the XIth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord King Charles Over England &C. Capt. Fr. Epes, Jon Epes, Fr. Epes, Tho. Epes, Jon. Long, Jon. Baker, Tho. Warden, Jon. Joyce, Tho. Foanes, Tho. Cropp, Rich. Stayle, Rich. Huett, Geo. Addams, Sarah Hickmore, Thomas Pattison, Anth. Box, Jonath. Ellison, Barth. Swinborne, Silvester Atkins, Robt. Fossett, Ja. Rowland, Ann Turner, Geo. Archer, Hugh James, Jon. Nowells, Bashaw, Juliana, Andrea, Maydelina, Cesent Negar, Rich. Litchfield, Edward Ames, Susan Mills, James Long.

This was surrendered & renewed by Sr. Georg Harvey.

Rich. Kemp, Secr.