“A Select History of Mathews County Virginia” by Conrad Mercer Hall will be released at the Mathews Yacht Club on Saturday, March 21, beginning with a reception at 10 a.m.; the program starts at 11.

Hall will sign copies of his book at the end of the program, and again at 2 p.m. for those who may not be able to attend the program.

Conrad Mercer Hall

This book is a selected history of Mathews County, Virginia, in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and prior to 1791 an area known as Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia.

“A Select History” begins with a detailed analysis of original land patents and settlement patterns including a listing of all families and names of headrights. Chapters devoted to the Revolutionary War include the local militia, the Battle of Gwynn’s Island, and the formation and activities of the Virginia State Navy. Shipbuilding, agriculture, and other economic factors are explored during the years preceding the Civil War, including the War of 18...