Virginia Ferry Operators, 1702. The first Act regulating ferries within the Virginia Colony was passed by the House of Burgess in January 1641. The 1641 Act ordered that each County was responsible for providing and maintaining ferries and bridges. In November 1647 the 1641 Act was repealed. The 1647 repeal was followed by an Act in March 1654/55 authorizing each county court to license ferry keepers. Nothing appears in the Laws of Virginia for the regulation of ferries, between March 1654/55 until August 1702, when a new Act passed by the General Assembly enacted a £20 bond for licensing, and gave special exemptions for those operating ferries. Details of Virginia Colony ferry locations, and occasionally the names of the ferry operators, first appear in the Acts of the Virginia General Assembly dated 14 August 1702 (inconsistencies in spelling retained): _________________ AT A GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEGUN AT HER MAJESTYES ROYAL COLLEDGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY, ADJOINING TO THE CITY OF WILLIAMSBURG, THE FIFTH DAY OF DECEMBER, AND IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF HIS LATE MAJESTY, KING WILLIAM III, OF BLESSED MEMORY, And thence continued, by several prorogations, to the fourteenth day of August; in the first year of the reign of our sovereign Lady Anne, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, &c. Annoq; Dom. 1702; being the fourth session of this present General Assembly. ACT I. An act for the regulation and settlement of ferryes and for dispatch of public Expresses, and for the speedy transporting of forces over rivers and creeks in time of danger. WHEREAS a good regulation of ferryes in this her majestyes colony and dominion prove very useful for the dispatch of publick affaires and for the case and benefit of travellers and in business, Be it therefore enacted by the Governour, Councell and burgesses of this present generall assembly and the authority thereof, and it is hereby enacted, That feryes be constantly kept at the places hereafter named, and that the rates for passing the said feryes be as followeth, vizt: On James River. In Henrico county at Varina, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse a shilling. In Charles City county at Wesopher, the price for a man a shilling, for a man and horse eighteen pence. In Appomatock river at the usuall place near coll. Byrd's store, the price for a man halfe a royall, for a man and horse one royall. On the south side in Charles City county at Cogan's point, the price the same as at Westopher. In Surrey county from Hog Island maine to Archershope, the price for a man two ryals, for a man and horse two shillings six pence. At the mouth of upper Chipokes creek over to the Row or Martins Brandon, the price for a man six pence for a man and horse one shilling. From Swans point to Jamestown, the price for a man a royall, for a man and horse two royalls. From Crouches creek to James towne the price for a man one royall and a halfe, for a man and horse three royalls. In James City county at James town the price to swans point for a man one royall, for a man and horse two royalls. To Crouches creek for a man one royal and a halfe, for a man and horse three royalls. At Chicahominy at Freemans point at the usual place the price for man six pence, for a man and horse one shilling. In Nanzemond county from Cofeild point to Robert Peals near Sleepy hole, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse one shiling. In Elizabeth City county at Hampton towne from the town point to Brooks point, the price for a man three pence, for a man and horse six pence. In Norfolk county from Norfolke towne to Sawyers point or Lovets plantation, the price for a man six pence for a man and horse one shilling. Upon York River. In Newkent county from Robt. Peaslyes to Phill Williams's, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse one shilling. From the Brick house to Gutteryes the price for a man one shilling, for a [blank]. In King William county from Spencers over to the usuall landing place, the price for a man [blank] for a man and horse one shiling. From Phill Williamses to Peaslyes point, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse one shiling. From West Point to he Brick house, the price for a man one shiling, for a man and horse eighteen pence. From West Point to Gutteryes, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse one shiling. In York county from Yorke towne to Tindals point, the price for a man one royall, for a man and horse two ryals. In Glocester county from Tindalls point to Yorke towne, the price for a man one royall, for a man and horse two royalls. From Baylyes over Piankatank, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse one shiling. In King and Queen county, from Gutteryes to West Point, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse one shiling. From Gutteryes to the Brick house, the price for a man one shiling, for a man and horse two shillings. From Burfords to old Talbots, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse one shiling. In Middlesex county, over Pyankatank at Turks ferry the usuall place, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse one shiling. On Rapahanock River. In Middlesex county from Dudly's plantation to Chewnings point and Martram Wrights plantation, the price for a man fifteen pence, for a man and horse two shilings and six pence. In Essex county, over Rappahanock to Southings ferry, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse one shiling. From Bowlers to Willowbys, the price for a man one shilling, for a man and horse two shillings. In Richmond county, from Sowthings over Rappahanock river, the price for a man six pence, for a man and horse one [blank]. From Willowbys to Bowlers, the price for a man one shilling, for a man and horse two shillings. And from Martrum Wrights to Dudlys, the price for man fifteen pence, for a man and horse two shillings six pence. And for the more orderly and better keeping thereof, Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, and it is hereby enacted, That the court of each county wherein any ferry is appointed by virtue of this act shall have and hereby hath full power and authority of lycencing allowing and appointing the ferry keeper, and of ordering and directing what boat or boats and hands shall be kept there, and also upon neglect or omision in the good and orderly keeping thereof of discharging in turning out that [blank] in that place. Provided always, that the said court upon appointing [blank] to keep ferry do take bond with one sufficient surety in the sume of twenty pounds sterling payable to her majesty for the constant and well keeping of the same with boates and hands according to the direction of the said court, and alsoe for the giveing pasages without delay to such publick messengers and expreses as shall be mentioned by this act to be ferry free. And for encouragement of the said ferry keepers in the better keeping of the same, and in consideration of seting over the publick messeages and expresses. Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, and it is hereby enacted, That all the men attending on the said ferry boates shall be free of publick and county levyes and from all other publick services as musters, constables, clearing high wayes, being impressed and other things of the like nature, and shall have their lycence without any fee or reward paid for obtaining the same, or for the petition, bond or other matter or thing whatsoever relating thereto, and also if the said county court shall find it requisite or usefull that an ordinary be kept at such ferry, then and in such case they are hereby authorized and impowered to lycence such ferry keeper to keep ordinary without any fee either for the lycence or for obtaining the same notwithstanding there be otherwise a sufficient number of ordinaryes in the same county, and moreover that in such case no other person be admited to keep ordinary within five miles of such ferry keeper so lycenced to keep ordinary unless it shall so haven that the place of a county court or land laid out for a towne shall require it. Provided alwayes, and it is the true intent and meaning of this act that when any ferry keeper shall be so lycenced to keep ordinary, the person so lycenced shall notwithstanding the imunityes aforesaid be lyable to such like bonds, securityes and penaltyes as other ordinary keepers are and shall be lyable unto. ________________ Transcribed from: Hening, William Waller 1823 The Statutes at Large; Being A Collection Of All The Laws Of Virgininia From The First Session Of The Legislature, In The Year 1619. Volume III. Thomas Desilver, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Submitted by Gwen Hurst **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. 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