Mr. Taylor was born in Lynchburg, Va. and has a B.S. degree in journalism from Florida State University. He wrote about America's space programs for 16 years for NASA and aerospace contractors, before moving to Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1974, as public affairs director for BASF Corporation. He retired in 1993.

Taylor is the author of more than 300 national magazine articles and 15 non-fiction books. His research for the book, Haunted Houses, published by Simon and Schuster in 1993, stimulated his interest in area psychic phenomena and led to the publication of six regional ghost books, seven covering the entire Commonwealth, and one on Civil War Ghosts of Virginia. We welcome Mr. Taylor as our speaker.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

Harry Chapin, the 1970s folk singer and composer, said that life is a circle. In the first few years of our life, our world is composed of the neighborhood. Most of our childhood contacts are family or neighbors. If we live a long life our final years are similarly restricted to family, friends, and people in close proximity. As a boy I was fortunate to have two neighborhoods. One was in Petersburg and in the summer my roaming area was the land around Pleasant Point, a 17th century plantation home on the James in Surry County. The time was the late 1940's. Surry County had changed little since the end of the Civil War. The main exception was electricity which was just beginning to get a toe-hold in many of the farms and homes in post World War II Surry. My boyhood world of carefree play largely extended from Crouches Creek to Cobham Wharf. Then, as it is today, landowners on the river were mainly non-Surry people. We at Pleasant Point were an exception as well as the Berrymans and the Emmersons. Other people living near Pleasant Point had summer homes and many had their roots in Petersburg. When my father, Willis W. Bohannan, bought Pleasant Point in 1940, its land stretched from Crouches Creek to Cobham. He would sell two or three acre lots on the river for about five hundred dollars. Even today the Petersburg influence is found along the riverside cottages near Crouches Creek and Cobham Wharf.

I remember the post-war summer days. What I recollect is more of the land than the people. In fact, during the 1940's very few people lived around Pleasant Point. The road between Scotland and Cobham Wharf was of clay. My dog Taffy and I would go turtle hunting in the fields near Pleasant Point. Whenever Taffy would see a box turtle he would bark and I would run and pick up the turtle. I kept several box turtles during my summers at Pleasant Point. I would put them in several boxes and feed them worms, bugs and other mouth-watering tidbits. I was fascinated by these reptiles. I remember when I was about eight years old, I found a mud turtle. Mud turtles are ugly but mostly harmless. Showing off in front of Mother, I put it close to my face and he bit my nose. This did not deter me because collecting turtles became a lifelong hobby.

Our only neighbor lived across the road, near where Clint Lane now lives. It was owned by Captain Dixon who was a ferry captain of the Scotland-Jamestown ferry during the 1940's. He and his wife had a son named Harry. Harry was twelve years older that I so he was too old for me to play with. He loved to fish in Crouches Creek and in the James River near Scotland. About 5:30 each afternoon his mother would call for Harry to come home for supper. It was similar to the opening of the popular radio show The Aldrich Family, which would begin each time with the loud calling by Mrs. Aldrich for Henry, her son. She would call loudly, "Hennnrrry! Henry Aldrich." Adolescent Henry would respond "Coming, Mother." Likewise, Mrs. Dixon had a loud, carrying voice. She would call out," Harrrrrrry, Supper." Harry would hear his Mom whether he was fishing in Crouches Creek or at Scotland. My mother told me that a few times our dogs would howl when hearing this loud invitation to supper.

What brought this incident back to my memory was that a few months ago, Harry's granddaughter e-mailed the Historical Society and wanted to know if anyone could shed some light on Captain Dixon and his family. I hope Harry will enjoy this anecdote.

Rogers' Store!

We are pleased to announce that Rogers' Store will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, September 14th and 15th from 1 PM to 5 PM. While not set up completely, restoration is complete, electricity is on, practically all records and fixtures are in the Store. Of special interest is the restoration of Gwaltneys Store. This ca. 1820 building is saved! Please note it was built in the same decade as the Clerk's Office at Surry Courthouse.

We are looking to establish a local Carsley group to sort, clean and set the store up as it was before 1951. We will start a list of members and friends who are willing to help with this work. We also need any cans, boxes, etc. that held merchandise which was likely sold in Rogers' Store. Carsley Methodist Church, ca. 1897, and the fellowship hall built ca. 1880 as Ramey's Store will also be open.

A major gift to the Society!

We are pleased to announce a major gift recently received by the Surry County, Virginia Historical Society and Museums, Inc. Doris Young Stone of Williamsburg, Virginia, has donated her entire collection of Genealogical research to the Society. This collection embraces decades of work and hundreds of families from Surry and nearby counties. We estimate there are over six cubic feet of records in the collection. It literally includes thousands of pages of notes, charts, and all types of information on our ancestors.

This will be kept as a separate collection, properly named The Doris Stone Collection. We will have each group of family research in separate folders, filed alphabetically. Eventually, it will be cross-indexed with our overall genealogical files.

For decades, Doris came to the Surry Courthouse every Monday and did research. She literally helped hundreds of visitors with their research. Her work was so helpful that in 1990 she was made Honorary Deputy Clerk of Surry County.

To give more information on the importance of this collection, and the background of Doris Young Stone, I am including an article which Virginia H. Rollings, family history writer, genealogist and compatriot of Doris, contributed to the Daily Press newspaper, published on June 7, 2003.

Family history is passed down to museum.

Doris Young Stone, of Williamsburg, has donated her files of Surry County family histories to the Virginia county's Historical Society and Museums. Stone, a professional genealogist whose major interest is Southside families, added to the society's hundreds of files housed in the "The Old Jail."

Built near the courthouse in 1908, the historic brick building near the courthouse serves as a museum and library for county records and memorabilia. James Atkins, president of the society, said Stone's files are a major addition to the collection of family files available for those searching a Surry ancestry. Atkins said volunteers in the organization will provide an index of sub-files within the primary index of this new collection. Stone's genealogies are the result of decades of research in Surry Courthouse, the Library of Virginia, the DAR Library in Washington, and the National Archives, and carefully charting generations of families not only of Surry, but also of surrounding counties.

Surry County Courthouse became a second home to Stone as she began gathering histories of her own ancestry about 1970. Soon she embarked on extensive projects in preservation and indexing of old documents that would assist others whose families had been in Surry during the long history of the area. She became wholly devoted to understanding and preservation of the priceless old marriage, birth, and death records, and the ancient wills and deeds, which had been spared destruction through wars, and moves of the courthouse.

In 1990, Stone, now 88, was made Honorary Deputy Clerk of Surry County under a resolution mentioning years spent in "sorting, filing, indexing, etc. the records of the county." Her work included typing faded old documents and indexing difficult ledgers.

Stone's work began with finding records of her mother, Essie Holloway Young, daughter of Joseph Holloway and Estelle Mathews. Essie was born in the old Derring house near Derrings Mill in Elberon. James Derring had bought this Colonial home in 1770 from Sarah Bruton, widow of William Bruton.

Stone's grandparents, Joseph Holloway and Estelle Mathews, both were descendants of the earliest families in Surry, Isle of Wight, and York and Warwick counties. The pedigree charts ascend to William Spencer, who arrived in the Virginia Colony in 1607 on the ship Susan Constant. Stone proved connection to the well-documented Spencer genealogies, providing eligibility to the Jamestown Society as well as several other first-settler organizations.

In a rare sharing of family and historical interests, Stone, her daughter, Vicki Wilhelm, of Williamsburg, and her granddaughter, Lauren Wilhelm, are members of the Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters. The "Ancient Planter" title requires descendancy from a colonist who immigrated before 1616. Colonial Virginia land grants are a chief source for identifying these ancestors, since they are named as claimants of the entitled 100 acres of land.

Stone says, "After decades of compiling documents, Bible records, photographs, and every possible identification of our ancestors, it is a reward beyond words to know that interested family members will cherish all the family history papers."

Born in 1915 in Accomac on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Stone talks of the farm and rural post office operated by her parents, William Young and Essie Holloway Young. In the rich soil of Accomac, Young raised potatoes, beans, corn, watermelons, tomatoes, and fruits that were loaded in barrels, boxes and bags to be trucked from the farms to a nearby railroad for shipment to canneries and to busy water routes to Baltimore and New York. The whole family helped in harvesting. Stone recalls one prosperous day when she picked 200 quarts of ripe strawberries at 3 cents per quart, adding $6 to her college tuition savings!

Young also ran a country store, which had a gasoline pump out front and a huge tank of kerosene for lamps in the homes. But no fresh vegetables were sold. Neighbors raised their own. No meats nor milk were stocked, neighbors had cows and hogs; no bacon or ham was sold, farmers smoked their own hams and bacon; no chicken or eggs were for sale, everybody raised chickens. Oil lamps and canned items, yard goods, thread, and needles were standard inventory. Stone remembers when dry cereal was first available in the store, and corn flakes and puffed rice became popular novelties.

"My Dad was the first in the area to have electricity in the house and the store although the store was never open at night. Soon, most homes traded the kerosene lamps for a convenient light bulb hanging from the ceiling."

Stone has her own family histories in Surry and surrounding counties. Her great-grandmother, Altezara Derring was the daughter of James Derring, and a descendant of Nicholas Derring, who appears in the scarce records of Warwick in 1680. His will in Isle of Wight in 1740 proves his marriage to Mary Ann Sampson, daughter of James Sampson.

Other ancestors are Edwards, Barcroft, Pruden and Harrison. Her Mathews ancestry traces to Samuel Mathews of Mulberry Island. Barham families descend from Charles Barham of Jamestown. Williams genealogies include Pruden, Everett and Wills, also from Mulberry Island. Robert Key was forefather of Francis Scott Key, writer of the national anthem. Warren lines include the Harts, named in Surry Courthouse litigation as illegal occupants of lands that Powhatan had left to his grandson, Thomas Rolfe, son of Pocahontas.

Some names among the hundreds now available in the Stone files in Surry are Atkins, Brown, Baker, Gwaltney, Kimball, Berry, Berryman, White, Hunnicutt, Goodrich, Edwards, Seward and Lane. References are often found in Surry and Isle of Wight courthouses to residents of eastern Virginia "burned" counties of Warwick, Prince George, James City, Charles City, Gloucester, Mathews, Nansemond, Dinwiddie, Henrico and Chesterfield.

Atkins invites researchers in Surry to the old jail for free help. In turn, he asks for Surry genealogies to be donated to the growing collection.

Contact the Newport News Family History Center by e-mail at [email protected]. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday; from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; and from 9 a. m. to 3 p.m. Saturday."

The Society's Genealogical work.

You have probably noted that we publish very little genealogical work in our newsletters. Only when it ties into history is much published. The very nature of genealogy dictates that it is of utmost importance to the families being researched, but of little interest to others. If I wrote five pages on Atkins-Atkinson genealogy, it may be of great interest to the descendants, but of little interest to the other five hundred + members.

This does not mean that it is neglected, or unimportant. The Society is actively collecting and filing everything we can get on the genealogy of Surry families. This research and collection naturally includes many branches of these families in nearby counties such as Sussex, Isle of Wight, Southampton, Prince George, and of course, James City.

We have established a large and rapidly growing file on Surry Families. It is filed alphabetically, with sub-titles of collateral family names with substantial information. At the present, these files fill approximately ten feet of filing space. In addition, we are collecting all available books of Surry family genealogy. We have dozens.

We actively collect all available information of both black and white genealogy. While some may believe that there is little information on the genealogy of our black ancestors, this is untrue. When you put together the available family histories, Registers of free blacks, registers of slave marriages by the Bureau of Freedsmen, census records, oral history and church records, the history and genealogy unfolds. We collect them all.

Practically all of our records have been collected in the last four years. The speed with which the collection grows increases each year. How do we do this? We give help and we ask. We try to help anyone who comes into our doors. We charge nothing for our services, except for a very small amount for copies. We ask everyone for a copy of their genealogical work. We get wonderful response, and thus our collection grows rapidly, allowing us to give more and better help to the next visitor.

One comment: we have a very limited number of skilled genealogist, and can be easily overwhelmed if research involves much more than checking our files. I know that at times mail inquires are not handled as well as we would like. If this article inspires a large number of requests, help and service will be affected. Please be patient.

What we have done is important, but looking ahead, think of what a resource we will have in ten years, if we can continue to add to our collection at our present fast rate. Please send us copies of your family records. JEA

An Enigma!

In mid-June, the Surry County Historical Society received an envelope from Ohio. It contained family photographs as well as old church fans, trolley car tokens and a 1962 copy of the Atlanta Journal Constitution which reprinted the front page of the August 12,1862 Atlanta Century. The photographs were probably taken in the teens and 1920s. The photograph studios were in Newport News, Roanoke and Suffolk. The church fans advertised businesses in Roanoke and Hopewell. The tokens were for trolley cars as well as a token from The Smoke Shop in Roanoke.
Unfortunately, none of the pictures were labeled, nor was there an accompanying letter to identify the sender. The Society appreciates this packet but we would like to have names to go with the photographs as well as the donor's name so we can offer appropriate thanks. The large envelope was mailed in Cincinnati on June 16, 2003. The return address was as follows: Fulfillment Center, P. O. Box 26281, Coghen(?) Ohio (no zip code). The post office has no listing for a Coghen, Ohio. We would appreciate any help in identifying the donor. We will have this packet on display at our Sept. meeting and hope someone can identify the subjects.

In this item I will provide detailed references which will put together some facts about an early negro family in Surry County. Their last name is unknown at this time but it is not far-fetched to say that they could have been the progenitors of the Blizzard family. The headrights for MICHAELL, a Negroe & KATHERINE his wife belonged to WILLIAM EWINS/EWEN by 30 September 1643 and their children in June 1659 [RABECCA? about 20 yeares old, FRANCIS about [8 or 10] yeares old, AMOS about [9 or 7] yeares old & SUSANNA about [5] yeares old] were probably raised on the Surry County Colledge Plantation. By the age differences, there may have been another child not accounted for in the 1659 Surry record.

The terms tornado and hurricane, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary http://www.etymonline.com were used by the Spanish in the 1550s; tornado being a navigator's word for violent windy thunderstorm in the tropical Atlantic, probably a mangled borrowing from Spanish tornado "thunderstorm," from tronar "to thunder," from Latin tonar "to thunder" Spanish tornar "to twist, turn" also comes from Latin tornare "to turn." The meaning "extremely violent whirlwind" is first found used in 1626. The word hurricane is from Spanish "hurakan," from Arawakan (West Indies), hurakan. Both terms do not appear to have been used by the British at that time but the word blizzard described a "violent rainstorm" in 1770 and was in general use from 1800 to 1881 meaning hard winter, and was used in the sense of "violent blow" in 1829. See the later entry concerning the Great Gust of August 1667, which I feel can be associated with the term "Blizzard" but now would be called a Hurricane.

It is not known when or why the reedy swamp or reedy branch (which runs through the Colledge Plantation) was changed to Blizzard Creek as indicated on current topographic maps. The (lower) Sunken Marsh was changed to the Colledge Run or Creek after the land there was called the Colledge Plantation by 1 March 1640/41. The Colledge Creek forms the southern border of the Colledge Land.

According to The Records of the Virginia Company of London, Volume IV, edited by Susan Myra Kingsbury, A.M., PH.D., Carola Woerishoffer, Professor of Social Economy Bryn Mawr College, printed United States Government Printing Office Washington: 1935; pp. 551-559:

Those early claims for land patents by the Virginia Company of London for land in what is now Surry County were obviously for land along the south side of the James River, from west to east. The early Colledge established during the years of the Virginia Company was in Henricus [referred to as one of the "Old Burroughs" as early as 1619, later as Henrico by March 1623/24] and located in what is now Chesterfield County. Mr GEORGE THORPE [well knowne to the Company for his sufficiency] was to govern the Colledge Land on 17 May 1620. The Musters of the Inhabitants of Virginia [16 February 1623/24 and 20 January - 7 February 1624/25, after the Massacre of 22 March 1621/22] provide lists of those then living [and who had died] on the Colledge land, then in Henrico. By May 1622, persons were sent for planting 1,000 acres of land [in Charles City County] given to the East-India Schoole [named after its benefactor, the East India Company, to be under the control of the Colledge].

In the first book of the Virginia Land Office [as transcribed in 1683 by the Clerk, EDWARD HARRISON], WILLIAM EWINS obtained an 1100 acre patent for land in then James Citty County dated 30 September 1643 in Patent Book 1, pp. 904-905. This patent was obviously in error because the land was at the head of the western branch of Upper Chippokes Creek instead of on the James River. The patent was surrendered up and relinquished and the land later patented by ROBERT MOSELEY in Patent Book 2, p.223 and assigned to WILLIAM SHORT on 29 October 1657 and repatented about 1671/72 by WILLIAM SHORT, Planter, sonne & heire of WILLIAM SHORT, in Patent Book 6, p. 390. WILLIAM EWINS' relinquished patent did contain a headright list which was partially reused in his later patent for his James River land. The relinquishment in his patent reads as follows:

I WILLIAM BATT    W^m EWIN Merch^t
Surrender upp and relinquish the same to make good the right of another pattent to bee renewed of fowerteene hundred acres (Witness my hand the 8th of July 1648 WILLIAM BATT
* Test SAMLL ABBOTT CI

JOHN MUXFORD JON COOTS, ADAM MORGRAVE, HENRY PARSONS, JOHN WILLIAMS, GRIFFITH GEORG, W^M. MARSHALL, W^m. BARWICK, JOHN LANE,

THO: ROBINSON, DANIELL BRIDGMAN, RICHARD BRADLEY, MORGAN GLOVER, SAM^LL HUBY, FRANCIS ALLEN, MAURICE PRICE, LAUR CARVER, ELIZA his wife, MICHAELL, a Negroe KATHERINE his wife JOHN GRASHEARE a Negro MATHEW a Negroe

WILLIAM EWINS/EWEN's James River land in Surry [known as the Colledge Plantation by 1 March 1640/41] was patented as follows:

part A - 400 acres Tappahannah Territory patented 15 September 1619 by WILLIAM EWEN

part B - 1,000 acres Tappahannah Territory patented January 1621/22 by WILLIAM EWEN.

part C - 1,400 acres James Citty County in Patent Book 2, p. 143 dated 8 July 1648 by WILLIAM EWEN, Merchant.

part D - 1,400 acres Surry County in Patent Book 7, p. 717 dated 25 April 1689 by Mrs. ALICE STANFORD, Widow

part C - Patent Book 2, p. 143, 8^th. of July 1648, S^r W^m. BERKELEY Kn^t unto WILLIAM EWEN Merchant

1400 acres of Land lyeing in the County of James City Bounded (Vizt) NW Upon the Land of Mr. Greendon [Grindon]

SE Upon the Sunken Marsh

[This is the (lower) Sunken Marsh, now called the Colledge Creek. An adjoining patent referred to this land as "the Colledge Land" on 1 March 1640/41 in Phillip Clarke's Patent Book 1, pp. 779-780 which included his 200 acres in Patent Book 1, p. 619 dated 10 Nov 1638]

Soe West into the Woods by the Side of the Sunken Marsh and bounded with Marked trees

NE upon the river

Unto the Said WILLIAM EWEN as followeth Vizt.

400 acres part thereof by Vertue of a former patent granted unto the Said EWEN bearing date the 15^th of September 1619 and 1000 Acres the residue thereof being likewise form^rly granted unto the Said Ewen by patent Dated the ___Day of January 1621/22 and alsoe due unto the Said EWEN by and for the Transportation of 28 persons into the Colony whose names are in the records Mentioned under this patent to have and to hold &c to be held &c Yeilding &c

which payment is to be Made for four hundred Acres Seven yeares after the 15^th of December 1619 and for 1000 Acres the residue Seven yeares after the Date of the __ Day of Janry 1621 and not before

his own pr.sonall right JOHN MUNCK WM GARNETT JNO MUSQUOY? NICHO. WHITE

ANTHONY YOUNG WM PUGLY} LEWIS ELLIOT HUGH CHICK W^M. PHILLIPS RICH D AUSTON WM. KNIGHT PHILL. ROGERS RICHD. DAREING} NICHO FEETON RICHDPOUNE/PENNE/PEIRCE JN^O FLAXTON W^M. NUSE PETER MONTEGUE

JNO. MUCKEFORD [JOHN MUXFORD] JOHN COOTES [COOTS]} AD. MARGRAND [ADAM MORGRAVE] HENRY PERSONS [PARSONS] JOHN WILLIAMS GRIFFETH GEORGE W^M. MARSHALL W^M. BERWICKE [BARWICK] JOHN LAYNE [LANE]

Library of Virginia Microfilm Reel #113; Surry Deeds, Wills, &c. (1652-1673)

[p.23] These Presents Testifie that I WM. BATT have sould and delivered unto JNO. BISHOPP one Cowe being Red mked. wth fower markes? in each Eare (wch. cowe formerly did belong unto WM. EWEN) for a Certain Consideration allreadye recd. for the use of the sd. WM. EWEN. Witts. my hand this 20 of Feb. Anno Domini 1647/48. Signed WILL. BATTS. Signed and delivered in the presence of us JNO. JENNINGS, WM. LEA. Recordatr. prim_ Marty 1652/53. Teste me ROBT. STANTON ...

[p.144] JNO. COOPER Aged 21 yeares sworne & examined in Surry County Court 25th. Janry. 1659/60

Saith, That Mr. RICHARD HOPKINS Attorny. of Mr. FRANCIS NEWTON decd. upon his death bed & a very small time before he dyed [desire] that WM. BATT & THO. BINNS should take care & _____ Estate & goods he had or did belong unto the sd. NEWTON untill they should have further order out of England from his freind Then Capt. HIGGENFORD asked him whether hee should have the managinge of what he had in the Countrey the sd. HOPKINS noe noe Mr. BATT & Mr. BINNS should have what hee had Whereupon sd HIGGINFORD replyed I am glad of this for I shall have noe Further trouble _____ & Further saith not. Sign. JNO. COOPER (+).

HENRY LEA? Aged 15 yeares &c. That hee heard his master RICHARD HOPKINS say before his death that Mr. BATT AND Mr. BINNS should have the ordering of his Estate after his decease & that this dept. could live wth. either of them wch. hee pleased & Further sth. not Jurant in Court 25 die Janry. 1659/60. HEN. LEE? Mke (+). Recorded

[p.154] Mrs. MARY EWEN by vertue of a Procuration or Letter of Attorney Dated the 20th of June 1659 hath given Power and authority to Mr. FRANCIS NEWTON or his Substitutes to take into his hands and Possession the Plantation of the said Mrs. EWEN in Virginia with all things thereon and thereunto belonging as by the said Procuration more largely may appr. And for as much as the said FRA. NEWTON by vertue of the Clause of Substitution has made and ordered his well beloved brother NICHOLAS NEWTON (since deceased) and RICHARD HOPKINS his lawfull Attorneys to execute his said authority as by an instrument to that purpose Dated 30th. June 1659 may app. Now Know ye that I the said RICHARD HOPKINS by vertue of the said Authority to have received into my possession these things hereafter menconed and thereunto Sett my hand Seale the 6th. day of December 1659

The Plantacon of the said Mrs. MARY EWEN with her right and tytle to foureteene hundred Acres of Land thereunto belonging wth. the Pattent thereof

MICHAELL A negroe man
KATHERINE A negroe woman
RABECCA? about 20 yeares old}
FRANCIS about [18 or 10] yeares old}
AMOS about [9 or 7] yeares old}
SUSANNA about [5] yeares old} {the Children of the sd. MICHLL: & KATHERINE
In all seaven negroes [Who was the 7th negro?]
SAMUELL MAYSANT an English Servt. that hath about 4 yeares to Serve

Fiftie head of Cattle Fifteene of Hoggs Seaven Gunns whereof 3 fixed
one Barrell of A Pistoll Three Potts & 2 Pott hangers One brass Kettle
One Iron Pestle One feather bed Some beding belonging to the Serv^ts.
Seaven Chests Three Iron Wedges One Handsawe one Cutting Knife
one paire of tongs A Cart and Wheeles An other new p^r. of Wheeles
A Plow w^th. Irons by it three Plow Chaines one paire of small Stilliards
Three hoggheads of tobb. where one Sweet Sented

[Margin note: * Recorded the first May 1660]

JOHN COOPER aged 21 yeares or thereabouts Sworne and examined and SAMUELL MAYSANT aged about 19 yeares likewise Sworne and examined in Surry County Co'rt in Virginia 25^th January 1659

[1659/60] That on tuesday the 6^th. day of December last past M^r. W^m. BATT came unto the Plantacon of M^rs. EWINS in Virginia and there Did Deliver unto M^r. RICHARD HOPKINS Attorney of M^r. FRANCIS NEWTON the Plantacon togeather wth 7 negroes and one English Serv^t: And that MICHAELL the Negroe man (who is Since dead) was then Alive and when then Delivered as aforesaid

Alsoe there was Deliv'd unto the said HOPKINS 50 head of Cattle forty eight of them being then in Sight upon the Said Plantacon and the other two at the Neighbors Plant' and many other things belonging to the said Mrs. EWEN Estate in Virginia then Sett downe in A writeing or Schedule which is hereunto annexed - and Further Sayeth not.

JOHN J ^{his mke} COOPER SAM^ll. O ^{his Mke} MAYSANT

Jurantr. in Cur: Die et anno. Pr.dict

Teste ROBT STANTON Cl.

[unrelated note written in a different hand in the left margin: "Smith asd Land to Crafton Co. CH attor? to Blackborne. R. to Norwood"]

[pp. 368-369] Att a General Court held att James Citty 18th. Aprill 1670. Present Sr. WM. BERKELEY Knt. govnor &c., Majr. Genr. SMITH, HEN. CORBYN, THEO. BLAND, Coll. WILLIS Esqrs.

Whereas by ordr. from the Courte dated the 29th March 1666: an Extent was granted to Mr. Antho. Stanford agt. the 3 pr.te of the land of FRA. NEWTON Called the Colledge & Mr. JOH. MOHUM (sic) Attur. of the sd Stanford this day petetioninge that a Jury May be Impanelled to find the true vallue by the yere of the sd Land & plantation wth respect to what damages hapened in the Gust in Aug. 1667 as also for what buildings hath beene erected by the sd Stanford itt is ordrd. that an able Jury of the Neighbourhood be fourthwth. impanelled by the Sherife of that County whoe are upon oath to find the yearely vallue of the sd Plantaticon as aforesd & to give Verdict thereupon to be retourned to the Courte where itt is to be recorded.

Test. RICH. AWBORNE Cl Cou.

Surry County. Virginia. An Inqusition Indented had & taken att the plantation called the Colledge in the sd County on tuesday the 17th May 1670 before Majr. WM. MARIOT High Sherife of the sd County by Vertue of an ordr. held of the generall Courte hold att James Citty the 18th day of Aprill 1670 Impowering & requiring the sd Sherife to Impanell an able Jury of free holdrs. of the sd County to find the yearely vallue of the sd Land & plantacon in obedience whereto the sd Sheriffe hath sumoned an able Jury of free holdrs. of the sd County & of the Neighbourhood to the sd Plantacon whose names follow Vizt: GEO. WATKINS MATHIS MARRIOTT JOH. KINDRED AUGUSTIN HUNICUT, RICHD. BRIGS, WM. CHAMBERS, RICH. DREW, DAVID WMS,: WM. BUTLER & RICHD. JARRATT, JOHN SALWAY, WM. NEWSAM, which sd Jury being Impanelled & sworne to find the true vallue by the yeare of the sd Plantacon & land doe accordingly make & give up theire Verdict as followeth that is to say, wee of the Jury doe find that the whole plantacon called the Colledge in Anno 1666 there being then 3 Sixty foote wallplate tobb. houses one 50 foote raftered house one thirty foote dwelling house one twenty foote house & one house called a Qrtr. of fifteene foote longe standing upon the sd Plantacon to be then worth 1200 lb tobb. or Six pd. [£] Sterling pr. anno. & in the yeare 1667 the Gust did destroye not onely all the sd houses standing upon the sd Plantacon excepting two dwelling houses Now standing there upon the one thirty foote & the other twenty foote & the house called the quarter of fifteene foote but did also blow downe & destroy Most of the Timbertrees then standing upon the sd plantacon & those that are standing experience haveing declared them to be Much Spoyled & wind shaken Therefore wee value the sd Plantacon as itt now is att Eight hundred. pds. of tobb. or fower pds. [£] Sterlinge pr. ann.: wth the forty foote tobb. house [New] built by the Atturney of Mr. STANDFORD upon the sd Plantacon in witnes whereof the sd Sherife & Jury have to this Inquisition of two pr.tes set theire hands & Seales the day & yeare above written. All the Jurys hands were Subscribed & their Seales in red wax & the Sherife also. record. 20th May 1670 by G.W. [GEORGE WATKINS]

June 1670 Colledge, Lower pr.te of Southwarke Pr.ish - 3 Tythables

Surry Order Book (1671-1691), 9br 4th 1674, [Estate in the hands of JNO. PULESTON]

JNO NORTH [deceased] sewed wheat at the Colledge. NORTH's widow married NICHOLAS WITHERINTON & they got part of the proceeds from the wheat crop.

Surry Order Book (1691-1713), pp. 16-23. Court held at Southwark Jan^ry 19th 1691/92

[p.21] [9br 7th 1691?] Judgment is granted JOHN PULISTON attorney of Mrs ALICE STANFORD against Coll W^M BROWNE and JAMES JORDAN Adm^rs of the Estate of THOMAS JORDAN who married JANE the Relict of Ex^tx of Cap^t. ROB^T. SPENCER for 535 pds of tobacco & Caske being the ballance of what a Negro Girle called KATE who was Seized by the sd SPENCER in the yeare 1677 1687? he then being Sheriffe for Levies etc. was valued at, It is therefore Ordered that the said BROWN & JORDAN et. pay the said 535 pds of tob° & Caske to the said PULISTON atr. Ex°

part D - Patent Book 7 p.717, 25 Aprill Ano Dom 1689, NATH. BACON Esqr. President etc

unto Mrs ALICE STANFORD, Widow [widow & admistrx. of ANTHONY STANFORD of London, merchant. ANTHONY STANFORD was deceased by 1680]

1400 acres of Land lying in Surry County according to the most ancient and Lawfull Bounds thereof formerly granted unto WILLIAM EWEN by Pattent dated the 8th of July 1648. four hundred acres thereof was granted to the said Ewen by a former Pattent dated the 15th of September 1619. and one thousand acres the residue thereof being likewise formerly granted to the sd EWEN by Pattent dated the _th day of Janry. 1621. And was lately found to Escheat to his Sacred Majtie from the sd WILLIAM EWEN of the County aforesd as by an Inquisition recorded in the Secretaries Office under the hands and Seals of SAML SWAN [the] Escheator of the sd County and a Jury sworn before him for that Purpose dated the 27th of November 1686 may appear and is Since granted to the said ALICE STANFORD Widdo. who hath made her Composicon according to Law. To have etc to hold etc To be held etc Yeilding etc. Dated the 25th day of Aprill Ano Dom 1689

Surry County Court Records (1700-1711) [p.219] 2d. Septr. 1701. At a Court held at Southwarke for the County of Surry. Present. Mr. HENRY TOOKER, Mr. WILLIAM BROWNE,

Mr. WILLIAM COCKE, Mr. THOMAS DREW

WILLIAM CHAMBERS by his peticon setting forth that hee is desirous to build a grist Mill on the Colledge run as well for the conveniency of himselfe as others thereto adjoyning, but haveing land but on one side thereof and the land on the other side being in the possion. of JOHN PULISTON hee therefore prayed that according to the 3rd. act of Assembly Ao. 1667 one acre of land on the other side of the said run may bee layd out and valued and hee putt into possion. thereof being ready to pay what the same shall bee valued at to such person or persons as this Court shall think fitt to direct: On consideration whereof Mr. WILLIAM NEWSOM, Mr. MATHEW SWANN & Mr. WILLIAM NEWITT or any two of them are ordered and impowred. to view the place, And if it doth not take from the conveniences mentioned in the aforesaid Law to value one acre of the land & putt the said CHAMBERS in the possion. thereof as the before recited Law directs.

Surry Order Book (1691-1713)
[pp.299-300] Court held at Southwark 2 September 1707
The last will and testament of JOHN PULESTON was proved by the oathes of THOMAS WALLER and MARY WALLER and a probate thereof granted ANNE PULESTON [Widow] Extrix. Thereof

Surry Deeds, Wills &c. (1694-1709) [pp. 373-374) The Will of JOHN PULESTON [also PULESTONE, PULISTON, PULISTONE] was proved & probate granted in July 1707. The estate went to his wife, ANNE PULESTON, which included: the power assigned to me by Mrs ALICE STRANFERD [STANFORD] widow of London & Administrator of Mr ANTHONY STANNFORD [STANDORD] of London merchant by a leter of Attorney beareing date the 12 day of September 1669. witnesses: THO WALLER, MARY WALLER, ALICE WALLER Test FRA. CLEMENTE Cl Cur

The inventory & appraisement of the estate was received in November 1707

If you have visited or passed through the Town of Dendron during the past year, you may have noticed a new structure rising behind the Municipal Building. You may have wondered aloud, "Is Dendron getting a Pizza Hut?" Mention that theory to Mayor Ben Muncy, chief architect and contractor of the building, and he will roll his eyes and shake his head. This new project of the Dendron Historical Society is actually the future home of the Dendron Museum. Mayor Muncy has designed it to resemble an old train depot, reflecting Dendron's history as headquarters of the Surry Lumber Company and the Surry, Sussex and Southampton Railroad.

Over many months this museum has taken shape through the diligent efforts of Mr. Muncy and Town Clerk Nancy Shope. Many of the Historical Society's members and friends have also contributed "sweat equity" and funding toward the project. Windows and doors have been installed this summer; and as new funds come in work can continue with the installation of siding and other features.

In addition to the Dendron Museum, the Dendron Historical Society is also restoring a boxcar from the Surry, Sussex and Southampton Railroad that will be moved beside the new building. A rail bed has been laid on the site for the car. There are plans to place "log-themed" park benches and street lamps to entice visitors to stop and spend time in this unique town.

The Dendron Historical Society was formed in July 1997, and now has a membership of 200. Meetings are held on the second Thursday each month at 7:30 in the Municipal Building. Members and guests bring to the meetings their wonderful photographs, artifacts, memorabilia and stories to share or donate. The Society hopes that the new Museum will provide a means to display some of these bits of Dendron history for all to see.

The end of a busy summer quickly approaches and I prepare to return to James Madison University for my senior year. With reluctance I must say goodby to my new friends at the historical society who have given me the opportunity to learn from them and their good work. I have spent the summer working with the historical society to gain credit for school. I have been a lifelong resident of Surry County, which has undoubtedly led to my interest in our local history. I study history with a public history concentration, and am beginning to look ahead to my future within the world of history. I strongly believe that our history is vitally important to our nation's history, therefore I am interested in using my training through school and this internship to teach the public about Surry's contribution to history.

There is an infinite amount of work waiting to be done, and I hope to have helped put a dent in it. My largest project thus far has been to organize Doris Stone's files into their own filing cabinet. I must admit that this task would not have taken as long if I had not read quite a few of them. Family research is a large function of the Society and I have enjoyed the experience of different people wandering into the Jailhouse looking for clues to their past. I have taken an interest in my own family history and am entertaining the prospect of going into the field of family research. This fall I am enrolled in a family research and genealogy class, so I look forward to learning more about it.

My work will continue into the fall. I will try my eye at transcribing minute notes from the Surry Light Artillery. These notes are thirty years worth of reunion meetings among Surry's veterans of the Civil War. I am anxious to discover what might be learned as well as being able to make this information available to the public.

I would like to thank all of the members of the Society who have so warmly welcomed me into their lives. I have gained much more than just school credit.

We are pleased to announce that the missing Historical Road Marker for Cypress Church, between Dendron and Elbron, will be replaced, with improved wording, by the Department of Historical Resources. The Society is working to replace all of the missing Historical Road Markers.
We also hope to soon announce additional road markers on our rich history.

Notice:

The Society has been very liberal on continuing membership and newsletters to members who have neglected to renew their membership. The cost of publishing and mailing continues to increase. The cost of maintaining our office and readying Rogers' Store for opening increases our needs for funds. Your mailing label on the newsletter shows a date, such as 9-03. This tells you that you need to renew by September 2003. Please renew, we do not want to stop your newsletter and membership in the Society. Economics dictate that we cannot continue to mail newsletters after a grace period. Membership dues are for each member.

JOIN THE SOCIETY!

Keep your membership up to date. Check the renewal date on your Newsletter mailing label. For example, 5-04 means you are paid up through May 2004.