7. The Women Before the Jamestown Brides
While the female population was at a very low point when the Jamestown brides began immigrating, they were not the first women to step foot in Jamestown Colony. In fact, the first women of the colony came in 1608. Records show the first two females who arrived in Jamestown came in October of 1608. One of the ladies was the wife of a well-to-do colonist and her servant. While we cannot be entirely sure of the numbers, historians estimate that about 30 women immigrated to Jamestown in 1609. Of course, these women did not come over as the Jamestown brides.
The voyages of 1608 and 1609 prove that women, at first, did not need to be recruited to immigrate to Jamestown. However, this is not the only characteristic that separates the early women from the Jamestown brides. The other aspect is that the earlier women had better connections when they ventured over. They were not alone when the journey came to the colonies. In fact, they usually came with their family and friends. It is also more likely that the women in the 1609 group had less of a choice than the Jamestown brides. The first group came privately with their husband or father, many of which forced the women to follow.