William and Mary College, Quarterly Historical Magazine; Vol. 1, No. 1; July 1892 Williamsburg Lodge of Masons; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 1, No. 1 Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Williamsburg Lodge of Masons William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Papers, Vol. 1, No. 1, (Jul., 1892), pp. 1-33. WILLIAMSBURG LODGE OF MASONS. In 1717, the first regular grand Lodge composed of representatives from the subordinate lodges, which boasted an immemorial descent, was created in England, with a perpetuity of annual elections of Grand Officers. Under authority de- rived from England and Scotland, subordinate lodges were established in the Colony of Virginia; and the rank of the lodges, as regulated by the Grand Lodge of Virginia in October, 1786, was as follows: No. 1 - Norfolk, constituted June 1, 5741 No. 2 - Port Royal Kilwinning Cross Dec. 1, 5755 No. 3 - Blandford Sept. 9, 5757 No. 4 - Fredericksburg July 21, 5758 No. 5 - Hampton St. Tammany Feb. 2, 5759 No. 6 - Williamsburg Nov. 6, 5773 No. 7 - Botetourt Nov. 6, 5773 No. 8 - Cabin Point Royal Arch Apr. 15, 5775 No. 9 - York Feb. 22, 5780 No. 10 - Richmond Dec. 28, 5780 No. 11 - Northampton July 8, 5785 No. 12 - Kempsville Oct. 7, 5785 No. 13 - Staunton Feb. 6, 5786 No. 14 - Manchester Feb. 28, 5786 No. 15 - Petersburg May 6, 5786 No. 16 - Portsmouth Wisdon June 15, 5786 No. 17 - Charlotte July 6, 5786 No. 18 - Smithfield Union Oct. 29, 5786 No. 19 - Richmond Randolph Oct. 29, 5786 Page 2 It will be observed that the year accorded to Norfolk Lodge, No. 1, is 5741 (profanely 1741). Yet, as the lamented Dr. Dove explains in his preface to the "Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Virginia," certain lists of lodges, published in Edinburgh and London, suggest the existence of a chartered Lodge in Norfolk in the year 1733 - the earliest in America. Similarly, the Lodge at Yorktown, though marked as 204 on the records of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, July 1, 1755, is not reported in the above list as in existence until February 22, 1780. "We are left to the conclusion that these lodges became dormant after their first establishment, and were revived under new charters at the dates specified." John B. Donovan, in his history of Botetourt Lodge, claims that Fredericks- burg Lodge, from which the former derived the original Dispensation for its formation, had, in fact, a chartered existence prior to the year marked down in the published schedule. In John C. Yorston & Co's. "History of Free Masonry," the previous chartered existence is denied, though an existence "self-consitututed" is admitted in the case both of the Fredericksburg and Norfolk Lodges. And so in relation to the Williamsburg Lodge, which takes rank as constituted November 6, 1773, there are similar indications of a more remote origin than that which is formally accorded to it. While turning over the leaves of the Virginia Gazette some months ago, I chanced upon the follow- ing quaint production in the nature of a proof, which is addressed to the editor of that paper: Williamsburg, April 5th, 1751. "Sir: you are desired by some of your subscribers to insert the following in your paper. FABRICANDO FABRI SUMUS. The ancient and loyall Scoeity of free and accepted Masons made a Figure in this City some time ago like a Meteor, whose exquisite Brighness portended a happy Influence; but, lavish of its Fires, was soon extinguished. So the Society was too soon dispersed, and no more Lodges held of Gentlemen of the strictest Honour and Probity, who were initiated therein; whose act of bene- volence performed to a person (tho' not their Brother) shew'd their inimitable Goodness and compassion for Page 3. those in Distress. It is to be hoped that Men of their Principles will not obliterate from their Minds the Practice of Associating in the most ancient confraternity in the World; which has been traditionally handed down to Posterity these several Thousand years; and its Dignity is now supported by the Greatest Monarchs on Earth, and was always observed as the most inviolable ever introduced among men. I Hope the following Ode will not be disagreeable to your Readers: AN ODE I Exalted Muse, in mystic Lays, Of Ancient Masons sing the praise. Where social Love and Concord, Joined To all the Virtues of the Mind, Unite in mutual Secrecy. To Shew the power of Masonry. II When fruitful Nature did produce All Creatures fit for human use, Then Man, the moblest Fabrick, raised The work the Almighty Builder pleased. Five Orders in his Form agree, To shew the Power of Masonry. III. When thought profound, of Wisdom's Light, Did our Great Ancestors excite The glorious Temple first to frame, To celebrate Jehovah's name, Then Heaven-inspired they did agree To Join in Confraternitiy. IV The ancient Secret silent rests In the Recess of our Breasts. Not worlds of Time will ever shew What None but Heav'n and Masons Know, Then Brothers Let our Harmony Display the Sweets of Masonry. I am, sir, Your humble Servant N.S. Page 4. Here we have a distinct avowal from "N.S." in a public paper, that lodges were held in Williamsburg as much as twenty-two years before the received time, and "Gentlemen of the Strictest Honour and Probity" were initiated therein. The probability is that, as Norfolk and Yorktown Lodges may have oeprated under regular charters obtained from European Grand Lodges, the Williamsburg Lodge did so too. Probably, a close examination of the Virginia Gazettes might reveal much more concerning the lodge in Williamsburg. It suffered the fate of Norfolk and York Lodges and became dormant, though it is by means certain that its condition of desentude continued until its charter of November 6, 1773 was obtained. Outside of the Virginia Gazette, the only real source of information re- specting the ancient history of the Lodge, with which I am at all familiar, is furnished by an old book recently exhumed at the Eastern Lunatic Asylum, in Williamsburg, where it has reposed in safety, forgotten of men, there is no telling how many years. It is a book of accounts, kept by successive Treasurers of the Lodge from 1773 to 1776. There are entries in this book several months prior to the Charter of 1773, and the entries themselves appear to be the consequence of still earlier Masonic work. Now, under what authority was this early action conducted? Was it under the authority of an old charter, as I have supposed obtained sometime prior to 1751, or was it due to the mandate of some provincial Grand Master appointed by a Grand Lodge in the Mother Country? Either suggestion is a probable one. It is clear that, in 1773, there existed not only a Provincial Grand Master capable of issuing dispensations for lodges, but perhaps a Grand Lodge, with a regular charter and probably possessed of the same power. Dr. Dove admits the existence in 1778 of a Provincial Page 5. Grand Master in the person of Cornelius Harnet(1) of Norfolk, but of any earlier dignitary of the same rank he seems to be ignorant. In John C. Yorston & Co.'s "History of Free Masonry", it is stated that H.P. Thornton was Provincial Grand Master of Masons in 1764, and Peyton Randolph in 1774, but "the fact seems to have been unknown to the Masons of the Colony." That it is not true, is shown by the following account &c., in which the letters R.W.P.G.M. (Right Worshipful Provincial Grand master) speak with no uncertain sound to the Masonic ear. Dr. THE HON'BLE PEYTON RANDOLPH, ESQ., R.W.P.G.M. 5773 L s d Aug. 13 To a fine 1.3, absent. September 7, ditto 1.3 No- vember 2, ditto 1.3, December 7, ditto 1.3 5 5774 Jan. 10 To quarterly payment 5. February 1, absent 1.3 April 5, quarterly payment 4 11 3 April 5 To absent 1.3. May 3, absent 1.3, June 7, absent 1.3. August 2, fine 1.8, September 6, ditto 1.3. 6 3 Oct. 4 To absent and quarterly payment 6.3. November 1, absent 1.3 7 6 Dec. 6 To absent 1.3. January 1775, absent and quarterly payment 6.3 7 6 5775 Feb. 7 To absent 1.3. March 7, absent 1.3. April 4, absent and quarterly payment 6.3 8 9 May 2 To absent 1.3 1 3 5775 Aug. 1 To absent and quarterly payment 6.3. September 5, absent 1.3. October 3, absent and quarterly payment 6.3 13 9 __ __ 3 2 6 _______________________________________________________________________________ 5774 Dec 15 By cash L1.9.9 1 9 9 5775 Dec. 7 By Edmund Randolph, for his assumpsit 1 12 9 __ __ __ L 3 2 6 _______________________________________________________________________________ (1) President of the Committee of Safety of North Carolina. Page 6. The pages of the Virginia Gazette, however, contain conclusive information on this subject. In an issue of that paper soon after the death of Peyton Randolph, while acting as President of the Continental Congress in 1775, occurs the following: Williamsburg Lodge, November 6, 1775. Ordered, That the Members of this Lodge go with mourning for Six weeks for the late Honourable and Worthy Provincial Grand Master, Peyton Randolph, Esquire. GEORGE REID, SECRETARY. The Lodge, however, set to work to do something more permanent in honor of the deceased than the assumption of a funeral dress. It appears from the account with Edmund Randolph that a portrait was ordered to be painted by Peale, and that subscriptions were asked in order to pay expenses: Dr. EDMUND RANDOLPH. 5774 April 5 To quarterly payment 5. Initiation L4. Pass- ing 20. 5 5 5775 May 27 To fee for raising 20. October 4, quarterly pay- ment 5. January 3, 1775 quarterly payment 5. 1 10 April 4 To quarterly payment and absent 6.3 6 3 __ __ __ L7 1 3 5775 Aug. 6 To absent and quarterly payment 6.3. September 5, absent 1.3. October 3, absent and quarterly pay- ment 6.3 13 9 Nov. 7 Absent 1.3. His subscription for the P.G.M's pic- ture, painted by Peale, 18 19 3 __ __ L8 14 3 5776 Dec 7 To his assumpsit for the late Hon. Peyton Rand- dolph's account. 1 12 9 Jan. 2 To quarterly payment 5. 5 July 2 To absent, quarterly payment 6.3. September 3, absent 1.3. October 1, quarterly payment 5. November 4, absent 1.3 13 9 5777 Jan 7 To quarterly payment 5. February 4, absent 1.3 6 3 __ __ __ L2 17 9 ____________________________________________________________________________ CONTRA. Cr. 5775 Dec 5 By cash L8.9.3. By his excuse for four times 5 8 14 3 __ __ __ July 5 By cash L2 17 9 Page 7. We have the information from Mr. T. H. Wynn's sketch of the Bolling family, that "a very beautiful full length portrait of Peyton Randolph, represented in full Masonic costume" (by whom painted uknonwn to Mr. Wynne), "was some years since destroyed by fire in the Library of Congress in Washington". Thus it would seem that the old book found at the Asylum not only identifies the portrait of Randolph so unfortunately destroyed in the Libarary of Congress, but removes the reproach from our Masonic records brought by mr. Wynne that "none of them give any account of Peyton Randolph's connection with the Masonic order".(1). Peyton Randolph lies buried(2) under the chapel floor of the College of William and Mary, but while Congress has erected monuments all over the land to second class generals and statesmen, no monument honors the resting place of the first of its presiding officers. The Virginia Gazette however, contains a memorial column to his memory, which is worth reproducing here. From the Virginia Gazette, 1775: S A C R E D To the memory of THE HON. PEYTON RANDOLPH, ESQ. Whose distinguished virtues in every station of life GAINED HIM The Applause and Confidence of his Country. Descended from an ancient and respectable family, He received a liberal and polite Education, In William and Mary College. Removing from thence to the Inner Temple, He was advanced to the degree of Barrister at Law, And appointed Attorney General of Virginia. ____________________ (1) Wynne's "Memoirs of the Bolling Family', p. 63. (2) Peyton Randolph's Will, proved in York County Court, Nov. 20, 1775, mentions his brother, John Randolph, the Attorney General, and his nephew, Edmund Randolph, and Edmund Randolph's sisters, Susanna and Arriana Randolph. Executors, John Randolph and Mr. James Cocke. Page 8. IN THIS OFFICE His regard to the Peace and Security of Society His Humanity and Benevolence To the Criminal his Duty obliged him to prosecute, Were not more Conspicuous Than his Learning and Integrity in his Profession. After an extensive Practice in the General Court, He resigned his Law Employment, And being elected Speaker of the House of Burgesses Discharged the duties of that high Office, With such Ease, Dignity and Impartiality That he was frequently called to the Chair by the Unanimous Voice of the Representatives of the People. When the Measures of the British Ministry Compelled the American Colonies to unite their Councils In General Congress He was chosen First Delegate for this Colony To that illustrious Assembly, And was by them unanimously elected their PRESIDENT. While he was attending a third Time that Great Council, A sudden stroke of the Palsy(1) deprived America of a firm Patriot His country of a wise and faithful Senator, His acquaintances of an invaluable Friend, His Family of the most affectionate Husband And Kindest Master, Upon the 22d day of October, 1775, In the 54th year of his Age. Thus the existence of a Grand Master in 1773 is established(2), and I now proceed to the proof of the existence of a Grand Lodge, holding its meetings by virtue of a similar authority derived from Europe. ___________________________ (1) According to the first account in the Gazette the disease was apoplexy. Perhaps "paralysis" was intended above. (2) The Williamsburg Lodge has a finely carved chair, which tradition says, was presented to the Lodge by Lord Botetourt, Governor from 1768 to 1770; another proof that the Lodge was in operation previous to the charter of 1773. Page 9. In the accounts of the Treasurer, John Turner, for the year ending June 24, 1774, I find the following entries: 1774, April 21, "By cash in part of the charter, L 5. 0. 0. By do for ballance of the charter, L 9. 13. 0" In the accounts of the Treasurer, J. Rowsay, for the year 1774-75: Dec. 7, 1774. To cash recd. of the Botetourt Lodge in part of the Grand charter L7. 11. 0. Certainly, Botetourt Lodge was not called upon to contribute to the charter of the Williamsburg Lodge, and though Botetourt Lodge was itself chartered on the same day as the Williamsburg Lodge, taking rank as No. 7, would the Treasurer have designated its charter as "the grand charter"? Be that as it may, all the Masonic world is aware that in consequence of a proposition from the Williamsburg Lodge, recommending that the worshipful masters and wardens of the different lodges or their deputies should meet in Williamsburg, for the purpose of choosing a Grand Master for the State, a con- vention was held in that city on the 6th of May, 1777, which, after appointing a committee to draw up reasons why a grand Master should be chosen, adjourned until Tuesday, the 13th of May, 1777. At that time the committee had their reasons ready in writing, and recommended the name of "His Excellency, George Washington", as a proper person to fill the office of the first Grand Master of the Commonwealth of Virginia. But Washington declined the honor, and the office was offered to Warner Lewis Esq., Past master of Gloucester Lodge in Glouces- ter County. He also declined, and then on the 13th of October, 1778, John Blair, Past Master of the Williasburg Lodge, was nominated and unanimously elected Grand Master of the State of Virginia, and accepted the position. John Blair was the son of President John Blair of the Virginia Council, who was the son of Dr. Archibald Blair, the brother of Commissary James Blair, founder and President of William and Mary College. He held many important positions during his career, a Page 10. sketch of which is given in the epitaph on the tomb over his grave in Bruton Parish Churchyard in Williamsburg. It is as follows: S A C R E D To the Memory of the HON'BLE JOHN BLAIR, Eldest son of the Hon'ble John Blair, Formerly President of the Council & General Court of Virginia. Soon after his admission to the Bar, he was appointed Clerk of the Council, which office he resigned on the commencement of our Great Revolutionary contest. From that period he was honored with a variety of the most important public appointments, the duties of which he discharged with acknowledged talent, sing- ular integrity and universal approbation; to the last office which he filled, Associate Judge of the Supreme Court of the United States, he was selected from the Court of Appeals of Virginia, by that distinguished Judge of merit, the father of his Country, Gen'l Washington. He was a rare instance of the in- fluence of mild and polished manners, united with upright conduct, and flowing from a heart devoid of guile or the resentments and Passions of Mankind, as, it is believed, he never excited enmity nor lost a Friend. He died as he had lived, a sincere and pious Christian, and in confident expectation of another and better life on the 31st of August, 1800. Aged 68 years and 10 months. The Grand Master's jewel of office, presented to him by the Grand Lodge, is in the possession of Mrs. Sallie Peachy Spencer, of Williamsburg, who is a de- scendant of Dr. Archibald Blair the Grand Master's grandfather. He held office until the 4th of November, 1784, when he resigned and was succeeded by James Mercer, second Grand Master of Masons of Virginia. The old Treasurer's Book informs us that the initation fee, in 1774, was L4, fee for passing 20s., and that for raising to Master Mason's degree 20s. The quarterly dues were 5s, and absences were fined 1s 3d. The Lodge was full of charitable works, and appears to have taken under its entire charge the two children of William Rind(1), one of the printers of the Gazette ________________________________ (1) The Inventory of Rind's estate was recorded 16th May, 1774 Value L219. 2.4. York Co. Will Book, 1771-1783. Page 11. including the expense of supporting, clothing and schooling them. The annual meeting at which accounts were settled and officers were elected(1) was on the 24th of June, the Feast-day of St. John the Baptist. Then the Lodge was full; and the items in the accounts of sugar, glasses, rum and brandy seem to indi- cate that there were merry hours spent in the tavern of Gabriel Maupin, where the Lodge met. By probably it will be more interesting to present portions of the accounts themselves: JOHN TURNER, CONTRA. Cr. 1773 July 13 By cash paid for jewels for the Lodge to J. Howsay 1 05 0 By ditto sent to England L6.12.6, a blank, Book 15 7 7 6 Aug 3 By ditto for 5 1/2 yds. black crape 18 10 1/2 Sept. 13 By ditto for an express to Gloster 22 1 2 16 By ditto for Glasses 46. Ed. Charlton for ribbon 10 2 16 0 Dec 10 By 7 yds of shalloon 17.6 William Nicholson 2.6 Paid Mrs. Rathall L3.15 4 15 0 10 By 6 Shammy Skins 9.24th, paid for Gold Lace 22.5 Tickets and was 26.9 2 18 3 1774 Jan 13 By ditto for Stuard's Aprons 11 11 By paid Mrs. Danforth 5 15 April 21 By Cash in part of the Charter 5 May 24 By Store account 9.10 1/2 28th paid for a Master's Medal 52 8 1 10 1/2 June 7 By ditto for ballance of the Charter 9 13 6 By paid for Glasses 5. Paid a visiting Brother's club 5 10 By pd. for Glasses Short Charged 2 6 _______________________________________________________________________________ (1) The Treasurers mentioned in the Book are: John Turner, Treasurer from June 24, 1773 to June 24, 1774. J. Rowsay, " " " 1774 " " 1775. James Galt, " " " 1775 " " 1779. George Reid, " " " 1779 " " 1780. David Morton, " " " 1780 " " 1786. Page 12 21 By pd. Mrs. Rathall 12. Waddell's account L7.7.0. Ed. Dickson, ditto L7 14 19 0 By pd. J. Rowsay 30. Ed. Charlton 15. Bev. Dick- son 47.3. Mrs. Danforth 5.3 4 17 6 ___ ___ ___ 65 11 0 By Ballance in the hand of J. Turner, late Treas- urer, which ballance of L13.16.6. was, 24th June 5774, paid into the hands of J. Rowsay, the present Treasurer 13 18 6 ___ ___ ___ L79 7 6 ___ ___ ___ 5776 d April 2 By cash received of William Turner 5. Do. 29 1 5 _______________________________________________________________________________ JOHN RAMSAY, CONTRA Cr. 5773 Dec 7 By Cash 1.3 5774, June 25th pd. G. Maupin his Acct agst. the Lodge L3. 6. 0 3 7 0 5774 June 25 By pd. G. Maupin in part for rent L10. 0.0. July 5th, by cash inkstand and candlesticks, 11s 11 2 6 By do. for paper, pends, wafers and sandbod 4.4 by cash pd. J. cocke for candlesticks 22.6 1 6 6 By cash pd G. Maupin L6.10.9th, By cahs pd, B. Bucktrout 9. 17. 10 1/2. 19 7 10 1/2 Sept 16 By do. pd. Jno. Dixon 30s Aug. 13th, by cash pd Bev'y Dixon 6.8 1 16 8 6 By do. pd. Jno. Dixon 30s Oct. 10th cash paid the Stuards 10 2 Dec. 21 By cash for Sash 12.6 Dec. 22, bydo. for a skin 2.3 Dec. 27th by do. 2 sashes 25 1 19 9 Dec 29 By cahs paid Charlton for Ribband &c., 25.4 By do. for French Horn 20 2 5 4 By cash for a sash 12.6 By do. paid Mrs. Danforth 29.6 2 2 1775 Jan 2 By cash paid John Dixon for tickets, wafers and wax 17 6 Jan 25 By one box candles 41.3. Feb. 6th, by cash paid for skins 44 4 5 3 April 18 By cash given to Brother Murry 20 1 May 29 By cash paid G. Maupin for Lodge rent and shop acc't 15 9 June 14 By cash pd. Jno Turner 2 9 22 By cash pd. Mrs. Danforth 2 2 ___ ___ ___ 67 3 1 1/2 June 24 By cash pd. John Dixon, present Treasurer, on the feast of Saint John, the Baptist 34 1 4 1/2 ___ ___ ___ 101 4 6 Page 13. JOHN DIXON, CONTRA Cr. 5775 Aug 21 By cash paid for printing 500 Summons 30, Cash paid C. Rathall, for a Sash 12.6 2 2 6 23 By cash paid W.F. Bickerton for a piece of W'te Ribon,27. Nov.31 paid G. Maupin for a Scab- bard for the Sword 8.9 1 15 9 Dec 26 By cash paid Wm. Ashburn for cleaning the Sword 3.9. Paid a distressed Brother by order of the Lodge L12 12 3 9 By cash paid Richard Charlton the expenses of a Lodge held for charity 26.3. Sealing Wax and Quills 4.3 1 10 6 5776 Feb. 12 By cash paid William Page for riding Express to Baltimore, by order of the Lodge 12 April 4 By cash paid Wm. Turner for Ribon 12. 6th, paid Wm. Page for going to Charlestown in Maryland L5 5 12 June 24 By cash paid the Stuard for glasses 20. Do. paid Tho. Powell for White Skins 18 1 18 By cash paid James Galt, present Treasurer, the bal- lance on the feast of St. John ye B. 62 8 1 1/2 ___ ____ ____ L99 10 7 1/2 ________________________________________________________________________________ JAMES GALT, CONTRA Cr. 5776 July 2 By O're paper 3.1 1/2. Cash paid Stuard for rum L6 5. do. for sugar 19.6. by car boy 10 8 7 7 1/2 Oct 5 By cash paid Stuard for white sugar 34.6 By cash paid Wm. Nicholson for an account of Edmund B. Dickerson, 32 3 6 6 Nov 5 By cash paid Jno M. Galt, by order of the Master for clothing &c., for Mr. Wm. Rind's children L11.6.3 11 6 3 By do. to Stuard for box candles, L3.1.10 1/2. Do for printing 500 letters & 50 tickets, L2.2.6 5 4 4 1/2 By do. for sealing wax,3. Feb 25, 5775, cash paid Dr. Jno. M.Galt for Mr. Dudle Williams for one quarter board and schooling. Wm. and John Rind, orphans of Mr. Wm. Rind, deceased, L4.10. May 7th by cash paid B. Bucktrout for 2 1/2 gallons of rum 50 7 0 3 5777 May 7 By cash paid Stuard by order of ye Master, 24.11. June 3, cash paid Jno. M. Galt for Mr. Dudly Wil- liams for half year's board and schooling of Wm. and John Rind, orphans of Mr. Wm. Rind, Dec'd. 9 0 0 June 14 By ballance carried to Fo. 75 138 6 1 ___ ___ ___ 182 11 1 _______________________________________________________________________________ Page 14. JAMES GALT, CONTRA Cr. 5777 June. 14 By cash paid Stuard for sugar, L12.2.8. By do. paid B. Bucktrout for rum, 20s 13 2 8 17 By cash paid Stuard for rum, L10. 24th, by cash paid Gabriel Maupin for the rent of The Lodge from May 29th, 5774, to June 24th, 5777, L56.11.3 30th, 3 Gallons of Rum L3.12 69 3 3 July 15 By cash paid for Virginia Cloath, per J. Galt's order for Wm. Rind's children, L5. 14.9. 30th, to do. 32.6 7 7 3 Sept 24 By cash paid Phil. Moody for Rep'rs. to the Lodge L15.7.11. Oct. 7th, by do. paid Humphry Harwood for Rep'rs. to the Lodge L3.0.6. Nov.28th by account paid Dudly Williams, per Jno M. Galt for the board of Wm. and John Rind, L3.12.2 33 6 1 5778 Jan 2 By cash paid Arch. Diddip, for making cloathes for Wm. and John Rind 5 15 9 8 By cash paid Brother G. Maupin the ballance due for the entertainment of St. John, the Evangelist, 5.7.6. 5 7 6 16 By cash advanced Mr. Saulter for board and schooling Wm.& John Rind, per J. Galt 3 10 Feb 2 By do. paid Robert Nicholson for Wm. and John Rind 7 4 4 By do. to Arch Diddip, L4.6.3. Do. D. Wil- liams, L5.10. Do M. Pearson, L??? 14. for dos 11 10 3 ____ ____ ____ 161 6 9 5778 Feb 4 By cash on hand 141 4 8 ____ ____ ____ 302 11 5 Examined, February 3rd, 1778, and find a bal- lance remaining in Bro. James Galt's hands, of one hundred and forty-one pounds, four shillings, and eight pence. J. M. Galt, H. Harwood, Geo. Reid. ________________________________________________________________________________ In next submitting the list of members of the Lodge, during the period covered by the Treasurer's book, probably nothing will be more striking to the casual examiner than the close connection of the Lodge with this College. Many of the members of the Lodge were identified as students of the College, and, probably, there were many other student members of the Lodge, whose names do not appear int he fragmentary roll of the College Page 15. catalogue. Of the members of the Faculty during this period, five were Masons in regular attendance on the Lodge - President James Madison, Robert Andrews, Rev. John Dixon, Charles Bellini, and Dr. James McClurg. Among the other members may be remarked James Monroe, President of the United States; Beverely Randolph, Governor of Virginia; Thomas Mathews, Speaker of the House of Delegates; Ben- jamin Day, Grand Master; Henry Tazewell, St. George Tucker, James Innis, the Galts(1), and scores of others who distinguished themselves in the history of the country, during the Revolution and subsequent to it. _________________________ (1) The Galts were originally from Ayrshire, Scotland. William and John Galt were prominent Convenanters, and after the battle of Bothwel, Brig, they fled for their lives; for being officers in the "rebel" army, they had a price set on their heads. Accompanied by a nephew, they got to Virginia and settled near Hampton. Two or more of their descendants came to Williamsburg. One of these was Samuel Galt. Two of his sons were James Galt (Treasurer of the Lodge), and John Minson Galt (Master). James Galt was the first Superintendent of the Lunatic Hospital in Williamsburg, the oldest in the Union. He was succeeded by his son William, and William by another son, Dickie. Dr. Alexander Galt, of Norfolk, was the third son of James Galt, and left Prof. William R. Galt, now living in Norfolk. Dr. John M. Galt, the other son mentioned of Samuel Galt, was educated in Edinburg, Scotland, and was employed as surgeon by the Hudson Bay Company. On the breaking out of the Revolution he returned to his native Williamsburg. He was Washington's Surgeon General in Virginia, and after the Revolution was over, he had a very extensive practice and was also physician to the Lunatic Hospital in charge of his brother James. He was father of Dr. William C. Galt, of Louis- ville, Kentucky, and Dr. Alexander D. Galt, late of Williamsburg, and also the grandfather of Dr. Jno. M. Galt and Miss Sally Maria Galt. (Prof. Wm. R. Galt's MS.) Page 16. ROLL OF MEMBERS. Allen, William(1); January to July, '74. Allison, John(2); '77. Anderson, Mathew; March '80 - May, '83. Andrews, Rev. Robert(3); April '78 - April '83. Archer, Edward; July '78 - April '83. Archer, Thos(4) Armistead William (Probably the commissary of stores for Virginia during the Revolution). Ball, Burgess(5); '76. Ballinie, Charles(6); October '79 - July - '83. Barnerd, Richard; '76. Batwell, Walter; February '74 - November '75. Beall, Samuel; January '79 - December 4, '82. (See mention of Samuel Beall in Calendar of State Papers Vol. 3, 1782-'84). Beckley, John(7); April '80 - October '82. Bentley, Thomas; '82. ___________________ (1) Of York Co., son of Hudson Allen. (2) Probably Lt. Col. John Allison, of Alexandria. (3) Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy in William and Mary College. Ih 1781, was one of the commissioners to settle the boundary line with Pennsylvania. Secretary to Governor Nelson. (4) Thos. Archer, of York Co., was appointed a lieutenant in one of the companies of Virginia "Regulars" in 1776. His father's will recorded, Jan. 20, 1783. (5) Burges Ball of "Travellers' Rest", Spotsylvania Co., and of "Spring- wood", Loudon, born July 28, 1749, died March 7, 1800; captain in 5th Virginia Regiment, Continental line; taken prisoner at Charleston in 1780. In 1776, he raised, clothes and equipped at his own charge a regiment for the Continental service, married Mary, daughter of John Chichester, 2nd, Frances, daughter of Col. Charles Washington. (Hayden's "Virginia Genealogies"). (6) Charles Ballinie - Bellim, correct spelling - was Professor of Modern Languages in William and Mary, in 1779. (7) Clerk, subsequently, of the House of Delegates, and of the House of Representatives. Page 17. Blackgrove, Rev. Benjamin(8); January '74 - October '79. Blair, John; September '73 - January '83. First Grand Master of Virginia. Bland, Rev. William(9); January - December '77. Booker, Richard(10); October 6, '78 - October '80. Bradley, James W.; July '78. Brend, Thomas; July '80 - October '82. Brent, Daniel(11); September '79 - July '81. Brent, George(12); January '80 - October '80. Brent, William(13); July '77 - October 2, '81. Briggs, Gray; October 6, '77 - October 5, '79. FROM DINWIDDIE CO. (See his Letter to Col. Davis, May 17, 1782, Cal. State Papers Vol. 3, p. 167). Briggs, John(14). Briggs, Henry; '78. _________________________________ (8) Was rector of Southward Parish in Surry Co. His name spelt also Blagrove. (9) Rev. William Bland, son of Richard Bland of Jordan's; Dec. 26, 1742, minister of James City Parish; of the Main church in James City County and St. Paul's in Norfolk; married Elizabeth, daughter of President William Yates, of William and Mary College. Gen. Roger A. Pryor a descendant. (10) A student from Amelia County at the College between 1776 and 1781, a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. (11) Daniel Carroll Brent, of Maryland; student between 1776 and 1781. Original member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. (12) George Brent, of "Woodstock", Va., was captain in the Virginia line during the Revolution, and member of the House of Delegates from Stafford, 1787-'8-'9; student at William and Mary College between 1776 and 1781. (13) William Brent was either of "Richland", Stafford Co., justice, burgess, member of convention of 1776, and of House of Delegates, who married Eleanor, sister of Archbishop Carroll, or he was his son, William Brent of Stafford, who served through the Revolution, was a distinguished colonel in the State line, and married Elizabeth Jaquelin, daughter of Jaquelin Ambler. (14) Student in 1777. Page 18. Bright, Francis; July '78 - July 1, '83. Brown, Windsor; '77. Bryan, Frederick(15); August '75 - April '83. Bryant, Thomas; April '79 - January ''82. Bucktrout, Benjamin(16); April '74 - October 5, '79. Burton, Robert(17); May '74 - October '77. Cartright, Thomas; January '75 - July '81. Chamberlain, Byrd(18); July '78 - January '80. Chamberlain, George(19); July '78 - April '83. Charlton, Richard; August '73 - June '79. (Of York Co., died about 1780; see his appraisement, York Co. Records). Clarkson, Edward; September '73 - August 1, '75. Clay, James; May '80 - October '82. Claiborne, William. Cocke, James(20); August '73 - November 1, '76. Cocke, Hartwell(21); January 5, '79 - July 3, '81. Coke, Robey; October '75 - April '82. ____________________________________________________ (15) From York County, student in 1777, son of Frederick Bryan, whose will was proved in York court, 18th March, 1771. (16) Benjamin Bucktrout was a cabinet maker on Francis Street, in Williams- burg. (17) Son of William Burton, of Albemarle; student in 1772. (18) Byrd Chamberlain, of King William Co., son of Thomas and Wilhemina (Byrd) Chamberlain, was a lieutenant in Virginia State Navy of the Revolution; lost at sea, with his son, Otway Byrd Chamberlain, sometime after February, 1799. (19) Chamberlain, George, of Elizabeth City County, was a lieutenant in the Virginia State Navy of the Revolution. (20) Mayor of Williamsburg, auditor of the State. (21) Hartwell Cocke, student of William and Mary between 1776 and 1781, probably a son of the Col. Hartwell Cocke, surveyor of Surry, who died in 1772; member of Phi Beta Kappa Society. Page 19. Clayton, Henry; January '78 - October '80. Clayton, J; '78. Cowper, John(22). Cox, John; July 7, 1778 - 1783. Cole, Jesse(23); '80 - '83. Crawford, John; January '78 - April '83. Crawley, Samuel(24); April '78 - July, 83. Craig, Adam(25); 1782. Croaghan, William; '76. Probably Major William Croaghan, of the Revolution. Darcy, Laurence; December 1781. Day, Benjamin; October '79 - July '82. See his letter of Gov. Nelson, Cal. State Papers, ii, (1781) Grand Master in November, 1798. Davenport, Opi; June 5, '70 - October 1780. Minister of Charles Parish, York Co. Deane, Simoin; July '82 - January '83. Dickson, Beverley(26); November '73 - January '83. Dickenson, Edmond; April '74 - July 7, '78. Will proved in York Court, 20 July, 1778. Diddip, Archibald; June '74 - April 7, '78 Diggs, Cole(25); January '79 - April '83. ________________________________ (22) Member of the House of Delegates from Nansemond or Elizabeth City, in 1791. John Cowper was alderman of Norfolk, in 1800. (23) A physician of Williamsburg of that name died in 1845, aged 59. He was probably a son of the Mason. (24) The Crawleys wsere from York County. (25) Adam Craig was a clerk in the Secretary's office in Williamsburg, before and during the Revolution; long clerk of Henrico County Court, of the Richmond Hustings Court, and of the General Court. He died May 10, 1808, in Richmond. (26) Beverley Dixon, naval officer of the upper James river, in 1776. (27) Cole Digges, was either Cole, son of Col. William Digges of Denbeigh, major of cavalry in the Revolution and member of the State Convention of 1788, from Warwick; or Cole Digges, the son of Col. Edward Digges, of Bellfield, York County, who died in 1789, leaving an Page 20. Dixon, Rev. John(28); May '74 - October '82. Dixon, John(29); May '74 - October '82. Douglas, James; July '79 - January '83. Drew, Thomas. Dudley, John(30). Edmundson, Benjamin. Elliott, George(31). Elliotte, Thomas(32; '78 - '80. Farguson, Charles E; July '78 - October '81. Farguson, Daniel; January '80 - July '83. Farquherson, John; July '78 - July '83. Finnie, William(33); October '73 - February '83. Master of the Williamsburg Lodge. Fear, Charles; '80 - October, '81. Fitzhugh, Theoderick(34); October '78 - October '81. _______________________________________- only daughter, Lucy Armistead Digges, who married Hon. William Lightfoot, and left descendants. (28) Rev. John Dixon was Professor of Divinity in William and Mary College. He had a son, John, at College in 1771. (29) Probably the son of Professor Dixon, or it may have been John Dixon, one of the editors of the "Virginia Gazette". (30) John Dudley was captain in the Revolution. His nephew, James Southall, of Williamsburg, claimed his bounty land as heir. John Dudley, of Northumber- land County, was a lieutenant in the Virginia Navy, and died in Elizabeth City, in 1797. (31) George Elliott was district quarter master during the Revolution (Virginia State Papers) son of John Elliott of York. (32) Thomas Elliot, probably of King William County, appointed Colonel 6th Virginia Regiment, Continental Line, in 1776. (33) Col. William Finnie was adjutant quartermaster-general, during the Revolution. (34) Student at William and Mary in 1771, son of William Fitzhugh of "Marmion", and one of the original members of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Page 21. Fleming, John(35); January to October, '76. Flournoy, Godoin; November '77. Fontaine, William(36); January '79 to October '80. Fowler, John; October '80. Foster, James; '76. Galt, Gabriel; July '80 - January '83. Galt, James; September '73 - '83. Galt, John M; October '74 - April '83. Garland, Peter(37); July '76 - October '80. Gibbons, Thomas(38); April '79 - October '80. Gibson, George; July '77 - October '82. Col. 1st State Regiment in Revolution. Goode, Bennett(39). Goodson, William; May '74 - '82. Will of William Goodson of York Co., proved 17 June 1782. Green, John(40); January '76 - October '81. Honey, James; July to October '79. Hardy, Samuel(41); January '79 - October '81. Harwood, Humphrey(42); January '74 - October '80. _____________________________________ (35) John Fleming, son of Col. John Fleming of "Mt. Pleasant", Cumberland Co., was major of the 1st Virginia Regiment, Continental Line, and was killed while leading his regiment at the battle of Princeton. (36) William Fontaine, son of Col. Peter Fontaine, was lieutenant-Colonel in the Revolution. He married Ann, daughter of William Morris. See his interest- ing letter giving an account of the surrender of Cornwallis; Cal. State Papers, ii., p. 567. (37) Capt. Peter Garland was living in Henry Co., 1807. Peter Garland was captain in teh Continental Line. (38) Thos. Gibbons was of Yorktown, son of Lawrence Gibbons. (39) Bennett Goode, member convention, March, 1775, from Mecklenburg. (40) Probably, John Green, of Culpeper, who served with much distinction in the Revolution as Colonel of the 6th Virginia Regiment. (41) Samuel Hardy, of Isle of Wight Co., was a student at William and Mary, between 1776 to 1781. He was a distinguished member of the Continental Con- gress, and died in New York in 1785. (42) Capt. Humphrey Harwood, of Williamsburg, died in 1788. Page 22. Harwood, Thomas(43); January '74 - July '80. Hay, Joseph; January '79 - October '82. Hay, Thomas; January '74 - March '74. Heely, Martin; July '78 - October '81. Henderson, David; '78. Hickman, William; January '79 - '80. Hipkins, Leroy; '78. Holmes, Bazil; May '80 - December '83. Holt. Thomas(44); March '82 - January '83. Hubard, James(45); December '74 - January '78. Hubard, Morton; December '81 - July '83. Hunter, William(46); January '75 - September '80. Hughes, Thomas; January to July '83. Hurt, John(47). Innis, James(48); September '73 to February '83. Jeffrys, Booker; January '78 to October '81. Johnson, James; 1776. Johnson, William; July 2, '76 - October 3, '80. Jones, Catesby(49); January '76 - July '81. ______________________________________________ (43) Thomas Harwood, of York, was appointed Lieutenant of Virginia forces in 1775. (44) Thomas Holt was a son of William Holt, a merchant of Williamsburg. (45) James Hubard of Williamsburg, was son of James Hubard, of Gloucester, and was appointed commissioner of Admiralty by the convention of 1775. (46) One of the Editors of the "Virginia Gazette". (47) The Rev. John Hurt. (48) James Innis, student and usher at William and Mary, member Board of War '78-'81, of House of Delegates, of Convention of '88, and Attorney General of Virginia. (49) Major Catesby Jones, of Northumberland Co., was father of Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones and of Brigadier General Roger Jones, U.S.A. Page 23. Jones, Rev. Emanuel(50); August '73 - April '75. Kelly, Thedy; July '79 - October '81. Kemp, Thomas; October 6 '78 - January, '83. Klumore, De; January '79 - April '80. Lawson, William; '77. Lester, John. Levenston, Justice(51); January 6, '78 - October, '82. Lewis, John(52); 1777. Low, David(53); January 1779 - October '82. Long, William; 1777. Madison, Rev. James; December 1774. Mann, David; January '76 - October '81. Mathews, Thomas; April '78 - October '82. Markham, John(54); January '70 - July '80. Margaret, John. Mason, Littleberry(55); September '74 - April '77. Manpin, Gabriel(56); July '73 - June '80. _______________________________ (50) Rev. Emanuel Jones, Jr., son of Rev. Emanuel Jones of Petsworth Parish, Glouceseter, and Professor at William and Mary College. The son was rector of St. Bride's Parish, Norfolk, Co., in '76. (51) Justice Levenston, probably a kinsman of Wm. Levenston, who, in 1716, contracted with Charles Sparrow, and Mary his wife, dancing master and theatrical manager, to operate the first theatre in America at Williamburg. - York Records. (52) John Lewis, son of Col. Warner Lewis, of Gloucester; student at William and Mary, in '73. (53) A merchant of Williamsburg. (54) John Markham was captain of Chesterfield minute men, in '75. (55) Littleberry Mason, of Surry, served as paymaster in the Continental Line. His will is dated Nov., 1806. (56) Gabriel Maupin, a native of Williamsburg, was a descendant from a Huguenot ancestor of the same name, and was for sometime an inn-holder in Williamsburg. Page 24. McClurg, James(57); December '74 - April '83. McGill, Charles(58). McRoberts, Alex; May '80 - October '81. Alderman of Richmond in '76. Minnies, James; 1781. Mitchell, Stephen; July '77 - October '82. Moaeball, N.G.; January 5, '78 - October '80. Moody, Edmund(59); January '79 - October '80. Moody, James(60). Moody, Mathew(61); April '74 - December '74. Moody, Philip(62); December '74 - January '83. Son of Mathew Moody, whose will is recorded in York County, June '75. Moody, William(63); April '79 - July '83. Moir, James; January '81 - February 4, '83. Monroe, James;January '76 - July '80. Monroe, John; January '76 - July '80. Morison, John(64); January '79 - October '81. Morton, David; April '78 - October '83. Murray, ------ Mosby, John; '78 - October '83. Nelson, John(65); January '81. Neilson, John. Nevison, John(66); August '79 - July '81. _________________________________ (57) James McClurg was student, usher and professor of Medicine at William and Mary College. He acted as army surgeon during the Revolution, and, after it, served as a member of the Federal Convention of '87. He was buried in St. John's Church Yard, Richmond. (58) Probably, Major Charles McGill, of the Revolution, who served with Gen. Green in the South (Cal. Va. State Papers). (59, 60, 61, 62, 63) Members of a York County family descended from a physician, Dr. Giles Mode, whose name was finally currpted into "Moody". (64) A student in 1778, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society. (65) Major John Nelson, of the Revolution, a student in 1773 from Yorktown. (66) Major John Nevison, of Norfolk; student and original member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, in 1779. Page 25. Nicholas, John(67); December '74 - July '81. Nicholas, George(68); April '78 - July '80. Nicholson, Henry(69); April '81 - July '83. Nicolson, Robert(70); July '80 - April '83. Nicolson, William; January '74 - '83. Parker, Josiah(71); January '78 - October '83. Payne, William; '77. Peachy, T.G.(72). Pelham, Charles(73). Pelham, Peter, Sr.(74); August '73 - November '76. Pelham, Peter, Jr.(75); January '74 - December '74. Pickett, George(76); January '80 - October '82. Pleasants, John; July '78 - October '81. ________________________________________ (67) John Nicholas (son of Robert Carter Nicholas) a colonel in the army, and M.C., from 1793 to 1801. (68) George Nicholas (son of Robert Carter Nicholas) a distinguished states- men, member of Virginia Convention of 1788, from Albemarle, of the Legislature, and finally Governor of Kentucky. (69) Student in 1777. (70) Robert Nicholson, of Yorktown; student in 1776. (71) Josiah Parker, of "Mucclesfield", Isle of Wight, member Convention, March, 1775, colonel in Virginia Line, seeing hard service under Washington, resigend in 1779, and afterwards, frequently commanded Virginia militia until close of the war. M.C., 1789-1801, and died March 21, 1810. (72) Clerk of Amelia, 1757 - 1791. (73, 74, 75) Charles Pelham, son of Peter Pelham, of Williamsburg, was a major in Continental Line. Peter Pelham, Jr., was clerk of Bruswick. From this family descended John Pelham, of the Confederate army. Peter Pelham, Sr., was a son of Peter Pelham, an early New England artist, and was himself a committee clerk to the Burgeses, organist and harpsichord teacher. (76) George Pickett, son of William Pickett, of Fauquier Co. His father died in 1766. George died in Richmond, where he was a merchant, in 1821, and was grandfather of Gen. Geo. Pickett, C.S.A. Page 26. Pollard, Benj(77); July '78 - October '81. Pollard, T; '77. Pope, John(78); '77. Porter, William; April '78 0 October '80. Randolph, Beverley(79); September '73 - July '83. Randolph, Harrison; January '74 - July '80. Clerk in the office of William Nelson; one of the auditors of the State during the Revolution. Randolph, Peyton,R.W.P.G.M.; August '73 - August, '75. Read, Hawkins. (of York County). Reid, George; April '74 - April '83. Read, Edmund, Jr.(80); January - October '80. Richardson, Walker; '80 - '82. Ridley, Thomas; November 26, '77. Robinson, William; November 26, '77. Rose, Duncan(81); January '79 - '82. Rose, William; July '80 - July '82. Rowsay, John; October 1773 - January 1781. Tresurer of Williamsburg Lodge. Russell, Andrew. ______________________________________________ (77) Benjamin Pollard, Alderman of Norfolk, in 1789. One of the same name, member of House of Delegates from King and Queen County. (78) John Pope, member of House of Delegates, from Prince William, 1792, 1798, 1800. (79) Beverley Randolph, son of Peter Randolph, of "Chatsworth House;" cavalry officer in the Revolution, and Governor of Virginia. Married daughter of James Cocke. (80) Capt. Edmund Reed commanded the Virginia Light Dragoons during the Revolution, Cal. of State Papers, Vol. ii, pp. 18, 25, 72, 290, 672. (81) Duncan Rose to Gov. Harrison - Ibid ii., p. 670. In 1778, he acted as deputy from Blandford Lodge. Page 27. Russell, Thomas; January 5, '79 - '72. Of York Co. Russell, William(82); December 1773 - November '75. Of York Co. Rust, Benjamin; May '78. Severns, John; '76. Sheild, Robert(83); April '79 - January '80. Will proved May 20, '82. Sons, John Ferguston Sheild, Patrick Sheild and Robert Sheild. Sheild, Rev. Samuel(84). Sheild, John; January '74 - December '75. An officer in the 1st Va. State Regiment; son of John Sheild, dec'd; will recorded, York Co., January 20, '83. Short, William(85); January - October '81. Skinner, Alexander; July 6, '79 - July '83. Slate, James; December '74 - July '81. Smith, Armistead(86); January '78 - June '78. Smith, Granville(87); July '79 - July '82. Smith, Thomas(88); of Hanover, August '75 - July '82. _______________________________________________ (82) Probably, William Russell of York County. (83) Robert Sheild was of an ancient York Co. family, who early settled in Virginia, son of Robert Sheild and brother of Samuel, the minister. See his father's will, July 10, 1773, York Co. will-book. (84) Rev. Samuel Sheild was a student in 1769, minister of "Drysdale Parish". President John Camm and Rev. Sam Sheild married respectively, Elizabeth and Mary Hansford, daughters of Charles Hansford, of York Co. (85) William Short, of Surry Co., charge' d'affiares to France, minister to Spain, to the Netherlands, born 1759; secretary of Legation with Jefferson; member Va. council. (86) Rev. Armistead Smith; student, in 1776; son of Capt. John Smith, of Gloucester. (87) Granville Smith, a student in 1776, from Louisa County. (88) Thomas Smith, student in 1776, from Hanover County, original member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Page 28. Southall, James; January '79 - October '81. A tavern keeper of Williamsburg. Stewart, John(89); student at the College, January '79 - October '81. Steuart, John(90); January '80. Stith, Griffin(91); of Northampton Co., June '74 - October '82. Strother, William Dabney. Stoaks, John; '77. Sturdivant, J; '77. Talbot, William; July '77 - '81. Tazewell, Hanry(92); April - May, '74. Tomkins, Christopher. Travis, Champion(93); '77 - '81. Travis, Edward(94); December '74 - July '82. Travis, John(95); December '80 - July '82. Trebell, William; October '73 - January '76. Troure, Samuel; February '82 - July '83. Turner, John(96); July '73 - April '76. Treasurer of the Lodge from June 24, '73 - June 24, '74. _______________________________________ (89) John Stewart, a student in 1776 from King George. (90) John Steuart, of Williamsburg. (91) Griffin Stith, of Northampton County, son of Griffin Stith; a student in 1771, and for many years clerk of his county court. (92) Henry Tazewell, an eminent states man and jurist, father of Senator Littleton Waller Tazewell. (93, 94, 95) sons of Col. Edward Champion Travis, whose will was proved in York court, 20th Sept., 1779. Col. Travis owned Timson's Neck in York County, now called Travis' Point. Col. Travis left a daughter, Susanna Hutchings Armistead. His son, Edward Travis, was captain in the Virginia Revolutionary Navy. His son, John, was at William and Mary in 1768; but, if so, he was not of age at the time of his father's death. (96) A merchant of Williamsburg. In his will proved 19 June, 1775, he mentions his mother, Grissie Turner, a widow in Dumfries in North Britain, his brother William Turner, of Norfolk borough in Virginia, his Page 29. Tucker, St. George(97); September '73 - June '75. Vogluson, Armon; April '79 - October '81. Vowells, Henry. Waddill, William(98); '73 - '82. Webb, Foster(99); December '77 - October '81. Webb. Barnerd; July '78 - October '82. Welch, Nathaniel; '77. Wethers, Mich; July '79 - July '81. Williamson, Archibald; July '78 - April '79. Wood, Leighton(100), of Hanover, August '75 - July '79. Woodson, Tarlton(101); January '76 - October '81. Wright, Patrick; July '78 - October '80. Wyld, Thomas, Jr; October '78 - April '80. Master of York Lodge, constituted in '80. Yates, William(102); August '73 - November '75. Young, John; July '78 - October '81. The history of the Lodge subsequent to the Revolution must be briefly stated. When the capital was removed to Richmond by act of Assembly in May, 1779, many of the Masons residing in Williamburg took up their residence in the new metropolis. ________________________________ brother, James Turner, and sisters, Jane and Mary Turner. York Records. (97) Son of Henry Tucker, of Bermuda; student at William and Mary, in 1772, colonel in the army, member of House of Delegates, judge of the General Court, and finally of the Supreme Court. (98) William Waddill was for many years Grand Secretary. Dove's "Proceed- ings of the Grand Lodge of Virginia". (99) Foster Webb, of New Kent, at one time commissioner of the Treasury during the Revolution; alderman of Richmond. (100) Leighton Wood, of Hanover, was auditor of the State in 1780; settled in Richmond; for many years solicitor. (101) Major in the Revolution; a prisoner at Long Island, in 1780; presidential elector in 1792; frequently represented Prince Edward in the Legislature; major general of Militia in 1806. (102) Lieutenant Colonel in the Continental Army, student in 1764; son of William Yates, president of William and Mary College. Page 30. At a meeting of the Grand Lodge, held at the Raleigh Tavern in the city of Williamsburg, on the 28th day of December, A. L. 5780, "a petition was intro- duced by the Rt. Worshipful Deputy Grand Master, Robert Andrews, from Brothers Leighton Wood, Thomas Smith, Gabriel Galt and several other brethren, inhabi- tants of the town of Richmond in Henrico County, praying to be indulged with a charter to constitute and hold a Lodge in the aforesaid town, which having been maturely considered the question was put and unanimously passed in the affirmative"(1). Leighton Wood, Thomas Smith and Gabriel Galt had been mem- bers of the Williamsburg Lodge. In 1784, the petition was renewed by David Lambert, William Waddill and John Dixon, and Richmond Randolph Lodge was formerly constituted(2). Gabriel Galt was keeping the city tavern at the corner of Main and 19th Streets in Richmond, at this time. He gave to the fraternity eighty feet of land at the corner of Eighteenth and Franklin Streets, and upon this lot the Lodge erected the building, now standing there and used as a Masonic Hall. The funds by which it was accomplished was realized from a lottery drawn at Williamsburg(3). The withdrawal of so many members, attendant upon the loss of the state patronage, was fatal to Williamsburg Lodge. At the Grand Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, held in the new hall in Richmond, December 12, 1810, a statement was made that Williamsburg Lodge, No. 6, is and has been for some time dormant; and brother Charles H. Graves was appointed to inquire after and possess himself of the charter, jewels, etc., of the lodge and for- ward them to the grand secretary(4). But at a meeting of the Grand Lodge, held December 10, 1811, the charter for Williamsburg Lodge was renewed on the payment of forty dollars, and Jesse Cole was ap- __________________________________ (1) Proceedings of the Grand Lodge, page 11. (2) Ibid, p. 30. (3) Ibid, Preface. (4) Ibid, p. 410. Page 31. pointed master, George Jackson, senior warden, and Samuel Davis, junior warden. In 1848, it had again become dormant.(1) But in that year, on the petition of Archibald Peachy, p. master, Nathaniel B. Tucker, p. master; Robert Anderson, p.m., Nos. 6 and 7, Richardson Hubberd, master; Richardson Henley, master; Robert McCandlish, p. master; Goodrich Durfey, master; Philip J. Barziza, p. master; Servant Jones, master; Robert P. Waller, master; a dispensation issued for the revival of the lodge, which was confirmed by the Grand Lodge at their meeting, on the 13th day of December, 1848(2). Regular communications were thenceforth held, until after the 10th of February, 1862, when the war between the States caused another cessation. At that time Ro. F. Cole was master, Edw. Taliaferro, senior warden; Charles Waller, junior warden; R. W. Hansford, secretary pro-tem; C. C. Hansford, junior deacon; and A. J. Hofheimer, tyler(3). The Lodge was re-opened November 14, A.D. 1865, and the following members were present: Robert F. Cole, master; Prof. E. Taliaferro, senior warden; C. C. P. Waller, junior warden; W. J. Bunting, secretary; C. C. Hansford, treasurer and acting junior deacon; Jno. A. Henley, acting tyler; and Brothers W. S. Peachy, W.R.C. Douglas, R.W. Hansford, and visiting brother John H. Pierce, of Greensboro Lodge, No. 76, Greensboro, N.C.(4). The Lodge is still alive, the present officers being T.M. Ware, master; W.P. Jones, senior warden; and J.B. Wilkins, junior warden. * * * The following extracts from the Virginia Gazette are interesting: July 16, 1771, "Died the 5th instant, Mr. John Nelson, of King George county [&c.] Being an old presiding master of the ancient __________________________ (1) Ibid, p. 425. (2) Minutes of Williamsburg Lodge, MS. 1-7. (3) Ibid. (4) Ibid. Page 32. and honorable Society of Freemasons. The United Brethren of Fredericksburg and Falmouth Lodges attended his funeral, and, in proper form, paid him the last honors due to a Mason." August 27, 1773 - "On Thursday, the 19th instant, died Mr. William Rind, public printer to the Colony", his remains were interred last Saturday after- noon, in the Church of the Parish of Bruton; and, being one of the ancient and honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, the whorshipful, the master, warden, and other officers and brethren of the lodge of this city, met at their lodge at 3 o'clock, to prepare themselves for expressing a proper respect to the memory of their deceased brother, from whence they soon after proceeded, in the order and with the formalities usual of such occasions to the house of the deceased, and after staying there as long as the necessary preparations required, they went in procession to the church before the corpse, each brother being ranked agreeable to his advancement in the royal art. The service in the church, and at the grave was performed by the Reverend John Dixon, one of the brethren, and Professor of Divinity in William and Mary College; and a solemn dirge, suitable to the occasion, was performed on the organ by Mr. Peter Pelham, a brother likewise. As soon as the service was ended (during which the fraternity payed all the Masonic honors due to so worthy a brother) they returned in the like procession to the door of the deceased's dwelling-house, and, without entering, repaired to their lodge." December 30, 1773 - "Last Monday being the feast of St. John, the Evangelist, the ancient and honorable society of Free and Accepted Masons, all habited alike, and in the proper Insignia of their order, went in procession from their lodge, in this city, to Bruton Church, where an excellent discourse, delivered by the Rev. Mr. Andrews, a brother Mason, was preached from Hebrews, xiii, 1; "Let Brotherly Love Continue". After devine service, they returned to their lodge and dined together; after which they gave a ball and elegant entertainment to a number of ladies, and spent the evening with that harmony, decorum and friendly intercourse, which characterize the brotherhood, and are so agreeable to the laws of Masonry." March 31, 1774 - "Died, Mr. Thomas Hay, one of the young gentlemen in the secretary's office, after a lingering and painful illness. Being a member of the lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons in this city, his corpse will be attended this afternoon by the brotherhood, in the proper Insignia of their order." December 29, 1774 - "On Tuesday last, being the feast of St. John the Evagelist, the Worshipful Society of Free and Accepted Masons in Page 33. this city went in procession from their lodge to the church, where a very ex- cellent sermon was preached to them by Rev. Mr. Dixon (a brother) from John, 13th chapter and part of the 34th verse: 'A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another'; and in the evening they gave a ball to the ladies and partook of a frugal repast". A Lost Paper of Thomas Jefferson William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Papers, Vol. 1, No. 1. (Jul., 1892 pp. 34-45. Page 34. A LOST PAPER OF THOMAS JEFFERSON. BY KATE MASON ROWLAND. At a creative epoch of American history, there met in the little town of Williamsburg, in the spring days of 1776, the conscript fathers of Virginia, to fashion for themselves and their posterity the first written constitution of a free people. It is urged by some New England writers that Massachusetts, by her charter of 1629, under which she practically governed herself for fifty-eight years, was made "an independent state," and this should be considered "the first era of American independence." Also that connecticut in her "Funadmental Orders" of 1639 for the government of the three towns of Hartford, Windsor and Wetherford, the Connecticut Colony, framed "the first written constitution known in history." But these interesting memo- rials of the seventeenth century were not the governments of "free states," or independent soverign communities. And Virginia could point to her earliest charter of 1606, as securing to her people "all liberties, franchises, and immunities" enjoyed by the natives of England; while under her third charter, of 1612, she held in 1619 the first Assembly, or representative body to convene on the Western Continent. In 1621, the ordinance settling the Virginia constitution was framed and brought to the colony a few months later. Her Assembly three years afterwards asserted the principle that the royal governor could not lay taxes without the consent of their representatives. So that the Old Dominion led the way in the political institutions of the colonies. There is, however, an English public paper which might, with some propriety, be called the first of written constitutions, namely, the "Instrument of Government" drafted by the Puritans of the Protectorate. While it retained elements in the Page 35 office of the executive allying it with the Tudor idea of kingship, it blends with them, in its other departments distinctively democratic features. The three powers created by the articles of the "Instrument," the Protector, Council and Parliament, correspond in a general way to the President, Senate and House of the United States Constitution. And the separation of the executive and legislative power is effected here in a more complete manner than in the English government of to- day, as it has shaped itself under the varying conditions which suc- ceeded the short-lived charter of 1653. The "Instrument of Govern- ment" contained also a provision which marks a correspondence with the modern declarations of rights, of which that of Virginia was the forerunner and the model. This is the article securing, though in a limited sense, "religious freedom."(1) In the Virginia Convention, the select committee to whom the great work of forming a government was entrusted, discussed many plans for a constitution that were brought forward by its members, before finally accepting that of George Mason with its accompanying Bill of Rights. What some of these plans were, we may gather from papers of the period that remain to us. The subject was one of deepest interest to all Virginians, and two of them while in Congress, Richard Henry Lee and George Wythe, solicited John Adams, their accomplished New England colleague, to wirte out this "Thoughts on Government," which they forwarded to Patrick Henry in Williamsburg. Richard Henry Lee wrote a draft of a consititution which he sent on at the same time. The anonymous address on the subject signed "A Native," and patronized by Carter Braxton, also one of Virginia's Congressional delegates, who was supposed by many to be its author, embodied a third scheme for a constitution. But this last was of such an unequivocally aristo- cratic nature, it was rejected with scorn by the Revolutionary leaders. Jefferson, who ___________________________ (1) However insincere, some of the language of King James II., in his Declaration of Religious Liberty is quite as pronounced as the "Instrument of Government." - EDITOR. Page 36. was likewise in Congress, wrote his plan or "bill" as he called it and sent it on by George Wythe, who left Philadelphia to attend the Con- vention. This fourth consititution(1) as they are here enumerated, was received too late to be considered by the committee, but in the Convention its preamble was adopted and Wythe says "two or three parts of it were with little alteration inserted" in the consititution as adopted. The Lee consititution is not to be found, though in Lee's letter to Henry enclosing it at the same time with the Adams pamphlet, he mentions three of its provisions. Mr. William Wirt Henry, in his recently published biography of Patrick Henry, calls attention to the "Government Scheme," which appeared in the Virginia Gazette of May 10th, which he thinks was probably either Lee's plan, or one drawn up by Henry from the two papers of Lee and Adams. These may be compared now with the Jefferson Constitution here for the first time given to the public. The public papers of Jefferson were purchased by Congress in 1848, and from these manuscripts was published, in 1854, the well-known edition of Jefferson's "Works" in nine volumes. But a large collection of papers still remained with the family. These are about to become the property of the Federal Government, and they embrace over three thousand of Jefferson's own letters besides some five thousand letters addressed to him, most of them written by men of eminence. But neither among these public or personal papers is there to be found any draft of Jef- ferson's Virginia Constitution. Yet unknown to his descendants and unreckoned of by historical students, for over a century two copies of this paper in Jefferson's MS. have been lying perdu, and now by a happy hazard are brought to light: By Thomas Jefferson, A BILL. For new modelling the form of government and for establishing the fundamental principle thereof in future: _______________________ (1) A fifth is said to have been proposed by Meriwether Smith.-- Rowland's "George Mason" i, p. 256.--EDITOR. Page 37. The legislative, executive and judiciary offices shall be kept for- ever separate, and no person exercising the one shall be capable of ap- pointment to the others or to either of them. I. LEGISLATIVE. Legislation shall be exercised by two separate houses, to wit, a house of reporesentatives and a house of senators, which shall be called the general assembly of Virginia. HOUSE OF REPORESENTATIVES. The said house of representativs shall be composed of persons chosen by the people annually on the [1st day of October] and shall meet in general assembly on (the 15th day of November) following, and so from time to time on their own adjournments, or at any other time when summoned by the administrator, and shall continue sitting so long as they shall think the public service requires. Vacancies in the said house by death or disqualification shall be filled by the electors under a warrant from the speaker of the said house. All male persons of full age and sane mind, having a freehold estate in [one-fourth of an acre] of land in any town, or in [25] acres of land in the country, and all persons resident in the colony who shall have paid scot and lot to government the last [two years,] shall have right to give their vote in the election of their respective representatives. And every person so qualified to elect shall be capable of being elected, provided he shall have given no bribe either directly or indirectly to any elector, and shall take an oath of fidelity to the state of of duty in his office, before he enters on the exercise thereof. During his continuance in the said office, he shall hold no public pension nor post of profit either him- self or by any other for his use. The number of representatives for each county or borough shall be so proportioned to the number of its qualified electors that the whole number of representatives shall not exceed [300] nor be less than [125]. For the present there shall be one representative for [ ] qualified electors in each county or borough, but whenever this or any future pro- portion shall be likely to exceed or fall short of the limits before men- tioned, it shall be again adjusted by the house of representatives. The house of representatives when met shall be free to act accord- ing to their own judgment and conscience. The senate shall consist of not less than [15] nor more than [50] members, who shall be appointed by the house of representatives. One- Page 38. third of them shall be removed out of office by lot at the end of the first [three] years and their places be supplied by a new appointment: one other third shall be removed by lot in like manner at the end of the sec- ond [three] years and their places be supplied by a new appointment; after which one-third shall be removed annually at the end of every [three] years according to seniority. When once removed they shall be forever incapable of being reappointed to that house. Their qualifica- tions shall be an oath of fidelity to the state and of duty in their office, they being [31] yers of age at the least, and they having given no bribe, directly or indirectly to obtain their appointment. While in the sena- torial office they shall be incapable of holding any public pension or post of profit either themselves or by others for their use. The judges of the general court and of the high court of chan- cery shall have session and deliberative voices, but not suffrage in the house of senators. The senate and the house of representatives shall each of them have power to originate and amend bills; save only that bills for levy- ing money shall be originated and amended by the representatives only; the assent of both houses shall be requisite to pass a law. The general assembly shall have no power to pass any law inflict- ing death for any crime excepting murder and those offences in the mili- tary service for which they shall think punishment by death absolutely necessary. And all capital punishments in other cases are hereby abolished; nor shall they have power to prescribe torture in any case whatever, nor shall there be power anywhere to pardon crimes or to remit fines or punishments; nor shall any law for levying money be in force longer than [ten years] from the time of its commencement. [Two-thirds] of the members of either house shall be a quorum to pro- ceed to business. II. EXECUTIVE. The executive powers shall be exercised in manner following: One person, to be called the [administrator], shall be annually appointed by the house of representatives on the second day of their first session, who, after having acted [one] year, shall be incapable of being again appointed to that office until he shall have been out of the same [three] years. Under him shall be appointed by the same house, and at the same time, a deputy administrator to assist his principal in the discharge of his office, and to succeed, in case of his death before the year shall have expired, to the whole powers thereof during the residue of the year. Page 39. The admnistrator shall possess the powers formerly held by the King, only that he shall be bound by acts of legilature though not ex- pressly named; He shall have no negative on the bills of the legilsature. He shall be liable to action, though not to personal restraint, for pri- vate duties or wrongs; He shall not possess the prerogatives of dissolving, proroguing or adjourning either house of assembly; of declaring war concluding peace, of issuing letters of marque or reprisal, of raising or intruducing armed forces, building armed vessels, forts or strongholds; of coining monies or regulating their value; of regulating weights and measures; of erect- ing courts, offices, boroughs, corporations, fairs, markets, ports, beacons, lighthouses, sea-marks; of levying embargoes or prohibiting the expor- tations of any commodity for a longer space than [40] days; of retain- ing or recalling a member of the state but by legal process pro delicto vel contactu; of making denizens; of creating dignities or granting rights of precedence; but these powers shall be exercised by the legislature alone, and excepting also those powers which by these fundamentals are give to others, or abolished. A privy council shall be annually appointed by the house of repre- sentatives, whose duty it shall be to give advice to the administrator when called on by him; with them the deputy administrator shall have session and suffrage. Delegates to represent this colony in the American congress shall be appointed when necessary by the house of representatives. After serving [one] yaer in that office they shall not be capable of being re- appointed to the same during an interval of [one] year. A treasurer shall be appointed by the house of representatives who shall issue no money but by the authority of both houses. An attorney- general shall be appointed by the house of representatives. High sheriffs and coroners of counties shall be annually elected by those qualified to vote for representatives; and no person who shall have served as high sheriff [one] year shall be capable of being re- elected to the said office in the same county till he shall have been out of office [five] years. All other officers, civil and military, shall be appointed by the ad- ministrator; but such appointment shall be subject to the negative of the privy council, saving however to the legislature a power of trans- ferring to any other persons the appointment of such officers or of any of them. Page 40. The judiciary shall be exercised First, by county courts and other inferior jurisdiction; Secondly, by a general court and a high court of chancery; Thirdly, by a court of appeals. The judges of the county courts and other inferior jurisdictions shall be appointed by the ad- ministrator, subject to the negative of the privy council. They shall not be fewer than [five] in number; their jurisdiction shall be defined from time to time by the legislature; and they shall be removeable for mis- behavior by the court of appeals. The judges of the general court and of the high court of chancery shall be appointed by the administrator and privy council; if kept united they shall be [five] in number; if sep- arate, there shall be [5] for the general court; and [3] for the high court of chancery. The appointment shall be made from the faculty of the law, and of such persons of that faculty as shall have actually exercised the same at the bar of some court or courts of record within this colony for [seven] years. They shall hold their commissions during good behavior, for breach of which they shall be removeable by the court of appeals. Their jurisdiction shall be defined from time to time by the legislature. The court of appeals shall consist of not less than [7] nor more than [11] members to be appointed by the house of representatives; they shall hold their officers during good behavior, for breach of which they shall be removeable by an act of the legislature only. Their jurisdiction shall be to determine finally all cases removed be- fore them from the general court or high court of chancery, or of the county courts or other inferior jurisdictions for misbehavior (to try impeachments against high offenders lodged before them by the house of representatives for such crimes as shall hereafter be pre- cisely defined by the legislature, and for the punishment of which the said legislature shall have previously prescribed certain and de- termined pains). In this court the judges of the general court and high court of chancery shall have session and deliberative voice but no suffrage. All facts in causes whether of chancery, common, ecclesiastical or marine law, shall be tried by a jury upon evidence given viva voce, in open court; but when witnesses are out of the colony or unable to attend through sickness or other invincible necesity, their depositions may be submitted to the credit of the jury. All fines and amendments shall be assessed and terms of impris- Page 41. onment for contempts and misdeameanors shall be fixed by the verdict of a jury. All process original and judicial shall run in the name of the courts from which it issues. Two-thirds of the members of the general court, high court of chan- cery or court of appeals, shall be a quorum to proceed to business. IV. RIGHTS -- PRIVATE AND PUBLIC. Unappropriated or forfeited lands shall be appropriated by the administrtor with the consent of the privy council. Every person of full age neither owning nor having owned (50) acres of land shall be entitled to an appropriation of (50) acres or so much as shall make up what he owns or has owned (50) acres in full and absolute dominion, and no other person shall be capable of taking an appropriation. Lands heretofore holden of the crown in fee simple, and those hereafter to be appropriated, shall be holden in full and absolute dominion, of no supe- rior whatever. No lands shall be appropriated until purchased of the Indian native proprietors; nor shall any purchases be made of them but on behalf of the public, by authority of acts of the general assembly to be passed for every purchase especially. The territories contained within the charters erecting the colonies of Maryland, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, are hereby ceded, released and forever confirmed to the people of those colonies re- spectively, with all the rights of property, jurisdiction and government, an all other rights whatsoever which might at any time heretofore have been claimed by this colony. The western and northern extent of this country shall in all other respects stand as fixed by the charter of ---, until by act of the legislature one or more territories shall be laid off westward of the Alleghany Mountains for new colonies, which colonies shall be established on the same fundamental laws contained in this in- strument, and shall be free and independent of this colony and of all the world. Descents shall go according to the law of Gavelkind, save only that females shall have equal rights with males. No person hereafter coming into this country shall be held within the same in slavery under any pretext whatever. All persons who by their own oath or affirmation, or by other testi- mony, shall give satisfactory proof to any court of record in this colony that they propose to reside in the same (7) years at the least and who shall subscribe the fundamental laws, shall be considered as residents and entitlted to all the rights of persons natural born. Page 42. All persons shall have full and free liberty of religious opinion; nor shall any be compelled to frequent or maintain any religious institution. No person shall be debarred the use of arms (within his own land or tenements). There shall be no standing army but in time of actual war. Printing presses shall be free, except so far as by commission of private injury cause may be given of private action. All forfeitures heretofore going to the King, shall go to the state; save only such as the legislature may hereafter abolish. The royal claim to wrecks, waifs, strays, treasure-trove, royal mines, royal fish, royal birds are declared to have been usurpations on common right. No salaries or perquisites shall be given to any officer but by some future act of the legislature. No salaries shall be given to the ad- ministrator, members of the legislative houses, judges of the court of appeals, judges of the county courts, or other inferior jurisdictions, privy counsellors, or delegate to the American congress; but reasonable expenses of the administrator, members of the house of representatives, judges of the court of appeals, privy counsellors and delegates for sub- sistence, while acting in the duties of their office, may be borne by the public if the legislature shall so direct. No person shall be capable of acting in any office, civil, military (or ecclesiastical) who shall have given any bribe to obtain such office, or who shall not previously take an oath of fidelity to the state. None of these fundamental laws and principles of government, shall be repealed or altered, but by the personal consent of the people on summons to meet in their respective counties on one and the same day by an act of legislature to be passed for every special occasion; and if in such county meetings the people of two-thirds of the counties shall give their suffrages for any particular alteration or repeal referred to them by the said act, the same shall be accordingly repealed or altered, and such repeal or alteration shall take its place among these fundamentals and stand on the same footing with them in lieu of the article repealed or altered. The laws heretofore in force in this colony shallremain in force, except so far as they are altered by the foregoing fundamental laws or so far as they may be hereafter altered by acts of the legislature." Jefferson's preamble, which was adopted, with slight altera- tions by the convention, is almost word for word the same as the indictment of George III., which he embodied later in twenty Page 43. articles, in his draft of a Declaration of Independence. But as adopted, the preamble concludes in these words: "By which several acts of mis-rule, the government of this country, as formerly exercised under the crown of Great Britain, is totally dissolved. We, therefore, the delegates and representatives of the good people of Virginia, having maturely considered the premises, and viewing with great concern the deplorable condition to which this once happy country must be reduced, unless some regular, adequate mode of civil polity is speedily adopted, and in compliance with a recommendation of the general congress, do ordain and declare the future form of government of Virginia to be as followeth." In the original paper King George is deposed and all his royal house. The words are: "By which acts of mis-rule the said George Guelf has forfieted the Kingly office and has rendered it necessary for the preservation of the people that he should be immediately deposed from the same and divested of all its privileges and prerogatives. "And forasmuch as the public liberty may be more certainly secured by abolishing an office which all experience has shown to be inveterately inimical thereto, and it will thereupon become further necessary to re- establish such ancient principles as are friendly to the rights of the people and to declare certain others which may co-operate with and fortify the same in future; be it therefore enacted by the people that the said George Guelf be, and he hereby is deposed from the kingly office within this government and absolutely divested of all its rights, powers and prerogatives: and that he and his descendants and all claiming by or through him, and all other persons whatsoever [paper torn] incapable of the same; and that the said office shall henceforth [paper torn] and never more, either in name or substance, be re-established within [paper torn]. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that the following fundamental laws and Page 44. principles of government shall henceforth be established." Jefferson wrote on the outside of the paper, beneath the title: "It is proposed that this bill, after correction by the convention, shall be referred by them to the people, to be assembled in their respective counties; and that the suffrages of two-thirds of the counties shall be requisite to establish it." Mr. Worthington C. Ford, in a letter to the New York Evening Post of August 7th, 1891, a letter published also in The Nation, tells of the discovery, near Lexington, of the two drafts of the Jefferson constitution and gives extracts from it. Doubtless it will be included in the complete edition of Jefferson's works, edited by Mr. Paul L. Ford, which is soon to make its appearance. Mr. W. C. Ford observes upon the circumstances of Jefferson's apparent indifference to this early sketch of his, and says that "it allowed John Adams to pose as the mainstay of the Virginia convention." Mr. Henry seems inclined also to give John Adams credit for influencing the convention through his pamphlet. He singles out the fifteenth section [thirteenth in Mason's draft] of the Declaration of Rights, as basing "free government upon the foundation suggested by John Adams." And of the Constitution he says, "it is apparent that the plan of Mason was framed upon the plan published in the Gazette, whose resemblance to the views of John Adams has been noted." But why deny to Mason all credit for originality in his draft of a constitution, simply because other plans, more or less resembling his were before the convention? One may quite as reasonably assume that George Mason when he appeared in Williamsburg on the seventeenth of May, three days after the committee to frame a constitution was appointed, and ten days after the meeting of the convention, did not come empty-handed. And there is, in fact, good reason to believe that he brought his draft of a declaration of rights and consititution with him, having written them without knowledge of the Adams pamphelt, which was Page 45. sent from Philadelphia the 20th of April, and was received before his arrival. The concluding portion of the thirteenth section of the Declaration is found, differently worded, in a paper of mason's drawn up in 1775, a paper which enunciates more than one of the principles given by him to the world in 1776. In comparing the Jefferson constitution with that of Mason, it will be seen that w hile both statesmen wre observant of the great law taught them by Montesquieu, of the separation of the three departments of government, the legislative, the executive and the judicial, the powers of the former departments were more judiciously adjusted in Mason's scheme than in that of the younger political philosopher. Jefferson, in his plan, it is noticeable, traces out a judiciary system for the commonwealth. George Mason left this to be determined by legislature at a later period. From the "Rights" of Jefferson's paper is taken the twenty-first article of the constitution, relating to the boundaries of Virginia, and the purchase of lands from the Indians, the convention amending it by one short additional section. A unique provision of Jefferson's "Rights" is that relating to slaves. And, in conclusion, attention may be called to the fact that Jefferson, like George Mason, declared the doctrine of religious liberty. As this section of the Declaration of Rights and the thirteenth, also, are both found in the two manuscripts of this paper extant, which were asserted by Mason to be the original draft "just as it was drawn and presented" by him to the Virginia convention, a denial of them to Mason would invalidate equally his authorship of the remaining articles. And it is significant that the claim made, in this connection, for Patrick Henry, is based solely on a misleading reminiscence of the same historian who elsewhere declares that while "many projects of a Bill of Rights and Constitution" were brought forward, "that proposed by George Mason swallowed up all the rest, by fixing the grounds and plans" of the two papers subsequently adopted." A First Roman Catholic Priest William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Papers, Vol. 1, No. 1. (Jul., 1892), pp. 46-47. A FIRST ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST. The following extracts, furnished by Mr. Edward W. James of Norfolk from the Norfolk County Records, are interesting for throwing light upon the introduction of Roman Catholicism into the colony: At a court held 15th of Sept 1687 CAPT WM ROBINSON Present Capt Wm Crafford mr Beno burrough Majr Jno Nicholls mr Tho Butt Justices Upon the Information of Hugh Campbell against one Edmonds who pretends himself a papist priest and goeth by the name of father Edmonds who hath lately maryed one Jno brockwell of nanzemond County to mary bustian of this County wido contrary to law It is ord that they the sd Edmonds brockwell and bustian be somoned to the next court to ansr the Information and what Else shall bee objected agt them and give good security for their appearance and that William Lester and Melthen his wife be somd as Evidences agt them. 16th November 1687 Present Capt Wm Robinson Capt Jno Hattone Lt Col Lawson mr Benony Burrougyh and mr patrick White Justices. Whereas upon Complaint of Hugh Campbell in the behalf of our Souverigne Lord the King one Raymond who pretends himself a papist priest was Sumoned to this Court for the Illegall marriage of Mary Bustian wido of this county to one John Page 47. brockwell of Nanzemond County without License or banes acting contrary to the 12th act of asembly int he printed book and he the sd Raymond now apearing In court acording to his soms and owned that hee maryed the sd Brockwell and bustian butt produced a certificatt from the clerk of Eliz River psh that the banes were there published butt the court nott being well satisfied whether hee the sd Raymond bee qualified thereunto and conceave It to bee a Cause proper for an Eclesiasticall Court hath therefore in all humility Represented the same to his Excelency consideracon, and ordered that the Clerke of this Court send a Cope of this ord and all other papers concerning It to the Secrytarys office by the 6th day of the next gen Court. Mr Geo Newton security for the sd Campbell And whereas the sd Raymond Rufuseth to give Security It is further ard that hee make his apearance before his Excelency the day aforsd or hee will ansr the contempt hereof. Ord that one Raymond a papist priest did publiquely in Court declare according to his Mgs Proclamation for Liberty of Conscience(1) that he Intended the house of mr Charles Egerton the house of Capt Robt Jordan and the house of Henry usdick to meete at there Celebrate the mass and other Rights of their Church. ___________________ (1) By King James II. Abstracts of Marriage License Bonds (1772-1792)- York County, Virginia Lyon G. Tylor William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Papers, Vol. 1, No. 1. (Jul., 1892), pp. 48-59. pg. 48 Abstract of Marriage License bonds. On File In York County Clerk's Office. __________ Made by the Editor. __________ In the absence of regular statistics on the subject, probably there is no better way of arriving at a knowledge of the capacity of a people to read and write than is afforded by the old mar- riage license bonds, which the great and the low had equally to sign preparatory to an entrance on the marriage state. I give here the names of partied to such bonds in York County, from 1772 to 1792, and the witnesses, indicating by a mark those in- capable of writing: (1) 28th Dec., '72. A. Purdie to marry Peachy Davenport; security, Thos. Everard. 23d Jan., '72. Edwd. Watts to marry Mary Abercrombie. 17th March, '72. R. Brown to marry Mary Tomkins; se- curity, D. Thompson. 6th Feb., '72. William Patrick to Lucy Curtis, dau. of Edmond Curtis; security, Nicholas Presson; witness, William Russell. 8th Jan., '72. Thos. Powell to Mary Hobday; security, John Moss. 8th Dec., '72. John Moreland to Fanny Stroud; security, Joseph Stroud; witness, Ro. Ruffin, Jr. 18th November, '72. Ant'y Geoghegan to Martha Lavia. wido; security, Rich. Charlton; witnesses, James Galt, James Nicholas. 21st Dec., '72. Lewis Loyd to Anne Moss; security, Thos. Smith. __________ (1) The frequency with which the names of Thomas Everard and Robert H. Waller appear as witnesses is due to the fact that they were Clerks of the Court. Page 49 15th Oct., '72, Robert Howard to Elizabeth Curtis, spin- ster; security, Edmund Chisman. 28th Mar, '72. Thomas Powell to Elizabeth, Digges; se- curity, John Jameson; witness, John Brown. 24th March. John Brown to Anne Geddy; security, Will Russell; witness, John C. Littlepage. 10th Feb., '72. Willis Walker, x his mark, to Sarah Hun- ter; security, Joseph Hughes, x his mark; withness, Thos. Everard. 14th May, '72. Rueben Lilburn to Elizabeth Presson; se- curity, Nicholas Presson; witness, Thos. Everard. 11th Feb., '72. Wm. Moody, Jr., to Barbary Bryan; se- curity, William Moody; witness, Thos. Everard. 22d April, '72. Sanford Pallison to Eliza Bryan; security, William Moody. 10th Oct., '72. Richard Deadman to Mary Ware, widow; security, Wallis Lennox. 5th Sept., '72. Ransone Foster to Elizabeth Coman; se- curity, Thomas Brammer. 21st Jan., '72. William Gunter to ______; security, Thomas Russell; witness, William Digges, Jun. 15th May, '72. Wm. Simmons to Ann Blasingham; secur- ity, John Blasingham, x his mark; withness, Thos. Everard. 15th March, '73. Wm. Cary to Sarah Dudley; security, Will Russell. 18th March, '73. James Dudley to Lydia Hill, spinster; security, Chas. Hausford. 7th January, '73. John Moss to Sarh Gibbons; security, L. Smith; witness, Will Russell. 13th January, '73. William Robinson to Frances Williams, spinster; security, Peter Robinson; witness, Jno. Robinson. 13th April, '73. John Richardson to Elizabeth Hayes; se- curity, Jno. Sorrell. 8th April, '73. Stephen Mitchell to Margaret Maitland, pg. 50 dau. of Alexander Maitland; security, Henry Mann; witness, Thomas Everard. 18th Feb., '73. Allen Jones to Lucy Moss; security, James Southall. 9th Feb., '73. James Nicholls to Elizabeth Wyatt secur- ity, James Galt. 15th Oct., '73. Pennuel Penny to Mary Burfoot; security, Edward Allen; witness, William Russell. 2d Dec., '73. James Moir to Elizabeth Diddip; security, Archie Diddip. 29th January, '74. Thomas Presson, junior, to Susanna Patrick; security, Curtis Patrick. 20th Oct., '74. Robert Nelson, brother of Thomas Nelson, jr., to Mary Grymes, spinster; security, Thomas Everard. 4th Feb., '74. James Davis to Elizabeth Fuller, spinster; security, Harry Lee; witness, Thos. Everard. 12th July, '74. John Baptist to Betty Whitaker; security, Willian Inge. 16th Dec., '74. Thomas Orsell to Catharine Blasingham; security, John Blasingham, x his mark. 13th January, '74. Richard Garrett to Mary Morland; se- curity, John Morland. 29th Aug., '74. Thomas Cowles to Elizabeth Crawley, spinster; security, John Crawley, enclosing a neat note by Sarah Camp to the clerk, as guardian of Elizabeth Crawley. Witnessed by Jesse Cogbill, Edward Walker. 23rd Sept., '75. Starkey Robinson to Ann Mennis; security, Thomas Everard. 11th Jan., '75. Beverly Randolph to Martha Cocke; secur- ity, James Cocke. 23d May, '75. Thomas Gibbons to Martha Lester, spin- ster, dau. of Benjamin Lester, deceased; security, Stephen Mitchell, enclosing a note in a beautiful hand by Thos. Archer of Yorktown. Page 51 16th Oct., '75. Ambrose Jackson to Mary Cobb; security, Ben. Valentine. 23d March, '75. Charles Graves to Molly Powell; security, Peter Powell; witness, Thomas Everard enclosing a note in a neat hand-writing from Wm. Graves. 25th May, '75. Thos. Skinner to Elizabeth Ryan: security, Serafino Fornicola; witness, Thos. Everard. 3d April, '75. Wm. Bowen to Mary Rudder, spinster; se- curity, Thos. Skinner. 6th Oct., '75. Isaac Winfrey to Mary Graves. 7th June, '74. Nathan Yancy to Sarah Wingham security, Thos. Mallicote. 16th Dec., '76. W. Hunter to Eliza Hunter Davenport, dau. of Joseph Davenport; security, Thos. Everard. 4th March, '76. Chas. McFadden to Jane Lyppetit; se- curity, Samuel Barton. 1st July, '77. Wm. Mallory to Martha Sweney, widow; se- curity, John Hardyman. 15th Dec., '77. John McClary to Sarah Hansford; secur- ity, Thomas Everard. 8th Feb., '77. J. J. Cuthbert of the state of Georgia to Catharine Blair, widow, of this county; security, James Hub- ard; witness, Ben. Waller. 24th November, '77. Wm. Howard to Ann Chisman: se- curity, Thomas Everard. 22d April, '77. Thomas Badget, x his mark, to Sarah Mil- ler; security, David Brooks. 26th Feb., '77. Samuel Major to Ann Timson. daughter of Samuel Timson; security, Thomas Everard. 12th May, '77. Henry Howard to Martha Sclater, widow; security, Thomas Russell. 3d Feb., '78. Chidly Wade to Ann Kerby; security, Wil- liam Kerby. 3d Feb., '78. Harry Charles to Frances Kerby, dau. of William Kerby; security, Chidley Wade; witness, Jacob Bruce. Page 52 31st March, '78. William Meade to Elizabeth Boweles; se- curity, Thomas Brister. 3d July, '78. Benj. Lester to Sarah Hansford; security, Whitehead Lester. 25th April, '78. Mallory Todd to Anne Robinson; secur- ity, Thos. Everard. 28th April, '78. William Baker, x his mark, to Rebecca Boweles; security, Pinkethman Musgrove, x the mark of Pink- ethman Musgrove. 15th July, '78. Pinkethman Musgrove, x his mark, to to Elizabeth Holloway, widow; security, Dudley Jones, x his mark. 20th Jan., '78. Edward Boatwell to Frances Parsons; se- curity, James Parsons. 31st Jan., '78. William Meade to Elizabeth Bowles; se- curity, William Meed. 29th Jan., '78. John Williams, x his mark to Alice Banks; security, Randolph Moss. 16th April, '78. Zohn Glenn to Margaret Cunningham; security, Thomas Skinner. 28th Feb. '78. Aug. Davis to Martha Davenport; secur- ity, John Barret. 22d March, '84. Gideon Johnston to Frances Moore, widow; security, John Sclater. 18th Decemeber, '84. William Balsom to Mary Davenport; security, Penuel Penney. 19th May, '84. Wyatt Coleman to Mary M. Shields; se- curity, Richardson Taylor. 8th November, '84. Wm. Roane to Frances Burt, spinster; security, James Vaughan. 17th May, '84. Robert Armistead of Elizabeth City to Hannah Patrick, spinster; security, Wm. Smith, witness, H. Nicholson. 18th Dec., '84. Thomas Hansford to Elizabeth Lilburne, widow; security, Merritt Moore. Page 53 29th Oct., '85. Lewis Charles to Mary Allen; security, Robert Moreland. 1st Sept., '84. John Sandwich Terry to Mary Ellis, spin- ster: security, William Ellis. 13th Dec., '84. John Russell to Martha Howard, spinster; security, Robert Sheild; witness, R. Waller. 25th March, '85. John Chapman, Jr., to Mary Ellis; se- curity, Daniel Ellis. 29th Nov., '84. James Hughes to Ann Stanhope, spinster; security, Philip Bullifant. 30th July, '84. Harman Plitt to Lucy Cole, spinster; se- curity, William Cole, Jr. Jacques Daumas to Mary Smith, spinster; security, Peter Armadon. 22d Dec., '85. William Coleman to Elizabeth Holt, spin- ster; security, Wm. Holt; witness, R. H. Waller. 12th March, '85. William Long, x his mark, to Mary Hubbard; security, Wm. Mahone; witness, R. H. Waller. 7th Sept., '85. William Stroud to Susanna Cooke; secur- ity, Thos. Wharton. 22d Sept., '85. William Hardrick to Ann goodwin; se- curity, John Moss. 10th Dec., '85. Thos. White, x his mark, to Sally Davis; security, Wm. Mahone; witness, R. H. Waller. 20th June, '85. Thomas Hunt to Sally Langster, orphan of Enoch Langster; security, Robt. Manson. 31st Jan., '85. Thomas Dawson to Mary Garrow, daughter of John Garrow; security, John Elliott. 25th Aug., '85. Samuel Booth to Anne Harris, spinster; security. William Long, x his mark. 21st Dec., '85. Richard Booker to Ann Major, widow; se- curity, N. W. Nicholson. 18th July, '85. Kinchin Stacy to Margaret Mason, spin- ster; security, John Stacy. Page 54 22d Feb., '85. Henry Watkins to Mary Freeman, spinster; security, Thos. Hunt. 18th Feb., '85. William Cole, Jr., to Mary Hubbard, widow; security, John Cole. 11th Nov., '85. Francis Lee, Jun., to Rachel Baptist, spin- ster; security, Edward Baptist. 21st Dec., '85. Hawkins Reade to Elizabeth Pescud, widow; security, James Davis. 21st May, '85. Benjamin Powell, Jr., to Nancy Cobb, spin- ster; security, Charles Graves. 1st Aug., '85. John Jacob Oteer, to ________ _____; security, John C. Druidt. 21st Feb., '86. John Moss to Mary Holmes, widow; secur- ity, Thomas Newman. 15th Dec., '85. Will Russell to Mary Campbell, spinster; security, Benj. Waller. 11th Oct., '85. Boaz Booth to Francis Harrison, spinster; security, Moody Barham. 15th Jan., '86. Philip Bidgood to Margaret Randall, widow; security, George Safony. 4th Feb., '86. Charles Copland to Rebecca Nieolson; se- curity, Robert Nicholson; witness, Wm. T. Allen. 20th Feb., '76. Francis Charlton to Mary Powell; secur- ity, Lawrence Gibbons. 14th April, '86. Warner Lewis to Sarah Shay; security, John Shay, x his mark; witness, William T. Allen. 22d April, '86. Colin Campbell Wells to Agatha Dicken- son, spinster; security, Philip Bidgood; witness, R. H. Waller. 19th April, '86. Edm'd Monday, x his mark, to Mary Hill, widow; security, William Jones; witness, R. H. Walker. 10th April, '86. John Moody to Mary Dickeson Chapman, spinster; security, Walter Chapman; witness, R. H. Waller. 19th Nov., '87. Wm. Jordan, x his mark, to Mary Wood, spinster; security, Thomas Newman; witness Ro. Saunders. Page 55 17th April, '86. James Stevens to Rebecca Baptist, spin- ster; security, John Moss, Jr; witness, Edward Power. 18th Dec., '86. James Dixon, Jr., to Elizabeth Cary Mills; security, John Chisman; witness, R. H. Waller. 27th Nov., '86. Robert Patrick, son of William Patrick, to Mary Curtis, daughter of Edmund Curtis; security, Thos. Charles. 6th March, '86. Thos. Minson to Sarah Curtis; security, Henry Curtis. 8th May, '86. Edward Power, son of John Power, to Frances Bryan; security, Fred'k Bryan. 5th Dec., '95. Pierre Gordett, x his mark, to Pruden Blackstone, widow; security, William Clutherdale. 10th June, '86. Anthony Peters, x his mark, to Ann Car- ter, spinster; security, James Ashly, x his mark. 20th June, '86. Thos. Breud to Elizabeth Ratcliffe; secur- ity, David Morton. 13th July, '86. Richard Mears to Anne Penny; security, William Carter; witness, William T. Allen. 18th Sept., '86. Thomas Holloway to Amey Morris, spin- ster; security, B Dedman. 18th Sept. Claude Vial, of the county of Hanover, to Rose Lilly Powell; security, R. H. Waller. 18th Dec., '86. Johnson Mallory Ross to Mary Lester, spinster; security, John Hoy. 2nd May, '86. John Taylor, x his mark, to Elizabeth Moore, spinster; security, Minotree Orrell. 26th Dec., '86. Edward Brooks to Lucy Jackson; security, Philip Bidgood. 10th Dec., '86. Richard Brown to Rachel Warrington, spinster; security, James Southall. 15th Nov., '86. Robert Gillett, x his mark, to Sarah Cast- ley; security, William Richardson, x his mark; witness, Wm. T. Allen. Page 56 15th Nov., '86. Alexander Kevan to Felix Scouvement; se- curity, David Morton. 9th May, '86. George Williams to Elizabeth Hill; secur- ity, Colin C. Willis. 21st Dec., '87. James Hill, Jun., to Sally Graves; secur- ity, Juxon Saunders. 7th Nov., '87. Higginson Lee to Elizabeth Wynne, daugh- ter of Thos. Wynne; security, Humphry Harwood, of York County. 21st May, '87. James Williams, x his mark, to Rachael Roberts; security, Rich'd Hansford. 10th Nov., '87. Abraham Cuttiller, x his mark, to Mary Francis, spinster; security, Robt. Gillet, x his mark; witness, William T. Allen. 7th Dec., '87. Jno. Harris of Gloster, to Frances Tyrie of Yorktown, widow; security, John Moss; witness. R. H. Waller. 21st June, '88. Gerard Roberts to Elizabeth Baptist; se- curity, Wm. H. Baptist. 15th Oct., '87. Allen Chapman, bond as guardian of Ann Elizabeth, William, Mary and Charlotte Palmer, orphans of Ben. Palmer; securities, John A. Rogers and Thos. Powell. 17th January, '88. Matthew Peters, x his mark, to Mildred Peters; security, Absalom Hubbard; witness, Wm. T. Allen. 28th May, '88. Kemp Charles to Elizabeth H. Cosby, spinster; security, Edw'd Charles. 7th May, '88. John Grant to Sarah Newman; security, Benjamin Moss. 24th Aug., '87. William Henley to Polly Taylor; security, Matthew Moody; witness. G. Dunlevy. 20th June, '87. John Daingerfield to Frances Southall; James Southall. 1st Feb'y. '88. Thomas Powell to Mary Patrick, spinster; security, Robert Patrick. 6th July, '87. Adam Craig to Mary Mallory, daughter of William Mallory of Poquoson; security, Will. Russell. Page 57 March, '87. Silvanus Prince to Elizabeth Myers, widow; security, Jno. Prince. 24th Dec., '87. John Campbell to Elizabeth Wright, daughter of Benjamin Wright of Yorkhampton parish; security, Thos. Dawson. 20th Aug., '88. Wm. Moore, x his mark, to Frances Bap- tist, security, William Drewry. 14th March, '87. Peter Powell to Sarah Timson; security, Charles H. Graves. 15th March, '87. William Throckmorton, x his mark, to Elizabeth Phillips; security, Harwood Burt, Jr. 22nd March, '87. Martin Goodwin to Elizabeth Goodwin; security, John Moss. 1st May, '87. J. Moss and Joanna Beverly, widow; secur- ity, Matt. Wade. 17th May, '87. Minitree Orrell, x his mark, to Anna Crea- dle, spinster; security, John Slaughter, x his mark. 23rd Nov., '92. Henry Crawley, x his mark, to Esther Dixon; security, Pinkethman Musgrove, x his mark; witnesses, John Camm, Wm. T. Allen. 23rd April, '92. John Lee of Warwick parish in Warwick Co., to Lucy Wynne of Yorkhampton parish, daughter of Thomas Wynne; security, Wm. H. Wynne. 27th Sept., '92. John Stoak to Elizabeth Manning, spin- ster; security, Francis Thompson. 22nd October, '92. Nathan Fletcher to Eliza Drewry, widow; security, Thomas Hunt. 11th July, '92. Reuben Gillet, x his mark, to Winifred Macklin; security, Robert Gillet, x his mark. 11th July, '92. William Gray to Rebecca Pate; security, Thomas Allen; witness, Jno. Camm. 20th Aug., '92. Richard Tool to Ann Powers, spinster; security, Richard C. Walters. 25th '92. David Jameson, Jr., to Mary Mennis, spinster. Page 58 daughter of Charles Mennis, deceased, and Mary, his wife; se- curity, David Jameson; witness. F. Mennis. 21st Nov., '92. Joseph Bartley, x his mark, to Mary Ross, widow; security, William Bartley; witness, John Camm. 12th Dec., '92. Aaron Russell to Susanna Stroud, spinster; security, Clayton Patrick. 18th May, '92. Daniel Elis of James City to Nancy Burt. daughter of Philip Burt; security, Benj. Robertson. 8th June, '92. John Fox to Nancy Rogers; security, Wil- liam A. Rogers. 25th May, '92. Thomas Dillard of King and Queen, to Elizabeth Burt, spinster, of York, daughter of Philip Burt; se- curity, Thomas Burt; witness, John Camm. 31st May, '92. Thos. Mutter to Ann Southall, spinster; security, James Southall. 21st May, '95. John Wright, x his mark, to Mary Cox, spinster; security, H. Reade; witness, Wm. Waller. 16th April, '92. Henry Jordan to Anna Chellys; security, Jno. Fox, x his mark. 11th May, '93. Thomas Blasingham, x his mark, to Mar- garet King, widow; security, Mark Miller, x his mark; witness, John Toomer. 1st April, '92. George Morriss, x his mark, to Nancy Car- ter; security, David Poe, x his mark; witnesses, Benjamin Wal- ler, John Camm. 29th May, '69. Peyton Randolph; bond, binding Harrison Randolph, an infant under the age of twenty-one years as a writer or clerk to Thomas Nelson. In this list, there are 330 names, not counting the witnesses, of whom 33 make their mark, which indicates that ninety per cent of the whole free population could read and write, including free negroes, probably 95 per cent. of the white. Such a result ought to be expected from a county which had three known free schools in three of its parishes, private schools, tutors, educated men from the English schools and universities and immediately Page 59 on the boundary line the College of William and Mary with its Grammar school, which was in all respects a free school. (1) (1) The study of the York Records proves the great progress of the Colony in literature. Historical Notes William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Papers, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jul., 1892), pp. 59-60. HISTORICAL NOTES. The Legislature of Virginia which finished its labors in March last, deserves an enduring renown not only for its settlement of the State debt and other political questions, but for the way in which it recognized the claims of letters and education. Among other acts of this nature, it appropriated $200,000 to erect a new fire proof library building, increased the annuity of this College from $10,000 to $15,000, and appropriated $5,000 to copy the early court records previous to 1700. Let the next Legislature do as well. The editor proposes to collect the names of all Virginia families entitled to coats-of-arms, as a matter of history only. None will be admitted into the list who cannot verify their claim by the evidence of some muniment of title prior to 1776 - a tombstone, a document, a book or silver plate, a seal, a ring, or a proved identity of the name with that of some other family entitled to arms. He asks for information. One of the nicest and neatest little books published in the North, during the year, if Prof. Jameson's "Historical Writings in America." His allusions, however, to John Smith and Alexander II, Stephens might be improved upon. "Beowulf", by Professor Hall of William and Mary College, is admitted to stand in the lead of Anglo Saxon translations. Page 60. What is the matter with James Schouler of Boston? He writes history like a jockey running a race, straining at every nerve. In his "History of the United States" he never loses an opportunity to cavil at Virginia and thinks it smart to refer to her as a "mouldering state". For a "mouldering State" to have given to the world four such captains as R.E. Lee, Joseph E. Johnston, Thomas Jonathan Jackson and Albert Sidney Johnston is curious. It took all the states of the North to furnish anything like their equals. That Schouler does not like the South or Southern men is plain. But what does Percy Greg, an English- man, and, therefore, in a position to be impartial, declare? In his History of the United States, Vol., II. p 304, he says: "The Virginians were un- questionably the flower of the southern people, perhaps of the English race. * * The manufacturers of New England, the miners of Pennsylvania, the city populations of Boston, Lowell, Buffalo, New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh were, if not degenerate, physically and materially inferior, partly because the flower of the Eastern populaton had been constantly drafted to the west." Early Presidents of William and Mary Lyon G. Tyler William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Papers, Vol., 1, No. 2. (Oct., 1892), pp. 63-75. Page 63 WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY HISTORICAL PAPERS. Vol. I. October 1892. No. 2. EARLY PRESIDENTS OF WILLIAM AND MARY. BY THE EDITOR. From a framework of silk curls and black gown relieved under the chin by the ministerial white bands of his order, the venerable face of James Blair, D. D., looks down upon the visitor to the library of William and Mary College. His hands rest idly in his lap, but his left elbow rests on the folds of an open book engraved with what seems Greek letters written upside down -- a Greek testamant perhaps, while in the back-ground of the protrait is a miniature representation of the College of which he was at once founder and president for fifty years. Withall, the face in the portrait is one of a man of strong will, of unbending courage and sincere and elevated purposes. And, indeed, if half we read of him is true, there was a need of all the skill of the artist to depict upon the canvass all the character represented in such a life as that of James Blair. Choosing from an early day to identify himself with the cause of education in the Colony of Virginia, he met with formidable difficulty from the men in power who resorted to every means to crush and destroy him. But through life he was always found battling for the right; and in the history of those struggles, it appears that not even the iron vigor of such a soldier as Page 64. Alexander Spotswood was in any way a match for the energy of this peaceful servant of God, when he was once aroused to the fight. The story of Blair's labors in England in behalf of a charter for a college in Virginia has been often told. Some stories, however, are always fresh. When, thanks to the good offices of Dr. Stilling- fleet, Bishop of Worcester, and Dr. Tillotson, Archbishop of Canterbury, the good Doctor Blair was able at length to go to Seymour, the Attorney General, with an order from King William and Queen Mary that the charter should be prepared, and argued to that funtionary, who was averse to the measure, the need of a college for the poor Virginians who "had souls to save as well as the people of England," he was met with the coarse reply, "Souls! damn your souls! make tobacco." Tobacco meant gold to England, which prospered by the trade. Sir Edmund Andros, at that time Governor of Virginia, was also opposed to the charter; and the quaint literature of the period affords curious reading of his attempts to undermine Doctor Blair's project and defeat its consumation.(1) Thus, it is recorded that, in the elections for Burgesses of the Colonial Assembly, the Governor was active in spreading the fear that increased taxes would be the sure result of voting for a "Collegian." He complained of the Scotch origin of Dr. Blair, and exerted all his influence upon those Virginians who had subscribed to the College to induce them to withhold their subscriptions. And when his best efforts in this direction failed of effect, he descended to the low expediencies of personal insult and outrage. Among his courtiers was young Mr. Daniel Parke, a grandfather of that Daniel Parke of Curtis, who became famous as the first husband of George Washington's wife. Not unknown himself to history, Parke is narrated to have been, at a subsequent date, the messenger selected to carry news of the victory of Blen- ______________ (1) See Perry's Historical Collections - Virginia. Page 65. heim to Queen Anne, and to have received her picture as a reward; and finally to have lost his life in a tumult on the island of Antingua, of which he had been made governor. At this time, as Dr. Blair relates, he was "a sparkish gentleman" around town, who "knowing something of the art of fencing, was as ready to give a challenge, especially before company, as the greatest Hector in Williamsburg." (1) With a view to recommend himself to the Governor's favor, young Parke undertook a crusade of insult against all friends of the College. He abused and challenged to mortal combat Francis Nicholson, who was then, though Governor of Maryland, a member of the Board of Visitors and Governors of the institution; and at length to vent his ill-humor against Doctor Blair personally, whose gown protected him from challenges, he set up a claim to the pew in church in which Mrs. Blair sat, and one Sunday "with great fury and violence pulled her out of it in the presence of the minister and congregation, who were greatly scandalized at this ruffian and profane action." Governor Andros, however, found out that it was no light thing to antogonize a man of the influence of Dr. Blair, who was not only President of a college, but commissary of the Bishop of London, member of the Virginia Council and judge of the highest court in the colony. The quarrel was referred to the Bishop of London and the Archbishop of Canterbury. And these prelates, in a conference at Lambeth Palace, where Dr. Blair argued his case in a manner to confound his enemies, fully sustained the parson president, and caused Andros to be recalled. To succeed Andros, Sir Francis Nicholson, the same that had been so badly used by Parke, was, at the instance of Dr. Blair, appointed governor. Strange to say, however, he became an even more violent enemy of the good President than Andros had been. On the very day of the publication of his commis- _______________ (1) Perry. Page 66. sion, when Dr. Blair called upon him and recommended to him, in the name of the Bishop of London, a policy of moderation in his ad- ministration of affairs, Nicholson hotly stopped him with the remark: "G-----, I know how to govern Virginia and Maryland better than all the bishops in England. If I had not hampered them in Maryland and kept them under, I should never have been able to have governed them." To which Dr. Blair replied: "Sir; I do not pretend to understand Maryland, but if I know of anything of Virginia, they are a good-natured, tractable people as any in ye world and you may do anything with them, by way of civility, but you will never be able to manage them in that way you speak of, by hampering and keeping them under." "Being thus laid aside from all opportunity of offering advice," Dr. Blair was quickly amazed to hear the strange stories of Nicholson's rudeness and abusiveness to everybody in the Colony. The loyalty of that day to prerogative was a marvel; for we are told that Nicholsos did not hesitate to tell even the Council, composed of the best men in Virginia, that "they were brutes, and understood not manners, that he knew how to govern the Moors, that he would beat them into better manners, and make them feel that he was a Governor of Virginia." The company was "amazed and silent," it is said, and "this mad, furious distracted speech," received no other rebuke, It would be different now. People sought for an explanation of this sudden change in Governor Nicholson, and found it thus. A few miles from Williams- burg, at the mouth of King's Creek, once known as "Utimaria," the home in early colonial days of Capt. John Utie, resided Maj. Lewis Burwell (1) and his bevy of charming daughters, one of whom infaturated the Governor. The first name of this ________________ (1) Lewis Burwell, the second of the name, who married Abigail Smith, niece and heiress of Col. Nathaniel Bacon, of King's Creek. Page 67. lowland beauty is unknown; but tradition represents her as of that ravishing type of beauty which, in another fair Virginian, roused the anonymous poet to alliterative verse: "May mild, meridian moonbeams mantle me with laughing, lisping Lucy Lightfoot Lee." Moonbeams suggest lunacy, however, as well as love, and Miss Burwell would not accept the mad Governor. Thereupon, Nicholson imagined that Dr. Archibald Blair, brother of the President, was his rival, and "conceived the strongest objections to him and all his relatives." He sent for President Blair and abruptly addressed him in these words: "Sir, your brother is a villain, and you have betrayed me." Then, with hands uplifted to heaven, he thundered out as loud as he could roar: "Mr. Blair, take notice; I vow to the enternal G------ that I will be revenged on you and all your family." Even the Minister of Hampton Parish, in which Major Burwell resided, was not free from the Governor's jealousy. The former, who was the Rev. Stephen Fouace, came to be regarded also as a rival: and Mr. Fouace relates how, on the occasion of a visit to Major Burwell, who was then very ill, Nicholson set upon him in the woods with words of bitter abuse, pulled his hat off, and so threatened him with his pistols and swords that the minister deemed it prudent to run away from him, "as fast as his horse could carry him." Nicholson often swore that, if Miss Burwell married any other than himself, he would cut the throats of three persons -- "the bridegroom, the minister, and the justice that should give the license," -- tragical language reported everywhere in the social circles, even of London, until "the change itself rang" in the English metropolis of Nicholson and his crazy actions. So much talk occurred that one of the Governor's London friends conceived it proper to write him a letter of advice. He besought him "not to give the lady or her relatives any further molestation," but "to remember that English women are the freest in Page 68. the world, and are not to be won by constraint, and that it was not in Virginia as it was in some barbarous countries, where the tender lady is often dragged into the Sultan's arms just reaking in the blood of her nearnest relatives." (1) Nicholson, however, did not take the advice, but went so far as to entertain designs on Dr. Blair's life, at one time furnishing the boys of the Latin or Grammar School with his own pistols to keep the President out of the College; and at another time, stealing from the Palace at midnight to Dr. Blair's chamber door, where only lock and key kept him from entering, and, as the latter fully believed, from actual murder. But the end came at last. The Council, consisting of Robert Carter, James Blair, John Lightfoot, Matthew Page, Benjamin Harrison, and Philip Ludwell, all connected with one another, so Nicholson charged, by blood or marriage, united in an address to Queen Anne, and the eccentric Nicholson was removed.(2) Then, after a brief interval, came Alexander Spotswood, a man cast in a nobler mould than any of his predecessors. He had served with distinction under the Duke of Marlborough, and his administration of public affairs was signalized by many important public measures. Had he attended more to the courtly maxim of Charles II "to quarrel with no man however great might be the provocation, since he knew not how soon he should be obliged to act with him," that able officer might be recommended as the model of a provincial governor, But, says Dr. Blair, "he was so wedded to his own notions that there was no quarter for them that went not with him." Spotswood got into wrangles with the Burgesses, whose Republican spirit ill suited with his notions of prerogative, and bcause Dr. Blair would not side with him, he exerted himself to the utmost "to ruin me," writes the latter bitterly, "with the college and my parish." (3) _____________ (1) Perry. (2) Perry. (3) Ibid. Page 69. The lion was once more roused in the old parson's breast, and he returned with a gauntleted hand the blows of the veteran of Marlborough. The result was much the same as before Spotswood was removed. After Spotswood's fall, a period of comparative peace shed its rays upon the venerable commissary. The college, which had been burned in 1705, and had had many difficulties to contend with in the labor of restoration, was now well founded in point of habitation and educational organization. It was under Dr. Blair's able and virtuous administration, aided by a faculty of the ripest scholars from Edinburgh, Oxford and Cambridge, that the fathers of the Virginians of the Revolution learned those lessons of sterling worth and integrity, which, engrafted on the sons, lent such honor and distinction to Virginia. The end of a useful life of 89 years occured on April 18, 1743, just a half a century after the college charter was obtained. Gov. William Gooch thus communicated Dr. Blair's decease to the Bishop of London: "The Commissary Blair died the 18th of the last month. * * * The deceased had a rupture about forty years, and that turning to mortification, killed him; but such was his constitution that he struggled with the conqueror ten days after the doctor had declared that he could not life ten hours. He has left his books and L500 to the college, and to his nephew and his children near L10,000, besides other small legacies." (1) From the death of Dr. Blair to the Revolution -- about the interval of a generation -- there were five presidents -- Rev. William Dawson, Rev. William Stith, Rev. Thomas Dawson, Rev. William Yates, Rev. James Horrocks, and Rev. John Camm. With the probable exception of one of these, they all appear to _______________ (1) For further particulars relative to Dr. Blair consult Perry, and Sprague's "Annals of the American Pulpit." He and his wife were buried at Jamestown. For inscriptions on their tombs consult Virginia His. Papers, XI. Page 70. have been wise and virtuous men, who left their impress upon the life of the colony during this period. At the smallest estimate, there must have been scattered abroad in Virginia, at the time of hostilities with the mother country, 1,000 graduates of the college, who were trained in the humanities and literature of Rome, so calculated to foster patriotic inspiration.(1) There would have been many more had not dissentions in religion and politics crept into the college during the last ten years of the period. Unlike the northern colleges, which continued to represent the religious convictions of the people, William and Mary, by adhering to the cause of the Church of England, which was daily weakening in the Colony, with difficulty retained its patronage. The majority of the people in the Colony became dissenters, and though a majority of the youth of wealth still attended the ancient seat of learning at Williamsburg, a large minority who had chiefly embraced the new views of religion went to the North, or to England. The history of John Camm, the last of the ante-Revolutionary presidents, is very instructive to the historian in connection with Virginia life at a critical period. A man of high spirit and of great talent, he was loyal to the King and Church, but un- fortunately involved the college in the political struggles of the times. He it was that led the clergy in the celebrated "Parsons' causes" against Patrick Henry, of whom we catch some interesting glimpses in the letters of Camm's friend, the Commissary Robinson.(1) A very unreasonable young man he must have appeared in the eyes of the royalist Robinson, and Camm looked through the same glasses. Robinson says, that in his speech in the Parsons' cause in Hanover county, Henry actually declared that the King had forfeited all rights of obedience heretofore due to him from his subjects in Virginia! and, think of it, he had shortly after, in the House of Bur- ___________________ (1) The Virginians drew their inspiration from Rome and Greece, which certainly afforded the noblest exemplars known in those days. Page 71. gesses, "denounced the authority of the Parliament and King," and gone so far as "to compare his sacred Majesty to a Tarquin, a Caesar, and a Charles I, not sparing insinuations that he wished another Cromwell to arise." Now, it was not in the nature of Robinson, and least of all of John Camm, to yield to any man, and the latter had little else but scorn for a popular orator like Henry. And so the battle over the rights of the clergy was fought by Camm for many years in the courts and before the Royal Council in England. He abandoned the contest only when Lord North showed the white feather and betrayed him. Dr. Arthur Lee accused Camm of being "the centre of all the disaffection in the Colony," and certainly, what with his agency in the Parsons' causes, his advocacy of Bishops in Virginia, and his opposition to the popular move for separation from England, there was some ground for the declaration. The current was all against him, however, and at length too proud to flee and too brave to surrender, Camm was left the only Tory in the faculty. The visitors and governors, worn out with strife and contentions, removed him in the Spring of 1777, and in the year 1779 he died. (1) In the traditions of the college, Camm is pre-eminently known as the "Old Parson." Born in 1718, educated at Trinity College, Cambridge University, he was twenty-eight years connected with William and Mary as professor and president. (2) __________________ (1) York County Records. Appraisement of his estate 15 Feb., 1769. Camml eft five children Ann, Thomas, Robert, John and Eliza. John was ancestor of Camm Patteson, a prominent member of the Virginia Legislature. (2) Extract from the Trinity College admission book: "June 16, 1788, Admissus Est Johannes Camm, sub. siz. fil. Thomae de Hornsea in Com. Ebor e Schola Beverlacensi sub Praes. Moi. Clarke an. nat. 20. Tutore Uro Belman." Mr. Gerard F. Cobb, of Trinity College, writes that "Hornsea" is not far from Hull, and at that time Beverely was no doubt the educa- Page 72. He was a bachelor up to the mature age of 51 years, and then he met his fate in the following remarkable manner. A fair Virginian, of name and kinship with the rebel Hansford, of Bacon's day, was one of Camm's parishioners, and it is said that, induced by a love smitten swain, he called upon her to urge the suit of the discarded one. Among other authorities in favor of matrimony he invoked the Bible, which, he said, enjoined it as one of the duties of life. Persuasion was wasted, however, for the young lady declared that, if the parson would consult Chapter XII. verse 7 of Samuel, he would note an injunction of the text, which might suggest the reason for her refusal. Mr. Camm went home and "examined the scriptures," when the words stood plainly revealed: "And Nathan said to David, thou art the man." Mr. Camm took the hint and married the young lady himself.(1) A memorable consequence of this action should, however, be noticed. According to the monastic views entertained of colleges at this time, the president alone was authorized to enjoy the luxury of marriage. Camm was then a professor only, and accordingly, the visitors fulminated(2) an order that "all profes- _________________ tional centre for the S. Eastern district of Yorkshire. "Sub siz" is short for "sub sizator." Those who could plead the "res augustae domi" were entitled to be entered as subsizers; and paid reduced fees, etc; they were thereby qualified to compete for the sizarships which practically met all the expenses of their eduction." (1) See Virginia Gazette for July, 1769, which annouces the marriage of John Camm, treasurer of College of William and Mary, to Miss Betsy Hansford. See also, paper entitled "Hansford," by Mrs. Annie T. Tyler, Va. Hist. Papers, Vol. XI. (2) See William and Mary College historical catalogue. Previous, however, to the Camm episode, Thomas Robinson, master of the Grammar school, and Rev. Richard Graham, Professor of Mathematics, had fallen under the censure of the Visitors for alife offence. Rev. Thomas Robinson married, while professor, Miss Edity Tyler, sister of John Tyler, marshal of the vice-admiralty court, and father of the first Gov. John Tyler. There is a tradition that Prof. Graham married Page 73. sors and masters hereafter to be appointed be constant residents of the college, and upon the marriage of such professor or master that his professorship be immediately vacated." After Camm came young James Madison, a cousin of James Madison, the President of the United States. He had been Professor of Natural Philosophy and Mathematics in the College, and though a student of ministry, was an ardent friend of the Revolution and the sciences which led in part to it. He was as ardent a rebel as Camm a loyalist. And so, when the Tory element in the Faculty lost power by the defection of Profesors Henley and Gwatkin, who, disgusted "with rebellious colonists and disorderly collegians" (Gwatkins words), sailed off in 1775, to England in the company of Lady Dunmore, this young man moved at the faculty meeting to Camm's great disgust, that hereafter his Majesty's name should be dropped in all Surveyor's commissions issued by the college. Camm entered in the faculty minutes a solemn protest against the motion, but it was adopted despite his opposition. (Faculty Minutes, 29, Nov. 1776). Afterwards, when he was made president, Madison, in conjunction with Mr. Jefferson, a member of the "Visitors and Governors," carried his revolutionary spirit into the constitution of the College, breaking down the old curriculum system of Oxford and Cambridge and introducing in its stead the free ideas, constituting what is known as the elective system, at the present time recognized at nearly all American colleges.(1) Indeed, it is related of Madison that so strong a friend was he of free principles that in his sermons he would never speak of Heaven as a ________________ another sister. At any rate they were removed from their professor- ships. Notwithstanding, they took an appeal to the Privy Council in England and were restored. The only child of Prof. Robinson was Mary Robinson, wh o married Thomas Jameson, brother to Lt. Col. David Jameson, and had descendants of the name of Ayres and others in the Western States. (1) See "A Few Facts from the Records of William and Mary Colledge by Lyon G. Tyler." -- American Historical Society Papers. Page 74. Kingdom, but as "that great Republic where there was no distinction of rank, and where all men were free and equal." Nor had this grand liberalism of principle, which was induced no doubt, in part, by the fact of his having held the chair of the Natural Sciences, as the successor of that Dr. William Small who, Jefferson says, "fixed his destinies in life," suffered any considerable falling off, when in the general convention of the Episcopal Church of the United States, at New York, in the year 1792, he introduced a proposition for a union "with all sincere Christians," and expressed his opinion and gave his vote against the use of the 39 articles, altogether opposing them on the principle of the "Confessional and other like books." To the end Madison remained a scientist, and as Bishop of the Episcopal Church he lived and died the exponent of religion and the enemy of superstition. I have seen his portrait -- a clean cut face, Roman nose, penetrating eyes, lips finely wrought and firmly clasped, hair early turned gray and standing straight upon his head -- the whole set off by the flowing robes of his high Episcopal office. I could not think, however, that devoted as his life had been to William and Mary College, the portrait would have had a finer effect, if it had represented him in the class room lecturing on the sciences to such Virginia boys as James Monroe, Edmund Randolph, and St. George Tucker. Indeed, the hundreds that went forth from his presence, during 39 years of service as professor, and president, continued in the manner of their living the great merits of him whom his namesake and relative, the statesman, declared was "one of the most deserving men that ever lived." (1) As Gov. Nicholson has been criticised for his hostility to President Blair, it is but just to him to say that in the inception of the project to build the college, he was a warm and zealous friend. It is to his lasting credit that in 1692, he bestowed his houses and lots in Yorktown for the __________________________ (1) For a full biography of President Madison, of William and Mary, see Sprague's "Annals of the American Pulpit," Vol. V. Page 75. establishment of a free school there (York records), and by his will, dated March 4, 1727, dedicated all his property in Virginia, New England and Pennsylvania for missionary purposes. York records.