Accomack County, Virginia, Court Order Abstracts Volume 28 27 May 1777 to 1 March 1780 Abstracted by JoAnn Riley McKey, 2017 A few comments on these abstracts – – Pale yellow highlighting spotlights items of more than common interest, such as criminal cases or court orders directing that wives and widows of poor soldiers receive financial support. – The rampant inflation experienced during these years of the Revolutionary War is best illustrated by a list child support payments the court required from fathers of illegitimate children: February 1778 £4:00:00 per year July 1778 £12:00:00 per year January 1779 £25:00:00 per year October 1779 £36:00:00 per year January 1780 £80:00:00 per year February 1780 £150:00:00 per year – The bastardy rate itself also surged during the war. The four years between 1773 and 1777, saw twenty-six illegitimate children mentioned in the court orders, which represented only a slight increase from the twenty-one born during the previous four years. The present volume covers a little less than three years, but in its pages are orders dealing with more than seventy illegitimate births. A cursory count of the bastardy cases would make the number seem even larger; it should be borne in mind that several cases were dealt with more than once as the court tried to ensure the support payments kept pace with inflation. – Because this volume has no traditional index, the “find” feature of your browser must be used to search for a name. Please bear in mind that all names are spelled as they appear in the court orders and therefore vary according to the whims of the writer. Also remember that first names were often abbreviated in unusual ways. An exhaustive search will employ every possible variant. A few examples of creative spelling in this volume include Arvitrader for Armitrader, Undril for Underhill, Medcalf for Metcalf and Scarbrough for Scarburgh. – Occasionally, the Virginia Gazette reported on a person mentioned in the Accomack records. These comments and sources are included in footnotes. The Virginia Gazette may be browsed and/or searched at http://research.history.org/DigitalLibrary/va-gazettes/ – This volume was abstracted from a microfilm copy of the original handwritten court order book; the original paging appears in brackets within the text of this volume. The twenty-seven volumes of Accomack County’s colonial court orders (from 1663 through early 1777) have been published and are available in on-line bookstores or in various libraries, including the Eastern Shore Public Library: Accomack County, Virginia, Court Order Abstracts, by JoAnn Riley McKey, published by Heritage Books. Volume 28 1777-1780 Accomack County Court – 27 May 1777 Present: Isaac Smith, Henry Fletcher, Thomas Teackle, William Parramore (p. 1) Ordered that the following individuals take the lists of tithables: – George Stewart, from the Maryland line on the Sea Side of Wallop’s Road to Assawaman Branch – William Williams, from the Maryland line on the Bay Side of Wallop’s Road to the “Post going down to Pocomoke” and to the line between John Sandford and Wm Holden – Henry Fletcher from there on the Bay Side to the line of the parishes – James Arbuckle from Assawaman Branch on the Sea Side of Wallop’s Road to the line of the parishes and from there to Allen’s Branch – Thomas Bayly from the parish line on the Bay Side of Wallop’s Road to the head of Checonessex Creek – John Smith from the head of Checonessex Creek on the Bay Side of the Middle Road to Revel’s Branch – Thomas Teackle from Revell’s Branch on the Bay Side of the Middle Road to the Northampton County line – William Parramore from Allen’s Branch on the [Sea] Side of Middle Road to the Northampton County line. John McMeth petitioned that he had no outlet from his plantation and requested that a road be laid off. Ordered that Anthony West, John West, John Custis and Smith Snead view the area of the proposed road and report next court. An inventory/appraisement of the estate of Benjamin West (deceased) was submitted. [End p. 1] An inventory/appraisement of the estate of Isaac Riggs (deceased) was submitted. An inventory/appraisement of the estate of George Churn (deceased) was submitted. Ordered that the appraisers of the estate of Isaac Riggs audit and settle William Young’s administration of the same. Ordered that the appraisers of the estate of George Churn audit and settle William Young Jr’s administration of the same. An inventory/appraisement of the estate of Daniel Welburn (deceased) was submitted. Thomas Kellam with wife Elizabeth acknowledged a deed to William Coward. An inventory/appraisement of the estate of Teackle Taylor (deceased) was submitted. ACCOMACK COUNTY COURT – 27 MAY 1777 2 Shadrach Aimes acknowledged a deed to Levy Aimes. Ordered that the churchwardens of St George’s Parish bind out orphan Ismay Kellam to Jonas Benson till lawful age to learn the trade of house carpenter. The above churchwardens were to bind out orphan Samuel Kellam to Edmund Bayly to learn the occupation of a farmer. The same churchwardens were to bind out orphan Parker Miles to Richard Cutlar till lawful age to learn the trade of blacksmith. A deed from Shadrack Fisher to Robert Small was proved by witnesses. A deed from George Hope to Jacob Bonewell was proved by witnesses. John Mills gave security and was granted administration of the estate of Joseph Baldwin (deceased). [End p. 2] Ordered that George Stewart, Eyres Gillet, Thomas Marshall and Ezekiel Delastatius appraise the estate. The grand jury was sworn with Abraham Outten as foreman: Elijah Bird John Burton Southy Lucas Scarburgh Tunnall Oliver Bell Joseph Blake James Duncan William Young Jr Stephen Bloxom Solomon Reid John Poolman John Parker (Matompkin) Joseph Moore Selby Simpson William Bell John Edmunds Henry Davis Robert Coleburn Augustine Lecatte Major Hornsby The will of Solomon Kellam (deceased) was presented for proof; Andrew Stewart, who swore he was well acquainted with the decedent’s handwriting, said the signature was Kellam’s. The court was also satisfied with the writing of witnesses Littleton Scarburgh Major and Levin Green, who were both also deceased. Matilda Kellam (security: Thomas Kellam and Andrew Stewart) was sworn and granted a certificate for probate. Appraisers were appointed: Americus Scarburgh, Henry Gaskins, Thomas Jacob and Argol Kellam. Thomas Kellam acknowledged a deed to Edward Ker. A deed poll from John Groton to Anne and Custis Groton was proved by witnesses,. Thorogood Smith (security: Littleton Savage) was granted administration of the estate of Patrick Gault (deceased). Ordered that John Neil, George Parker, Clement Parker and William [end p. 3] Townsend appraise the estate of Doctor Patrick Gault. Orphan Benjamin West chose Richard Bundick as guardian (security: John Drumond). ACCOMACK COUNTY COURT – 28 MAY 1777 3 Court was adjourned till tomorrow morning at 10:00. Isaac Smith. Accomack County Court – 28 May 1777 Present: Isaac Smith, Henry Fletcher, Thomas Teackle, William Parramore (p. 4) George Corbin acknowledged a deed to Abel Taylor. John Rodgers, Casanda Rodgers and Elizabeth Rodgers (minors represented by Patience Milby) brought action against Daniel Rodgers, heir at law of James Rodgers (decd). Ordered that Thomas Teackle, John Walker and George Hack divide the Negroes (Ezekiel, Kate, Atta, Sabra, George, Caleb and Amos) along with the personal estate of the decedent and report next court for the final decree. Smith Snead petitioned that he owned land on one side of Merry Branch convenient for a water grist mill which he intended to build; [end p. 4] he asked that an acre of land be laid off and condemned on the opposite side for that use. Ordered that the sheriff summon twelve freeholders of the area to view the land in the area and make report next court. Yesterday’s grand jury made the following presentments and indictments: – The overseer of the road by Benjamin Turlington’s, presented for not keeping the road in repair – John Kelly, presented for swearing one profane oath – George Poulson, overseer of the road, presented for not keeping it in repair – John Sherlock, indicted for assault and battery on Violette Window, a true bill – James Cox, indicted for assault and battery on Ruben Joine, a true bill – Kendall Kellam, indicted for assault and battery on Custis Rayfield, a true bill – Nathaniel Kellam, for assault and battery on Custis Rayfield, a true bill – Michael Bonewell, indicted for assault and battery on Ruben Warrington, a true bill – John McMeth, indicted for assault and battery on Laban Chandler, a true bill – Edmund Rodgers, presented for dealing with a man slave belonging to William Bell and receiving from him nine handfuls of flax valued at one shilling, a true bill – Henry Sherwood, indicted for assault and battery on Levin Gray, a true bill – Elizabeth Benson, indicted for feloniously stealing from Elizabeth Richardson one linen apron valued at six pence, a true bill – John Pettigrew, indicted for assault and battery on Sarah Johnson, a true bill – Thomas Russell, indicted for assault and battery on Sarah Johnson, a true bill [End p. 5] – Archibald Armitrader, indicted for trespass on the land of Jno Houten and carrying away fifty fence rails, a true bill – George Northam, indicted for the same as above, a true bill – Elijah Nock, presented for not keeping up the bridge over George Abbott’s Mill Branch – The overseers of the road, presented for not keeping Wallop’s Bridge in repair – The overseers of the road from Guilford Branch to Back Creek, presented for not keeping up the bridges – John Teackle, presented for swearing one profane oath ACCOMACK COUNTY COURT – 28 MAY 1777 4 – Jno Johnson Riley (son of William), presented for swearing one profane oath – John Lawrence, indicted for felony on information provided by John Sturges, no true bill; the informer was to pay all costs occasioned by the indictment – Ordered that process issue against the above persons.