The Friends of New London are pleased to announce our August through October speakers for 2006:

*unless otherwise noted, all talks will be presented free of charge beginning at 2PM at the Friends of New London, Virginia office located at the intersection of Alum Springs and Turkey Foot roads in New London.

Sunday August 20, 2006:  "Campbell County's Research Secrets (and a few not so secret)" by Anita Jordan of the Campbell County Real Estate Office (retired)

     Born in Campbell County and living on the same farm her entire life, Anita Jordan has deep roots in Campbell County.  "I have always loved history and feel like I ended up in the perfect job at the County Real Estate Office," says Anita.  Research and mapping properties was an important part of the job.  Anita said that if the maps were drawn wrong then we would do as much research as was needed in order to get them right.  Anita was dedicated to serving the people and quite often the answers came "off the top of her head."  Calvin Massie, the Commissioner of Revenue and Anita's boss, said that Anita had forgotten more than most anyone else would ever know.  If she didn't know an answer, then she either knew who to go to or would try and find out.  "The people always came first and I tried to go the extra mile.  If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change anything," says Anita.

     Anita retired September 1, 2006 after 30 years in the County's Real Estate Office.  Says Anita, " I won't miss the stress or headaches but I will miss the people."

***

Sunday September 17th 2006  "The Read Family of New London" by Michael Read

     Michael Read is an area native whose family dates back to 17^th Century Virginia.  The first record of the Read Family dates to Christopher Read of Jamestown in the 1640’s.  Eventually, family members settled in Bedford County in the 1700’s, making their home in the New London area.  Mr. Read will trace the family line from this period to the present day, while interjecting stories of local interest.

     Michael lives at Woodlawn, one of the family homes just outside the town of New London.  He earned a degree in Psychology from VPI and has an Accounting degree from Lynchburg College.  Currently, Michael serves as the Vice President of Operations for VACORP, an investing and liquidity corporation for credit unions throughout the United States.

***

Friday October 20th 2006 (7:30PM at Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest [for directions and to learn more visit www.poplarforest.org]):  “Mrs John Rolfe of Heacham – better known as Pocahontas" by John Haden, Chair of the East Lindsey District, Lincolnshire, England 2007 Community Program

     Lincolnshire, England is the birthplace of Captain John Smith and is the area from which both the Pilgrim Fathers and the New England settlers came.  Not far from Lincolnshire in the County of Norfolk was the birthplace and home of John Rolfe.

     Since 2002, John Haden has been working with others in the Lincolnshire community on the American Roots in English Soil (ARIES) Project, a legacy project in support of America’s 400th Anniversary and Virginia 2007. Most of us know the stories of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas, but few know the true story of John Rolfe of Heacham, the man that Pocohontas married, and of their early lives before they met at Jamestown, married and traveled together to England. The Friends of New London Virginia is pleased to host one of Mr. Haden’s U.S. lectures on the life and times of this remarkable couple who brought peace to early Jamestown.

About John Haden: Mr. Haden holds a Masters Degree from Oxford University and a research degree from York. He has served as a UK High School Principal, including 10 years at the school in Louth, Lincolnshire, to which John Smith went as a boy, and 8 years at Wymondham College in Norfolk, which occupied the nissen huts of the USAAF 2^nd Air Division Base Hospital.

The following publications will be available at the lecture.

Created by the Friends of New London, Virginia, Inc.