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Archiver > GERMANNA_COLONIES > 1997-05 > 0862700488


From: John Blankenbaker <>
Subject: (92)Germanna Colonies, History of
Date: Sat, 03 May 1997 19:01:28 -0400


Ninety-second in a series of notes on the Germanna Colonies

The previous note recorded the punishment handed out by the Spotsylvania
Court to Joseph Bloodworth. In a similar vein, on 8 July 1724, Edmund Like,
for "his impudence and speaking contemptuously of the court and his
refractiousness to his master" was sentenced by the court to have the
sheriff "carry him to the common whipping post and there give him twenty one
lashes on his bare back well laid on and that he be remanded to his said
master's service & in case he remains so refractious & impudent to his said
master Coll. Alexander Spotswood, he may keep and secure him in irons".

Elizabeth Cole, an unwed mother, didn't fare much better. She was turned
over to the court by John Waller, one of the church wardens of St. George's
Parish, who also happened to the Clerk of the Court. On 2 March 1726(NS),
condemned by the church, Elizabeth acknowledged her transgressions and
identified Samuel Buxton as the father of her child. Neither of the wayward
parents was able to pay the fine or give security but in the end only she
would be asked to answer for the breach of conduct and morality. The
unsympathetic court ordered the sheriff to "inflict on the said Elizabeth
Cole's bare back twenty five lashes at the publick whipping post, for
committing the said offence & afterwards be discharged".

Joseph Marsh, an indentured servant of Alexander Spotswood, was convicted of
stealing hogs and suffered the painful and permanently disfiguring penalty
of having to stand two hours in the pillory with his ears nailed, and then
cut loose.

The many cases brought before the court by Spotswood over a period of years
frustrated the justices who voiced their displeasure with the demands,
delays, and duplicities of some of Spotswood's minions. We saw here
recently that the justices could only partially side with Spotswood in his
suits against the Germans.

This material and more has been supplied by James E. Brown who written
several informative and interesting articles for Beyond Germanna.

to be continued
John Blankenbaker
Beyond Germanna
PO Box 120
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
http://www.wp.com/germanna/
http://www.concentric.net/~sgtgeorg/germhist.shtml

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