The Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation is deeply grateful to local volunteer genealogists Margaret Gunn and Ken Levine for their work in updating Jamestown’s online research database. The database provides researchers with downloadable genealogy records summarizing the documented information about Jamestown’s seventeenth-century residents. Longtime Jamestown supporters and friends, Margaret and Ken spent many months researching and updating the records.
Ken and Margaret met while both pursued careers in Richmond. Later they were married in the Wren Chapel of the College of William and Mary, Margaret’s alma mater. Margaret is a Virginia native who descends from numerous early Jamestown settlers, as well as Pocahontas. Her deep interest in genealogy and history began when she was a young girl. Ken is from New York. While he does not trace his roots to Virginia, he has enjoyed contributing to Margaret’s genealogical research.
“Jamestown’s story is important—and we must ensure that future generations understand our nation’s rich history and those who persevered at the time of America’s beginning,” shared Margaret.
“It is our hope that when the updated online Jamestown biographies are returned to the website that thousands of others will learn about the fascinating stories of those who lived at Jamestown in the earliest days of our nation. It has been a pleasure working on this important project,” said Ken.
explore your family history
Many people can trace their family roots back to Jamestown’s earliest settlers. To assist with genealogical research, we have developed a series of biographical records about some of the earliest of Jamestown’s documented residents. Each record is available for $4.95 and comes as a downloadable PDF. We also offer a variety of genealogy reference books through our online store to help explore the lives of many of Jamestown’s 17th-century residents. Regretfully we are unable to assist with or respond to genealogy research questions.
Each genealogy record summarizes documented historical information about an individual. This may include birth and death dates; familial relations, such as parents, spouse(s), and children; and the person’s Jamestown connection, such as arrival date and place of residence. The information available about an individual can vary tremendously, so files will not necessarily include all of these details. Records also focus on documented evidence from the first quarter of the 17th century and rarely contain information about subsequent generations beyond the person’s children or grandchildren, if known.
how were the subjects of the records selected?
Many of Jamestown’s earliest European residents are only known because of a few scant references in surviving historical sources. The research team focused on the population of Jamestown, as well as surrounding settlements, during the first quarter of the 17th century and developed records for individuals whose presence is better documented.
how do i receive my purchased records?
Each genealogy record costs $4.95 and comes as a downloadable PDF. Upon completion of your purchase, the download link(s) will be available on the confirmation screen. An email with the links will also be sent to the address provided during the transaction process. The PDFs can be opened with Adobe Acrobat, which is free to download. Our team will be happy to assist Monday through Friday, during normal business hours, with questions about how to download the file(s), but records cannot be sent in the mail. If you need assistance downloading a purchased file, please email hjweb@preservationvirginia.org.
