Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-11-19
The First Settlers III Virginia.

The first advantu2ors Tho camc to Virgins
as colons!s we're, with tic exception OF ls-
vored few, blessed by birth OF family influence,
practically fer Season the scrVanlso OF the Lon
don Company. They were brought hither at
the expense Of tho oom paay, supported b7 It's
rseaps, subject to martial !aw, and bCuad by
contract to obey all lis orders for the term OF
f9e years, st The expiration Of which they were
''sot free" becoming entitled 10 onc hundred
acres OF land, termed dividend, or, as it was
usually spelled, tic "Giv!dent Oh the planter.
| This was REQUIRED TO he seeded aru rlaDtcd~-
by the clearing OF g s;Iiat portion Oh us a!ea.
the planting ui 4 lew ilut trees, ard the build
ING Of Q house upon it witha the period CT
three years from :ha date 81 tho grant, when
the first dividend Wa7 auGmaatc;! bg second
grant CT one hundrcd acres mo:o. But IT the
| first allotted dividend was not planted aud
seated within three ycarS the land was said to
be "diverted' or !aEscei. reverted to the grant
er and became subject to rcnpprdprlatloo. Ihs
! lands of orphans, h0wcVcr. were specially cZ-
| emp;cd from forfeiture Tor !cs:ItiGE l11i three
wears after their juit n!:a. This was the earliest
mod. OF acquiring lands 10 Virginia, and su;h
grants arc coz l@: 10 tho ''O!d planters, or
| those who we're ia tic cGGniry at toe last
coming OF Sir Thomas Gates. that in Augusi,
| IGll.
| Bv one Ct tho ordinances adopted By tho Ion
| don Company, which WAS conilauad IN t0roa by
the Grown after TIC revocation OF The charter,
every person removing to Virginia at his own
expcnse. with the Intention TO settle aud rt-
main there, was entitled to Fifty acres OF land
The same rule extended also to every memptr
of his family; and husband was entitled 10
| the game numncT cf acres ior his vale aud cach
| Of his children.
So toe, il one brought tAcrS lnto the colony,
at his owa propcr c3at aud chSrge:, he became
thereby entitled 20 !ilty acres OF land ior each
nerson s, imported. All ci these rights were
called "head rights,' ani were assignablc. Tho
manner Of taking up lands vas this: The lnt-
yidual cuti,cd to aoy dividend or head right
made affidavit to such flcr, appendlnS list oi
tho names Of those 10 wilom the rights claimed
originally attached, wao arc described as "treu-
sports.'' This list being carried to the secrc-
tarY's Office, Vas there eXaml0ed aud verified,
erd II found regular was recorded. a certih-
cate or warrant vas then given 10 the claimant
for the guidance of the surveyor. The survey
being made, COPY WAS rcturaeu 70 inc
secrctarys ctnae, together with tho warrant
Whereof 1T had been Dadc. II 40 oUcc-
ition was urged pa!nut was maae Out IN
| conformity El'!i iUC SIlFty "uS "1iia9u S'Ho
ed by the Governor aaI recorded IN tho
Office of the secretary. y patent 50 obtained
rave to the grantcr & lee simple estate IN the
lauds conveyed, upon cOndl!i4h ot paying III
aupua! 'qut rent" OF QUO shiiiiog Tor every
iftv acres, and Ct planting aad SEATING thereon
within three Yeas from tho date OF the grant.
Lands were allotted .Gi laid oil from known
base Of q water course, in strips OF parallclo'
eyans, ru1ning back, tho back lines OF the
/ same furnishing in tu:l basis ior succeeding
grants.
Lsuds were rr4ut@d !a.cG, 10 confederation
merely Ct the aanuai 'Qc!t rect, which was
made payable O. 81. Alichae!uias Day, aud
more recently, az IS vel! known 10 consldcra-
ton Of military service performed during tho
, Revolutionary var.
It may be stated that t!c records OF our
, | Stale IIsnd Registry Olico arc CONTIGUOUS and
in perfect satG Of preservation from the year
1920, They form curious aad most valuable
renository Of Nirgiua history, b4lng rcpIatc
)" with pcrsi)a.I Iinuln of the early 6cttisls
+ such as nativity, and military an': caste dc5ig.
natjop, with taDograph!cll description, local
? nomenclature, s.. TAbu!@tct abstracts from
them would be- regarded as . practou' boon by
historical and genealogical Subjects, and the
nrepsral;on and publication 0i ;hc sa;!ie Ia book
! iortn by the State w2ui no: only be lnost
} crcditable, but woud prove 4 source OF revenue
bv the ready sale such distcratum could not
/, fail to command. Rich. Nhthd1ri.
i For Gna C!oliing sec Dcai!am, e.! King
;. street, n3rncr oi falIfsx,