USA > Virginia > New Kent County > New Kent County > Vestry book of Blisland (Blissland) Parish, New Kent and James City Counties, Virginia, 1721-1786 > Part 3
USA > Virginia > James City County > James City County > Vestry book of Blisland (Blissland) Parish, New Kent and James City Counties, Virginia, 1721-1786 > Part 3
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In 1767 Blisland Parish experienced still one more change, this last being rather a change in geographical name than one of territory. In that year the lower end of New Kent County on the York River side (which was part of Blisland Parish), extending from Ware Creek down to Scimino Creek, was cut off from New Kent County and added to James City County, while at the same time the upper end of James City County on the Chickahominy River side,
46 Public Record Office, London. C. O. 5, Vol. 1387.
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VESTRY BOOK OF BLISLAND PARISH
i. e., all that part of the county lying above, or north-west, of Diascun Creek, was cut off from James City County and added to New Kent County.47 But the Act which made this rearrangement of county boundaries left the parish boundaries unchanged, and the net result of the legislation as far as Blisland Parish was concerned was that there- after the lower part of the York River side of the parish was in James City County instead of being in New Kent County as before, and that the lower part of the Chicka- hominy River side of the parish was in New Kent County instead of being in James City County as before.
The foregoing discussion of the establishment of Blisland Parish and of its territorial extent at various periods in its history makes it abundantly clear that Blisand not only was one of the early parishes of Colonial Virginia and the mother parish of St. Peter's, but was also in all probability the mother of two other parishes, Stratton-Major and St. John's, like St. Peter's more famous than itself. How it came about that the ancient origin and early history of Blisland Parish were so completely forgotten that in 1857 Bishop Meade could write, "About the year 1684 or 1685, a parish, east of St. Peter's, on Pamunkey and York Rivers, toward Williamsburg, was formed, by the name of Blis- land," the present editor does not know. He does know, however, that the Bishop's incorrect assumption that St. Peter's Parish was established prior to the establishment of Blisland and that the latter was formed in 1684 or 168548 has been followed up to the present time by students of Colonial Virginia history generally. Bishop Meade's error is all the more remarkable for the reason that while writ- ing his articles on the "Parishes in New Kent," he had before him the manuscript Vestry Book of St. Peter's, on page 7 of which occurs the following entry under the date March 31, 1688 :
47 Hening, Vol. VIII, p. 208.
48 Meade, Old Churches, Vol. I, page 383.
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INTRODUCTION
It is ordered by this {"sent vestry y : M" : Jnº: Roper and M' : Will Bafse[tt] Church-wardens of this 'ish doe imploy a S'voyer to Runn a dividing Line between this d'ish of St: Peters and ye Harish of Bliffland upon ye 30th: of May next according to an agreement of twelve men Chofen by Ord [er] of veftry of Blijsland p'ish in yº: year 1678 for yº: dividing of ye: Sam[e]
As a matter of fact the above entry in the Vestry Book of St. Peter's Parish would in itself alone be conclusive evidence of the fact that Blisland was the mother parish of St. Peter's, and that the latter was cut off from Blisland in 1678 or 1679. However, the manuscript Vestry Book of St. Peter's Parish contains still further evidence of the fact that Blisland was the mother parish of St. Peter's, for on page 11 occurs the following item :
At a Councell held at James City Octo :" ye 18 1689 Pres : Nath : Bacon Esq :" Presi :ª & Councell
For Determination of y:e Differance between Blifsland Parish & S: Peters Parish in New Kent County it ap- pearing y : it was agreed on when Blifsland Parish was to be Divided y : y® Dividing line [hou [Id] begin at ye mouth of a Creek Called Cap: Bafsetts Landing etc.
Finally there is the testimony of the following item on page 11 of Vol. I of the Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts 1652-1781-testimony that was not avail- able to Bishop Meade but has been available to every student of Virginia history for the past fifty years and more :
At a Gen1 Court held at James City, April 29th, 1679, p'sent : the Deputy Gov' and Councell
The Parish of Blifsland petitioning, y' by unanimous consent of ye whole parifh, a Divifion by suffitient men by
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VESTRY BOOK OF BLISLAND PARISH
them chofen is made of ye sª p'ifh, and praying that ye Division be confirmed and ffoure of the Veftry appearing, and affirming that ye Division was made by consent of ye parifh. This Court therefore confirmed the sª Division Ver. Cop. Tefte: Roland Davis W. P. Edwards, Clk Gen1 Cot.
2. FURTHER HISTORY
The insurrection known as Bacon's Rebellion broke out in the year 1676. Among the counties directly and deeply implicated in and affected by that rebellion was New Kent County, at that time embracing a territory including not only the greater part of the present county of New Kent but also practically the whole of the present counties of King and Queen, King William, and Hanover, and the upper part of the present county of James City. At that time there were in all that territory only two parishes of which there is any record discoverable-Stratton-Major (est. 1655), in what is now King and Queen County and Blisland (est. 1653, or earlier), which at that time included the upper end of the present James City County and the greater part of the present counties of New Kent and Han- over, as well as, probably the southern half of the present county of King William (called then Pamunkey Neck).
About the end of April, 1676, Nathaniel Bacon, command- ing a force of some 300 men, of whom a number had been recruited in New Kent County,49 set out upon his expedi- tion against the Indians in the country between James River and Carolina. In June Bacon, after an unsuccessful at- tempt to induce Governor Berkeley to grant him a commis- sion as General in the war against the Indians, having fled from Jamestown secretly, returned to Jamestown from the
49 Andrews, Narratives of the Insurrections, 1675-1690,-A True Nar- rative of the Late Rebellion in Virginia, By the Royal Commissioners, 1677, p. 111.
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INTRODUCTION
up-country at the head of an armed force composed in part of men from New Kent County.50 On June 26, Bacon left Jamestown at the head of his men and with his commis- sion from Governor Berkeley in his possession.51 On his second march on Jamestown, in September and after his expedition against the Pamunkey Indians, Bacon stopped again in New Kent to recruit his forces.52
Nathaniel Bacon the Rebel died on Oct. 26, 1676, but the rebellion was not entirely suppressed until about the middle of January following. Meanwhile the insurgents were di- vided into five chief groups. One, under Ingram, was at West Point, at the junction of the Pamunkey and Matta- poni rivers. A second group, under Captain Drew, was at "Green Spring", Governor Berkeley's residence, on James River a few miles above Jamestown. A third, under Maj. Whaley, was at the house of Nathaniel Bacon, Sr. (mem- ber of the Council and a partizan of Berkeley's, although an uncle of the Rebel) on King's Creek, York County. The fourth group, with which Drummond and Lawrence were associated, remained at the Brick House, in New Kent County, just across the Pamunkey from West Point, until Christmas time, when all who were there moved up the river to the house of Colonel Henry Gooch, where Whaley joined them. The fifth group, under Captain Catlin and Colonel Groves, was south of James River, in Nansemond
50 Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series, America and West Indies, 1675-1676, pp. 415-416. Letter of William Sherwood, a partizan of Berkeley's and a member of the Council, to Secretary Sir Joseph Wil- liamson, dated June 28, 1676.
51 Ibid.
52 Andrews, Narratives of the Insurrections, 1675-1690,-A True Nar- rative of the Late Rebellion in Virginia, By the Royal Commissioners, 1677, pp. 129-130, where the account reads: "Bacon in most incens'd manner Threatens to be revenged on the Governor and his party, swear- ing his soldiers to give noe quarter and professing to scorne to take any themselves, and soe in a great fury marches on towards James Town, onely halting a while about New Kent to gain some fresh Forces, and sending to the upper parts of James River for what they could assist him with."
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County, behind Warrascoyack bay.53 Thus it will be seen that of the five main bodies in which the followers of Na- thaniel Bacon the Rebel were grouped after his death, two -- that under Ingram and the detachment at the Brick House-were in the single county of New Kent (then in- cluding King and Queen, King William, and Hanover) and one of those two, namely the detachment at the Brick House, was in Blisland Parish.
Ingram, at West Point, soon came to terms with Capt. Grantham, commander of an English merchant ship then ly- ing in York River, who was acting for Berkeley, and his force was promptly disbanded. The force at the Brick House held out longer but to no purpose, as the event showed ; finally it simply disintegrated. Whaley and Law- rence made their escape; Col. Gooch and several other lead- ers including Drummond were taken prisoner, and among those executed by Berkeley was "one Mr. H[all] Clarke of New Kent Court, a parson of Neate Ingenuo [us] parts, but adicted to a more than ordnary prying in [to] the Secrits of State affaires, which som yeares las[t pa]st wrought him into the Governours [dis]pleasure."54
But Thomas Hall was not the one and only person of prominence in New Kent County (and probably in Blis- land Parish) that suffered at the hands of the government
53 Andrews, Narratives of the Insurrections, 1675-1690. The History of Bacon's and Ingram's Rebellion, 1676, p. 85, note 3.
54 Andrews, Narratives of the Insurrections 1675-1690. The History of Bacon's and Ingram's Rebellion, 1676, p. 97. See also A List of Those That Have Been Executed for ye Late Rebellion in Virginia, by Willm Berkeley, p. 3. (in Force's Tracts, Vol. I, 1836), where this New Kent County victim is described in Berkeley's own words as "One Hall, a Clerk of a County but more useful to the rebels than 40 army men- that dyed very penitent confessing his rebellion against his King and his ingratitude to me." See also Hening, Vol. II, p. 546, where the record of Hall's trial by court martial on board Capt. Jno. Martin's ship in York River, Jan. 11, 1676/7, is to be found, and in which his first name, Thomas, is given. See also Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts 1652-1781, Vol. I, p. 6, on which, under the date, Oct. 27, 1665, is given a copy of the petition of one Samuel Sutton to the Justices of New Kent signed "Thos. Hall, Clk &c."
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INTRODUCTION
on account of his participation in Bacon's Rebellion. Lt. Col. Henry Gooch, who had been with Drummond and Lawrence at the Brick House, and who later along with Drummond had been taken prisoner by Berkeley's forces, was brought before the Governor and Council at a court held at Green Spring on March 22, 1677, and was fined 6000 1b of pork, to be paid the following November "for the use of his majesties souldiers."55
Prominent people, however, were not the only inhabitants of New Kent County to suffer on account of their partici- pation, actual or supposed, in Bacon's Rebellion. A recent search of the Public Record Office in London brought to light the following documents,56 which amply prove that New Kent County-and in particular that part of the county that lay within the bounds of Blisland Parish-had more than its share of sufferers from among its planters of the moderately-well-to-do class:
1. To the R' Honb1e. Herbert Jeffreys Esqre. Govern' & Capt". Gen1. of Virginia ; Sir John Berry K". & Fran- cis Moryson Esqre. his Majts: Com's. for the Affairs of Virginia.
The humble petition of Richard Clarke of New Kent County-Sheweth
That yo' pet". with other the Inhabitants of this Col- ony hath been forced into the late unhappy Rebellion, but yo'. pet" never took any man's goods or wronged any one, but endeavoured to continue quietly under his owne Roofe, But soe itt is may it please yo" Hon"s that on the ffirst day of January last past, att which time yo' Pet". was gon from home with his wife on a visitt, severall Armed men under ye Comand of one Roger
55 Hening, Vol. II, p. 556.
66 As far as the present editor knows, these documents are here pub- lished for the first time.
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VESTRY BOOK OF BLISLAND PARISH
potter & M' Bryan Smith, came to yo" petra howse where they togather with W" Hartwell, Richard Aw- borne & Sam11 Mathews, did take & carry away from of yo' pet's plantation, fower English servants, seven Negroes, & all his howsehold goods, Bedds, Lining, & other estate, which by a reasonable value amounts to att least fower hundred pounds sterl. to the almost utter ruin of yo' pet': Two of which English servants & the said seven Negroes are in possession of Maj' Robert Beverlye who utterly refuseth to deliver them to yo". pet". and one other of the said English servants is de- tayned by the said Bryan Smith
Yo'. Pet". therefore humbly presents the premisses to yo". Hon's. serious consideration, praying that the said potter, Smith & Beverlye may appear be- fore yor. Hong. to answere the same, & if upon Examination itt shall apeare to be a Grievance- that then yo' Hon" will make such order here, & Report thereof to his Ma": as to yo". Hon"s. shall seeme expedient.
And yo' pet". shall ever pray etc. etc.
Virginia 19 die Maij 1677
It is hereby ordered that Roger Potter, Robert Bever- ley and Bryan Smith doe severally give in good secur- itie for such goods & servants of the Petitioner's (Rich- ard Clarke) as are in their or any of their possession or Custody, together with a true Inventory of the same, to be Registered on Record in the Secretary's office, as also security against any wilfull wast or embezlement of the said Estate, or any part thereof, & to be account- able for the meane profitts till his Majesties Royall Pleasure be knowne, which Bond for performance here- of is to bee given in before the next Justice or Justices
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of the Peace where the partie lives in whose possession the said Goods & Servants or other Estate of the Said Clarke is or shall be found.
Herb. Jeffreys Francis Moryson57
2. The case of M'. Richard Clarke of New Kent County, humbly presented upon oath to the Honble. Com'. for the affairs of Virg1ª.
During the late unhappy times the complainant being under ye same force the whole country was, and haveing a small estate on which he hoped to live comfortably, and en- deavouring the preservation thereof, the late Grand Rebell Nath11. Bacon Jun". when he laid seige to James Town & all the Neighbourhood under his absolute comand, the said Bacon sent six troopers to the Complainant with a Comis- sion as Capt". upon which he confesseth being constrained thereunto, he came with Eight of his Neighbours where he staid two Days, in that time he acquainted Bacon of his unskillfulness in military affairs, and protested agte Bacons plundering & fyreing, upon which the comple. returned home, & never bore Armes or associated with Bacon or (either before or after) taking any mans goods, or concern- ing himself in ye troubles but remained peaceably att his owne howse. That after Bacon dyed Ingram sent twice for the complainant & offered him the like Commission, but he would not otherwise accept it then by securing his owne family & estate for that he lay open to the River & soe lyable to be plundered by many that lay privily lurking & skulking to plunder, & the Complainant confesseth that seven of his Neighbours for their security came to the com- plainants howse where they continued fower days; & on the twenty fowerth day of December last, they went from
57 Public Record Office, London. C. O. 1, Vol. 40, No. 5.
G
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VESTRY BOOK OF BLISLAND PARISH
thence and the same day he with his wife went on a visitt to M'. W". Beackey's att least twenty miles from his howse and in the time of his being there a party of men under the Command of Roger potter, with whome was Bryan Smith, Richd. Awborne, W". Hartwell, & Sam1. Mathews, came to this deponant's howse (as he can well prove) & carryed away fower English servants, seven Negroes, and all his howsehold goods & other estate, which by a moderate com- putation amounteth to fower hundred pounds sterl. besides his payd bills, accompts for debts due to him amounting to att least twenty three thousand pounds of tobacco, Which Negroes & two of the English servants Maj' Robert Bever- lye hath in his custody & denys to deliver them to this de- ponant, pretending he bought them of the souldiers he being then their cheife Commander (as the dept. is in- formed) And one other of ye Deponants English servants is detayned by the said Bryan Smith who also refuseth to redeliver him.
Richard Clarke
Jurat 19 die Maij 1677 coram nobis
Herb. Jeffreys Francis Moryson58
3. To the Honble Herbert Jeffreys Esq" : S' John Berry K"t & Francis Moryson Esq' his most sacred Mats : Com' : for Virginia
The humble petition & grievance of Robert Lowder, John Cocker & Robert porter planters of New Kent County Most humbly sheweth
That yo' pets: Amongst other Inhab's: of this late dis- loyall Colony have been seduced into & forced into the late unhappy Rebellion, for web (out of a deepe sense of their guilt) they doe most heartily repent, and have laid holde of his Mats most gratious pardon, taken the oath of
58 Public Record Office, London. C. O. I, Vol. 40, No. 6.
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INTRODUCTION
obedience, & resolved to continue his most sacred Mat® : loyall subjects :
But soe itt is may itt please yo'. Hon®. that M'. Bryan Smith hath lately by force & threats compelled yo". pet8 : to give him bills for the sum of 4250 11% of tobacco & Caske under pretence that yo'. pet's. in the late Rebellion killed his hoggs, & threatnes that unless we would give our bill for y& summe he would immediately comitt us to prison, soe yt. we being under that dures & feere, did pass our bills, but we having read yo' Hon®. declaration to the Inhab's. of this Colony to present their grievances do therefore:
Most humbly Complain of the said force & compulsion of the said M' Smith, & humbly begg such releife therein as to yo". hons. in yo". mature Judgmts. shall be thought meete
And yo" pet"" shall ever pray for ye kings Ma" : & yo". hon's. everlasting prosperity and the peace & wellfare of this poore Colony
Robert Lowder John Cocker signed : Robert Porter
Mª. to send for Smith # order of the Com™8 :59
4. To the Honble. Herbert Jeffries Esq'. ST. John Berry Kn. & Francis Morison Esq'. his most sacred Mats Com™s. for Virginia
The humble petition of Stephen Tarleton of New Kent County Most humbly sheweth
That yo' pet' being as he most penitently & sorrowfully acknowledgeth seduced into the late horrible Rebellion, & taken y' unlawful oath imposed by the late grand Rebell Nathaniell Bacon Jun'., & being conscious of his guilt
59 Public Record Office, London. C. O. 1, Vol. 40, No. 25.
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VESTRY BOOK OF BLISLAND PARISH
thereof, did upon the firste publishing his most sacred Mat18 : gratious & surpassing Act of pardon, to his dis- tressed subjects of this late disloyall Colony lay hold of the same, & take the oath of Allegiance & then was & still is ready to performe those other due & reasonable Conditions which by his Matts: said pardon he is justly enioyned to doe, & being by the honble Governs. proclamation of the 9th of ffebruary last referred to the determination of yo' hon™8.
Yo' Pet". therefore in all humility beseecheth Mercy & pardon for his said Crimes, and humbly prayeth yt. he may be admitted to the full benefit of his Matts said Act of pardon
And he as in duty bound, shall ever pray etc. etc.60
On January 29, 1677, the commissioners sent over by the English Government to inquire into and report upon the state of affairs in the colony arrived in Virginia. When they let it be known that they would receive and examine "grievances" that were duly signed and sworn to, many such "grievances," complaining of the oppressions whch had caused the Rebellion, were presented by the inhabitants of various counties and parishes-and among these docu- ments was the following from Blisland Parish, which, it is believed, is here published for the first time:
To the Honorable Herberte Jeffries Esq'. S' John Berrie Knighte ffrancis Morrison Esq' his Maiesties Commission- ers apointed to Enquire into, and to make reporte to his most Exelent Maiestie of the Grievances and pressur's of his Maiesties Subjects of this his Maiesties plantation of Virginia.
We his Maiesties most obedient and Gratefull Subiects being Some of ye Inhabitants of the parishe of Blisland,
60 Public Record Office, London. C. O. 1, Vol. 40, No. 31.
86
cand to matt recrute due to fus moth Evatout Maistic
the mis maishise J this Maistics plantation of Virginia . and Gradefull Suicesty fonte Some of luhabitants of the parish of Aliplan, in FA
mise to his Hairsties Dondeportion and amission,
's humbled tropout to your house insupportable guiccianot the patate fress importo uyum 7 .- L porpint . $6 12
patterns, dountio and savishe,
project 'is a moff disant Queinain the lake frequent afforded and barbarous mathews fornillos und l'enfant Rooms and dopredations by theta el. .... Hans. for arch Estatis would still Engettinge REfaits, but not order was taken but only, that Over Shinto SERIE Souff- forms- able more to our house (hyone room refuoch the Lamentable burning of states, and Salt,is Ar Indiant, in avventuthings to got to How plantation to make forma thorns
The wayout on a grouaugs the Breaks ovartions of sheriffes, although the Complicate Sallaws of Erm in the ffisal pot 16ty Transit , Not in safe a stan thats not Lobfisio provis at his' brow houle, he will not working of af? other pato logout the acounts of Them powers morte for ouray hundred, more
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perfect as a quecuanto, the j'étais of frango namibe at any place where the dountia doente it fest Sveriges Ist thanh day or what for the saints shall Titt or Continue, it browsinga Matter of novotraction in the fouilles vi to mie gurato supersi info of time to thefo that live nomore,
partout at a manifest Gustain the fort duties mentioned in the pombos book of life of clhamblin seen the ships for and towards a Magatoons, it brings abiver elantoine for thoughts of Sin publiques, not ""? aqui when two and at any time called fourth by sudiste authoris upon any Militante oration, weare fontes to trich one flues clmunition upon our private echange
now Tamo wo ww ow land, who have, or to what upo imployed A Payer amunition for presente rather to for notsofar i werd good wifeut Win pourtout cas a quanto groouaute the imposition of Two shillings of the Heyshows, wo humbly Sources if placementy infe, auch isteyen according to the time interaction and meaning of Iso springa avoir of the iste
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THE BLISLAND PARISH GRIEVANCES OF 1677
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INTRODUCTION
in the Countie of New Kent, in obedience to his Maiesties Condescention and (mission, doe humbley present to you'. honou's these ffollowinge Greiveances and pressures.
Wee present as an insupportable Greiveance the greate taxes impos'd upon us yearely, especially the sixtie pounds ₹ poll weh for two years together was levied upon the Countrie, over and beside all ordenarie and Legall [ ] for the publique, Countie and parishe,
Wee present as a most Heavie Greivance the late fre- quent Horrid and barbarous Murthers Committed and Øpetuated upon our ffellow Subjects by the @fidious In- dians, the Manifould Rapins and depredations by them Committed upon our stocks and estates, and still Expectinge releife, but no order was taken but only that wee should drawe together at Least tenne able men to one house, Whereupon ensued the Lamentable burninge of Houses, and Severall Kild # the Indians, in adventuringe to goe to there plantation to make some Corne.
We present as a greivance the Greate exactions of shir- riffes, althoughe the Compleate Sallarie of Tenn in the Hundred be raised wth ye Leavie, yet in Case a man hath not tobacco readie at his owne house, he will not receive it at any other place wthout the alowance of Tenn pounds more for every hundred more
We present as a greivance, the sellinge of strong drinke at any place where the Countie Courte is kept during the Courte day or what time the Courte shall sitt or Continue, it breeding Matter of protraction in the Countie afayres, to the great expence and Losse of time to those that live remote
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