2. The Story of the First Poles in America
Prepared for
The American Council for Polish Culture
by Henrietta Nowakowski

3. These 3 ships were the first to arrive in Jamestown in May, 1607 (see text above picture): the Susan Constant, the Goodspeed, and the Discovery.

4. This is the 2nd supply ship that arrived in Jamestown on October 1, 1608 with the first Polish craftsmen

5. Passenger manifest of the William and Mary, listing “Gentlemen, Tradesmen, Laborers, Boyes (sic) and at the very bottom: “eight Dutch Men and Poles, with some others”

6. Partial map of the Virginia Colony, showing Jamestown jutting into the James River

7. U. S. Postal Service depiction of the Jamestown settlement, showing a triangular palisade. Hence the triangular stamp (upper right corner) as issued in 2007

8. Artist’s representation of the Poles thanking God for a safe arrival.

9. Some publications name these men as those first Poles in Jamestown: Zbigniew Stefanski, Stanislaw Sadowski, Jan/Jur Mata, and Jan Bogdan.

10. Karol Wachtl ‘s book Polonja w Ameryce (Poles in America) published in 1944, mentions their names. He said it was from a London newspaper clipping, from Wiesci Polskie written in 1831, for the Polish emigres who left Poland after the 1830 insurrection (Powstanie listopadowe) .

11. Here is another book where these same names are mentioned a few years later.. They were gleaned from a now missing journal written by one of these adventurers, Zbigniew Stefanski

12. These are the author’s (Arthur Waldo’s) notes where he writes about his encounter with this elusive diary. The book was offered to the Polish Museum in Chicago for purchase in The sale didn’t materialize and the diary has since disappeared.

13. Here is Waldo’s version of the diary, written in old Polish, its Latin title being Memorialium Commercatoris . It was published for private use in Amsterdam in Its author is Zbigniew Stefanski, one of those first Poles mentioned earlier.

14. This is a translation into English: Diary of a Merchant.

15. Here we have replicated the first page of the Records of the Virginia Company of London dated July 21st (July 21th), 1619

16. Here is the last page of that particular record
Here is the last page of that particular record. Please note the last paragraph. (The next slide shows it enlarged.)

17. THIS IS THE DECREE AS IT APPEARED in the
Virginia Company Records, dated “July the 21th, 1619”
“Upon some dispute of the Polonians resident in Virginia, it was now agreed (notwithstanding any former order to the contrary) that they shall be enfranchised, and made as free as any inhabitant there whatsoever and because their skill in making pitch and tarr and sopeashes shall not die with then, it is agreed that some young men shall be put into them to learn their skill and knowledge therein for the benefit of the country thereafter.” (July 21,1619, in time to vote for the first assembly of the House of Burgesses which convened July 30th..)
Upon some dispute of the Polonians resident in Virginia, it was now agreed (notwithstanding any former order to the contrary) that they shall be enfranchised and made as free as any inhabitant there whatsoever and because their skill in making pitch & tarr & sopeashes shall not die with them, it is agreed that some young men, shalbe put into them to learn their skill & knowledge therein for the benefit of the country hereafter.
……. Collingwood

18. The first assembly of the House of Burgesses met in the church choir from July 30 until August 4, 1619.
(This church tower is the only original structure remaining intact today.)
The first assembly of the House of Burgesses met in the church choir from July 30 until August 4, 1619.
(This church tower is the only original structure remaining intact today.)

19. The inhabitants of eleven plantations or settlements elected 2 representatives each to sit in this legislative body. Governor Yeardley of Virginia, plus some other officials were also in attendance.

20. The following month, in August 1619, the first Africans (from Angola) landed at Point Comfort, near Jamestown. They were traded for supplies and were treated as indentured servants.
England did not enact its slavery laws until 1662.

21. It is sad to note that it took almost 350 years for the Voting Act of 1965 to pass, and extend those same rights to African Americans

22. Medal of St. Hyacinth of Poland
Canonized in 1594
The following slides present undisputable evidence that the Poles were really in Jamestown.
This medal was found in Jamestown archaeological digs recently and was on display in 2012 in the exhibit hall. St. Hyacinth is a Polish saint, highly revered with many churches in Poland and abroad bearing his name. He was canonized in 1594.

23. This is the Polish Church in Rome, Italy
This is the Polish Church in Rome, Italy. The painting above the altar depicts St. Hyacinth at the bottom looking outward. It was painted on the occasion of his canonization by Italian artist della Grammatica. …another example of the devotion to this Polish saint.

24. More religious artifacts, especially rosary medals, as described by William Kelso who is the head archaeologist there.

25. Here is one of that original foursome whom we have succeeded in documenting using genealogical records obtained from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jan Bogdan left his church in Haarlem, Netherlands with his wife, Anna for the port of Leyden in This corroborates what Arthur Waldo writes in his Heroes of Jamestown.

26. This is a plaque naming the first Poles
This is a plaque naming the first Poles. It was first installed in Jamestown in 1957 (for the 350th anniversary of Jamestown), funded by the Polish Falcons of America.
It is presently moored in the concrete walkway leading to the Exhibit Hall. Please note there is a 5th name, Michal Lowicki, who was a British subject. He’s listed in the “Mary & Margaret’’ manifest as ‘gentleman Michael Lowick’.

27. This historic marker was placed on the Virginia State Route 31, the road near the entrance to the historic Jamestown site. It was unveiled in 2012.