The Reluctant Famulus # 77 September/October 2010 Thomas D. Sadler, Editor/Publisher, etc. 305 Gill Branch Road, Owenton, KY 40359 Phone: 502-484-3766 E-mail: [email protected] Contents Introduction, Editor 1 Old Kit Bag, Robert Sabella 5 Rat Stew, Gene Stewart 7 Kentuckiana, Al Byrd 9 Humor, Ye Editor 14 I just would not . Sheryl Birkhead 15 A reprint, ye Editor 18 Bad Places, Taral Wayne 26 LoCs 31 Artwork Brad Foster Front cover, 30, 36, 42, 48 Sheryl Birkhead 8, 16, 17 (2), 53 Kurt Erichsen 5, 7 Alexis Gilliland 4, 34, 40, 46, 52 A. B. Kynock 32, 38, 44, 50 Joe Mayhew 18, 20, 22, 25 T. D. S. back cover (sketch found online) Aramgar (photo) 14, left column, lower Unknown (photos) 13 (2), 14, left column top The Reluctant Famulus is a product of Strange Dwarf Publications. Many of the comments expressed herein are solely those of the Editor/Publisher and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts of any sane, rational persons who know what they are doing and have carefully thought out beforehand what they wanted to say. Material not written or produced by the Editor/Publisher is printed by permission of the various writers and artists and is copyright by them and remains their sole property. Permission is granted to any persons who wish to reprint material presented herein, provided proper and due credit is given both to the author/artist who produced the material and to the original publication in which it appeared. TRF maybe obtained for The Usual but especially in return for written material and artwork, postage costs, The Meaning of Life, , and Editorial Whim. The Reluctant Famulus TTThhheee LLLaaannnddd ooofff OOOppppppooorrrtttuuunnniiitttyyy Originally I had written an introduction comes the connection of which I speak. I am much like the previous couple or so, featur- distantly, and please note the emphasis on ing what I thought (apparently foolish) were that word distantly, to a line of Bordens who interesting science news items. The responses originated in and around Headcorn, Kent I received weren’t quite what I expected or County, England. The first of the American was looking for—but I won’t go into that. I line were Richard Borden and his wife Joan instead I have decided, in a sense to, follow Fowle, born ca. 1612. In 1635, they and their in the footsteps of Alfred Byrd and present first several children sailed on the ship Eliza- you readers some history which you might or beth and Ann, arriving in Boston near Rox- might not find interesting. For those who bury, Massachusetts. In 1638 Richard and his always skip past my intros, that shouldn’t family became inhabitants of the Island make any difference. [And that’s meant as a Aquidneck (the north end of the island of joke, people. Really] What follows came Rhode Island). They were staunch Quakers about as one of the results of my family and are buried in the cemetery of the Society genealogy research and though there is a dis- of Friends in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The tant relationship to the subject of this article remainder of their dozen children were born it is not in any way intended as anything in America. more than an account of someone who did I skip a generation now and come to the not appear in any general history books or actual subject of this article, Richard and school textbooks. For the most part he was Joan Borden’s grandson Benjamin Borden II, just a regular person—or almost so. I wanted or Sr., and his son Benjamin Borden III, or to show there were others who had an inter- Jr.. (Which becomes somewhat confusing be- esting story noteworthy in some small way. cause Benjamin II’s father, Richard’s and But first—and I will strive to keep it as Joan’s son, was named Benjamin. To make brief as possible, a bit of background on my matters worse, of Richard’s and Joan's chil- connection the subject of this article. In trac- dren 8 were males and among all those differ- ing my Sadler line backward I uncovered ent lines there were 31 named Benjamin and some interesting family connections. Nothing that doesn’t include other Benjamins with major or of great historical import, no rela- middle names.) Benjamin Borden II was born tion to Washington, Adams, or any of those in Monmouth County, New Jersey in 1675. giants but unexpected anyway. My great- He married Zeuriah Winter, his first cousin, grandmother was Sarah C. Sadler. Her maid- sometime before 1700. They were residents en name was Mercer. Through her paternal of Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey line, she and I, and my children, are descend- and had ten children. January 8, 1700 Ben- ed from a Revolutionary War veteran named jamin bought 1,00 acres of land from Antho- Jacob Mercer who, though interesting him- ny Woodward in Great Docwra Patent, south self, is not the subject of this piece. Through of Arbeytown. This seems to have been the great-grandmother Sarah’s maternal line, start of his urge to acquire as much land as he however—and this gets a bit complicated could. because we’ll be going back before the Amer- Also in 1710, a somewhat interesting ican Revolution, so please bear with me— incident occurred involving Benjamin. It 1 seems a certain Moses Butterworth was newly formed county of Orange, Virginia. accused of piracy and of having sailed with He obtained from Governor Gooch a Captain Kidd. At one point during the exami- patent dated October 3, 1734, for a tract of nation at the Court of Sessions of Monmouth, 3,143 acres which was called “Borden’s NJ, another man, named Willet, claimed the Great Spring Tract” and situated adjacent to Governed and judges had no authority and he Greenway Court, the home of Lord Fairfax. would break up the trial. He signaled to some Supposedly that area, now in the city of Lex- armed men to rescue the prisoner. Benjamin ington, Virginia is the site of Washington and and his brother Richard seized the prisoner Lee University and the Virginia Military insti- and tried to take him forcefully but were tute. wounded in the struggle. Other men in the Benjamin was also promised 100,000 company rescued Benjamin and Richard and acres on the waters of James River, west of tore up the examination papers of the prison- the Blue Ridge, with the usual stipulation er. Butterworth escaped and 100 men held that he entice a hundred suck—er, settlers on the Governor, the Justices, the King’s Attor- the tract. ney General, the Sheriff, and the Clerk of the But it seems there was much uncertainty Court for five days. Later the two Bordens, as to how Benjamin Borden secured so large Captain Safety Grover, James Grover, and a grant as the one in what is now Rockbridge William Winter, all relatives, petitioned the County. He is known to have visited the colo- King of England to appoint a suitable person nial capital shortly before he met the McDow- as Governor. ells but to see whom and for what purpose is Back to the main subject. On May 28, apparently unknown. It was claimed that he 1715 Benjamin bought 1,200 acres of land somehow ingratiated himself with the gover- near Montatawny on the east side of the nor in some way, which may have been the Schoolkil River. (Oddly, to me, the transac- case. tion was recorded on August 10, 1731.) In connection with that claim, an absurd It seems as if, in every era and every story was spread that Benjamin Borden and country there have always been men (and his friend John Lewis visited the capital, women too, of course) who for whatever rea- bringing along a buffalo calf, and presented it son sought to make themselves wealthy in to Governor Gooch, who was so impressed some way. In the early days of settling Ameri- he signed away the title to 100,000 acres of ca one of those ways was through land specu- the public domain. Actually, buffalo never lation roamed in the Tidewater area but were plenti- This is where my distant ancestor ap- ful in the Indian meadows of the Valley and pears with any prominence. Benjamin Bor- were surely known to the governor. Gooch, den had at some time somehow become an one of the best of the colonial executives, agent of Lord Fairfax (hence the nickname was too sensible a man to be impressed by given to him of “Fairfax Ben”) While on a the present of such a shaggy and ungainly a visit to Williamsburg, Virginia, Benjamin beast. made friends with a man named John Lewis, Early in September, 1737, while on his the founder of Staunton, Virginia. Lewis was way to check out his land holdings, Benjamin so pleased with Benjamin’s business acumen, Borden encountered a group of people travel- enterprise, and social qualities that he invited ing to some land on which they were plan- him to an extended visit at Lewis’ home in ning to settle. The group consisted of Eph- Augusta County. raim McDowell, his son John, and a son-in- On January 21, 1734 Benjamin Borden law, James Greenlee. The younger men were was appointed to be one of the justices of the accompanied by their families, and possibly a 2 few other persons were in the party, especial- in the Shenandoah. On his homestead was a ly one or more indentured servants.