The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-20
OLD VIRGINIA RECORDS.
THE GREAT IMPORTANCE TO Pos
TERITY OF THEIR FERMENTATION.
Interesting Account of the Settlement and
Early Days OF the Colony-Derivation
of Some of Our Classic Names.
Cor The Times.)

press; when each scrap Of contemporary
evidence concerning the early settlement
OF America and the men that laid the
foundations OF the new world is priced
by their descendants, who form societies
10 keep alive such memories. Virginia
seems somewhat backward when COM
pared with what is doing in the States
which represent the other colonies. This
is especially to be regretted when we con-
slder that In wealth and population, and
L think we may also say ability, she was
the leader in pre-reyolutionary days. and
there are probably in existence a greater
number OF interesting documents relating
TO her early history than in any Of the
others. OF these, which many Of US can
recollect as being In existence, some have
been destroyed, and it is certain that
Others are not properly cared for. whilst
the invaluable title papers Of her claims
10 the best strains Of an Anglo-Saxon an
cestry may disappear In the near future.
1t is a matter of constant regret that
the records OF the General Court" were
burned I'm the evacuation fire in Rich
mond along with the records OF several
OF the oldest counties. This enjoins upon
us the more forcbly the duty that those
which remain should be, by publication,
placed beyond the possibility Of loss by
a like catastrophe. 1t Is the object OF
this article TO direct attention to some
OF the remaining records which should be
so preserved and to interest those who
have the means OF securing them by
some account of those which exist and
their character.
The most important of these, illus
trating the early settlers, are undoubtedly
the land patents. Virginia had her origin
in commercial speculation. The Nir-
ginia Company was the third OF the great
incorporated companies of England, form
ed to create and foster foreign trade.
1t was preceded by the Muscoyy Com
pany in 1851 and the East India Company
In 1900. IL was itself formed in 1909. and
the names of the incorporators include
the mightiest of the noblemen, mariners
and merchants In England. IL was a
period OF enormous activity In all de-
partments of life. The maritime sue
cesses In the reign of Queen Elizabeth
tempted capital to the fitting out OF ships
for mercantile adventure, and great things
were prognosticated for the Virginia
Company. It's meetings were largely at
tended IL became the fashion TO belong
TO IL.
1t should be borne in mind that this
was a critical period in English history
The feudal system had but recently given
way to the modern; few serfs yet I'M
gered in the land. The commerce "hlch
was TO make England wealthy was sun
i'm it's infancy. No gentleman'S son would
in the wears preceding willingly become
a merchant or tradesman; now no gem
tleman's son would lose caste by such
step. We. accordingly, find In the her-
AIDS visitations Of the period many
representative Of the best county tathl-
lies listed with the London grocers ana
apothecaries. OF those who had sucCeeu-
Cd I'm their business by the same abilities
that brought Raleigh or Drake 10 the
front many became members OF the VIZ
ginia Company and sent their SONS Vi
less near relatives TO settle ana continue
in the new land the existence' OF an ah.
cient gentry. From the noble oioou VI
s,,ch Tirginia drew the impulses which
cave her prominence. A like spirit moved
The better classes in our own time, wheh
the great exodus Of youths OF the pest
families of the East poured into cantor
mia I'm the days of the gold discoveries.
A company of such gentles was among
49, frst IN coloniZe the land In the nelSh-
horbood of Berkeley The London Com
many at the outset held all the iand itseli'
arranged the details and enjoyed nv
nopolv of the trade. No man couiu lea'o
the colony without Its pernnsSlot', az -
oa,o,t Lnoun as the Cape Merchant
,.ecoi,,ed all imports and exports In the
warobouses and conducted the eXchanses'
An tho Inhabitants were employees OF the
.or,oration In the year 1913 the nrst
nrivate plantation was established anu
Is claimed. in a paper in the state dPei
Office in England, TO have been naue ps
cantain John Bargrave. Mr.. Brown III
his Genesis of the United States men
lions that in 1916 bill of adventure 'or
II hounds, 10 shillings, being one shdre y.
land in Virginia, was sold' nc .lo'
planters had been, according to 1 v, -,
in leOe Kenelm Throgmorton. Nathahiei
I,ou.,u ard John Laydon. Laydon's VIE
was Anne Burras, the mdld Oh VI,
Forest and they were the first Whlte
women I'm Virginia. coming In loo9 III
which wear Anne Burras was marIieu.
In 1919 the "ancient planters "eIe
free" and about that time patents III
private plantations seem TO nave peCoi'A0
numerous. .h sbara
IJnon a first division Of land each snare
Of twelve pounds ten shilllhss III III,
company was entitled 70 II" acres' 90" 10
after this was peopled its owner soI NV
acres more; he likewise got ~ dcieo'
he doubled likewise afterwards under the
was sent out at the expense OF the pat
entee. who should continue In the coiohS
for three wears or die within that time.
In 1919 eleven patents were grahleu' anu
in the following year twenty-siX more lne
names ,of the patentees being gwen IN
PurcahY Pilgrims. and likewise most Oh
them I'm the Proceedings OF the virginia
Comnanv Tn 1893 the list begins In the
land Office in Richmond. and is complete
from that time. The interval between lo-l
and 1922 seems to be filled by paper III
the State Paper Office Of England, "hlcn
gives the patents granted up 10 the %sl
OF May, supposed to have been ua'eu ~
1926. but probably two or three yes,S
earlier and which is published In Hot
tens Lists and in Burke's HISTORY Vi II
ginia. the latter containing one more en-
try. viz: 10 Richard Buck. at Archer
Hope. which Is not in the former,
These patents contain the name OF the
patentee and OF all those whose passage
was paid by him, including MS fanny
and servants the latter term applylns
not merely 10 domestic servants Dut 10
clerks overseers, apprentices ana iaTh
laborers.
After the death OF a patentee the lana
was otter regranted TO relative ana
recital made OF the connection Oelweeu
them. For example, certain john
Bailey received, in the name OF ms ga
ter and only child. Mary, grant OF lano
known as Hog Island. opposite James
town for the transportation OF five SER
wants in the ship William and Thomas
on the 2ith Of August. 1915. He seems 70
have died. according to the census OF iez4
(see State Paper Office and Hotten's Listsl
in the previous year at jamestown ana
his daughter married Randall Holt' ana