lands from the 1st of May, 1721, shall become a county by the name of Spottsylvania county."

The act goes on to direct that "fifteen hundred pounds, current money of Virginia, shall be paid by the treasurer to the governor, for these uses, to wit: £500 to be expended in a church, court-house, prison, pillory, and stocks, in said county; £1,000 to be laid out in arms, ammunition, &c., of which each Christian tytheable' is to have 'one firelock, musket, one socket, bayonet fixed thereto, one cartouch-box, eight pounds bullet, and two pounds powder.'" The inhabitants were made free of public levies for ten years, and the whole county made one parish, by the name of St. George.

From the following clause of the same act, it is presumed that this new county had been cut off from Essex, King and Queen, and King William; for the act declares that "until the governor shall settle a court in Spottsylvania," the justices of these counties "shall take power over them by their warrants, and the clerks of said courts by their process returnable to their said courts, in the same manner as before the said county was constituted," &c.

In the year 1730 an act was passed directing that the Burgesses for this county should be allowed for four days journey in passing to Williamsburg, and the same returning. In the same year, St. George's parish was divided by a line running from the mouth of Rappahannock to the Pamunkey; the upper portion to be called St. Mark's parish; the lower part to retain the name of St. George's parish. Four years after this the county was thus divided: St. George's parish to be still called Spottsylvania; and St. Mark's parish to be called Orange, and all settlers beyond the "Sherrando" river to be exempt for three years from the "paiment" of public and parish dues.

The governor fixed the seat of justice at Germanna, where the first court sat on the 1st day of August, 1722, when Augustine Smith, Richard Booker, John Taliaferro, Wm. Hunsford, Richard Johnson, and Wm. Bledsoe, were sworn as justices, John Waller as clerk, and Wm. Bledsoe as sheriff; this place being found "inconvenient to the people," it was directed by law that from and after the 1st of August, 1732, the court should be held at Fredericksburg, which law was repealed seventeen years afterwards, because it was "derogatory to his majesty's prerogative to take from the governor or commanderin-chief of this colony his power and authority of removing or adjourning the courts ;" and because "it might be inconvenient in a case of smallpox or other contagious distemper."

In 1769 the county, which had theretofore been one parish, was thus divided: all that part lying between the rivers Rappahannock and Po retained the name of St. George's Darish-the rest of the county was erected into a new parish called Berkeley. In 1778 an act was passed authorizing the justices to build a court-house at some point near the centre of the county, to which the court should be removed, provided a majority of the justices should concur in deeming it advisable. It appears that the justices determined to avail themselves of this privilege, for an act of 1780, passed, as is therein stated, in consequence of a representation that the court-house in Fredericksburg was "unfit to hold courts in," authorizes the county court to be held at the house of John Holiday, "until the new court-house now building in the said county shall be completed."

The first regular stage coaches that passed through this county were established by Nathaniel Twining, by virtue of an exclusive privilege granted him in 1784, for the term of three years, to be paid at the rate of five pence per mile by each passenger.

In the foregoing sketch mention is made of the ancient town of Germanna, founded by Governor Spotswood, and the original seat of justice for the county. There was a massacre of the inhabitants of this town shortly after its establishment, "perpetrated by the Indians, and sternly revenged by the whites-an event now learned only from the weakest and most feeble of all traditions."* Hugh Jones, in his "Present Condition of Virginia," published about 1724, thus describes Germanna:

Beyond Col. Spotswood's furnace, above the Falls of Rappahannock River, within view

This quotation is from a communication by W. G. Minor, to the late Gov. Gilmer, and published in the Southern Literary Messenger for February, 1841, entitled, "Colonial History of Virginia-a plea for its preservation." It is an able article, evincing much research, and vividly depicting the imperfections of the annals of Virginia.

of the vast mountains, he has founded a town called Germanna, from some Germans sent over by Queen Anne, who are now removed up further. Here he has servants, and workmen of most handicraft trades; and he is building a church, court-house, and dwelling-house for himself; and with his servants and negroes, he has cleared plantations about it, proposing great encouragement for people to come and settle in that uninhabited part of the world, lately divided into a county.

Beyond this is seated the colony of Germans of Palatines, with allowance of good quantity of rich land, who thrive very well and live happily, and entertain generously. These are encouraged to make wines; which by the experience (particularly) of the late Robert Beverly, who wrote the History of Virginia, was done easily, and in large quantities in those parts; not only from the cultivation of the wild grapes, which grow plentifully and naturally in all the lands thereabouts, and in the other parts of the country; but also from the Spanish, French, Italian, and German wines.

Col. Byrd, in his "Progress to the Mines," in 1732, gives the following notice of Germanna, and "the accomplished Governor Spotswood," and family. The governor had, nine years previously, vacated the gubernatorial chair, and was at this time extensively engaged in the iron-mining business:

This famous town [Germanna] consists of Col. Spotswood's enchanted castle on one side of the street, and a baker's dozen of ruinous tenements on the other, where so many German families had dwelt some years ago; but are now removed ten miles higher, in the fork of Rappahannock, to land of their own. There had also been a chapel about a bowshot from the colonel's house, at the end of an avenue of cherry-trees, but some pious people had lately burnt it down, with intent to get another built nearer to their own homes. Here I arrived about three o'clock, and found only Mrs. Spotswood at home, who received her old acquaintance with many a gracious smile. I was carried into a room elegantly set off with pier-glasses, the largest of which came soon after to an odd misfortune. Among other favorite animals that cheered this lady's solitude, a orace of tame deer ran familiarly about the house, and one of them came to stare at me as a stranger. But unluckily spying his own figure in the glass, he made a spring over the tea-table that stood under it, and shattered the glass to pieces, and falling back upon the tea-table, made a terrible fracas among the china. This exploit was so sudden, and accompanied with such a noise, that it surprised me, and perfectly frightened Mrs. Spotswood. But it was worth all the damage, to show the moderation and good humor with which she bore this disaster. In the evening, the noble colonel came home from his mines, who saluted me very civilly, and Mrs. Spotswood's sister, Miss Theky, who had been to meet him en cavalier, was so kind too as to bid me welcome. We talked over a legend of old stories, supped about nine, and then prattled with the ladies, till it was time for a traveller to retire. In the mean time I observed my old friend to be very uxorious, and exceedingly fond of his children. This was so opposite to the maxims he used to preach up before he was married, that I could not forbear rubbing up the memory of them. But he gave a very good-natured turn to his change of sentiments, by alleging that whoever brings a poor gentlewoman into so solitary a place, from all her friends and acquaintance, would be ungrateful not to use her and all that belongs to her with all possible tenderness.

We all kept snug in our several apartments till nine, except Miss Theky, who was the housewife of the family. At that hour we met over a pot of coffee, which was not quite strong enough to give us the palsy. After breakfast, the colonel and I left the ladies to their domestic affairs, and took a turn in the garden, which has nothing beautiful but three terrace-walks that fall in slopes one below another. I let him understand, that besides the pleasure of paying him a visit, I came to be instructed by so great a master in the mystery of making iron, wherein he had led the way, and was the Tubal Cain of Virginia. He corrected me a little there, by assuring me he was not only the first in this country, but the first in North America, who had crected a regular furnace.

The city of Fredericksburg is in a handsome valley on the south side of the Rappahannock River, 56 miles from Washington City, and 62 miles from Richmond, on the line of the great southern rail-road. It is at the head of tide on the river, about 150 miles

from its mouth. The Rappahannock is navigable for vessels of 140 tons, to the Falls of the Rappahannock, a short distance above the town.

Fredericksburg was founded by law in 1727, and named from Prince Frederick, father of George III. The neighboring village of Falmouth was founded at the same time. The preamb.e of the act establishing Fredericksburg says:

"Whereas great numbers of people have of late seated themselves and their families upon and near the river Rappahannock, and the branches thereof above the falls; and great quantities of tobacco and other commodities are every year brought down to the upper landings upon the said river, to be shipped off and transported to other parts of the country; and it is necessary that the poorer part of said inhabitants should be supplied from thence, with goods and merchandise in return for their commodities; but for want of some convenient place, where traders may cohabit and bring their goods to, such supplies are not to be had, without great disadvantages: and good houses are greatly wanted upon some navigable part of said river, near the falls, for the reception and safe keeping of such commodities as are brought thither; and for the entertainment and sustenance of those who repair thither from remote places with carriages drawn by horses or oxen. And forasmuch as the inhabitants of the county of Spottsylvania have made humble supplication to this General Assembly, that a town may be laid out in some convenient place near the falls of the said river, for the cohabitation of such as are minded to re side there for the purposes aforesaid, whereby the peopling that remote part of the country will be en couraged, and trade and navigation may be increased. Be it enacted," &c.

The town originally comprehended fifty acres, and was laid out on what was then called "the lease land." In 1742 and in 1759, its boundaries were enlarged. In 1738, a law was passed directing that "fairs should be held in Fredericksburg twice a year, for the sale of cattle, provisions, goods, wares, and all kinds of merchandise whatsoever." All persons at such fairs, going to or from them, were privileged from arrest and exe. cution during the fairs, and for two days before and two days after them, except for capital offences, breaches of the peace, or for any controversies, suits, and quarrels, that might arise during the time. The fairs were continued, from time to time, by various acts, until 1769, when the right of holding them was made perpetual.

When Fredericksburg was incorporated, there was a warehouse on its site. The act appointed John Robinson, Henry Willis, Augustine Smith, John Taliaferro, Harry Beverly, John Waller, and Jeremiah Clowder, trustees. The first church was built on the site of the present Episcopal church. Col. Byrd, in 1732, five years after the town was established, notices it as follows:

I was obliged to rise early here, that I might not starve my landlord, whose constitution requires him to swallow a beefsteak before the sun blesses the world with its genial rays. However, he was so complaisant as to bear the gnawing of his stomach till eight o'clock, for my sake. Col. Waller, after a score of loud hems to clear his throat, broke his fast along with us. When this necessary affair was dispatched, Col. Willis walked me about his town of Fredericksburg. It is pleasantly situated on the south shore of Rappahannock River, about a mile below the falls. Sloops may come up and lie close to the wharf, within thirty yards of the public warehouses, which are built in the figure of a cross. Just by the wharf is a quarry of white stone that is very soft in the ground, and hardens in the air, appearing to be as fair and fine-grained as that of Portland. Besides that, there are several other quarries in the river bank, within the limits of the town, sufficient to build a large city. The only edifice of stone yet built, is the prison; the walls of which are strong enough to hold Jack Sheppard, if he had been transported thither. Though this be a commodious and beautiful situation for a town, with the advantages of a navigable river, and wholesome air, yet the inhabitants are very few. Besides Col. Willis, who is the top man of the place, there are only one merchant, a tailor, a smith, and an ordinary keeper; though I must not forget Mrs. Levistone, who acts here in the double capacity of a doctress and coffee woman. And were this a populous city, she is qualified to exercise two other callings. It is said the court-house and the church are going to be built here, and then both religion and justice will help to enlarge the place.

Fredericksburg is regularly laid out, and compactly built; many of its buildings are of brick. The principal public buildings are a court-house, clerk's office, and jail, a market-house, an orphan asylum, 1 Episcopal, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist, 1 Baptist, and 1