Page 83 - History of Rockingham Co
P. 83
A HISTORY OF
of Capt. Coger and Capt. Frazier; George Boswell, Gent, in
those of Capt. Hewit and Capt. Pence; Henry Ewing, Gent,
in those of Capt. Cravens, Capt Hamilton, and Capt Hop-
kins; John Fitzwater, Gent, in those of Capt Lincoln and
Capt Boggs; Anthony Rader, Gent, in those of himself and
Capt Harrison; Daniel Smith, Gent, in that of Capt. Smith;
Isaac Hinckle, on the North Fork and South Branch; and
James Dyer, Gent, on the South Fork.
In following thus the official proceedings in the organiza-
tion of the new county, one should keep in mind the cotem-
porary events that were marking the initial steps in the life
of the new nation. It was a great and stirring time. Just a
little over a year before the General Assembly of Virginia
passed the Act creating Rockingham County, Jefferson, a son
of Virginia, had written the Declaration of Independence,
upon which thirteen young states rose up before the world in
a challenge of hope that was as daring as it was splendid and
courageous. The very same year and month (October, 1777)
that the said Act was passed, the new nation scored a tri-
umph at a crisis in the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga.
In February following, just two months before the first court
of Rockingham met at Smithland, France recognized the in-
dependence of the United States, and thus made a telling
contribution to their success in the long struggle for freedom.
Through all the first years of the county's history this
struggle went on, with Fortune wavering near the point of
balance, until finally the political independence of the young
states was acknowledged by the mother country in 1783. At
that time Rockingham County was six years old; the new na-
tion, counting from 1776, was just two years older.
From the records of the county court, a number of which
The lists included not only the planters and householders, but also their
sons, men-servants, and slaves of sixteen years and upwards. The vari-
ous Acts of the Colonial Assemblv relating to tithables may be found in
Hening's Statutes. An authoritative discussion of the subject is presented
in Philip A. Brace's Institutional History of Virginia, Vol. 1 1, pp. 548-
555.
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of Capt. Coger and Capt. Frazier; George Boswell, Gent, in
those of Capt. Hewit and Capt. Pence; Henry Ewing, Gent,
in those of Capt. Cravens, Capt Hamilton, and Capt Hop-
kins; John Fitzwater, Gent, in those of Capt Lincoln and
Capt Boggs; Anthony Rader, Gent, in those of himself and
Capt Harrison; Daniel Smith, Gent, in that of Capt. Smith;
Isaac Hinckle, on the North Fork and South Branch; and
James Dyer, Gent, on the South Fork.
In following thus the official proceedings in the organiza-
tion of the new county, one should keep in mind the cotem-
porary events that were marking the initial steps in the life
of the new nation. It was a great and stirring time. Just a
little over a year before the General Assembly of Virginia
passed the Act creating Rockingham County, Jefferson, a son
of Virginia, had written the Declaration of Independence,
upon which thirteen young states rose up before the world in
a challenge of hope that was as daring as it was splendid and
courageous. The very same year and month (October, 1777)
that the said Act was passed, the new nation scored a tri-
umph at a crisis in the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga.
In February following, just two months before the first court
of Rockingham met at Smithland, France recognized the in-
dependence of the United States, and thus made a telling
contribution to their success in the long struggle for freedom.
Through all the first years of the county's history this
struggle went on, with Fortune wavering near the point of
balance, until finally the political independence of the young
states was acknowledged by the mother country in 1783. At
that time Rockingham County was six years old; the new na-
tion, counting from 1776, was just two years older.
From the records of the county court, a number of which
The lists included not only the planters and householders, but also their
sons, men-servants, and slaves of sixteen years and upwards. The vari-
ous Acts of the Colonial Assemblv relating to tithables may be found in
Hening's Statutes. An authoritative discussion of the subject is presented
in Philip A. Brace's Institutional History of Virginia, Vol. 1 1, pp. 548-
555.
-70-
