The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-08-15
COUNTY CLERKS oFMIDDLESEx
Remarks OFF. M. Eastman At The
Unveiling OF Tablets Erected TO Inc
Clerks of That County.

Two hundred and thirty years ago
John Lindsey, first County Clerk OF MID.
dlesex, resigned on account OF physical
infirmity. When appointed or how long
he served il not disclosed by the records
of our county. Prior 10 1913 the terri
tory. now Middlesex and Lancaster
was one county under the name Lancas-
ter. The courthouse was near Stor-
mont.
Nov. I. 1851, Robt. Beverley and
Christopher Robinson were designated
by the court to agree with workmen ana
proyide materials TO build acOurt-house.
A subsequent order directed them to
build good, strong. substantial court
house, walls OF brick and OF such big
ness" az the court house built IN Glouees
ter.
The town OF Urbanna was fornded IN
1853 aud courthouse built in 1863. Up
TO that time courts were held at private
houses. Joseph Chipp was appointed
clerk TO succeed John Lindsey. His hand
writing is first in our order books. Since
that time TO the present there have been
twenty clerks Their average term 0i
service il ! ! years and 6 months.
Two. James Blackman, Jr., and Major
Richard segar. were in Office but one
year. PIT. Woodwa whose portrait
appears on these walls, continued IN
office 80 years. 6 months and = days,
Will Stuard 2s years; William Churchill
n years: George Healy 2G years; Thos.
Price % years; and Christopher Robin
son Is years. 81
Many OF the colonial clerks were illus
trious men. Sir Gray Skipwith was
Baronet and tradition says was buried
within the walls OF Christ Church. VIII
liam Churchill, OF Busby Park, was a
descendant OF the Duke Of Marlborough.
Air GRAY Skipwith, 1882 to 174O, and
William Churchill, 1712 TO 1913, were
fne penmen. Mr.. Skipwith embellished
his records with many exhibitions in old
English script letters, but whether enter
ing the date OF deed, I'm the five year
OF the reign OF our Sovereign Lord George
the Second. by the Grace OF God of Great
Rritiap. France and Ireland, king de-
fender of the faith, ETC., or making the
annual entry in the order books, Punch
or fyp the gallon well made with quart
of rnm OF brandy, shillings 6 pence.
the same care and Deatness appear
Records OF the olden time are much more
full and explicit than those OF the present
day. Everything was entered OF record.
Another remarkable fact, law suits were
more numerous by teniold then than at
the present time The white population
was greater. 1882 tithables in 1870 to
or In 1902. OF all these WORTHLESS who
have shed luster upon the pages of our
record books, none performed a greater
seryice for the county OF Middlesex than
did p. +. Woodward. When horrid war
threatened the priceless contents OF the
county clerks office with destruction, he
hacked the deed, will and other books in
boxes and secreted them In the Dragon
swamp until the danger was past. But
| for his prudence and foresight Middlesex
county's records would have shared the
late OF those OF our neighboring yunties.
Duty well done, whether on battlefield,
in Executive, Legislative or Judicial
station, in private life or in the more
humble, but no less important office oi
county clerk, deserves its need Of praise,
its commoration by monument and tab
In the name and behalf OF the descen-
dants OF this long line OF faithful officers
have the honor to present this beauti
fol tablet to the county OF Middletex.-
Southside Sentinel.