at the mouth of Shockoe's Creek, which joins the river at the falls, and again, in 1687, he had a patent of 956 acres on the east side of the creek, extending up and down the line of the James River. On a part of these two tracts the present city of Richmond was founded some years later by his son, Colonel William Evelyn Byrd, who gives this account in his journal:
"Sept. 19th, 1733. When we got home we laid the
foundation of two large cities,—One at Schocco's, to
be called Richmond, and the other at the Point of
Appamattuck River to be nam'd Petersburgh. These
Major Mayo offered to lay out into lots without fee or
reward. The truth of it is these two places being the
uppermost landing of James and Appamattuck Rivers,
are naturally intended for Marts where the traffick of the
outer inhabitants must Center. Thus we did not build
Castles only, but also citys in the air."
He also advertised in the Virginia Gazette
of April, 1737, "that on the north side of
James River, near the uppermost landing and
a little below the falls, is lately built by Major
Mayo a town called Richmond with streets sixty
feet wide in a pleasant and healthy situation,
and well supplied with springs of good water."
The founder of Richmond was one of the
