ALBEMARLE ROAD ORDERS

ALBEMARLE ROAD ORDERS

Assume the usual caveats, i.e., some folks did it one way and some folks did it another: Courts issued "road orders" upon the request or petition of the public. The road order usually designated the span of the road (from A to B) and identified the Overseers, usually a committee of up to a half dozen or so. The Overseers, by some authorities, were major tithables living in proximity or to benefit from the new road. There job was to oversee construction and repair of that particular stretch of road. The overseers received authority to conscript labor from militia aged men in the vicinity of the road to be constructed. Men 16 to 60, by an English law of 1555 owed the King six days of work on the roads per year. My impression is that Surveyors and Overseers were synonymous terms but I would be delighted to learn otherwise. The law of 1555 specified that the roads would be 10 ft wide and, judging by the many remnants to be seen in VA and the Carolinas, the militiamen seldom gave one inch more. There was, apparently, considerable tension between the Labouring Tithables and the ruling elites, particularly in frontier zones where the former settled land that looked like prime road land only to have the primary road located on a poorer ridge or ford owing to the political pull of a Johnny-come-lately. Herman Husband identified excess road labor and class stresses there associated with as causes for the War of the Regulation in NC.

tom

T.R. Magnuson
Trading Path Association
PO Box 643
Suite 203, 124 S. Churton St
Hillsborough, NC 27278
919-644-0600
www.tradingpath.org

Albemarle Co. Road Orders 1783-1816
By Nathaniel Mason Pawlett

[page 3 in book]

13 February 1783 New Style, Order Book 1783-1785, page 2 - Ordered that John Key Gent. William Wattson John Carr and David Wood or any three of them do View the way from below McCauleys, to Near the Widow Ferguson’s, and make Report to the Next Court, the most Convenient way for a Road.

14 March 1783 New Style, Order Book 1783-1785, page 9 - The Road Leading from below McCauleys to near the Widow Ferguson’s is by the Court Established agreeable to Report of John Key

10 May 1783 N.S., Ord. Bk. 1783-85, p. 26 - Ordered that Isaac Davis Gent. William Dalton, Walter Carr and Isaac Davis jr. or any three of them, do View the way from the River at Wm.. Carrs ford, to the widow ferguson’s, and make report to the Next Court the most Convenient way for a Road.

[page 4 in book]

10 July 1783 N. S., Ord. Bk. 1783-85, p. 31 - The Road Leading from William Carr’s ford to the widow Ferguson’s is by the Court Established agreeable to Report of Isaac Davis & Als And it is Ordered that William Dalton & Walter Carr, attend In marking out the Same, and make Report thereof when finished

14 August 1783 N.S., Ord. Bk. 1783-85, p. 35 - Ordered that the Gangs on the Road under David Wood be divided Viz: Mr John Carr (to be Overseer) and to take that part from the Old County line to Hall’s Creek [illegible] to have for his gang, John Key, Wm Watson Decd., his Own John Hall, Wm Hall, Joseph Roberts, William Roberts Drewry Farrar, John Sandridge, Meking Carr, David Wood, Micajah Carr, Stephen Sandridge, John Robinson, Claibourne Roathwell, and Thomas Priddy with their Male Labouring Titheables. And that Mr. Joseph Martin take that part, from the Creek aforesaid to the fork of the Road below Mrs. Ferguson’s, and that he have for his Gang David Watts, Edward Baker, Henry Foster, Anthony Foster, William James & Richard Carvers, Cornelius & Thomas Carvers, David Thomas Thomas Breadlove, John White, John McCauley, George Taylor, John Fitch, James Travillian & John Balies [?] with their Male Labouring Titheables.

[page 22 in book]

15 June 1792 N.S., Ord. Bk. 1791-93, p. 175 - John Key gent made a return of the overseers of the roads in the following words Viz Madison Breedlove is appointed Surveyor of the road from Joseph Brock’s to the Top of the Turkey Sag mountain with the following male labouring Tythes Viz. Wm Hall John Dowell Son of Thomas, Thomas Dowell, Major Dowell Son of Thos Phillip Buckner with his hands Ruben Beck Daniel Furguson Lawrence Furguson Richard Carrs & Son, Dumas Lain, Edward Smith Charles Watts Madison Breedlove with his hands and James Sibreys Thomas Jones is appointed Surveyor of the road from the Orange County line up to a Creek Called Quarle’s with the following male labouring Tythes Viz Henry Shelton James Sims George Heron, Wm Bradly, Richard Bullock, Jason Bocock’s Peter Furguson and Sons and Thomas Jones’s hands Wm Buckner George Buckner Wm Flints; Samuel Brockman is appointed Surveyor of the road from Quarles’s Creek up to Joseph Brock’s with the following male labouring Tythes Viz Charles Douglass, Wm Sims, Wm Sims jr Richard Flint Lawrence Furguson Son of Peter, Wm Brockman’s Samuel Brockman, Ambrose Brockman Wm Brockman jr; James Flannagan is appointed Surveyor of the road from Joseph Brocks to Halls Creek with the following male labouring Tythes Viz John Whites James Carver, Wm Carver, Cornelius Carver, Thos Breedlove, David Watts, James Travillian Edward Baber, John Baber, George Baber, George Taylor John Jones, Samuel Mansfield, Joseph Lain David McCauley James Flannagan, Ambrose Flannagan, Daniel McCoy and Jonathan Broahead; John Carr is appointed Surveyor of the road from Halls Creek to a small Creek above John Keys uper plantation with the following male labouring Tythes, David Wood, Henry Foster Claiborne Rothwell, John Robertson John Sandridge, Elizabeth Sandridge, Susannah Carr Meekins Carr, Micajah Carr, Joel Foster, Thomas Rothwell and John Key; Joshua Key is appointed Surveyor of the road from a small branch above John Keys uper plantation to the three choped road with the following male labouring Tythes Viz George Nailor James Key, Ann Key, Joshua Key, Thomas Carr, Gideon Carr, John Gilliam, Jas. Gilliam, Benjamin Thurmond, Joseph Austin Thomas Nailor, Benjamin Nalor and Susannah Watson; David Clarkson is appointed Surveyor of the road from John McCauleys to Carrs ford with the following male labouring Tythes Viz David Clarkson, Charles Hammonds Thomas Hammonds, John Clayton John Wansley Thomas Edwards, Jonathan Munday Abraham Munday Reuben Munday, Thomas Gilbert, Wm Hall, Murray Henry, Wm Taylor Micajah Taylor, Richard Durretts & Ambrose Edwards

[page 141 in book]

3 October 1803, Ord. Bk. 1803-1804, p. 229 - A Report of the road petition for by John Elliott and others returned and it is ordered that John Kester, William Hall jr, Ambrose Hall William Wood, Andrew Brockman, Richard Roberts, Thomas Douglass William Brockman jr Elisha D. Gillum, Peter Furgason, Richard Dowell John D, Salmon and Madison Breedlove be Summoned to shew

[page 34 in book]

13 February 1794 N.S., Ord. Bk. 1793-95, p. 13 - On the Petition of Roger Thompson, ordered that William Furgason. Robert Davis, Congers White, and Thomas Ballard, or any three of them do view a way through the Plantation of the said Thompson, and make Report to this Court of the Conveniences, and Inconveniences that will attend an Alteration of the Present Road.

[36 in book]

12 June 1794 N.S., Ord. Bk. 1793-95, p. 158 - Robert Davis Congers White and William Furgason made report of the view of the road petitioned for by Roger Thompson in these words to wit In obedience to the within order we being first sworn have viewed the within way and find that by turning the road the way we have marked out to be as good or nearly so as the former and of little Injury to any person But John Watson who gave his consent to have the said way established Whereupon on the motion of the said Thompson It is ordered by the Court that the same be established accordingly

[page 45 in book]

6 July 1795 N.S., Ord. Bk. 1793-95, p. 408 - Francis Gray is appointed surveyor of the road in the room of Thomas Jones from the Orange County line up to a creek called Quarles’s with the following male Labouring Tythes, Henry Sheltons, James Sims’s, George Heron’s William Bradley, Richard Bullock’s Jason Bocock’s Peter Furgason and sons, Thomas Jones, William Buckner George Buckner & William Flints, To Keep the same in repair.

[page 56 in book]

5 April 1796 N.S., Ord. Bk. 1795-98, p. 39 - On the petition of John White for the view of a road from Woolf branch into Buck mountain road into the place where Daniel Furgason formerly lived David Clarkson, Nimrod Branham, Drury Wood & Micajah Carr or any three of them being first sworn are appointed to view the said way and make report to this Court of the conveniencies and inconveniencies that will attend the opening the same

[page 71 in book]

5 February 1798 N.S., Ord. Bk. 1795-98, p. 454 - On the motion of Daniel Frailey it is ordered by the Court, that John McClary, Thomas Jones Thomas Marshall William Howard Robert Davis, Charles Burris, George Gentry William Farguson William Michie Thomas Garth & Waddy Thompson, be summoned to appear here on the first day of the next Court to shew cause why the road petitioned for by Daniel Frailey should not be opened agreeable to the opened agreeable to the report of the viewers thereof.

[page 97 in book]

8 July 1800, Ord. Bk. 1800-1801, p. 101 - Ambrose Brockman is appointed Surveyor of the road from the Orange line to Turkey Run with the following male Laboring tytheables to wit: Robert Hansfield’s George Goodridge’s, William Goodridge’s, Jason Bowcock’s, Francis Gray’s, Norman Lain’s, William Flynt’s, Joce Bennetts Howard Bennett’s John A Straughan’s, Achilles Barksdale’s, Thomas Shelton’s Peterson Furgason and his son’s, John Mansfield’s, Charles Douglass Juns. Richard Flynt’s, George Bradleys and the hands belonging to the estate of Henry Shelton deceased together his own, and the said Ambrose Brockman to keep the said road in repair according to Law

[page 98 in book]

1 September 1800, Ord. Bk. 1800-1801, p. 165 - Madison Breedlove is appointed Surveyor of the Road from William Smiths to the top of the Turkey pass with the following male Laboring tytheables to wit: John Dowell’s (son of Thomas) Thomas Dowell sen’s. William Dowells (son of Thomas) Elijah Dowell’s, Nimrod Bramham’s, Benjamin McPhersons, Reuben Herndons, William Smith’s, Terell Carvers, Richard Carver’s, Lewis Thomas’s, Lawrence Furgason’s, Reuben Beck’s, John White’s (at his quarter) Jesse Mason Benjamin Herring and Jeremiah Nicholas’s together with his own and the said Madison Breedlove to keep the said Road in repair according to Law

[page 141 in book]

[page 166 in book]

5 December 1808, Ord. Bk. 1808-1810, p. 135 -Reubin Beck is appointed Surveyor of the road from the top of the Turky Sag to Nimrod Bramhams Store in the room of Madison Breedlove, with the following gang to Wit; “Said Madison Breedlove’s, Thomas Dowell’s Elijah Dowell’s John Dowell’s William Spinner, Nimrod Bramham’s Reuben Herndon’s Benjamin Hening Jessee Mason Jarrell Carver, Richard Carver, Laurance Ferguson John White’s at his quarter, Reubin Beck Roland Gooch, John D Salmon Jonathan Broadhead’s William Hall senr. and Richard Dowell’s”, to Keep the Same in good repair

[page 171 in book]

3 July 1809, Order Book 1808-1810, p. 322 - Hautry [Hawkey?] Ferguson is by the Court appointed Overseer of the road from Buck mountain Creek to the fork that leads to the Rockfish gap with the usual gang in the room of Charles Burruss and to Keep the same in good repair