Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-08-04
HISTORIC Address.
DsIiverea by Mr.. y. 4. UPshur, J""-
18Th, 1900. Dav "f Dedication Of
New Courthouse OF Ace Omnc
Court Records.


New Courthouse OF Ace Omnc
| Court Records.
The court records abound In curl
osities In the way of cases tried be-
fore the courts. The courts were
strict and did their best to preserve
order, and never failed to administer
Justice to the best of their ability.
The scandal liar, slaDderer
and the common scold Jared badly
have only time for an illustration
or two. which must have been anus
ing to those not implicated, who
beheld the execution of the sentences
For nstance-Goody, or Goodwife,
Curtis, the wife of John Curtis tried
to milk her COW one evening in the
pen OF Thomas Powell, at the same
time Goody Powell was milking her
COW. Goody Curtis COW, being a
young one, not gentle, and not used
to being milked in that pen, would
not stand still and disturbed Goody
Powell, who lost patience and COM
menced to abuse Mrs. Curtis-calllnP
her hard names, and the like-to
which Mrs. Curtis replied but little
which seemed to exasperate Mrs
Powell 80 much that she proceeded
to slap Mrs. Curtis face, whereupon
Mrs. Curtis lett the pen, COW. and all,
ia high dudgeon" and had Mrs.
Powell arrested, who was sentenced
to deliver one pot of sweet milk per
day, to John Curtis for his use or any
other, for sixty days at the cowpen OF
Thomas Powell-and publicly ask
Mrs. Curtis forgiveness.
Robert Wyard slandered Mrs. Alice
Traveller, the wife OF George Travel
lor, "insomuch that he liked to have
taken away the reputation OF the
said Alice" He was arrested, tried
and sentenced to appear IN a white
sheet, with white wand in his
hand. three several Sabbath days, in
church, during the whole time OF
Divine worship, and ask Mrs. Travel
lor's forgiveness.
This Mrs. Traveller must have been
a fascinating woman. She was mar
ried four times, and in each instance
to a very prominent colOnist, first
to George Traveller, second to VIM
Burdette, third to Capt Peter Walk
er. and fourth to Major General John
Custis. She died about 1853 or 1860.
OF WIN. Burdett there is an item
such as is seldom seen in court rec
ords. George Scovell, did lay a
wager with Mr.. Mounting Q0f SER
ling to sc sterling). calling US to wit
ness the same Mr.. Burdett should
not marry the Widow Saunders
while they lived in Virginia, and not
content but would wager 40f sterling
to 1OE sterling more, that Mr.. VIM
Burdett should never marry the
Widow Saunders. He might have
done we'll possibly, to have followed
Mr.. Weller's advice to his son Samuel;
Samivil, my son Samivil, beware of
vidders
Henry Charlton disliked the Rev.
VIM. Cotton, the rector OF Hungar's
Parish. One day at church, he re-
marked that, iii he had Mr.. Cotton
without the church yard he would
kick him over the Palysadoes, and
calling OF him black coated raskall."
For this he was sentenced to build
pair of stocks and set 10 them
several Saba th days at the church
door during the time Of Divine SER
vices, and there ask Mr.. Cotton's for
giveness publicly.
Joane Butter and Marie Drewe got
to quarrelling one day, naughty
words were passed between them, a
regular case OF "the pot calling the
kettle black" Edward Drewe caused
Joane's arrest and upon trial she WAS
sentenced to repeat full and formal
retraction verbatim after the minister
in church between the 1st and 2nd
lessons, upon the next Sabbath, or
else be drawn across Kings creek
from one cowpen to the other at the
.'starne" OF boat or "canew." She
would not retract, and was drawn
across the creek, for Thomas Butter
Joan's husband caused Marie Drewe's
arrest, and upon trial the same sen-
tence was meted ont, "or else she was
to undergo the same punishment
which Joane Butter hath suffered"
Robert Wyard stole pair of pant
aloons, and was sentenced to appear
in church during the whole time OF
worship for three Sundays with a
pair of breeches tied around his neck
and with the word thief written upon
his back.
These were slight offences but
heavier ones sometimes occurred and
then the criminals were sent to
jamestown to be tried by Governor
and Council. who constituted the
Court of Appeals.
Churches
The first church was built on Old
Plantation Creek near the fishing
point. The second was near Airing
ton Gate and both OF them were sur
rounded by stockades, which proved
that the white men did not rely en-.
tirely upon the friendship OF the
Indians. The third church was at
Hungar's in Northampton and was a
frame structure. The fourth was st.
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