Volume 14 , Issue 49

History of Rockbridge County, Virginia - Annals of 1737-1777

As we continue our history of Rockbridge County, Virginia, we come to the "Orange Order-Book, 1735-1745 1111 tithables, 18 November 1735. Rockbridge County, Virginia was formed in 1778 from Augusta and Botetourt counties. The Southern portion of Rockbridge was a part of Botetourt County for only eight years, as Botetourt was formed from Augusta County in 1770.

The dividing line between Augusta and Botetourt County from 1770-1778 was the present Maury River, (then called North River). The area south of the Maury River was in Rockbridge, all areas north of the Maury River were in Augusta. Augusta County was formed in 1745 from Orange County, which was formed in 1734 from Spotsylvania. Most of the early settlers of Rockbridge were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. There were some German, Dutch, Irish, English, and other nationalities who settled here over the years as well. The following is a selection from the records of Orange, Augusta and Botetourt, in Virginia.

Orange Order-Book, 1735-1745 1111 tithables, 18 November 1735

Wolf-heads turned in by Charles Campbell, James Hamilton, John James, and Richard McDowell. Constables: 1741, James McDowell; 1742, Hugh Cunningham; 1743, Joseph Lapsley, John Mitchell, William Moore, and James Anderson' 1744, Samuel Gay. Militia Officers" John Mathews and patrick Hays appointed captains in 1742; William Jameson, captain, 1745; alexander Dunlap, captain of horse, 1743; Henry Gay, lieutenant in 1744, and Andrew Hays in 1745.

People of Borden Tract petition for a road form James Young's on to borden's tract by a gap in Blue Ridge called Michael Woods' Gap. Francis McCown, Samuel Walker, Captain Charles Campbell, and Captain Patrick Hays among the overseers. Colonel James Patton to lay off the precincts. South River to be crossed at the plantation of Samuel Davis.

Tavern rates, 1742: Hot diet, one shilling; cold diet or logging, sixpence each; corn or oats, per gallon, sixpence; stabling and fodder for one night, or pasturage for twenty-four hours, sixpence; Barbadoes rum, per gallon, eight shillings; New England rum, per gallon, two shillings and sixpence; Virginia brandy, per gallon, six shillings; claret, per gallon, four shillings; Virginia cider, per quart, four and half pence.

Augusta Order-books - 1745

Robert Young appointed constable in Richard Woods' militia company, and James Greenlee to succeed Willliam Moore in Benjamin Borden's company. Greenlee afterward excused on account of illiteracy.

1746 - Joseph Lapsley and John Peter Salling sworn in as captains, Robert Renick as first lieutenant. Statements of losses by Indians certified to in case of Richard Woods, John Mathews, Henry Kirkham, Francis McCown, Joseph Lapsley, Isaac Anderson, John and James Walker. -- Feb. 19th. James Huston and three other men presented for being vagrants, and hunting and burning the woods; on information given by John Peter Salling, James Young and John McCown, Huston fined three pounds for illegally killing three deer. Constables: William Taylor from Benjamin Allen's to the the lower end of the county; William Gay on the Calf pasture; Michael O'Dougherty in Woods's company; John McCown, Michael Finney, and Thomas Williams in the Forks of James. Samuel Dunlap, John Ramsay, and John Campbell succeed, respectively, Nathaniel McClure, William Gay, and Robert Gwin. Alexander McCroskey is also a constable.

1747 - Henry Gay, James Allison, John Hodge, and John Edmondson petition for leave to build gristmills. The road formerly cleared from James Young's mill to Woods's Gap to be altered. John Allison given license for a ferry between his landing and Halbert McClure's. Robert Patterson and James Allen to view a road from John Picken's mill to lower meeting house. Petition by James McCown for road from crossroads below Patrick Hays. Hays is on north side of South River.

1748 - Richard Burton to take the list of tithables in the Forks. Robert Keys and Sarah, his wife, win in a slander suit against Ephraim McDowell. John Lyle is a witness. George Campbell presented for striking and beating Joseph Walker int he courtyard. Henry C presented for assaulting and beating Joseph M in a meeting house yard at a time of burial service. Constables: David Dryden and William Lockridge succeed Samuel Dunlap; William Woods succeeds John McCown; Alexander Walker succeeds Michael Dougherty.

1749 - Archibald Alexander, Benjamin Borden, William Jameson, Samuel Gay, John Lyle, John Mathews, and Richard Woods are on the list of justices. Benjamin Borden to take the list of tithables from North River to the end of the county; David Stuart, from the courthouse to North River.

1750 - A road has been cleared over the Blue Ridge at Woods's old gap -- May 25. Road ordered from John Hays' mill to Providence meeting house. Posts of direction to be set up. Richard Burton, Robert Renick, John Poage, Peter Wallace, are to survey a road from Looney's Ferry to North River; Benjamin Borden, John Thompson, Isaac Taylor, and William McClung are to survey to the intersection with the county road. Road ordered from William Gay's to Robert McCutchen's and thence to Robert Campbell's. McCutchen to build the road with the help of William Elliott, Thomas Fulton, John Fulton, John Meek, Thomas Meek, John Williams, and John Gay. John Maxwell, James McDowell, and Edward Hogan were in a canoe on the James, Sunday, May 13 (Old Style). The boat upset and Hogan was drowned. Coroner's jury at James Greenlee's, five days later: Michael Dougherty, Josiah F. Hendon, John Hitchins, Joshua Mathews, James Montgomery, John Poage, John Ramsey, John Vance, Matthew Vance, Samuel Walker, Jospeh Walker, and Walker.

1751 - William Lusk a justice. Arachibald Alexander, Michael Finney, John Hargrove, John Maxwell, and John Peter Salling are surveyors for a road from Davie Moore's Mill to Robert Poage's mill. Order for road from Hays' fulling mill to Timber Ridge meeting house. Constables: james Phillips vice Samuel McCutchen; William Elliott vice James Gay; Richard Cousart vice James Greenlee; John Gilmore vice John Allison.

1752 - james Young, miller, presented for taking toll twice. Road ordered from William Cleghorn's to Purgatory. Benjamin Borden to lay off a road from his house to Providence meeting house. John Patton, surveyor. Petitioners for a road from Kennedy's mill to John Houston's, and from Houston's to the great road from Timber Grove to Woods' Gap: Robert Alexander, Andrew Ducan, Robert Dunlap, Walter Eakin, James Eakin, John Edmondson, John Handly, patrick Hays, James Hill, John Houston, Joseph Kennedy, William Lockridge, William McConnell, John Montgomery, Andrew Steele, Robert Stuart, John Stuart, William Wardlaw, and John Wilson. Petition of settlers on the lower Cowpasture petition for a road over the mountains to the Borden Tract, Oct. 19.

1753 - 225 wolf-heads turned in - Nov. 22. Cornelius Bryan given permission to cut a road at his own expense front he bent in Buffalo to Michael Dougherty's. Members of grand jury, Nov. 20: Robert Bratton, James Lockridge, John Anderson, William Caruthers, Archibald Alexander, John Paxton and Samuel McClure. James Trimble, foreman. John Paxton road overseer from Edmondson's mill to Fork Meeting House. Order for a road from Campbell's schoolhouse to the Renick road. Samuel Walker, overseer. Workers: John Allison, Samuel Allison, Stephen Arnold, Richard Burton, William Burt, William Byers, James Frazier, Henry Fuller, John Hutchings, Sr., John Hutchings, Jr., John Maxwelll, John McColley, Richard Mathews, Sampson Mathews, William Noble, John Peteet, Jospeh Ryan, Thomas Shaw, John Smith, Joseph Smith, John Sprowl, John Petter Salling, Goerge Salling, Mathew Vance, Samuel Walker.

1754 - Several runaway servants taken up. Joseph Tees fined twenty shillings for saying, "He got nothing in this court but shuffling." Lancelot Graham constable on Great Salfpasture, William Ramsay on Little Calpasture. Thomas Paxton constable to succeed John Lowery.

1755 - James Lockridge appointed a lieutenant. Mary McDonald bound over to keep the peace for putting John Cunningham in fear of his life. Cunningham has tavern license. Order for a road from Isaac Taylor's to Tarr's shop. Abraham Brown constable below Brushy Hills in Forks of James.

1756 - Mary, wife of William Whiteside, refused separate maintenance. The court blames certain of her relatives for the breach. May claims for ranging and for the impressment of horses are ordered certified. Valentine Utter and May, his wife, servants of John Paxton, are set free on consideration of their paying him twelve pounds. Constables: David Doak vice Samuel Braford; Samuel Steele vice James Walker; Moses Whieside in James Kennedy's company; Samuel Wilson vice Alexander McNutt.

1757 - Constables: John Shields vice John Henderson; William Logan vice Andrew Campbell; William Rhea vice Samuel Steele; John Paxton vice Abraham Brown; Thomas Kirkpatrick vice Thomas Berry.

1758 - James Alexander becomes a captain. John McCroskey road overseer from Alexander Miller's to the line of Beverly Manor; Charles Hays, from Andrew Hays' mill to Captain Kennedy's. Order for a road from Hays's mill to Timber Ridge meeting house. Overseers, Alxander Miller, Joseph Culton, and Archibald Alexander.

1759 - Richard Woods, Sheriff. Samuel McDowell, captain; James McDowell, lieutenant; John Lyle, ensign. 1760 - Joseph Culton granted mill license. John Dickenson and James Lockridge to survey a road form John Wilson's to Panther Gap.

1761 - John Paxton granted tavern license. John Buchanan to take the list of tithables on the south side of the James, Richard Woods in the Forks, Archibald Alexander from North River to Beverly Manor, and James Lockridge in the Pastures and on Jackson's River. John Mathews is road surveyor from North River to the junction with the road near Sharp's. Archibald Alexander, Felix Gilbert, Andrew Hays, John Tate, John Buchanan, to survey a road from Stuart's tot he top of the mountain near Rockfish Gap. Tithables to turn out from Woods Gap to Jennings Gap, and from between North Mountain and South Mountain to North River, Aug. 19. John Moore of Borden Tract presented for staying away from public worship.

1763 - John Houston overseer of road from Timber Ridge to Providence. James McDowell, captain; William McKee, lieutenant. For having two children taught dancing Israel Christian is sued for five pounds. Thirty-three justices, inclusive of Richard Woods, John Bowyer, James Buchanan, Archibald Alexander, John Maxwell, and Samuel McDowell.

1764 - John Paxton certifies to 7720 pounds of hemp. John Anderson made oath to an account of five pounds expense in taking up his servant, Edward Lochan, who was absent twenty-nine days. Ordered that Lochan serve Anderson fifteen months extra time. Daniel Lyle, William Ramsay, and James Simpson to view a way from North River to James Stinson's (Stevenson) on Buffalo. Samuel and David Lyle to view from William Davis's to Timber Ridge. John Mathews with wife and six children were burned in and with their house according to a statement by Sampson Mathews. Christian Godfrey Milliron is bound on suspicion of being guilty of the deed. George Lewis is held for trial because of driving a wagon on Sunday.

1765 - For provisions and impressed horses for the use of the militia, claims are turned in by Thomas Alexander, Robert Bratton, John Sunlap, William Elliott, John Finlay, Hugh Fulton, James Mateer, Samuel McCutchen, William McKemy, William McNabb, Daniel O'Freel, Thomas Poage, John and Mary Trimble, and Joseph Walkup. Judith Ryley convicted of killing her bastard child. John Greenlee road surveyor from John Mathews, Jr's., to Sinclair's Gap.

1766 - James Cloyd overseer of road from lower end of John Bowyer's plantation on James, by Cedar bridge, to Mathews road. Workers: John Berry, Matthew Hair, John Hall, William Hall, John Jones, John Logan, James McClure, James Skidmore, George Skillern, Christopher Vineyard, Conrad Wall, George Wilson.

1767 - Old and new roads from Isaac Taylor's to Timber Ridge meeting house. Andrew Hays, captain; James floyd, captain; James Lapsley, ensign. Samuel Todd asks for a mill license on Whistle creek. View for a road ordered from Hanna's mill on Collier's Creek to George Gibson's at House Mountain. Road open from Cowpasture to Gilmore's Gap.

1768 - Thomas Paxton is making grape brandy. Robert Steele has a mill.

1769 - James Cowden has a stone house near Samuel McDowell's. John Summers constable in place of Alexander Dale. Jacob, a slave, ordered to have thirty-nine lashes for shooting at the children of Alexander Moore.

1770 - Charles Hays certifies to 2293 pounds of hemp; George Mathews, sheriff. John Hays, James McDowell, Samuel McDowell, and Archibald Houston are vestrymen. John Caldwell has leave to build an oil mill on South river.

1771 - Brice Hanna, contractor to do work at New Providence, failed and ran off. Charles Campbell, Alexander Moore, William Walker, and James walker, commissioners.

1773 - Order for a road from Thomas Lackey's to Timber Ridge meeting house. Alexander Stuart, neighbor to William McClung, granted mill license on Mill Creek. Samuel McDowell qualifies as justice. For illegal selling of liquor, Thomas Mathews asks for corporal punishment in place of a fine. Twenty-one lashes to be given at once and costs imposed. Road ordered from head of Kerr's Creek to North River. In 1774 the bridle-path is reported ton e the most convenient way. Hemp certificates given: to James McKee for 2290 pounds; John McKee, 2415; Isaac Anderson, 2863; John McCown, 2566; Andrew Hays, 3300; James Kerr, 2372; James Lindsay, 1070. Dr. George Parker, servant of Samuel McChesney, agrees, with the approval of the court, to pay McChesney 100 pounds for his freedom, on condition of being given a horse and saddle with ten pounds, and drugs and medicines worth thirty pounds,a nd is to pay ten pounds a year for his board until the sum of 100 should be paid up. Parker is to keep the horse at his own expense.

1777 - John Gilmore, John Lyle and David Gray are captains. Nat, an Indian boy in the custody of Mary Greenlee, complains that he is held in unlawful slavery. A stay is granted until Mrs. Greenlee's son in the Carolinas can be heard from. Meanwhile, Nat is hired out until it can be determined whether he is slave or free. The court considers that Mrs. Greenlee has treated him in an inhumane manner. Zachariah Johnston and Andrew Moore, cations. Liberty to inoculate for the smallpox is granted to the people of sTaunton and for three miles around.

Botetourt Order-book, 1770-1777

Richard Woods was first high sheriff, and James McDowell and James McGavock and John bowyer were his undersheriffs. Jon Maxwell was sheriff in 1773. James Bailey and Joseph Davis were constables on Buffalo, and Willima Hall on Cedar, 1770. Salary of king's attorney was 4000 pounds of tobacco, the equivalent of sixteen pounds thirteen shillings four pence, or $55.55 in Federal money.

Surveyors of roads, 1770: Audley Paul and Hugh Barclay, from Renick's to James Gilmore's; James Simpson, from Gilmore's to Buffalo; John Paxton, from Buffalo to North River Ferry; James Templeton, from Buffalo ford to North River; George Francisco, from Fork of road below Barclay's to the Buffalo; James Templeton, from ford of Buffalo to North River. William McKee to take the tithables from the county line to the Buffalo and from mountain to mountain; Benjamin Estill, from the Buffalo to the James and from mountain to mountain. John Bowyer, John Maxwell, James Trimble, William McKee, James McGavock, and Robert Poage were among the first justices.

Hugh Barclay had license to keep an ordinary, 1770. Wolf-heads, 173, 1770. Charles Given certifies that his left ear was bitten off by Francis McDonald, 1771. Elizabeth Collier agrees to serve her master, James Green, on year extra time, provided he employs her as house-servant, 1773.

Tavern rates: Warm diet with good meat, one shilling; cold diet, seven and one-half pence; lodging in good bed with clean sheets, six pence; lodging with two or more in bed, four pence each; grain, per gallon, six pence, 1775.

Benjamin Estill and John Bowyer among the persons appointed to administer the oath of allegiance tot he free white inhabitants, as per Act of Assembly; Estill for the companies of John Paxton and James Hall, Bowyer for the companies of William Paxton and Samuel Wallace, August 13, 1777.

Contract let for building a prison sixteen by twenty feet, logs squared to the dimensions of fourteen by fourteen inches to form the walls and the upper and lower floors.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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