The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-09-22

A New 10TH ldNsci VIM AeS 'N
returned from Virginia, where ne
went to examine some old titles
found the earlier records in the Coun-
ty Clerks office of the old County OF
Rarpahannock (now the Counties OF
Rappahannock and Richmond) re-
plete with entries both quaint and
curious. The earliest records Oh
deeds are in the year 1850, but the
leaves are so moth eaten as to make
the entries undecipherable. The rec
ords in the court order book dating
from the same period are in a splen-
did state of preservation.
Here is one of the many entries
in the court order book:
cat a meeting of the Justices OF
the court, held I'd January, A. d.,
1858, present Col. John Stone ana
other Justices *
1T having pleased Almighty God
to bless His Royal Majesty with the
birth of a son and his subjects with
a Prince of Wales. and for as much
as his Excellency hath sett apart the
18th of this inst. Jan'ry for solemn
izing the same. To this end, there
fore, that it may be done with all the
expressions of joy this country is cap
able of. this court has ordered that
Capt. Geo. Taylor do provide and
bring to the North Side Court House
for this county tnow Rappahannock
County, as much rum or other strong
liquor with sugar proportionable as
shall amount to six thousand hVe
hundred pounds of tobacco. To be
distributed amongst the troops OF
horse comp, of foot and other per-
sons that shall be present at the said
scientific and that the said sum be
allowed him at the next laying of the
Lady. AS also that Capt. Sam1 Blom-
field provide and bring to the South
Side Court House (now Richmond
County; the River Rappahannock di-
yides the two counties) of this coun-
ty as much rum or other strong hq-
uor with sugar proportionable as
shall amount to three thousand i've
hundred pounds of tobacco. to be dis
tributed as above at the South Side
Court House and the said sum to be
allowed him at the next laying of the
Lady,"
AT the same court the Sheriff was
directed " to seize and deliver to N
Sarah Harwood hel goods and chat
tells and go and imprison her husband,
William Harwood, for the beating he
had given his wife," and restrained
the said William from selling or
d~isposing of any estate accrued to him
by marriage of said Sarah until her
complaint be fully heard
Imprisonment evidently had a So
bering effect upon the pugnacious
William, or absence made the heart
Of Sarah grow fonder, for at a court
held on January /, 1859, just m
year after Williams Incarceration,
the said Sarah, so the records show.
appearing in open court, 'acknoWl-
edged a reconciliation between her.
self and the said William, n the
court thereupon ordered the release
of the said William Harwood."
At the court held on April l, 1891,
on the complaint of n John Mich
olas, Hugh French was admonished
Ito refrain, in the future, to allow
poore labouring men to tipple sew
eral times a day at his house"
Having thus set their approval
upon tipping, the Justices at the
next court, held June 8, 1891, turned
their attention to the habit of smok-
ing, and caused the following order
to be passed and entered upon the
records of the court:
Whereas a rude and uncivilized
custom of smoking tobacco in this
County Court House during the ses-
sions of court hath been frequently
used and practiced amongst us, and
for as much as the same is greatly
derogatory from the respect due to
and dignitie of his Majesty's courts
of justice, this court have ordered
that what person or persons so yer
shall be found smoking tobacco in
either of the Court Houses of this
county during the sitting of the
court shall be fined fifty pounds of
tobacco, to be paid to the Sheriff or
his deputy for the use of the county
at large"
In the records of wills there is but
one instance of the will of an Indian
being proved. 1t was the will of Ed
ward Gunstocker, an Indian, dated
October 20, 1876, wherein the tesla
tor declared that being now designed
upon an expedition with the English
against my c~ountrymen, the Indians,
] do make, ordain. constitute, and re-
sign my soul to God and my body to
the earth" The will was proved in
the year 1850.
In Westmoreland County there
was proved in the year 1874 the will
of Richard Cole, who evidently was
somewhat eccentric. The will con-
tains the following clause: Item, il
is my will. and l desire that my BODY
be inferred upon Poynt Pleasant upon
my plantation in a neat coffin of black
walnut, if conveniently be had, and
that a gravestone of black marble
be with all convenient speed sent for
out of England with my coat of arms
enaraven in brass and under it this
epitaph:
Here lies Dick Cole, a g%rievous sin
ner,
That died a little before dinner.
Yet hopes in heaven to find a place
W eatiate hja sou1 with grace