Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-28
81. A. LORRIMER, Sc.
ROBERT HOGG. / Sea

Sworn the eighteenth day OF March.
| I'm the year OF our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and sixty-two years; \. II.
c. Dumfries. in the County OF Dumfries,
I'm that part OF North Britain called
Scotland, Before Robert Maxwell. Pro-
vost and ]. T., IS Mae, Of g. (Seal)"
| This sheet had also the same stamp
| iuties upon IL of 2s., Id. on the back OF
this was also the magistrates certificate
10 the above. having the common seal Of
the "Burgh OF Dumfries." which was in
wax. representing a Scottish soldier. with
the words, "Salop de Dumfries." We
thus have the total cost OF stamp duties
on this document Of IS, 3D.. besides the
MAGISTRATES fee and seal. AS money
was worth double then what IL IS now,
the cost OF this one sheet would be about
81 revenue 10 the Crown.
The stamp duties upon the protest OF n
note which Is given by David Guillo-
neau, notary public London, 1871" were
Is. Cd, besides the notary's Zee and seal
tax. The paper upon which these are
written is very coarse and stout, the Ink
being as clear as when just written.
Besides the duty stamp, there IS upon
every sheet OF this government paper
the water print OF the Royal Arms, which
can be seen by holding 20 the light.
This generally consisted Of only the
crown with the letters c. r. In more i'm
portant documents would be various de-
signs. as used by the different Kings.
The hunting horn signiiied the chase, and
was used by the Scottish Kings. The bell
was the symbol of the Church. The
figure holding the sceptre represented
Queen Mary in her chariot.
The Colonial paper which had begun
10 be made at this time Q7SO vas much
thinner in texture. with no water-marks.
A piece OF this Colonial paper, with its
rough printing done at Williamsburg
is a tax receipt Of some interest, as fol-
lows:
"This Is TO Certify That Elizabeth
Douglass. OF the District OF Virginia, in
the County of Louisa, hath paid the
DUTY of Two Dollars upon Two-wheel
carriage. called a chair. owned by him,
having neither Steel Or Iron Springs or
Top on, TO be drawn by one Horse for
the conveyance OF one Person: for the
wear TO end on the 3Oth September. 1871.
SAMUEL OYERTON, JR.,
collector Of the Revenue, sixth Division,
Survey No. 2, Virginia.
DATED, the 29th day OF September,
1886"
This. which was called a stick chair"
was one Of those lofty gigs so COM
mon IN muse ntlS = - N---~"- ~N~N'-~f'-t
LAWYERS. and doctors made their wide
circuits. and the above tax Is for the
one which "Parson" Douglass used.
Account and letter paper was fire.
quently Imported by merchants, but all
paper used in the courts and by the
oficArs OF the Colony was furnished by
tho English Government, bearing tho
Crown mark. Taxes OF all kinds one
hundred years ago were as grievous 10 be
horne as now. though they were insight
acant as compared with those Of the pre-
sent time.
The total ievies due upon the estate
Of the Rev. Mr. Douglass in 1850 was
only n. i5s.. while upon the same estate
In i79. they had increased 10 f3. lis, ID.
The personal tax Of Thomas Merewether
was but 2s., 90.
4 For ordering a survey by the County
Smrt OF ooochisnd, In 1871. for tho
county line between the lands OF Abra-
ham Fontaine and BENJAMIN Crenshaw.
Twenty-Five pounds OF tobacco; for re-
cording the survey OF tho above. In 1873.
* cents: for recording a deed, in 1898.
ten hounds OF tobacco; for the same In
money. IS cents; for transferring iOO
acres OF land, IS. "a.
IA money had not come into general
circulation until after 1900 and all debts
md nayments were paid In tobacco or
nrod,ics which was abundant. We may
well conceive that the Colonial days were