01418 Doris Y.

Stone, "Surry County Court Records: Early Surry County Legal Matters," Southside
Virginian (April-June 1994).

[page 85]

Submitter's Note: This may have been the first Strike in America.

Whereas a company of rude & disordrly psons to ye Number of ffoureteene did unlawfully Assemble on or about ye
4th day of xbr (Dec.) last at ye pish Church of Lawnes Creeke in yis County wth Intent to alter ye Late Levy, or not
to pay ye Sume & yt they Expected divers others of theire Confederates to meete wth them, for yt it appeares by ye
Confession of Mathew SWAN, Jno. BARNES, Wm. HANCOCK, Robt. LACY, Jno. GREGORY, Tho: CLEY,
Michll: UPCHURCH, Jno: SHEPPARD, Wm. TOOKE, Geo: PETERS, Wm. LITTLE, Jno: GREENE & James
CHISSETT yt they did meete att ye Time & place aforesd & for yt ye greatest pte of ye psons aforesd did this day
also Riottously meete togeather in ye feild commonly called ye Divells feild, not withstanding some of them were
advertised to ye Contrary: Wch we Conceive to be agst ye peace of or. Sovraigne Lord ye King, & ye quiett of this
County: These are therefore in ye Kings Maties name to witt & reqre you to take into yr. Custody ye bodyes of ye
Sevrall psons before Named, & them in Safe Custody to Keepe, untell they Enter into Bond wth Sufft:: Security for
there appearance att ye Ware Neck on Tuesday ye 6th Instant att ye Cort there; there to be pceeded agst. according
to Law & alsoe that they be of good behavior: & keep ye peace of or: sd Sovragne Lord ye King, & for soe doeing
this shall be yr: warrt: Given undr: or: hands this
3d Janry 1673/4
To ye Sherff of ye sd Law BAKER
County or his deputy: Robt SPENSOR
Vera recordant
Teste Wm EDWARDS Cl Cur
Deeds & Wills 1671-1684 page 42, Surry County, Virginia

Mathew SWAN being yis day brought before us ye Subscribed, & being asked why he & others mett at ye Church
ye 12th Xber Last, he said it was to agree about redress from their taxes wch were heavey, he was asked how he
Knew theire taxes were unreasonably laid; he said Mr. MASON told him, & alsoe Mr. GOREING said ye same, yt
there were some Extraordinry taxes, he being demanded wt discourse be there if he did not goe from Home, ye said
SWAN hath alsoe very obstinately professed in ye Lawfullness of ye meeting, & said yt all or most of ye County
were of his minde:
Deeds & Wills 1671-1684 page 42, Surry County, Virginia

[page 86]

Att a court held at Southwarke for the County of Surry

July 5th:
Prest:
Mr. Benja: HARRISON Capt. Henry TOOKER
Capt. Robt. RANDALL Capt. Thomas SWANN
Capt. Francis CLEMENTS

John CASSE having caused Jno: ONION to be arrested Set Forth that the said ONION about five weeks since
came to his house and indeavoured to Ravish his wife, and thereby hath very much hurt her breast by reason
whereof she hath ever Since & Still doth suffer great pains & Misery, and groeth every day worse rather than
better, and is thereby unable to doe what belongs to her, to his great hinderance, and it is like to cost him
Considerable to some Dockter before she recovers, which is to that an able Jury might be Impannelled to try the
same and award such reparation as they shall see fitt, and a Jury being accordingly impannelled & Sworne vizt:
Mr. John THOMPSON Mr. Geo. WILLIAMS, Mr. William ROSE, Mr. John CLARKE Mr. Allen WARREN Mr.
Will NASH Mr. James KILPATRICK Mr. Charles DIGBY Mr. Thomas COLLIER, Capt. Roger POTTER, Mr.
Robert CRAFORD & Mr. Thomas DAVIS returne for Virdict wee finde for the defdt: upon the defedts. motion the
Jurys Virdict is confirmed & the Suite dismist and the said CASSE ordered to pay Costs at Exo:
Order Book 1691-1713 page 43, Surry County, Virginia

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The Declaration of Mr. Thos. WARREN taken this 2d Julye 1656 Saith That beinge at James Cittye in June last in
Compy. wth. severall gentlemen Mr. Randall HOLT of Hogg Island Comminge into the Compy. And Haveing at
the qter. Courte obtained a Reversmt, of an order passed in or. Courte ffell into a discourse of the proceedings of
Courte, of the difference of opinions & much more to that effect, And beinge aggravated by one Thomas sp.
Thomas whoe made Complt of some passages betweene him & Capt. SIDWAY. This dept. dud Reprove the sd.
HOLT for speakinge some things too Largely of or. Comrs. The sd. HOLT replyed that hee sd. nothinge to this
dept. & asked whether hee were Turned Settinge dogge, And said ffurther that there was None but owles & asses,
Knaves & Rogues of or. Commission, whereupon this dept. Called wittnesses thereof & Left the Compy. & ffurther
St. not,
Signed Thomas Warren
Deed Book 1652-1671 p. 87 Surry County, Virginia

there followed a petition from Randall HOLT; begging forgiveness and denying portions of remarks

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