Stingray Point

Middlesex County · dedicated 2007 · 17147 General Puller Highway/ East Saluda

Capt. John Smith led two exploratory voyages in Chesapeake Bay during the summer of 1608. His boat ran aground at the mouth of the Rappahannock River, three miles east, on 17 July. While awaiting high tide to float the vessel, he and his men impaled fish with their swords, and Smith speared a cow-nose ray that sank its tail spine into his wrist as he tried to remove it. The toxin swelled Smith's arm, shoulder, and chest, but surgeon Walter Russell applied soothing oil and by evening Smith was well enough to eat the ray for supper. He named the place Stingray Point.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Example

under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s

what this marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years here

From one family's 77-marker roster

Upload your family tree and TreeAlive finds the markers near where your own ancestors lived.

See your family's markers

Start with a tree file, a FamilySearch sign in, or a WikiTree ID.

Report a problem with this page

The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyThat would be an error, and we can pass it to the program.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

We may pass what you report to the state's marker program. Please don't include personal details.

Marker program managed by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

More markers nearby

Stingray Point Contrabandunder 1 mi
Naval Actions on Wilton Creek and the Rappahannock River4 mi
Battle of Cricket Hill5 mi
Windmill Point5 mi