Bermuda’s Overlooked History: Transforming Our Perception of Colonial America

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A sudden roar disrupted the stillness of the humid air, startling those nearby. In a shallow trench, a young woman assured me, “No worries,” pointing with a trowel into the underbrush. “Our tools here include chainsaws and leaf blowers.” A short distance away, clad in a dirty T-shirt and faded camo shorts, Michael Jarvis was cutting through dense vegetation with a gas-powered saw. Here on Smith’s Island in Bermuda, Jarvis, affectionately known as “Chainsaw Mike” by his students, is digging into the remnants of one of the earliest New World settlements established by English colonists.

This settlement, which dates back to 1612, was founded only five years after Jamestown and eight years before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. It was short-lived, soon relocating to a different spot on a neighboring island and then slipping from collective memory for centuries; in fact, its original name remains a mystery.

Despite its stunning pink beaches and turquoise waters that attract honeymooners, Bermuda has been largely overlooked by historians. Yet, at one point, the small archipelago of around 180 islands in the Sargasso Sea supported more settlers than both Virginia and Massachusetts, and it prospered significantly. The English were the first to cultivate tobacco in this part of the New World and began the troubling practice of importing enslaved Africans for labor—a trend that later spread throughout American colonies. Historian Carla Pestana of UCLA notes that “Bermuda barreled ahead, becoming profitable, and that model encouraged investors who realized they could make money in the New World,” marking it as the first financially successful plantation in the English territories.

Despite its wealth, Bermuda’s limited size—a mere 22 square miles—resulted in rapid population displacement as English settlers flocked to the larger expanses of North America and the Caribbean. Environmental challenges eventually pushed planters to shift from agriculture to trade or piracy. As the British Empire expanded and the United States emerged, the significance of this remote island dwindled, often dismissed by historians as a curiosity or failure, Jarvis explains.

For the past 14 years, Jarvis, a historian and archaeologist at the University of Rochester, has spearheaded excavations on the island to recover the buried details of its oft-ignored colonial past. He has uncovered significant findings that could shift perceptions of Bermuda’s role in early English colonization in the Americas. Mark Horton, a British archaeologist involved in recovering traces of the ill-fated 1587 Roanoke settlement, describes Jarvis’ discoveries as “truly significant,” stating that they offer crucial insights into early 17th-century settlements not just on Bermuda but also across the Caribbean and North America.

Geographically, Bermuda, which resembles a fishhook, is situated 650 miles east of North Carolina and 800 miles north of the West Indies. The formation of the islands traces back over a million years, influenced by fluctuating sea levels and volcanic activity in the mid-Atlantic. This interplay of climate and natural forces fostered an environment rich in flora and fauna, including a species of invertebrate responsible for building coral reefs that encircle the islands.

With no land mammals as predators, the balance of nature allowed the proliferation of birds, including the distinctive cahow, known for its haunting call. The first recorded human encounter with the islands occurred in the early 1500s, although they may have been visited earlier by Irish monk St. Brendan, according to some beliefs. Spanish navigator Juan de Bermúdez recorded their existence around 1503, reputedly leaving pigs behind for potential future settlers.

During the 16th century, treacherous underwater terrain earned Bermuda a notorious reputation, leading to it being labeled the “Isle of Devils,” with over 300 shipwrecks attributed to its jagged reefs and turbulent weather. Sir Walter Raleigh described this sea as hellish, filled with storms that were feared by mariners. Historical records detail many vessels that perished near its shores—a reputation that perpetuated a fantasy of Bermuda as a cursed land.

The narrative shifted dramatically on July 25, 1609, when the ill-fated Sea Venture, part of an English fleet aimed at reaching Jamestown, encountered a hurricane and was severely damaged. After days of battling the fury of the ocean, Admiral George Somers spotted land and grounded the ship between rocks on what would be called St. George’s Island. The survivors found a lush, bountiful environment teeming with wildlife, prompting some to choose to remain rather than continue to Jamestown. They constructed temporary shelters before eventually crafting two ships and setting sail in spring 1610, leaving behind a few crew members who preferred the comforts of their newfound home.

Meanwhile, news of the Sea Venture’s shipwreck reached England by late 1610, sparking interest. Jamestown’s grim status was contrasted with the tales of Bermuda’s plentiful resources, which prompted the creation of a play by Shakespeare, The Tempest, inspired by these accounts. The play premiered in 1611, at a time when English investors were skittish about the viability of colonies in the New World, with Bermuda suddenly looking like a more viable option.

In its wake, a new vessel named the Plough set sail to colonize Bermuda in the summer of 1612. This mission was distinct from Jamestown’s all-male initial settlement, incorporating women and children, many of whom sought refuge from Church of England strictures. Unlike Jamestown’s leadership, which had been criticized for inexperience, the venture was helmed by an experienced carpenter, Richard Moore.

Upon arrival on July 11, 1612, the colonists were greeted warmly by the island’s existing inhabitants—those who had deserted the previous expedition. The settlers cultivated their crops, benefitting from the abundance of naturally occurring vegetables and fruits. This small community laid the foundation for a settlement that encouraged them to thrive in contrast to Jamestown, which was plagued by hardship and internal strife.

Governor Moore started establishing a small settlement that included residential areas, agricultural plots, and possibly even a modest meeting place. However, the settlement was short-lived, as Moore moved the seat of government to St. George’s shortly after establishing the settlement, likely due to insufficient land and water resources. Though the first settlement eventually faded from memory, it became a quarantine zone over time, obscuring its historical significance under layers of jungle.

Today, as Jarvis leads his team in excavating Smith’s Island, they are not only unearthing artifacts but also piecing together Bermuda’s rich colonial narrative, which has long been overlooked. Each day’s work reveals fragments of pottery, bones, and tools that connect modern discoveries to the 17th-century settlers, allowing historians to explore how the first English colony in Bermuda developed and adapted in its early years.

Beneath the island’s overgrown surface lies evidence that will shed more light on this pivotal time in colonial history and challenge long-held assumptions about Bermuda’s place in the New World narrative. As Jarvis and his team persist in their efforts, they are committed to bringing to light the importance of Bermuda’s first settlement, showcasing how it shaped the developments of English colonial ventures in America.

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