the formal organization of the County. The records disclose no appointment by the court of commissioners to confer with him. At the June term, 1735, Charles Carter and William Beverley reported as to the agreement they had been ordered to make with Colonel Spotswood for land to set the courthouse on, but nothing appears to have come of it, for in Ocober, 1736, a proposal being made where to build it, the Court, after debate, agreed that it be built at the place appointed by the commissioners "near the Governor's Ford on the south side of the Rapidan. At the same term application was made to the Governor for orders to alter the place of holding court from Black Walnut to Mr. Bramham's house in December next, "it being near where the courthouse is, with all expedition, going to be built," and notice was given that workmen meet at the November term to undertake the building. At November, after debate where to build, the Court agreed with John Bramham that he lease twenty acres of land to build it on for 120 pounds of tobacco per annum, and that the plot should" include the convenientest spring to Cedar Island ford." Thomas Chew and William Russell were appointed to lay off the land and designate the location of the Courthouse. The next term was accordingly held at Bramham's house, and it was at this location of the courthouse that Peter was decapitated and his head stuck on a pole, and that Eve was burned at the stake, as appears from the orders published in the text. In July, 1738, notice was given that at the next term the Court would agree with workmen to finish the courthouse, and at the February term following Peter Russell was employed to keep the building clean, and "provide candles and small beer for the Justices;" so it appears that it had taken nearly two years to complete it after work was actually begun. And it seems certain that the first real courthouse owned by the County was located near the present Somerville's Ford, and on land now belonging to the Hume family. Henry Willis was paid 13,100 pounds of tobacco for building the prison, and 3,350 pounds for finishing the courthouse. He took out license to keep an ordinary there November, 1739. January, 1742-3. Ordered, that the sheriff cause the lock provided for the justices' room to be put to the door; that he provide glass for the windows of the said room, and cause the windows to be glassed; and that he cause the tops of the chimneys to be pulled down and amended to prevent it from smoking. June 1749. "The Court judging the present situation inconvenient to the inhabitants are of the opinion that the court ought to be held near the dividing line of the lands of Erasmus Taylor and Timothy Crosthwait, appointed Benjamin Cave, Geo. Taylor, Taverner Beale, Wm. Taliaferro, John Willis, Francis Moore and Henry Downs, or any five of them, to meet and agree on the most convenient place for a courthouse, with power to agree on the manner thereof, and with workmen to erect a prison, pillory, and stocks. |