USA > Virginia > Washington County > Washington County > History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870 > Part 58
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655
Washington County, 1777-1870.
is considered a model in architecture, with its massive pillars and towering steeple, though the writer must confess that he cannot exactly see it in that light.
"We are great church-going people and have a variety of de- nominations. For instance, we have two Methodist churches, Epis- copal and Protestant, a Baptist, a Presbyterian, a Protestant Epis- copal, and a Roman Catholic, and for good measure we have thrown in a Swedenborgian Temple, and a few Lutherans, Universalists and Christian Baptists lying around loose. In all these churches are regular services, except the Baptist, which is rather too far from water to be very vigorous, and the Swedenborgian. We have three large and well kept hotels, nine variety stores, two drug stores, two fancy stores, two or three drinking saloons, half a dozen confectionaries, an agricultural warehouse, a bakery, a bil- liard saloon, an iron-foundry, three or four black-smith and as many wheelwright shops, two tanneries, two or three saddle and harness establishments, any number of carpenters, painters, shoe- makers, tailors, brick and stone-masons, a large brick town-hall, a library association and reading room, in which may be found all the leading literature of the day, and last, though not least, two of the best weekly papers within a circuit of a dozen miles, and a job office. The town was incorporated by legislative enactment many years ago, and, city-like, has a mayor and common council, who maintain the peace and dignity of the corporation and periodi- cally enforce the hog-law.
"We have, as is the case in all places where the people get sick and die, or fall out with and wrong each other, a redundancy of doctors and lawyers, five or six of the former and a baker's dozen of the latter, none of them probably making fortunes very rapidly by their professions.
"There seems to be no possible chance of a diminution of lawyers shortly, but there is a bare probability that some of the doctors may take a dose of his own medicine one of these days, and if so, the jig is certainly up with him. One of our citizens, Judge Johnston, is a United States Senator, and we have a score or less who would love to be in the house of representatives. And right here it might be said, that we have three banks, all as stubborn as mules since the Legislature has limited interest to six per cent., two or three insurance companies, a machine shop operated by
656
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
steam, two tin and copper-smith's establishments, a photograph gal- lery, two barber shops and the biggest sort of a colored school."
Nothing more of sufficient importance to be worthy of note oc- curred from this time until the year 1884. In the month of April of that year the Council of the town appropriated $100 to pay the expenses of a committee to the city of Washington to prevent the United States Courthouse from being located at Wytheville. And in this year the main street, from J. M. Rose's to Wall street, and Wall street, from Main street to the depot, was macadamized, thirty feet in width, and from six te twelve inches in depth. Side- walks made of brick and curb-stones were placed on both sides of Main street and of Wall street, at an expense of several thousand dollars. A large portion of the territory in the western part of the town was thus opened and prepared for rapid development, and at this time the community thus dealt with constitutes the best business section of the town.
The Mayor and Council were authorized and directed to issue $20,000 in bonds, pursuant to the Act of the General Assembly of date March 4th, 1884, and, in keeping with this spirit of improve- ment, the Council, by an ordinance passed on the 12th day of April, 1886, ordered all porches and steps to be removed from the streets of the town, and a committee was appointed on April 5th of the same year to investigate the opening of Valley street, through the property of Miss Ella V. Findlay and that of Dr. William White. By an ordinance, adopted on the 11th day of October, 1886, the sergeant of the town was ordered to kill all the English sparrows found within the corporate limits.
The author of the last ordinance is unknown, the record giving no information of the member of the Council upon whose motion this order was made.
About this time a peculiar order was entered by the Council of the town. The contest as to the readjustment of the State debt was the sole theme of public discussion, and, upon motion of James H. Hines, William H. Mitchell was permitted to erect a pole at the corner of Court and Main streets and near the Bank of Abingdon building and to place thereon a Readjuster flag. This is the only instance in the history of the town, so far as I can ascertain, in which a request of this kind was made and granted.
On the 14th day of October, 1887, S. F. Hurt, a member of the
657
Washington County, 1777-1870.
Town Council, at the request of Captain James L. White, moved that an election be ordered to take the sense of the citizens of the town of . Abingdon upon the voting of $20,000 of the bonds of the town to the Abingdon Coal & Iron Railroad Company. The Council directed this election to be held on the 24th of November, 1887, and John C. Campbell, David J. Webb and W. M. G. Sandoe were ap- pointed judges to conduct the election, in which election all per- sons authorized to vote in any election held in the town for town officers were permitted to vote. The result of the election was one hundred and fifty-three votes for the subscription and thirty votes against the subscription, being one hundred and eighty votes out of a total registration of two hundred and seventy-four. In this elec- tion seventy-five freeholders voted; sixty-one for the subscription and fourteen against it.
The Council thereupon subscribed $20,000 to said railroad com- pany, John A. Buchanan, George E. Penn and W. J. Brown having been appointed by the Council for that purpose on December 22d, 1887.
The question arose as to when the bonds thus subscribed to said railroad should be issued, and upon this question George E. Penn and W. J. Brown, two of the committee, recommended that said bonds should be issued and delivered as fast as the road was graded, at the rate of $133.3313 per mile, while Judge Buchanan filed a minority recommendation that said bonds be issued for the sum mentioned as each mile of the railroad was completed, but the majority report was adopted, and the bonds were issued and delivered as the road was graded.
At a meeting of the Council on the 18th of August, 1888, on mo- tion of Dr. George E. Wiley, seconded by H. H. Scott, an election was ordered to be held on the 29th of September, 1888, to take the sense of the voters of the town upon the question of a subscription of a sum not exceeding $20.000, for the purpose of furnishing water and lights for the town. In this election sixty-three votes were poled for the proposition and fifty-seven against it, but the Council refused to subscribe any amount to this enterprise. It was a short time only until the town obtained the benefits of a very efficient water and light company.
At a meeting of the Council on the 6th of July, 1892, upon mo- tion of Samuel A. Carson, seconded by Colonel A. F. Cook, a
658
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
committee was appointed to buy a lot in the town of Abingdon, upon which to build a Mayor's office and city prison. This com- mittee purchased a part of a lot situated near the centre of the town upon the south side of the street, adjoining the I. O. O. F. Hall, for the sum of $450, and immediately erected thereon a very commodious building, which has since been occupied by the officials of the town, and in the year 1897, a house was erected upon the same lot, in which all prisoners failing to pay their fines in money are required to break rock to satisfy the same, the rock thus prepared being used to macadamize the streets of the town.
In the year 1900 Col. A. C. Cummings and D. S. Grim, surviv- ing trustees of the Sons of Temperance, transferred to the town of Abingdon the title to Temperance Hall, and their action was con- firmed shortly thereafter by the General Assembly of Virginia, whereupon John W. Barr, H. H. Scott, J. W. Bell, D. A. Preston and R. M. Page were named as trustees to hold said property for the town. It is the purpose of the town to improve this property, and, if this be done, it will be quite an addition to the town and probably a source of revenue.
Such is a brief outline of the history of Abingdon as it has been preserved.
In the words of another and a more gifted writer :
"If there is any more picturesque country than that which sur- rounds Abingdon, the writer has never been so fortunate as to see it; that is, according to his idea of the grand and beautiful in nature. For a mile or two around, the landscape is undulating, interspersed with bolder hills generally wooded, standing out like islands in a storm-tossed sea. During Spring and Summer the whole face of the earth, except cultivated fields, seems to be covered with a carpet of green irregularly figured with wild flowers, a rural picture with a frame-work of mountains .*
"To the south of and adjoining the corporate limits of the town, is 'King's Mountain,' now thickly populated. It was so named because of a fancied resemblance to the famous mountain in South Carolina, on which was fought the battle of October 7th, 1780. The victory won there by the western mountaineers, quorum magna pars were Washington county men, Mr. Jefferson said, turned the tide of war in favor of the United States and led Cornwallis to
*Charles B. Coale.
659
Washington County, 1777-1870.
march to Yorktown, to his surrender there, and to the end of the war."
"There were many of the veterans of that campaign alive in 1825, and to rehearse the incidents of the contest and impress upon the minds of that generation the gallant and daring deeds of their an- cestors, a sham battle was fought at King's Mountain. The posi- tion of the Revolutionary commanders was occupied by some offi- cers who were instructed (perhaps drilled, ) how to play their part. and the English people in red eoats, with cannon and bayonetted muskets, occupied the crest of the hill. There was great firing of blank cartridges, charging up the hill and retreat from the fixed bayonets of the British regulars, until Colonel Ferguson was killed and a white flag raised. In all of this melee no fatal accidents oc- curred and few casualties."*
To the north and northwest of the corporate limits of the town is Fruit Hill, commonly called "Taylor's Hill," which is thickly settled, and it is reasonable to say that at least one-third of the inhabitants of the town proper are without the corporate limits.
The main street of Abingdon of the present day is fully one mile in length. The streets are excellently macadamized, with brick pavements on both sides. .
Valley street is more than one-half mile in length, a part of the street being macadamized, and brick pavements are on the eastern end thereof. This street is rapidly developing and is destined to be- come the main thoroughfare of the town.
It would be a considerable undertaking to enumerate the many and varied enterprises of the town.
The chief pride of Abingdon are her educational facilities, there being three institutions in and near the town that cannot be excelled anywhere in this country, to-wit: Martha Washington College, Stonewall Jackson Institute and the Abingdon Male Academy, to each of which a separate chapter has been devofed.
Mayors of Abingdon.
1834-1835-John M. Preston.
1836 -James White.
1837 -Samuel H. Wills.
1838 -Daniel Lynch.
*Thomas L. Preston.
660
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
1839
-Andrew Gibson.
1840-1841-Jeremiah Bronough.
1842 -John M. Preston.
1843-1844-John D. Mitchell.
1845 -Isaac B. Dunn.
1846 -Daniel Trigg.
1847
-John D. Mitchell.
1848 -James W. Preston.
1849 -John D. Mitchell.
1850
-James H. Dunn.
1851 -John G. Kreger.
1852 -William Rodefer.
1853-1854-John D. Mitchell.
1855 -Lewellyn C. Newland.
1856 -David G. Thomas.
1857-1858-John D. Mitchell. Died March 15, 1859.
1859
-Wm. Rodefer. Unexpired term.
1859
-Newton K. White.
1860-1861-Samuel W. Carnahan.
1863-1864-W. F. Barr.
1865-1866-Geo. R. B. Dunn.
1869 -W. H. Smith.
1870 -D. A. Jones.
1872
-Jas. C. Campbell.
1873
-G. V. Litchfield, Jr.
1874 -John G. Clark.
1875 -David P. Sandoe.
1876 -Milton G. Heiskell.
1877 -John G. Clark.
18.78-1879-Milton G. Heiskell.
1880-1881-D. P. Sandoe.
1882-1887-John W. Barr.
1888 -Thomas K. Trigg.
1888-1889-John W. Barr.
1889-1890-P. C. Landrum.
1892-1904-J. H. Hines.
Treasurers and Clerks.
1884-1887-Geo. Keller. 1855-1884-Geo. R. Barr. 1834-1855-Jacob Lynch.
661
Washington County, 1777-1870.
Clerks.
1887-1892-Geo. R. Barr. 1894-1896-D. T. Campbell. 1892-1894-C. H. Jennings. 1896-1900-W. A. Johnston. 1900-1904-W. H. Hamilton.
Treasurers.
1887-1896-Geo. Keller. 1896-1904-D. A. Preston.
Sergeants.
1834 -Jacob Clark.
1860
-B. C. Clark.
1835 -Wm. N. Ruley. 1872
-Theo. P. Dunn.
1836 -John W. Leckie. 1873 -Isaac DeBusk.
1837-1839-L. C. Price.
1874
-S. G. Keller.
1840-1841-Job Clark.
1875
-Geo. W. Oswald.
1842-1843-M. C. Orr.
1876
-R. H. Henritze.
1844-1845-W. N. Ruley.
1877
-J. H. Hines.
1846 -Samuel Garner.
1878
-R. H. Henritze.
1847-1848-James L'eedy.
1879
-J. R. Deadmore.
1849 -Samuel Garner.
1850 -James Leedy.
1882
-F. B. Brownlow.
1851 -Lewellyn C. Newland. 1883
-John W. Love.
1852-1856-Jos. A. Brownlow.
1884-1890-W. T. Graham.
1856-1858-James Henritze.
1890 -Geo. A. Hall.
1859 -W. W. Barker.
1892-1904-T. H. Crabtree.
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA. *Trustees-1778-1834.
Date of Qualification.
1778-James Armstrong. 1808-Robert Dukes.
1808-Valentine Baugh. 1778-William Edmiston.
1830-Peter J. Branch. 1833-Thomas Findlay.
1778-William Campbell. 1808-James Graham.
1778-Robert Craig. 1808-James Harper.
1778-Robert Campbell.
1808-William King.
1808-David Campbell.
1830-Jacob Lynch.
1833-Chas. C. Gibson.
1830-Daniel Lynch.
1808-Michael Deckard.
1808-John McClelland.
*Many of the trustees named served for many years,
1880-1881-B. P. Morrison.
662
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
1830-Elia's Ogden.
1798-Andrew Russell.
1830-Augustus Oury. 1778-Daniel Smith.
1778-Robert Preston. 1778-Evan Shelby.
1830-John M. Preston. 1808-Jonathan Smith.
1830-Francis Preston. 1808-William Trigg.
1833-J. W. Paxton. 1808-James White.
1778-Andrew Willoughby.
*Members of Town Council-1834-1902. Date of Qualification.
1834-Peter J. Branch.
1856-John C. Campbell.
1834-Jeremiah Bronough.
1858-S. W. Carnahan.
1836-Daniel M. Bailey. 1860-John A. Campbell.
1837-Austin Bronough.
1865-John G, Clark.
1834-Chas. S. Bekem. 1866-James C. Campbell.
1846-B. K. Buchanan.
1876-C. F. Trigg.
1847-Geo. R. Barr.
1881-L. T. Cosby.
1851-Leonidas Baugh.
1884-A. W. Carmack.
1855-Isaac Baker.
1885-A. F. Cook.
1858-Wm. W. Barker.
1886-I. G. Clark.
1859- Jos. C. Baltzell.
1887-Thomas H. Crabtree.
1860-Isaac M. Benham.
1892-Samuel A. Carson.
1865-W. F. Barr.
1836-John Dunn.
1870-John W. Barr.
1876-John A. Buchanan.
1845-Edwin L. Davenport.
1876-A. McBradley.
1853-Hiram S. Dooley.
1876-H. C. Brownlow.
1880-Thomas Brooks.
1854-D. C. Dunn.
1881-Frank B. Brownlow.
1855-Andrew J. Dunn.
1890-Wm. H. Barrow.
1855-James H. Dunn.
1890-Geo. M. Bright.
1870-Geo. R. Dunn.
1892-John A. Barrow.
1896-J. E. Deaton.
1894-J. W. Bell.
1894-R. E. Bolling.
1834-Benj. Estill.
1900-J. K. Buckley.
1843-John B. Floyd.
1855-Isaac L. Clark.
1835-John H. Fulton.
1836-David Campbell.
1839-Edward Fulton.
1838-John C. Cummings.
1843-Chas. J. Cummings.
1850-Norman Crawford.
1837-Andrew Gibson.
1856-E. M. Campbell.
1856-D. C. Cummings.
1845-James Fulcher.
1842-C. C. Gibson. 1843-John C. Greenway.
*Many of the persons named served for many years in succession.
1844-I. B. Dunn.
663
Washington County, 1777-1870.
1846-James K. Gibson. 1853-H. C. Gibbons.
1856-J. C. Greenway. 1870-D. C. Greenway.
1876-W. T. Graham.
1835-Adam Hickman.
1852-Wm. Hawkins.
1854-W. K. Heiskell.
1860-M. G. Heiskell.
1864-R. M. Hickman.
1866-John A. Hagy. 1876-S. N. Honaker.
1880-J. H. Hines.
1880-Jas. A. Hagy.
1881-Chas. Harris.
1882-R. A. Hines.
1882-M. H. Honaker.
1885-S. F. Hurt.
1885-F. B. Hutton.
1885-J. B. Hamilton.
1889-E. S. Haney.
1894-P. M. Hagy.
1894-P. E. Hayter.
1896-Wm. Hagy.
1898-C. F. Hurt.
1849-Peter E. B. C. Henritze.
1860-Jas. Henritze. 1878-W. C. Hagy.
1835-John N. Humes.
1887-W. B. Ingham.
1840-Peter C. Johnston.
1843-Beverly R. Johnston.
1855-Hugh Johnston. 1860-John W. Johnston.
1872-James M. Jones. 1874-I. Frank Jones. 1879-J. N. Jordan. 1888-D. A. Jones. 1896-Chas. H. Jennings. 1900-W. A. Johnson.
1834-John Keller. 1846-Wm. Keller. 1860-John G. Kreger. 1875-Martin H. Keller.
1828 -- S. G. Keller. 1894-R. B. Kreger.
1834-Daniel Lynch. 1836- Jacob Lynch. 1838-Samuel Logan.
1844-Geo. V. Litchfield, Sr.
1847-H. M. Ledbetter.
1856-W. J. Leedy.
1866-Daniel Lewark.
1872-Geo. V. Litchfield, Jr.
1812-Wm. G. G. Lowry.
1877-Paul C. Landrum.
1892-John R. Lyon.
1834-John D. Mitchell. 1851-T. G. McConnell.
1856-Noble I. McGinnis. 1866-Samuel D. Meek.
1870-Benj. P. Morrison.
1878-Daniel Musser.
1887-Samuel Mothner.
1834-Augustus Oury. 1836-Elias Ogden. 1838-James Orr.
1850-Abram S. Orr.
1834-John S. Preston. 1834-Robert R. Preston.
1836-John M. Preston.
1836-James W. Paxton.
1838-Alexander R. Preston.
1838-Fairman H. Preston.
1850-Walter Preston.
1859-Samuel A. Preston. 1866-W. H. Pitts. 1870-R. M. Page.
1875-Henry S. Preston.
1884-Geo. E. Penn.
1846-Wm. Rodefer. 1846-Philip Rhor. 1876-Jackson M. Rose. 1889-David O. Rush.
1896-Wm. F. Roberson.
1896-David G. Rose.
664
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
1836-Michael Shaver.
1850-Gabriel Stickley.
1852-Thomas S. Stuart.
1870-Wm. M. G. Sandoe.
1874-David P. Sandoe.
1886-H. H. Scott.
1896-Sol. L. Scott.
1851-Newton K. White.
1872-John G. White.
1834-Daniel Trigg.
1872-James L. White.
1835-Connally F. Trigg.
1887-Geo. E. Wiley.
1845-Francis S. Trigg.
1888-David J. Webb.
Postmasters at Abingdon. Date of Appointment.
Gerrald T. Conn, April 25, 1793.
George Simpson, . .July 1, 1796.
John W. McCormack, . October 1, 1800.
John McClellan, October 1, 1813.
Augustus Oury, August 28, 1820.
Robert R. Preston, July 9, 1836.
James K. Gibson, January 4, 1842.
George R. Barr, .
July 26, 1849.
Leonidas Baugh,
May 12, 1853.
Henry W. Baker, October 18, 1858.
George Sandoe, March 27, 1861.
W. M. G. Sandoe, September 6, 1865.
Jackson M. Rose,
May 31, 1869.
Lewis W. Rose,
June 25, 1878.
Rosalie S. Humes, March 1, 1879.
Jackson M. Rose, . March 2, 1883.
Connally T. Litchfield, March 7, 1887.
Lewis P. Summers, March 20, 1890.
John G. White, January 12, 1894.
James W. McBroom, February 18, 1898.
Rosa Rose,
February 10, 1902.
Lots Sold by Christopher Acklin.
NAME OF PURCHASER. DATE OF SALE. No. Lor.
Alexander Montgomery,
June, 178.7, 23
Jo. Acklin,
“ 1787, 22
Christopher Acklin, “ 1787, 21
1858-David G. Thomas. 1873-Thos. K. Trigg. 1880-Daniel Trigg, Jr.
1836-Samuel H. L. Wills.
1838-Thomas J. Wallis.
665
Washington County, 1777-1870.
NAME OF PURCHASER.
DATE OF SALE.
No. LoT.
Joseph Black,
June, 1787,
15
John Thomas,
1787,
16
Andrew Davison,
66 1787,
17
Joseph Campbell,
1787,
18
Henry Harkleroad,
66
1787,
20
Henry Harkleroad,
1787,
19
Devault Keller,
66
1787,
38
Alexander Montgomery,
1787,
37
James Vance,
July, 1787,
32
Josiah Danforth,
1787,
5
Jacob Wills,
" 8,1787,
4
James Porterfield,
1787,
2
George Findlay,
66
1787,
31
Edward Callahan,
1787,
6
James Parberry,
April, 1789,
34-35-36
Walter Welsh,
1789,
1
James Bradley,
1789,
2
Geo. Colvill,
66
1789,
3
Thomas Welsh,
1789,
33
Alexander Breckenridge,
1789,
28
Charles Cummings,
1789,
14
Robert Campbell,
1789,
43
Nancy McDonald,
1789,
44
Samuel Acklin,
1789,
51
Robert Campbell,
1789, 45
Elijah Smith,
April, 1789,
50
Robert Campbell,
«
1789,
48
Elijah Smith,
1789,
49
James Vance,
1789,
42
William Brice,
1789,
41
John Lusk,
1789,
52
Jos. Gamble,
June, 1789,
61
Robert Laird,
" 1789,
62
Jos. Gamble,
" 1789,
60
John Fegan,
April 14, 1790,
59
Patrick Lynch,
14, 1790,
58
James Bradley,
1790,
57
Claiborne Watkins.
15, 1790,
81
666
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
NAME OF PURCHASER.
DATE OF SALE.
No. LOT.
Claiborne Watkins,
April
1790,
82
Patrick Lynch,
.«
1790,
63
Chas. Cummings,
66
1790,
66
Archilas Dickenson,
1790,
65
Chas. Cummings,
66
1790,
64
Andrew Colvill,
66
1790,
80
Andrew Colvill,
66
1790,
79
Claiborne Watkins,
66
1790,
83
William Greenway,
66
17, 1790,
84
Robert Montgomery,
66
1790,
86
William Greenway,
66
1790,
85
Christopher Acklin,
1790,
29
Urbin Ewing,
1790,
6
Josiah Danforth,
September, 1790,
58
Nicholas Mansfield,
June, 1790,
39
Urbin Ewing,
1790,
40
Nicholas Mansfield,
"
1790,
20
Daniel Friel,
"
1790,
19
Trustees,
66
1790,
8
William Brice,
"
1790,
12
Baldwin Harles,
1790,
16
Alexander Montgomery, Samuel Vance,
1791,
89
Wm. McDowell,
1791,
67
Andrew Willoughby,
66
1791,
87
Jos. Acklin,
1791,
69
Christopher Acklin,
1791,
68
Jos. Acklin,
1791,
70
John Alexander,
1791,
71
Wm. Mifflins,
1791,
72
James Bredin,
1791,
74
James Dysart,
1791,
78
John Alexander,
66
1791,
Wm. Delap,
1991,
76
Wm. Delap,
66
1791,
75
Thos. Hammond,
"
1791,
73
Wm. King,
1791,
73
Robert Preston,
1791,
73
"
April, 1791,
90
"
Washington County. 1777-1870.
661
NAME OF PURCHASER. DATE OF SALE.
No. LOT.
James Dysart.
April, 1191,
11
Wm. Y. Conn.
" 1791,
15
Andrew Russell,
1791,
13
Robert Preston,
1791,
14
James White.
1791,
17
Gerrald T. Conn,
1791,
18
Andrew Russell,
Jos. Acklin.
Francis Preston,
Geo. Simpson,
Andrew Russell,
Geo. Simpson,
Christopher Acklin,
Jos. Acklin,
Lands sold by David Craig.
James Redpath.
Jeremiah Rush,
Peter Deckart.
An Act for Establishing a Town at the Courthouse in the County of Washington. Passed October, 1778.
"Whereas it hath been represented to this present general assem- bly that Thomas Walker, Esq., Joseph Black and Samuel Briggs have engaged to give one hundred and twenty acres of land in the county of Washington, where the court house of the said county now stands, agreeable to a survey thereof made by Robert Doach, for the purpose of establishing a town thereon, and for raising a sum of money towards defraying the expenses of building a court house and prison, agreeable to which part of the said land has been laid off. and several lots sold, and buildings erected thereon ; and whereas it would tend to the more speedy improvement and settling the same. if the freeholders and inhabitants thereof could be entitled to the same privileges enjoyed by frecholders and inhabitants of other towns of this state, Be. it Enacted By this Present General Assem- bly, That the said one hundred and twenty acres of land, agreeabk. to a survey made thereof, relation thereto being had may more fully appear, be and the same is hereby vested in fee simple in Evan
668
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
Shelby, William Campbell, Daniel Smith, William Edmondson, Robert Craig and Andrew Willoughby, gentlemen, trustees and shall be established a town by the name of Abingdon.
"And be it further enacted, That the said trustees, or any three of them, shall, and they are hereby empowered to make conveyances to the purchasers of any lots already sold, or to be sold, agree able to the conditions of the contracts, and may also proceed to lay off such other part of said land as is not yet laid off and sold, into lots, and streets and such lots shall be sold by the said trustees at publick auction for the best price that can be had, the time and place of sale being previously advertised at least three months before, on some court day at the court house of that and the adjacent county, the purchasers respectively to hold the said lots subject to the condition of building on such lots a dwelling house at least twenty feet long and sixteen feet wide, with a brick or stone chimney, to be finished within four years from the date of sale, and the said trustees, or any three of them, shall, and they are hereby empowered to convey the said lots to the purchasers thereof in fee simple, subject to the con- dition aforesaid, and receive the monies arising from such sale, and pay the same to the order of the Court of Washington County, to- wards defraying the expenses of their publick buildings, and the over-plus, if any, to be applied in repairing the streets of the afore- said town.
"And be it further enacted, That the said trustees, or the major part of them, shall have power from time to time to settle and de- termine all disputes concerning the bounds of said lots, and to settle such rules and orders for the regular and orderly buildings of houses thereon as to them shall seem best and most convenient. And in case of the death, removal out of the country, or other legal disability of any of the said trustees, it shall and may be lawful for the freeholders of the said town to elect and chose so many other persons in the room of those dead, removed or disabled, as shall make up the number, which trustees so chosen shall be to all intents and purposes individually vested with the same power and authority as any one in this act particularly mentioned.
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