Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-22
HIGHLAND RECORDS.
Some Interesting Pnpers-The Hero
Of Fort Seybcrt.


MONTERREY. VA. September 21.-(Spe-
cial.)-It was your correspondent priv
ilege recently to examine collection OF
relics and old papers. the value Oh which
would be hard to estimate. and some
OF which ought to be among the archives
OF the Old Dominion. They are the
| property Of Mr.. II. II. Seybert. living
three miles from Monterey, and have
been handed down through several gene
ration.. yet arc In a splendid state OF
| preservation. A pcrusal OF them by the
| descendants OF the old settlers OF this
part Of Virginia would afford great
pleasure, and throw much light on ques-
lions and facts contorted and misstated
by Border Warfare" and other his
tories
The proud owner OF these relics and
mementoes Is great-great-nephew OF
Lieutenant Nicholas Seybert, the hero
of Fort Seybert, and without doubt
more IS known through him and his
posterity of the days and times In which
he lived than from any other man who
figured In this section Of Virginia during
the Colonial days. The information
coming TO US by word OF mouth
and In the form Of documentary evidence
| is OF such q character as to clearly and
positively demonstrate the awful perils,
hardshlps. and peculiar.ties OF life here
In the mountains during those days, and
| TO declare Lieutenant Nicholas Seybert
to be not only the hero OF the memora-
| bic old Fort Seybert but shrewd man
of business and possessed Of great
wealth, having at that time patents for
what is now the most valuable lands OF
Highland, whose productive hills and val
| leys furnish annually TO the world around
| fhnpSaYfa NJ n
| beef in the market.
IL was only by recent reference to
| these relics and documents that his
| descendants ascertained that he was,
| though an old man. an officer In the
Revolutionary war. There we find an
account, made out in good shape. against
| the United States for services as lieu
tenant, the charge being go per month.
| pair OF nankeen brooches OF subetan-
tial fabric and with homemade buttons.
are among the relics Also the officers
sword. trunk, quaint rawhjde purses.
and account-books. He being mer-
chant, many accounts and old papers
came into his possession by assignment
and transfer.
An account against one John Gebhart,
running from November, 1913, 20 October,
| l774, includes everything from twelve
pounds Of rice for IS. to gallon OF West
| India rum at IS. and Cd. a pint OF LIS
bon wine Is charged at IS. Cd. and 70
ellis of oznabrigs' at SIS. and I'd.
Another account, bearing date March
| 81. l1sl, In the name OF John Boone, a
tanner, against William Shepler, and as
signed to Nicholas Seybert. looks al II
1t might have been made of by an
expert penman Of the present
day. fresh from business col
lege. the chirography throughout being
almost ss perfect as from steel-plate
Spencerian copy. Here was find thong
skin" cost As. Cd. l also found two
| Continental bills-one for so. the other
| for s30-either Of which would puzzle a
counterfeiter no little. They are dated
| 1779, and state that "the bearer is en-
titled TO receive fifty (and thirty Spanish
or silver, according TO a resolution OF
| Congress OF the 18th Of January. lT9."
One bears the inscription, "Perennis' /;
the other, "Sl recte facles."
A PETITION.
A petition to the Legislature. then in
session at Richmond signed by l25 In
| habltants of Pendleton and Bath counties.
| praying for the formation OF new
county. Is perfectly legible. Remote
| county seats, high waters and bad roads
J
| petitioners base their claims, and these
l25 sIgners have a posterity that would
count It an invaluable privilege to gaze
| upon these old signatures OF the great
| grandfathers, who conceived the creation
! of, and whose prayers were finally an
swered. in the birth OF this child or the
mountains-proud. picturesque httie
Highland.
| Another document give in full, as IL
| Illustrating the extent 10 which the OPP
pressed foreigner was willing to go IN
order to reach this land OF the free
This Iadenture. made the 4th day OF
March. In the year OF our LORD Co.. one
! one thousand seven hundred and seventy
five, between Christopher Reed. yeoman,
OF the one party. and Arthur Brown,
merchant of the other party; Witneseth;
| That the said Christopher Reed Ton his
| own free will and consenD doth hereby
covenant promise, and grant TO ana with
| the said Arthur Bryan, his executors
| administrators, and assigns from the DAY
| OF the date hereof until the hrst ana next
arrival at America, and after. for and
| during the term OF four years, TO serve
In such service and employment as the
said Arthur Bryan or his assigns shall
there employ him, according 10 the
custom, OF that country In the like
kind. In consideration whereof. the said
Arthur Bryan doth hereby covenant and
| grant to and with the said Christopher
| Reed to pay for his passage, and TO nnd
and allow Meat, Drink, Apparel, and
Lodging, with other Necessaries during
the said term. And, at the end OF the
said term to pay unto him the usual al
| lowance, according 10 the Gus
tom Of the country In the
like kind. In witness whereof, the par
| ties above mentioned to these indentures
have interchangeably set their hands ana
seals. the day and year first above writ
| ten"
This indenturs Is "signed, sealed, and
| delivered In the presence OF an attest
ing witness, and note on the reverse
| s.de Of the contract shows that SAID
"yeoman" arrived In America April r.
| 1775, one month and twenty-three days
after the contract was entered into.
| OF the early history Of Lieutenant Sey-
| bert. to whom the present generation Is
| Indebted for this rare collection or
relics, much was handed down through
Mrs. Catharine Trimble. niece. who, at
an old age. died In 1875. and of whom
| 1t was said by the minister officiatins
| at her burial that she was "a link
between the past and the present" She
was the last PERSON known TO have got
ten by word Of mouth the narrowing
details OF the siege and surrender Of Fort
| Seybert thirty miles northeast from
Monterey, traces Of which were seen by
your correspondent not long ago.
THE SIEGE.
1t was about i7s5 that this fort was
occupied by perhaps q score and half
| NJ mon women and children They with