xt7fj678w86x https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7fj678w86x/data/mets.xml Southampton County, Virginia Virginia Historical Records Survey 1940 Prepared by the Virginia Historical Records Survey Project, Division of Professional and Service Projects, Work Projects Administration; Other contributors include: United States Work Projects Administration Division of Professional and Service Projects; 265 pages, illustrated, 28 cm; Mimeographed; Includes bibliographical references and index; UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program libraries; Call number FW 4.14:V 819/no.88 books English Richmond, Virginia: Historical Records Survey Project This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Virginia Works Progress Administration Publications Inventory of the County Archives of Virginia, Number 88 Southampton County (Courtland) text Inventory of the County Archives of Virginia, Number 88 Southampton County (Courtland) 1940 1940 2015 true xt7fj678w86x section xt7fj678w86x   W  `      x wn;\@ \H*lW!L\@ Q        

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 INVENTORY OF THE COUNTY ARCHIVES
U OF VIRGINIA
Prepared by
The Virginia Historical Records Survey Project
Division of Professional and Service Projects
Work Projects Administration
NO. 88. SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY (COURTLAND)
Richmond, Virginia
, The Virginia Historical Records Survey Project
T March l94O
é
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The Historical Records Survey Program 1
Luther H. Evans, Director
Juliet A. Jones, Regional Supervisor
Elizabeth B. Parker, State Supervisor J
Division of Professional and Service Projects X
iQ —
Florence Kerr, Assistant Commissioner 2
Izetta Jewell Miller, Chief Regional Supervisor Q
Ella G. Agnew, State Director g
 
WORK PROJECTS ADDHNISTRATION i
F. C. Harrington, Commissioner if
F. H. Dryden, Regional Director {J
William A. Smith, State Administrator Q

 FOREWORD
The inventory gf thg Qgggty archives gf Virgigga is one of a nuumer of
bibliographies of historical materials prepared throughout the United States
by workers on the Historical Records Survey Program of the Work Projects
administration. The publication herewith presented, an inventory of the
archives of Southampton County, is number 88 of th  Virginia series.
The Historical Records Survey Program was undertaken in the winter of
1935-36 for the purpose of providing useful employment to needy unemployed
historians, lawyers, teachers, and research and clerical workers. In
carrying out this objective, the project was organized to compile inven-
tories of historical materials, particularly the unpublished government
documents and records which are basic in the administnation of local govern-
ment, and which provide invaluable data for students of political, economic,
and social history. The archival guide herewith presented is intended to
meet the requirements of day~to·day administration by the officials of the
county, and also the needs of lawyers, business men and other citizens who
require facts from the public records for the proper conduct of their af-
fairs. The volume is so designed that it can be used by the historian in
his research in unprinted sources in the same way he uses the library card
catalog for printed sources.
The inventories produced by the Historical Records $urvey Program at-
tempt to do more than give merely a list of records - they attempt further
to sketch in the historical background of the county or other unit of
government, and to describe precisely and in detail the organization and
functions of the government agencies whose records they list. The county,
town, and other local inventories for the entire country will, when com-
pleted, constitute an encyclopedia of local government as well as a bibli~
ography of local archives.
The succesful conclusion of the work of the Historical Records $urvey
Program, even in a single county, would not be possible without the support
of public officials, historical and legal specialists, and many other groups
in the community. Their cooperation is gratefully acknowledged.
The survey Program was organized and has been directed by Luther H.
Evans, and operates as a nation—wide series of locally sponsored projects in
the Division of Professional and Service Projects, of which Mrs. Florence
Kerr, Assistant Commissioner, is in charge.
F. G. HARRINGTON
V Commissioner

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4
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  $

 j PREFACE
l The Historical Records Survey, a project of the Division of Profession-
¤ al and Service Projects of the Work Projects Administration, was organized
» nationally in January 1936 under the supervision of Dr. Luther H. Evans,
A National Director. In March, work was begun in Virginia as part of the
l Federal Writers' Project with Dr. H. J. Eckenrode as State Director and Dr.
Lester J. Cappon of the University of Virginia as part·time Assistant State
Supervisor in charge of the Survey.
In November 1936, when the Survey became an independent unit of Federal
Project No, l, Dr. Gappon became part-time State Director and Elizabeth
B. Parker, a former supervisor, Assistant State Director. Following Dr.
Cappon's resignation in June 1937, Miss Parker was appointed State Director,
In September 1939, the Survey became a State—wide nonyFederal project.
The principal objective of the Virginia Historical Records Survey Pro-
ject has been to discover, preserve, and make accessible the basic materials
for research. Complete inventories of the records of the State, counties,
cities, towns, and other local public archives are being made and will be
prepared for publication and deposited with the appropriate agency of the
Federal Government. In addition, a complete list of manuscript depositoriss
in the State is being prepared and an inventory of important manuscript
collections will be made. A considerable amount of work has been done in . _
listing early American imprints and approximately one-third of the church
records in the State have been inventoried. The Survey has also been re-
sponsible for assisting State and county officials in sorting, arranging,
and in some cases labeling and indexing loose pipers and unbound materials.
Furthermore, as a result of our efforts, many county officials have provided
more adequate space for storing their records. Information in the entries
in this volume is given as to the dates of all extant records, the quantity,
the contents of series, the arrangement, indexing, and location. Records
are arranged according to the functional destination of the record. In the
subject index the material is arranged alphabetically; in the chronological
index it is arranged by decades. Preceding the entries for each office is
a brief account of the history, functions, and records of that office.
The Inventory gf tgp County Archives gf Virginia will, when completed,
consist of a separate number for each county. The numbering will be accord-
ing to the respective position of the county in an alphabetical list of
counties. Thus Southampton County is number 88. The inventory of the State
archives and municipal and other records will be issued separately. For a
complete list of publications of the Virginia Historical Records Survey, see
page 243.
‘ The original inventory was undertaken in January 1938 by two Southampton
i County workers, Lavinia Rawles and william G, Bogupt, both of whom left the
project before the inventory was completed, Under the supervision of Elizabeth
B. Parker, their work was completed by Clyde P, Sirles and John E. Baucom who
were sent to Southampton County March 20 and completed the inventory May lO,
i In addition to listing the official records of the county, these two young
men assorted a mass of storage material at the county courthouse, properly
s labeled and filed the unbound material, and listed these records in the
original inventory. From October 1938 to October 1939, O, Fred Gavin, a
resident of the county, abstracted and transcribed order book material for
infornation to be used by the editorial staff in compiling this volu e, and
also made a complete recheck of the original inventory under th  supervision

 > vi  
i;
Preface if
 
of Harold A. Lovenstein. Just prior to releasing this volume, a spot recheck it
of certain records was made by members of the editorial and research staffs Y
to insure accuracy. i
The inventory was edited in the Richmond office through the combined *
efforts of the State Supervisor and the editorial staff. Special supervision
of legal research, essays, and entry writing was handled by Pincknoy Walker,
Hamilton Enslow, and Ellis Miller, Jr., respectively. Other key workers who
assisted with the preparation of this volume were: Frances Beasley, Louise
hecon, and nary Mcmullan. Andrew L. Riffe, IIII, wrote the Historical Sketch.
Dr. Evans and his editors in the Washington office examined and criticized
the manuscript before it was published, but responsibility for its complete-
ness and accuracy lies with the Virginia staff. This volume received the O
l approval of the official sponsor in the State, The Virginia Conservation
Commission. ·
The Survey in Virginia is indebted to the officials of the Virginia
State Law Library, The Bureau of Statutory Research and Drafting, the State
Work Projects Administration officials, and to the officials of Southampton p
County for their cooperation while the inventory was being made. In addition
we take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the Board of Super- P
visors and to the School Board of Southampton County for making possible _
this publication through their sponsors' contributions to the non-labor cost X
of this project. ;
Upon request a limited number of copies of this volume will be dis- Q
tributed free of charge to State and local public officials and to public {
libraries and government agencies outside of the State. Further inquiries
regarding this publication may be addressed to the Virginia Historical Rec- A
ords Survey Project, Richmond, Virginia.
ELIZABETH B. PARKER
State Supervisor
Richmond, Virginia Virginia Historical Records ?
December 1939 Survey Project A
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E

 p TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. Southampton County and Its Records System
Page
ll     IQIIIOOOOOIOQOIOOIUOOIll||•IllIOII|IIOO|IOIOI§ l
2. Governmental Organization and Records System . .................. 16
Chart of County Government . ...... . ...... . ................... . 54
3. Housing, Care, and Accessibility of the Records ........ . .... ... 56
4. .Abbreviations, Symbols, and Explanatory Notes ...... ............ 6O
B. County Offices and Their Records
It       lllIll)OIIOOIOOIOIOOIOO¢lI|||IOOl0OlI|OIIIl  
p Proceedings. Financial: claims; warrants. Taxation
II}     OI!OOIIOOQIOIIOCIDIIOIODOIIIIIOIOOOOCIIOIOOIIOIICII  
Deeds. Liens: real property; personal property. Tax-
ation: real property; personal property. Corporations.
Partnerships. Conservation. Vital Statistics: births;
deaths; marriages. Registers. Military. Elections:
candidates; voters.
      •UIO¢•IIIIIOIOIIIIIIIIOIOOOOOOCIIIUIIOOIOUIOIIQIIC  
Chancery: case papers; dockets and proceedings. Common
Law: case papers; dockets and proceedings. Judgments.
Exscutions. Jurors and Witnesses. Probate: wills;
fiduciary. Oaths. Bonds: official; fiduciary; bail;
liquor license. Lunacy. Delinquent Land Sales. Finan-
cial: bonds; fees; fines and costs; collections and dis-
bursements. Miscellaneous.
Iv’¢     IIOOQOOOOQIIOIIIOOOOIOOOOIvlllltbliIllllllllllllill  
Chancery: case papers; dockets and proceedings. Common
Law: case papers; dockets and proceedings. Executions.
Witnesses. Roads.
V. Commonwealth‘s Attorney ................. ..... ...... ........ .... 134
VIU       IOOIQIIO!OOOIIDIIOOIlOUIOOIIOIIUIIIIIOOOIIOI  
gase Papers. Dockets. Financial.
IVIIQ         Il|l0OOOOlO•|IO•••••IIOOIOIOOIOCOOOIIIIOQUI  
    IIIOCIOOIOIOOOIIOIOIIQOIIIOIIUQOIIIIOCIIOIO0lO•lIOI•Il|Il  
IX.   OIIIIIDIOIIIIOIOIIIIGIIOOII||lIIUIII|I!¢OOi•hOOI•lOIIC  
X!   IUOIOIOOIIUOIOIIIUOOOOIIIIIUOIOIOOIIIl•II¤UIIOI¤OOIII|IO  
XI. Commissioner of the Revenue .................................... 153
Tax Assessments: real property; personal property and
income; capitation. Licenses. Financial. Correspondence.
XII. Assessors ..... .... ................ ........... .................. 163
XIII. Local Board of Equalization (Local Board of Review) ....... ..... 166

 I viii  
 
Table of Contents pt
Page lt
XIV. County Treasurer .............................................. 169 é
Financial: receipts; journals, cash books, and ledgers; V
warrants and checks. Taxation: real property; personal
property and income; capitation. Licenses. Correspond-
ence.
XV. County Finance Board ..................,...................... 182 C
XVI. County Electoral Board ....................................... 183
XVII. School Trustee Electoral Board ............... ....... ......... 185 ~
I   County School Board ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
Proceedings. Financial: bonds; warrants. Reports. P
XIX. Division Superintendent of Schools ........................... 193
Financial: budgets; ledgers; reports. Teachers.
Census. Individual Schools. Reports and Corres-
pondence. Miscellaneous.
XX. Local Board of Public Welfare (Overseors of the Poor) ........ 200 Q
Proceedings. Financial. Correspondence. g
XXI. Superintendent of the Poor ................................... 205 é
XXII!     OlIltllfilltlilOllllillOOIIIIQIOICIOOIIOIOIIOOOO    
          OI|l•O•III•Il|lIlOOI•§OIl¤II||!•I|OlIOl|    
        OOOlll!9000OOIItIOOIOOIOOIUIOOIIOOIOIOIIOII  
Clinical. Immunization. General Sanitation.
XXV.     QQ}IIOIIBOODIIDOOOOI|OlI•O'|IOOIOIUOOOOIIOIOUIU   ll,
XXVI. County Agricultural Agent .................................... 216
Contracts. Allotments and Payments. Maps. Reports
and Correspondence. V
      OIIIOOIIOOCOIIIOIOOOOlOllO••OI||IIIOI\lIOI|IIIIOOO    
      OUOOIIIOIOOIOIIIIUOOQIIO!||ICI||•I•I|lIIIIOIO·I    
  lllllIOIOOIOIDIOIIOIOOIOIOIOIOIIOOOIIIOIOOIIIIOOO    
 
Chronological Index .......................................... 245 g
Subject Index ........... ..... ... ...... . .... ..... ......... .... 249 E
 
, §
%»

 7 (First entry, p. 71)
1. HISTORICAL SKETCH
Southampton County, one of the larger Virginia counties,1 was formed
from Isle of Wight County in the middle of the eighteenth century.2 The
parent county was one of the original shires of 1634.3 Four years before the
formation of Southampton County we learn, by study of a "Proposition from the
County of Isle of Wight,“ of conditions in that county giving rise to dis-
satisfaction concerning the bounds. Under date of March 7, 1745 we find
"Tmt there are upwardsl¤of"I‘1r·.1·eeThousand Tithables in the said County; that
the vast Extent of the same makes it very burthensome to many of its Inhabit-
ants, who are obliged to meet near the Black-Water, at General Musters, and
abundance of poor People walk Thirty Miles, and oftentimes lie in the Woods;
others not being able to undergo such Hardships, suffer themselves to be
fined: That the Distance of the Justices is so far from Court, and no Ccn-
veniency of Lodging there, that they seldom attend more t an Six Times in a
Year, And pray that the said County may be divided into two distinct Counties,
by the Black-Water Stream."4
Although the above statements strongly indicate the need for dividing
the county of Isle of Wight, the division did not take place until 4 years
later (1749). The dividing line suggested in the "Proposition,“ however, was
followed in the act of establishment and all of that part of Isle of Wight
County which lay on the west side of the Blackwater River became a separate
and distinct county, and was ordered to be called Southampton in honour of
Henry Wriothesley, second earl of Southampton, p·ominent member of the Virginia
Company, and friend to Shakespeare.5
Southampton County is bounded on the northwest by Surry and Sussex
Counties, on the west by Greensville County, and on the east by Isle of Wight
and Nansemond Counties, while the southern boundary is formed by the North
Carolina State line.6 The area of 604 square mi1es7 comprises a territory .
with a length and breadth of 40 and 15 miles respective1y.8 Lying in Tide-
water Virginia, the soils of Southampton County, like all of that famous
section, are composed of ulluvial deposits. Those of the inlunds are
naturally thin, light and soft, but being warm and under the influence of
a mild climate, a near ocean and the dense crops of wild plants that grow
 
l. Rggg McNally Commercial Atlas ggg Marketing Guide, Chicago, Ill., 1939
[hereinafter cited as Commercial Atlasy, p. 409.
2. Morgan Poitiaux Robinson, Virginia Counties, Virginia State Library
Bulletin, IX, nos. 1-3, Richmond, 1916, p. 206.
3. William Waller Hening, compiler, The Statutes gt Large . . . (1619-1792),
lst. ed., Richmond, etc., 1809-23-{for complete citation, see Biblio-
graphy; hereinafter cited as Hsning, §;gtu;ss],I, 224; Robinson,
Virginia Counties, p. 126.
4. H. R. Mcllwaine and J. P. Kennedy, eds. and compilers, Journals gf thg
Hogg; gf Burgesses (1619-1776), Richmond, 1905-15, [vols. not numbered]
Z`iv4z-49), p. uv.
5. Robinson, Vgrginia Counties, pp. 191, 206.
6. Qgmggggigl Atlas, p. 407.
7•   P•  
8. Henry Howe, Qigtorical Collections gf yiggigig . . ., Charleston, 1845,
I p. 470. ` ` `

 E
t Historical Sketch (First Bntryv P- 71) t
and rot upon them they become very productive.9 Drained by the Meherrin, Q
Nottoway and Blackwater Rivers,lO Southampton County leads Virginia in pro- Q
duction of cotton and peanuts.ll _
This county, with a population of 26,870,12 has 6 incorporated towns - ‘
Courtland, Franklin, Boykins, Capron, Ivor, and Branchville -l3 the town of j
Franklin leading in size with a population of 2,930 persons according to the
1930 census.l4 Courtland the centrally located county seat, has a population
of 355 persons,l5 a bank,i6 an accredited high school, and several churches,
the Methodist being the strongest denomination in the county.l7 Joining these
and numerous other communities are 124.34 miles of primary and 553.56 miles
of secondary highways,l8 the principal ones being U. S. Routes 58 and 158 and
State Routes 33 and 35.19
- Southampton County is served by six banks, two of which are located in
Franklin, one each in Courtland, Capron, and Boykins,2O while Ivor is served
by the bank of Sussex and Surry, a branch of the Wakefield bank.2l Other
corporations serving the people of Southampton County include four railroads,
the Norfolk & Western, Seaboard Air.Line, Southern, and Virginian; numerous
western Union and Postal Telegraph stations; several railroad express
agencies;22 and the airport of Franklin which is located just across the
county 1ine.23 7
Since 1870 Southampton County has operated under the board of super- g
visors' plan of local government. The first board, consisting of Messrs. I)
Robert Rowland, James M. Corbitt, John H. Bogart, James H. Devany, John C. E
  Q
Q. Jedediah Hotchkiss, compiler and editor, Virginia: é Geographical I
gpg Political Summary . . ., Richmond, 1876, pp. 5, 29.
10. Howe, Historical Collections pg Virginia, p. 470.
ll. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930, Agriculpppp, II, pt. 2,
Qpg Southern Spgpgp, Washington, 1932, 224-33, 244-53 (tables V, VII).
12. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930, Population, I, Reports
py Spgggy. . ., 1122 (table 3). p
13. xbm., p. iiao (table 4). 7
14. {pig., p. 1130 (table 4).
15. Ipig., p. 1130 (table 4); Virginia, State Department of Highways,
Qppppy_Mgpg pg ppg Pri agy gpg Secondary Highway Systems, 1936,
Richmond, 1936, p. 88.
16. Thirty-Fifth Annual Report pf ppp State Corporation Qommission . . . t
1938, Lcompiled by Bureau of Banking), Richmond, 1939, pp. 28-30
(tame 21).
17. Bureau of the Census, Religious Bodies: 1226, Washington, 1930, I, 5
pp. 694, 696; Annual Report pg ppp Superintendent pg Public Instruc- j
tion ._L_L 1937-38, State Board of Education Bulletin XXI, no. 3 E
(September 1938), Richmond, 1938, p. 54. i
13. List accompanying letter from Burton Marys, Jr., Manager, Planning t
Survey, Virginia Department of Idghways, Oct. 27, 1939. Q
19. Virginia, State Department of Ehghways, County ygpp, 1936, p. 88. Y
20. Thirty-Fifth annual Report pf State Corporation Commission , 2 . 1938, Y
pp. ze-so (tame 21).  
21. gg., p. zo.  
22. Commercial Atlap, pp. 407-415. Q
23. Ibid., p. 412. 3
1
 
 

 - 3 -
Historical Sketch (First entry, p. 71)
I Griffin and William H. Daughtrey, with M . Bogart first chairmin, met in
August of that year (1870), and represented the townships of Drewryville,
Boykins, Franklin, Jerusalem, Berlin and Ivor and Newsome Depot, respective-
1y.24 The names of the townships of 1870-752% are remembered in magisterial
districts of today, with one addition, Capron, which was created in 1915.26
,Soutlaumton County, with Nansemond, Isle of Wight, and the city of
Suffolk, constitutes the fifth senatorial district,°7 while the second
judicial district, which h s been presided over by Judge James L. McLemore
since 1907,*8 is composed of this county with Nansemond and the city of
Suffolk.29 _
It would appear from the records that there were no legal settlements
south of the Blackwater River prior to the first decade of the eighteenth
century. In March 1697 the surveyor of Surry and Isle of Wight Counties was
ordered to appear on the 6th day of the next General Court and bring copies
of all entries made by him on the "Black Water.“3O Mr. Williamson appeared
in Council and "presented a copy of all the entry's of Land by him taken on
the South side of the Black Water Swamp, but not shewing by what authority he
does Theme [them] nor having his Commission nor instructions with him" was
ordered to attend the next Counci1.3l On June 11, 1697 he presented his
commission “and not having any wayes clear'd himself for taking entrys of
Land on the Black water contrary to restrictions and orders of Council1,"
it was the opinion of the Council that he should be suspended.32
Among the early landowners of Southampton County were Joseph Wall, Jr.,
Joshua Turner, Thomas Barrow, Francis Huttchins, Benjamin Chapman, Richard
Vick, John Pope, James Mercer, and Francis Cox, all of whom patented land in
Isle of Wight County on the south side of the Blackwater Swamp, or on the
Nottoway River, between 1711 and 1713.33
A proclamation of December 1710 prohibited the seating of land between
the Nottoway and Meherrin Rivers. However, diverse persons had so seated
themselves34 by January 1711, and it would seem that the settlements prospered,
 
24. Record of Supervisors (Minutes), no. 1 (1870-93), August 1870, p. 1,
see entry 2.
25. See Governmental Organization and Record System, p. 23.
26. Acts gf thg General Assembly gf the State gf Virginia, 1809--, Richmond,
1810-- [hereinafter cited as égtg], 1938, p. 1069; Common Law Order
Book, no. 10 (1913-20), Dec. 1, 1915, p. 245, see entry 109.
27. QQ; Vir inia Qggg gf 1936, Charlottesville, 1936 [hereinafter cited as
Code l936[, sec. 79.
28. Common Law Order Book, no. 8 (1895-1907), June 10, 1907, p. 449, see
entry 109. -
29. Code 1936, sec. 5888,
30. H. R. Mcllwaine, ed. Executive Journals gf the Council gf Colonial
Virginia (1680-1739), Richmond, 1925-30, I, 362.
31. Ibid., I, 364-365.
32. Ibid., I, 366.
33. Patents, no. 10, 1710-1719 [ms. vol. in State Land Office, Richmond,
Va.], pp. 11, 22, 50, 59, 74, 81, 94.
34. Mcllwaine, Executive Jggrnals gf the Council, III, 578-588.

 { - 4 -  
*5  
; Historical Sketch (First entry, p. 71) %
il?
for in September 1734 a new courthouse was ordered erected on the north side ?
of Blackwater River near Quinny's Bridge35 and a parish was formed on the i
south side of the Blackwater River.36 As previously noted, a petition was Q
drawn up by the inhabitants of Isle of Wight to divide the county in 1745, Q
and the levy of 1750 shows 1,80237 tithables in Southampton County, all of V
which proves that the settlements on the south side of the Blackwater River 7
prospered greatly. 1
At the first court, held at the home of Elizabeth Ricks, June 8, 1749, 3
John Person, Joseph Gray, Jesse Brown, Benjamin Simmonds, Nathaniel Ridley,
Thomas Jarrett, Etheldred Taylor, Howell Edmonds, Benjamin Ruffin, Albridghton
Jones, James Ridley, Peter Butts, Samuel Blow, and Thom e Williamson each
took the oath of a justice of the peace and judge in chancery.38 Richard Kello
was sworn first clerk and Benjamin Ruffin first sheriff of the county.39
Thomas Jarrett and Peter Butts became coroners while Benjamin Branch, Arthur Z
· Arrington, Joseph Cobb, Samuel Kindred, and John Bowen, Jr. were sworn con- A
stables. Richard Murphey, James Jones, Benjamin Britt and Thomas Clark were w
appointed constables and ordered to be summoned to the next court to be ine
dividually sworn.4O
The early Burgeeses for Southampton County were Etheldred Taylor, Thomas r
Jarrett, Joseph Gray, and William Tay1or.4l
The public buildings of the county were also considered at this court {
and it was agreed that the same were to be "fixed" on the land of Elizabeth `Q
Exum near Flowers Bridge. The justices were also commissioned to purchase _Q
2 acres of the said landend to vndvatise publicly that any builder desiring  
to erect these public buildings should meet them a d agree for the build- %
ing of the same. The courthouse was to be 40 feet long and 24 feet wide g
and the other buildings were to be as the said contracting justices should f
think fit.42 Exum Scott was licensed to keep an ordinary at his house 5
near Flowers Bridge and the rates were listed according to law.43 ’
The court met at the house of Elizabeth Ricks in June and July 1749.44 ‘
The August term of court was held near Flowers Bridge at the house of Exum ‘
Scott4 and it was at this latter court that John Simmonds, Joseph Gray, T
Thomas Jarrett, and Jesse Brown were sworn county lieutenant, colonel, and
majors respectively, Howell Edmonds, Albmwglton Jones, and Timothy Thorpe, (
captains, and James Jones, lieutenant.46 Leonard Claiborne, Jr., gentleman, W
35. Ibid., IV, 332. Q
36. Hening, Statutes, IV, 444. Q
37. Order Book, County Court, N0. 1 (1749-54), Nov. 9, 1750, p. 103, see Q
entry 181. i
38. Ibid., June 8, 1749, p. 1. (
39. Ibid., June 8, 1749, pp. 1-2. i
40• Ibid., JUHG 8,   p• 2•  
41. H. R. Mcllwaine and J. P. Kennedy, eds. and compilers, Journals gf the Q
House gf Bgggesses (1619-1776), Richmond, 1905-15, [vols. not numbered] 3
(1752-58), pp. VIII, X. J Q
42. Order Book, County Court,r1a 1(l749·54), June 8,l749,pQ4,see entry 181. Q
43. Ibid., June 8, 1749, p. 4. Q
44. Ibid., June 8, 1749, p. 1; July 13, 1749, p. 5. g
45. Ibid., Aug. 10, 1749, p. 8. Q
46. Ibid., Aug. 10, 1749, p. 10. 5

 7 · 5 ·
Historical Sketch (First entry, p. 71)
W produced his license and was sworn an attorney at law,47 and Robert Jones
V presented his commission from the president and masters of the College of
William and Mary and was sworn surveyor of the county.48
By order of the June court, 1750, Robert Ricks was paid 23 pounds 10
shillings for raising the frame of the prison for South mpton County.4§
On February 14, 1751 a committee was ordered to view the prison, pillory,
stocks and whipping post, and report to the court whether or not Robert
Ricks had complied with his agreement in the building of the same.5O The
» building was evidently satisfactory, for the court ordered that Mr. Ricks be
paid 23 pounds, 10 shillings, the balance of the agreed price for the con-
0 struction.5l
The building intended for the courthouse was apparently finished by
April 9, 1752 for on that date certain persons were ordered to examine the
said building and report to the court as to whether the workmanship had been
performed according to contract.52 The structure was at first found un-
satisfactory.$3 The next court, however, ordered that Mr. Arthur Williamson
be paid 50 pounds for finishing the courthouse,54 but there was a further
order describing the work required to complete the structure according to
the agreement.5 0n January ll, 1753  arry Blount and Micajah Edwards were
ordered to appraise the lands on which the county buildings were erected,
pursuant to an act of assembly.56 The value thereof was found to be 2
pounds, 3 shillings, which amount was ordered to be paid to Exum Scott,
_ former committee of Elizabeth Exum, deceised.57
The relative wealth and, to some extent, the social status of the in-
habitants of the county may be deduced from the inventories and appraisements,
which show at the same time the necessities and luxuries of Colonial life.
Such varied articles as cooper‘s tools and silver spoons, “iv0ry hefted"
knives and mourning rings are listed concurrently with quarters of bacon and
casks of brandy.58
with the outbreak of the Revolution, Southampton County threw her men
and supplies into the fight for independence. As early as March 9, 1775 the
Committee of Public Safety of Southampton County made arrangements for aid to
be sent to the suffering inhabitants of Bost0n59 and on August 6, 1776, a
letter went out from the Governor and Council requiring that the colonel of
the minute battalion hold his troops in readiness to march whenever called
 
47. Ibid., Aug. 10, 1749, p. 10.
48. Ibid., Aug. 10, 1749, p. ll.
49. Ibid., June 14, 1750, p. 65.
50. Ibid., Feb. 14, 1751, p. 125.
5].. Ibj.d•’ M8.I°• 1.4*,   p•  
52. Ibid., April 9, 1752, p. 228.
53. Ibid., July 9, 1752, p. 249.
54·• Ibidog Allgp 13,   p•  
55. Ibid., Oct. 12, 1752, p. 283.
56. Ibid., Jan. ll, 1753, p. 308.
57. Ibid., Feb. 8, 1753, pp. 324-325.
58. Will Book, no. 1 (1749-62), passim, see entry 127.
59. Proceedings of the Committee of Safety, Minute Book (1775-1778), p. 39,
see entry 309.

 { 7  
{ * 6 "  
` K
Historical Sketch (First entry, p. 71) z@
’ upon.6O Four days later it was ordered that four companies of minutemen be é
raised to replace certain Cgntinental forces.6l In September of that same §
year, two companies of volunteer militia were ordered to Williamsburg for Q
the protection of the Capitol.62 In February 1777, 200 msn, 50 of whom were *
of Southampton County, were ordered to Phmpton,63 and John Crittenden and ’
Luke Camron, of Southampton County, were appointed second lieutenant and
ensign, respectively, for the Continental service in July 1B77.64 —
Among the officers of the Southampton County Militia were Henry Browne, 6
colonel,6 Henry Taylor, lieutenant colonel,66 and John Simmons, Arthur
Boykins, John Myrick and John Kirby, captains,67 John Pond and William
Boykins, lieutenants.68
In November 1777, when commissioners were appointed to execute the act
I passed by the Virginia Assembly to clothe the troops raised within the
Commonwealth, Thomas Newton of Southampton County was one of this group,6g
and in December it was ordered that the magistrates were to provide for and
relieve the widows, wives and children of the soldiers who had died or were
then in the service of the United States.7O
Certain portions of the Southampton County Militia were called into y
active service on several occasions, January 2, 1781, one-fourth of the A
militia were ordered to rendezvous at Petersburg when news of the invasion p
of Virginia reached the Governor and Council, and in March others were Q
called into service after a consultation with Baron Von Steuben. In August g
1781, the county lieutenant was ordered to keep oneefourth of his militia i
in the field with Colonel Parker on the south side of the James River.7l §
In July 1781, “Representation' was made to the Governor and Council 3
showing that the citizens of Southampton County had furnished large
supplies of *necessaries for the use of our armies in that Quarter, both
voluntarily & by impressment," for which certificates h d been granted by
persons appointed to procure supplies for the troops; and the sheriff not
thinking himself authorized to receive these certificates in payment of
taxes, caused the citizens to be much aggrieved. The Governor and Council
advised that those countersigned by Colonel Josiah Parker or Colonel Thomas
Hilton be rec¤ived.72
 
60. H. R. Mcllwaine, Jgurnalg f thg Council gg thg State gg Virginia ,
(1v·7v·e1,), siemens, 1931-*;:2, x, 110.* {
6l. Ibid., I, 116. ,
62. Ibid., I, 176. f
63• Ibj.d•’ I)    
64. Iyig., I, 455. Q
65. Order Book, County Court,no.'7(1778-84),Ju1y 13, 1780,;; 121,see entry 181. Q
66. Ibid., no. 6 (1772·77), May 8, 1777, p. 479. §
67. Ibid., no. 7 (1778-84), June