Surry County Court Records: Early Surry County Legal Matters

01418

Doris Y. Stone, "Surry County Court Records: Early Surry County Legal Matters," Southside Virginian (April-June 1994).

[page 85] Submitter's Note: This may have been the first Strike in America. Whereas a company of rude & disordrly psons to ye Number of ffoureteene did unlawfully Assemble on or about ye 4th day of xbr (Dec.) last at ye pish Church of Lawnes Creeke in yis County wth Intent to alter ye Late Levy, or not to pay ye Sume & yt they Expected divers others of theire Confederates to meete wth them, for yt it appeares by ye Confession of Mathew SWAN, Jno. BARNES, Wm. HANCOCK, Robt. LACY, Jno. GREGORY, Tho: CLEY, Michll: UPCHURCH, Jno: SHEPPARD, Wm. TOOKE, Geo: PETERS, Wm. LITTLE, Jno: GREENE & James CHISSETT yt they did meete att ye Time & place aforesd & for yt ye greatest pte of ye psons aforesd did this day also Riottously meete togeather in ye feild commonly called ye Divells feild, not withstanding some of them were advertised to ye Contrary: Wch we Conceive to be agst ye peace of or. Sovraigne Lord ye King, & ye quiett of this County: These are therefore in ye Kings Maties name to witt & reqre you to take into yr. Custody ye bodyes of ye Sevrall psons before Named, & them in Safe Custody to Keepe, untell they Enter into Bond wth Sufft:: Security for there appearance att ye Ware Neck on Tuesday ye 6th Instant att ye Cort there; there to be pceeded agst. according to Law & alsoe that they be of good behavior: & keep ye peace of or: sd Sovragne Lord ye King, & for soe doeing this shall be yr: warrt: Given undr: or: hands this 3d Janry 1673/4 To ye Sherff of ye sd Law BAKER County or his deputy: Robt SPENSOR Vera recordant Teste Wm EDWARDS Cl Cur Deeds & Wills 1671-1684 page 42, Surry County, Virginia Mathew SWAN being yis day brought before us ye Subscribed, & being asked why he & others mett at ye Church ye 12th Xber Last, he said it was to agree about redress from their taxes wch were heavey, he was asked how he Knew theire taxes were unreasonably laid; he said Mr. MASON told him, & alsoe Mr. GOREING said ye same, yt there were some Extraordinry taxes, he being demanded wt discourse be there if he did not goe from Home, ye said SWAN hath alsoe very obstinately professed in ye Lawfullness of ye meeting, & said yt all or most of ye County were of his minde: Deeds & Wills 1671-1684 page 42, Surry County, Virginia [page 86] Att a court held at Southwarke for the County of Surry July 5th: Prest: Mr. Benja: HARRISON Capt. Robt. RANDALL Capt. Francis CLEMENTS

Capt. Henry TOOKER Capt. Thomas SWANN

John CASSE having caused Jno: ONION to be arrested Set Forth that the said ONION about five weeks since came to his house and indeavoured to Ravish his wife, and thereby hath very much hurt her breast by reason whereof she hath ever Since & Still doth suffer great pains & Misery, and groeth every day worse rather than better, and is thereby unable to doe what belongs to her, to his great hinderance, and it is like to cost him Considerable to some Dockter before she recovers, which is to that an able Jury might be Impannelled to try the same and award such reparation as they shall see fitt, and a Jury being accordingly impannelled & Sworne vizt: Mr. John THOMPSON Mr. Geo. WILLIAMS, Mr. William ROSE, Mr. John CLARKE Mr. Allen WARREN Mr. Will NASH Mr. James KILPATRICK Mr. Charles DIGBY Mr. Thomas COLLIER, Capt. Roger POTTER, Mr. Robert CRAFORD & Mr. Thomas DAVIS returne for Virdict wee finde for the defdt: upon the defedts. motion the Jurys Virdict is confirmed & the Suite dismist and the said CASSE ordered to pay Costs at Exo: Order Book 1691-1713 page 43, Surry County, Virginia 22028741.doc Page 1 printed 13 September 2009

The Declaration of Mr. Thos. WARREN taken this 2d Julye 1656 Saith That beinge at James Cittye in June last in Compy. wth. severall gentlemen Mr. Randall HOLT of Hogg Island Comminge into the Compy. And Haveing at the qter. Courte obtained a Reversmt, of an order passed in or. Courte ffell into a discourse of the proceedings of Courte, of the difference of opinions & much more to that effect, And beinge aggravated by one Thomas sp. Thomas whoe made Complt of some passages betweene him & Capt. SIDWAY. This dept. dud Reprove the sd. HOLT for speakinge some things too Largely of or. Comrs. The sd. HOLT replyed that hee sd. nothinge to this dept. & asked whether hee were Turned Settinge dogge, And said ffurther that there was None but owles & asses, Knaves & Rogues of or. Commission, whereupon this dept. Called wittnesses thereof & Left the Compy. & ffurther St. not, Signed Thomas Warren Deed Book 1652-1671 p. 87 Surry County, Virginia there followed a petition from Randall HOLT; begging forgiveness and denying portions of remarks

22028741.doc Page 2 printed 13 September 2009