From “Pamunkey Indians of Virginia” (1894), John G. Pollard (Online): https://archive.org/details/pamunkeyindians00goog

Transcription:

The Pamunkey, as a tribe, are neither handsome nor homely, long nor short, stout nor slim, in fact they differ among themselves in these respects to the same degree found among the members of a white community of the same size.

They are not particularly strong and robust, and their average longevity is lower than that of their neighbors. These facts are perhaps in a measure attriutable to the frequent marriages between near relatives.

The average intelligence of these Indians is higher than that of the Virginia negro. With a few exceptions the adults among them can read and write. In view of their limited advantages they are strickingly well informed. A copy of one their State paper will serve to give an idea of the maximum intelligence of the tribe. It reads as follows:

We, the last descendants of the Powhatan tribe of Indians, now situated on a small reservation on the Pamunkey river, 24 miles from Richmond, Va., and one mile east of the historic White House, where Gen. George Washington was married to his lovely bride in the St. Peter’s Church. We are now known as the Pamunkey tribe of Indians, following the customs of our forefathers, hunting and fishing, partly with our dugout canoes.

We hereby authorize Terrill Bradby to visit the Indian Bureau in Washington and in all other Department and Indian tribes, and also fo visit the Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

We the undersigned, request that whenever this petition is presented, the holder may meet with the favorable approbation of the public generally.

C.S Bradby, Chief
J.T. Dennis
W.G. Sweat
R.L. Sampson
T. Bradby
Council

R.W. Miles
Town Clerk

Jas. H. Johnson
W.T. Neal
B. Richards, MD
Trustees

W.R. Allmond
A.J. Page
G.M. Cooke
W.A. Bradby
T.T. Dennis
Members of the Tribe

Hat tip to Jennifer Martin for this information.