Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-02-19
For the SPECTATOR.
Search Among Old Records.

"Antiquary," who has been searching
among the dingy records of the past, fur
nishes the following for publication in the
columns of the SPECTATOR:
COURTHOUSE LOT IN 1749.
/ "The Justices of Augusta county in May
1749, had 25 acres laid off as follows: Be
ginning at stake on the creek side at the
m ruth of quit fronting the Courthouse,
aud runneth thence N. 50, W. (includine
said Couit-house) GA poles to forked W.
oak on gravelly hill, tn. N. 50, E. 6;
poles to stake on the E. side Of draft,
tn, s. 50, E. Ga poles to stake on the So
side of a hill, tn. S. $50, W. 63 poles to ye
Beginning"
MEETING OF NORTH CAROLINA SOLDIERS IN
sTAUNToN IN 1854.
When, in August, 1854, Gov. Dinwiddie
was moving heaven aud earth to thwart
and bafa the French. and prevent them
getting foot-hold at Fort Duquesne, "Col.
bar es Innes, at the time COMMANDMENTS
in. Chief" &C., was on the march to Wills
Creek Cumberland, Md.,) with mixed
force of North Carolinans, Virginians, &c,
he addressed him in August at that place,
and said: 81 have wrote home particular ly
ia regard to the command, tut l presume
there will now be no dispute, as you COM
mand in chief. All the forces from Carolina
continued mutinous during their march.
Capt. Bryan's mutinied at Augusta Court
house, and would march no further until a
friend of mine advanced forty pounds.
which is charged to your county, and you
should call on the Captain for it. All their
| -, f.,r of
officers, and think you should have made
an example of some of the ring-leaders,"
&c.
FIRST PUBLIC EXECUTION IN sTAUNToN
IN 1863.
The unjust hanging of Bullett, as many
believe it to have been, was not the first
pu nlic execution in Staunton. This one no
doubt was, and beyond question, where be-
heading &C., followed. Mr.. Lockart was
the Sheriff, as we believe:
November 9Gh. 1868, third year Of our
Sovereign Lord, George the Third, King OF
Great Britain, France, and Ireland KING,
Defender of the Faith, of his Majesty's
Commission, under the seal of the Colony
and Dominion Of Virginia, bearing date
22d of October last past, directed to John
Chiswell, &C.: Tom, guilty of the murder
Of John Harris, is to be hanged by the neck
until he be dead. Execution to be done on
Saturday, the 10Th inst; that his head be
severed from his body, and affixed on a
pole, on the top of the hill, near the road
that leads from this Courthouse to Edward
Tars's," Lockhart, sc.
Now. Mr.. Editor, who, of the five
oldest persons within the corporation, who
will readily be recalled, can locate the hill,
the road, or where edward Tars'' lived?
OF course, after an interval of one hun
dred and twenty-onc years, tradition must
do its perfect work.
SMALLPOX INoCULATION IN 1777.
At the March Court of TIT, Sampson
Mathews and others petitioned the Court
and obi tanned permission ''to introduce in
oculation of smallpox in tue town of Staun-
ton aud within three mil Of the same"
ROAD FROM JENNISG's GAP. TO TyGART's
RIVER
cat Court held January 10, 1885. Felix
Gilbert, Abram Smith, Alex. Robertson,
John Hays, Gorge Mathews, and Sampson
Mathews, Justices, an order was made di-
rsctiug Thomas Kincaid, Abram Hemp
ytonstall and Jacob Rifle to view road
from jennings Gap to Tygart's River"
How deeply interesting now, Mr.. Editor,
would miuute report be Of all that befell
them in the expedition ninety. niue years
ago. ANTIQUAKY.