Westmoreland County, VA; Col. John Washington, Emigrant; Wm. & Mary Qrtly., Vol. 2, 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 *********************************************************************** COL. JOHN WASHINGTON: FURTHER DETAILS OF HIS LIFE FROM THE RECORDS OF WESTMORELAND CO., VIRGINIA Lyon G. Tyler William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Papers, Vol. 2, No. 1, (Jul. 1893), pp. 38-49. 38 COL. JOHN WASHINGTON. FURTHER DETAILS OF HIS LIFE FROM THE RECORDS OF WESTMORELAND CO., VIRGINIA BY THE EDITOR. The important paper of Mr. Stanard in the last issue of the "Quarterly" concerning the Washington family may be supplemented by other information. It appears from the records of Westmoreland County that the Washington Family from the earliest times was one of great distinction in the Northern Neck. John Washington, (1) the emigrant, was a leading Justice and military character, who like most of the men of wealth was a loyalist in Bacon's Rebellion. That celebrated commotion in Virginia was preceded by difficulties with the Indians in Stafford County. In the summer of 1675, a herdsman named Robert Hen was slain there by a party of the hostile tribe of Doegs. Col. George Mason and Capt. Brent with some militia pursued the offenders, and in the hostilities some Susquehannocks, a friendly tribe, were slaughtered. These latter had been recently expelled from their own country at the head of the Chesapeake Bay by the Senecas, a tribe of the five nations. Encompassed on all sides they took refuge in an old fort erected by Maryland for the protection 39 of the frontier. At the invitation of Maryland this fort was besieged in the letter part of 1675, by a joint army of Marylanders and Virginians. The Marylanders were commanded by Major Thomas Truman and the Virginians by Col. John Washington and Major Isaac Allerton. Before the siege commenced five Indian chiefs came out for a parley; they were seized and put to death. This action can hardly be justified by the rules of war, and it goaded the savages to desperate valor and occasioned a universal Indian war. But it is sufficiently proved by these papers that Washington and his Virginians were not responsible for the deed:---- June ye 14th, 1677. A narrative of ye Susquehannocks ffort soe fare as I know concerning ye killing of ye five Indians. As soone as our Virginia forces were landed in Maryland we found five Susquehannoh Indians under a guard & inquireing ye reason of their restraint were answered they endeavoured an escape & thereof were secured till our comeing in ordr to a treaty wee informing ye Marylandrs our businesse was first to treat & require satisfaction for ye murder perpetrated before wee declared ourselves open enemies and proceeded to hostile actions. Lt. Coll. John Washington and Major Isaac Allerton upon this information thought it convenient to have them stronger guarded & themselves alsoe during ye treaty weh being done & Coll. Washington & Major Allerton accordingly treating there first demand was satisfaction for ye murder & spoyles committed on Virginnia shore Major Trueman in ye interim remaining silent. After long debate somethings therein-made by Coll. Washington & Major Allerton ye Indians disowned all ye was Aledged to them & imputed it all to Senecas. Coll. Washington & Major Aller- 40 ton urged ye sevrall Cannoes loaded with beefe & port had bin carried into there fort alleadging yt there enimyes would not be so kinde as to supply with provisions & farther yt some of these men had a little before bin taken on Virginnia side who had ye Cloathes of such as had bin a little before murdered upon there backes, which made it appeare that they had bin the murderers, for these reasons Major Allerton & Coll. Washington demanded satisfaction or else they must proceed agt them as enimyes & storm there fort, and commanded the interpreter to bid them defiance. During ye time of this treaty Major Trewman came & asked ye Gentl whether they had finished, saying when you have done I will say something to them. And when Coll. Washington & Major Allerton had ended their treatie he send and commanded his interpreter, John Shanks, to ask them how theire Indians came to be buried at Hursons & after a little further discourse caused them to be bound & told them he would carry them to ye place & show theire nine Indians where they lay dead. Major Allerton asked him what he did intend to doe with them? Afterwards Majoy Trewman answered he thought they deserved ye like to weh Major Allerton replyed, I do not think soe. Noe sooner was this discourse ended between Major Allerton & Major Trewman than ye Marylandrs carried away these five Indians & before they hardly got five hundred yards distance from the place of this discourse & treaty spoken of, ye Marylandrs killed them & further saith not. JOHN GERRARD Sworne before us by virtue of an ordr to us from ye right Honble ye Govenor. NICHO SPENCER, June ye 13th, 1677, recorded. RICH. LEE. 41 June ye 14th, 1676. A narative of Treatment at ye Susquihano ffort soe fare as they concern ye killing of ye five Indians. As soon as we were landed in Maryland wee found five of ye Susquihano Indians under a guard of two files of Marylandrs. Coll. Washington & Major Allerton enquired the Reason of it and were answered yt they had endeavored to gett away, the Coll. Washington & Major Alerton acquainted Major Truman, there orders were to treat with them and demand satisfaction before they proceeded in a hostile way & after they had drawne a strong guard about ye said Indians they began to demand satisfaction for ye murthers and spoyles don in Virginia, but they would owne nothing, saying ye mischieffs were done by the Senecas & not by them. While this lasted, Major Truman said severall times Genttl have you done, for I resolve to say nothing untill you have donne. Answer was made him by our Genttl when wee have donne, we will give you notice. Our Gentl having done, Major Truman called one John Shanks his interpreter & began to demand satisfaction for ye murders donne and thereupon ye weh our Gentl withdrew themselves & after Major Trueman had treated with them sometime, he called unto Coll. Washington, Are not these impudent Rogues to denye the murders they have done when there Indians ly dead on Hurston's plantacon being killed in a fight there, to ye weh C. Washington replyed, it would be very convenient to carry them up thither and show them there Indians yt are theire buried. Major Trueman replyed, and soe I will. This is all yt heard spoken by our Gentl concerning ye five Indian prissoners yt were killed wee being by them all ye time of ye discourse untill they parted & yet Indians were conveyed away by Major 42 Truman's men & killed weh was occation yt much amaized & startled us & our Comanders being a thing yt was never imagined or expected of us & further saith not. Daniel Lisson, Interpreter. Robert Massey, Sworne before us by vertue of an ordr to us from ye Right Honble ye Govnr. Nicho Spencer, Rich.Lee June ye 13th, 1677. Recorded. Interrogations by Mr. Danll Lisson, Mr. John Garrard & Capt Robert Massey, Exa. Were you present at ye examination of ye five Indians at ye Susquehanoh fort all ye time of the examination. To ye first afermitive, Did you know of any Councill of warr yt was called by ye officers of Virginia & Maryland, wherein it was resolved these Indians should be put to death. To ye second negative, Did you hearr either Coll. Washington or Major Allerton or any other officer advise, psuade or vehemently urge yt these sd Indians shall be put to death. To ye third negative, Had not Lt. Coll Washington or Major Allerton ye first treaty with them concerning ye murders & inuries donne on Virginia side & did not Major Trewman say he would say nothing to them till they had donne. To ye fourth afermative, Did Major Trewman say when Lt. Coll. Washington & Major Allerton told they had done wth them, now I have something to say to them. 43 To ye fifth afermative. Did not Major Trewman after some short discourse cause them to be bound saying he would send them to Hurson's plantacon & shew yt some of these Indians were killed at ye front (?) of ht house to convince them yt it was their Indians had done it weh they denied. To ye sixth afermative. Mr. Step: Mannering Warrant to Danniel Whitte. By virtue of a warrant by me received from ye Honble Genll Tho: Goodwiche for ye impressing of all ye pvisons belonging to ye delinquents & secureing of ye estates of all those yt are fledd Till further ordr from ye Right Honble Nathaniell Bacon, General of his Majts forces in Virginia, and heareing yt Coll. John Washingtons overseers are conveying of Corne, meat & Tobacco in a sloope or sloops over to Maryland and being myselfe at this instant goeing against ye Indians. These are therefor in his Majts name to will & require you Daniel White upon sight hereof immediately to goe to ye plantacon of ye sd Washington by ye river side & cease & impresse all ye corne & pvision, Tobacco, stocke or stocks yt belong to ye sd Washingtons either one yt plantacon or one ye other plantacon called ye Round hills & to command ye overseer of both pantacons In his Majts name not to suffer any corne, cattle, horses, mares, servants, or any other things to be conveyed away by any pson or psons till further order form ye Generall & to cease yt sloope or sloops yt shall in any wise attempt ye takeing pvision conveying any p't or parssells of goods yt either belong to the said Washington or any other delinquent yt are fleed fayle not hereof as you will answer ye contrary at yr utmost pill. Given under my hand this 21st of October, 1676. STEPHEN MANRING This warrant was recorded June ye 19th, 1677. 44 Mr. Stephen Manring warrant to Daniel White: These are his Majts name to Impower Mr. Daniel White to take into his custody two young mares belonging to Jno. Griffin & them reserve till further order from ye Generall or Lt. Generall, or till such time that ye sd Griffin hath cleared himself of trespasse committed against ye sd Lt. Generall & yt he shall not have anything to doe at ye plantacon of Coll. Spencer till farther order. Given under my hand this 6th day of November, 1676. STEPHEN MANRING. June ye 19th 1677, this warrant was recorded. Stephen Manring, Joseph Hardwick & Rich: Bartton, Rich: Donahan confession: fforasmuch as wee Stephen Manring, Joseph Hardwick, Rich: Bartton, Rich: Donahan have bin currently notoriously actors in ye late horrid rebellion sett on foot by Nathaniel Bacon Junr to ye great dishonor of God, perturbacon of ye peace, wellfare & safety of his Majts Collony of Virginia & to evill example of our fellow subjects within the same. Wee ye said Stephen Manrring, Stephen Hardwick, & Richard Barton, Richard Donnaham doe upon our bended knees humbly, heartily & unfeignedly confesse & acknowledge the saide, traiterous & rebellious practises. Whereby wee have rendered ourselves lyable to ye most severe punishmt, but doe humbly crave & implor mercy & pardon of God Almighty, the King's most excellent Majty, His most sacred Majtys Governor & other inferior officers & all other our fellow subjects within this Collony for such our horrid, treasonable & rebellious practices, heartily & unfeignedly resolveing with ourselves & humbly begging assistance from God Almighty, never to perpetrate, attempt or consent to ye like. 45 This recognitr wee desire to bee Recorded this 19th of June, 1677. Joseph Hardwick, Richard Barton, Richard Donnahan, Stephen Manring. The Depo of Mr. William Armiger(1) & Jno. Deeres taken this 26th day of July, 1677 as followeth: That being at Coll. John Washingtons house there came into the company one Stephen Manring & haveing some discourse about ye sd Armiger, takeing off some prsoners in ye sd Washington's house in ye time of Backen's Rebellion ye sd Manring Issued out these following viz: That ye Chief Officers of his Matles Pt then in distress, run away from their commissions. The sd Armiger desireing him to take a care of what he had said, his answer was yt he had Already suffered ye Law & now he cared not a ----- for any man. Then sd Armiger told him he acted by a false commission & how durst he be soe forward upon so 46 treacherous designe as he well knew whereupon he replied he did it to destroy ye heathen & if it were to Doe againe he would doe it. Then Armiger demanded of him why hee did not lay downe his arms when one Miller came in, his answer was yt hee had a letter from Coll. Goteredge [Goodrich] yt his houses was burnt, his wife & family robbed & his wife & children forced to ly on straw & he himselfe to be hanged if taken, wheh forced him, as sayes, to goe to ye other pty he Replyed yt there General Ingram was a cowardly, treacherous dogg for laying downe his armes or otherwise he would die himself at ye face of his Enemies & severall other such expressions attending to ye same purpose. Said Armiger told him he begged his commission, weh he swore bitterly it was fallse & would force ye sd Armiger to prove it. This is ye whole truth of what we can remember of this Idle discourse. WILLIAM ARMIGER, JNO. DEERES. Mr. Daniell White's Letter to Coll. Nicho Spencer. Sr you forced me ye last court to give security to ye good behaviour for what I know not unlesse thereby I might be ye more awd to give my estate to Coll. Washington weh I have donne, or at least soe much of it as he was pleased to demand, or If he be not satisfied if he please to demand more I am ready to give it knoweing yt there is Almighty pvidence yt doth rule or govern all actions And yt I may not [a word indecipherable] seeke my owne revenge, but rather say with Daniel ye Lord hath bidden him: who himselfe hath pmised by ye words of St. Paul to be the avenger of all such things And I 47 did aske Coll. Washington to be there with me & not demand the rigger of sd bonde in appeareing ye next cortt because I am a poore man & labour hard for my living & ye neglect thereof is much damage to me & my children weh hee would not doe unlesse I would Right to you because you were please to tell me I was a contemner of Authority and in not appeareing I might soe be pved weh words you had noe reason at all to speake because there hath never bin ye least misdemeanor pved agt me by any pson in this County, though I have bin now a house-keeper therein this 20 yeares neither have you or any pson in authority ever scene any such thing by me Although it may be some honourlicke (?) men whom I have not bin over fond in adoring (not as they were magistrates), but, as they were proud men & may inform you as much, but their malice ought not to be believed for itt did sufficiently appeare agt me in there life time, but it hath pleased God to remove them & now feareing ye Devill will alwayes be intrigueing agt me my request to yor Honors is to be pleased to Judge more favourably than formerly you have doone & Consider I Labor hard & that ye yeare is more then ordinary laborious & if I have no horse 4 or 5 dayes must needs much hinder my businesse & labour in travellinge & be pleased to excuse my not appearing this Court without urging any Contempt agt me so yt forfeiture of my bond & I will attend ye next Court to know further of your pleasure who am your servant, DANIEL WHITE, July ye 24th, 1677. This letter was recorded ye 29 Sept., 1677. 48 Major Allerton's petition: To The worpll Justices for Westmoreld Coty. The humble peticon of Isaac Allerton sheweth that ye Rebell Garrison held at Coll. Washingtons of weh ye cheife were Joseph Hardidge, Richard Barton, Thomas Oakley, William Head & Jno. Athill cum ceteris have damnified yor petn in his estate to ye value of thirteen thousand pound tobo. & Caske as by ye acctt annexed doth appeare he humbly craves to be Reimbursed ye sd Tobaccoe weh damages & costs and hee shall pray. This petn was recorded August ye 25th 1677. Wee finde yt Joseph Harwick, Richard Barton & ye Rest of ye Rebells yt keept ye garrisons are guilty of atakeing & not returneing goods belonging to Majr Allerton to the value of six thousand foure hundred pounds of tobo & costs, but for ye two feather beeds, rugge, wool beed & bushells salt wee finde not anything not having proofs or acknowlegmt. The Jury, Patrick Spens, Daniel Lisson, William Clement, Orginall Brown, Anthony, [signed] Williams, John Butler, Daniel [W] Hurt (?) John Newton, Edward ffranklikn, Sam Bodam, Robert Edwards, William Hardidge. This was Recorded the 25th of August 1677. Att a Comitty (by order of ye Grand Assembly) for laying a Levy in the northern neck for ye charge in Raisinge ye forces thereof for suppressing ye late rebellion mett at Capt Beales ye 14th of August, 1677 being present: Coll. Wm Ball, Coll. Jno Washington, Mr. Wm Preseley, Major Ed. Dale, Major Isaac Allerton, Mr. 49 Peter Presley, Coll. Wm Travers, Coll. Samll Griffin, Coll. Geo. Mason, Mr. Martin Scarlet. Itt is by them ordered yt ye county of Rappk p Westmerld, pay for 802 Tythabls at 31lb of Tobo p poll 25,025 lb (sic) Tobo to ye sevrall psons hereinafter pticularly menconed. (1) From his deposition, he was about 45 years of age in 1674. (1) Examined separately, Armiger said The sd Manring demanded of ye Armger how many men did take psoners at Coll. Washington's House & ye sd Manring askt what armes they had & sd Armiger replied 14 gunns loaden upon weh ye sd Manring replyed G ----d----- him were hee there wth 14 men he would uphold the house from five hundred men, or else die at their feet. And sd Armiger then told him he was a foole, then said Manring to ye sd Armiger he was bound to he peace & durst not challenge him, but stamped with is foote & so I doe not challenge you, but come out if you please. Madam Washington said to ye Manring if you were advised by your wife you need not acome to this passe he answered G ---- d---- my wife if it were to doe I would doe it againe. WILLIAM ARMIGER. This Depo was recorded the 25th of August, 1677.