Resolution of 1774
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| Loudoun County, VA Resolution of 1774 |
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From “Loudoun County a Hundred Years Ago” by James D. Evans, published ca 1877-1878 in an unidentified Leesburg, Loudoun Co, VA newspaper, and reprinted in the William & Mary College Quarterly, Series 1, book 12, pages 231-236, under “Resolutions of Loudoun County [Virginia],” Published Electronically by Combs &c. Research Group, ©1999 (annotations and format only) [Surnames Capitalized].
LOUDOUN COUNTY A HUNDRED YEARS AGO. Major B. P. NOLAN, grandson of Burr POWELL, has just put us in possession of a verified copy of the proceedings of a public meeting held in Leesburg, Loudoun county, on the 14th of June, 1774-nearly one hundred and five years ago. It is interesting not merely for its antiquity, but as showing the spirit of independence that animated the breasts of our liberty-loving countrymen two years before the Declaration of American Independance [sic] in 1776. The original document was found among the papers of Col. Leven POWELL, at one time member of Congress from this district, who died in 1810. His son, Burr POWELL, forwarded a copy to R. H. LEE, Esq., who in 1826 was about to publish a second edition of his Memoirs of the Life of R. H. LEE, of Revolutionary fame. The second edition of that work, however, never appeared, and the proceedings of the Loudoun Meeting are now, for the first time, given to the public in printed form. We publish the accompanying memoranda of Burr POWELL, as showing the authenticity of the Paper in question. PUBLIC MEETING IN LOUDOUN IN 1774. At a Meeting of the Freeholders and other inhabitants of the County of Loudoun, in the Colony of Virginia, held at the Court-house in Leesburg, the 14th June, 1774-F. PEYTON, Esq., in the Chair-to consider the most effectual method to preserve the rights and liberties of N. America, and relieve our brethren of Boston, suffering under the most oppressive and tyrannical Act of the British Parliament, made in the 14th year of his present Majesty's reign, whereby their Harber is blocked up, their Commerce totally obstructed, their property rendered useless- Resolved, That we will always cheerfully submit to such prerogatives as his Majesty has a right, by law, to exercise, as Sovereign of the British Dominions, and to no others. Resolved, That it is beneath the dignity of freemen to submit to any tax not imposed on them in the usual manner, by representatives of their own choosing. Resolved, That the Act of the British Parliament, above mentioned, is utterly repugnant to the fundamental laws of justice, in punishing persons without even the form of a trial; but a despotic exertion of unconstitutional power designedly calculated to enslave a free and loyal people. Resolved, That the enforcing the execution of the said Act of Parliament by a military power must have a necessary tendency to raise a civil war, and with our lives and fortunes, assist and support our suffering brethren(*), of Boston, and every part of North America that may fall under the immediate hand of oppression, until a redress of all our grievances shall be procured, and our common liberties established on a permanent foundation. Resolved, That the East India Company, by exporting their tea from England to America, whilst subject to a tax imposed thereon by the British Parliament, have evidently designed to fix on the Americans those chains forged for them by a venal ministry, and have thereby rendered themselves odious and detestable throughout all America. It is, therefore, the unanimous opinion of this meeting not to purchase any tea- or other East India commodity whatever, imported after the first of this Month. Resolved, That we will have no commercial intercourse with Great Britain until the above mentioned Act of Parliament shall be totally repealed, and the right of regulating the internal policy of N. America by a British Parliament shall be absolutely and positively given up. ResoIved, That Thompson MASON and Francis PEYTON, Esqs., be appointed to represent the County at & general meeting to be held at Williamsburg on the 1st day of August next, to take the sense of this Colony at large on the subject of the preceding resolves, and that they, together with Leven POWELL, William ELLZEY, John THORNTON, George JOHNSTON and Samuel LEVI, or any three of them, be a committee to correspond with the several committees appointed for this purpose. Signed by,
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John MORTON |
Thomas WILLIAMS |
(A Copy.)
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*This far is written the handwriting of George JOHNSTON, I think; the balance is certainly written in the handwriting of the late Leven POWELL.-B. P.
Middleburg, 11th January, 1826. Dear Sir: I find in your memoir of the life of R. H. LEE, at page 97, a letter from Mr. LEE to Samuel ADAMS, dated 23rd June, 1774, in which is this passage: 'In the meantime, the sense of some Counties is taking, and two have already declared their desire to atop all commercial intercourse between Great Britain and the West Indies and this Colony.' Here would be a suitable place to introduce into your 2d edition the Loudoun Meeting and resolutions, which I furnished you with. It is more than probable, from a comparison of dates that Loudoun was one of the two Counties that had expressed an opinion, referred to in that letter. I want much to secure to my County the honor it is certainly entitled to for the course it then pursued. I want, too, to secure, in some degree to my father's character, what it deserves for the part he acted then. It will be easy to show that of the fifty odd signers to the original paper put into your possession, a large portion of them were his neighbors and personal friends. It is certain he was present in the meeting because a part of the proceedings was written in his handwriting. I shall be glad to hear from you whether there is a probability of a second edition of your work shortly coming out.
With Respect, etc., etc., Burr POWELL
To R. H. LEE, Esq. (Sent to R. H. LEE, Oct., 1821, The following memo in Burr POWELL'S handwriting.) The original paper, of which a true copy follows, was put into the hands of R. H. LEE, Esq., when about to publish the Life of R. H. LEE, and by him deposited in the Archives of the American Philosophical Society, of Philadelphia.* In looking into the papers of my deceased father, Leven POWELL, who died in the year 1810, I met with it and laid it by… It is written partly in the handwriting of my Father and partly by George JOHNSTON, his intimate friend, who was Aid to General WASHINGTON, and died in his family in the year 1877 [sic]. The signers were, most of them, residents of the neighborhood in which Col. POWELL lived, and many of them were personally known to me in my youth and early manhood. I am acquainted with the handwriting of several of them, and two of the number, viz.: Robert COMBS and Joshua SINGLETON, are now living, the first named about four miles from me. I found with the original paper the proceedings of the convention held at Williamsburg on the first of August, 1774, and among the members there attending was Francis PEYTON, one of the members chosen by the meeting that passed resolution. of the 14th of June, 1774, contained in said paper. I know it from the circumstances to be genuine. George JOHNSTON'S handwriting is known to me from letters now in my possession. He was in regular correspondence with my father from the time he first entered on military service in the Fall of the year 1775 (he was in the battle of the Great Bridge in Virginia, fought on the 9th of December, of that year, and described on the same day in one of his letters), till his death. Note.-The meeting at Williamsburg on the 1st of August, 1774 (of which I have a printed statement), was attended by 108 of the most respectable and influential men of Virginia, in the order in which they are enrolled the name of George WASHINGTON stands fifth from the top; Peyton RANDOLPH, Robert C. NICHOLAS. BURR POWELL.
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* This is a mistake. Major Burr POWELL was probably under the impression that the original resolutions placed by him in Mr. LEE'S hands were among the papers presented by Mr. LEE to the Philosophical Society of Philadelphia; but after a careful search, Dr. Hayes., the present proctor of the Society, found that the Loudoun Resolutions were not among the papers in their archives, the only ones in their possession being those from which the first edition of Mr. LEE'S book was written. At his suggestion, I wrote to Mr. William C. Lane, Librarian of Harvard University. who, after an examination of a part of the Richard Henry LEE papers, which were donated to that institution, wrote me that no trace of the Loudoun Resolutions could be found among them. I then wrote to Mr. F. W. Page, Librarian of the University of Virginia, to which institution most of the Richard Henry LEE papers were donated after the death of his biographer, Richard Henry LEE, since 1827. Mr. Page replied that all of the LEE papers, with the exception of a few, were destroyed In the great fire at the University in 1895. It thus seems that farther [sic] search for the original Loudoun document would be futile; but its authenticity cannot be doubted from the many marks of antiquity surrounding the copies and correspondence here given. The original copy, found by Mr. B. P. NOLAN, is still in the possession of the NOLAN Family. J. D. E.
NOTE: If you have more information about any of the following men, please email webmaster@combs-families.org with Subject Heading: 1774 Loudoun Co, VA Petition, and your data will be added here (including hot links, if any)
AWSLEY [OWSLEY?], Henry
AWSLEY, Poins
This was Points OWSLEY per 1787 Loudoun Co, VA tax lists. He was visited by tax collector the same date as Stephen COMBS (See Combs &c. Families of Loudoun Co, VA).
AWSLEY, Thomas
BAYLEY, Joseph
BOORAM, William
From Researcher Linda Boorom: Early Church Records of Loudoun County, 1745-1800" by Hiatt states: "May 4 1782 Subscribers of the covenant: William BORRUM." From the Ketoctin Chroncile "April 1778- William BORUM 5/3"
William first appeared on the list of tithables in 1770 (Hiatt) and is the only BOORAM (var. spellings) listed until 1782. The 1782 lists include a William Sr., William Jr., Aaron Sr. and Aaron's sons, William the yngr , John & Aaron Jr. With 3 different William's to choose from, it is unknown at this time which was the William listed 1770-1781.
From Index to Loudoun Co. Va Chancery Suits, 1759-1915, "Thomas DRAKE vs William BOORAM Case #M7014 completed 1799." In In 1783, Aaron BOORAM (JR) is listed as a tithable with Thomas DRAKE. PA marriages report that William BORAM m. Deborah DRAKE Feb. 3 1762 which may have occured in Bedford Co, Pennsylvania. Thomas DRAKE of Loudoun also married his wife Uriah HUMPHREY Oct. 14, 1760 in Pennsylvania. In the meantime, on the roll of the Buck's Co, Pennsylvania militia in 1777 is found a William & Aaron BORUM/BOOROM. These may be the same found in Loudoun County in in 1782.
BRAIR, James
BUTLER, Samuel
CHINN, Thomas
COMBS, Joseph
Capt. Joseph COMBS II, s/of Joseph COMBS I of Stafford Co, VA, apparently m Elizabeth HARRISON, d/o Burr & Ann BARNES Harrison of Prince William Co, VA (research in progress). Col. Leven POWELL, father of Burr, m Sarah HARRISON, sister of Elizabeth.
COMBS, Robert
Robert COMBS, b 1749-1753, Berry's Ferry, Shenandoah River, Frederick Co, VA, was the s/o the above Capt. Joseph COMBS II (possibly a natural son by Sarah ASHBY of Frederick Co, VA). He served in both Loudoun and Fauquier Cos, VA, and when he applied for his pension in Fauquier in 1832, Robert stated that he first served under Capt. Leven POWELL. That same year, Burr POWELL of Fauquier declared in an affidavit on behalf of Robert COMBS' pension application, that "he [Burr] had in his possession the record of an association formed about 1774 in Loudoun County for the purpose of resisting British aggression in which record the name of Robert COMBS appears. The record has been mislaid." (See also above re Robert as a near neighbor of Burr.)
COMBS, Stephen
Stephen COMBS, b ca 1752, VA, was also a son of Capt. Joseph COMBS II. His mother has not been identified, but may have also been Sarah ASHBY given that he named his eldest daughter, Sarah (he also named a younger daughter, Elizabeth). Stephen m 20 Apr 1775, Loudoun Co, VA, Barbara ALLEN, and they are later found in Lincoln Co, KY.
COOPER, Appollos
DAVIS, James
DRAKE, Jonathan
DRAKE, Thomas
Thomas DRAKE was visited by the 1787 Loudoun Co, VA tax collector on the same date as Joseph COMBS. According to the "Gibbens-Butcher Genealogy" by Alvaro Gibbens, Gordon B. Gibbens, Publisher, Parkersburg, 1894; p. 165-189 (extracted by Combs Researcher Deb Coombs), Thomas DRAKE, Sr. b. 13 Jul 1728; d. 25 Jul 1811 in Wood Co., VA (now WV); m. Eurah HUMPHREY b. 1 Jan 1739; d. 2 Feb 1817 Wood Co., VA (now WV); also resided Loudoun Co, VA; father of Tacy who m Bayliss COOMBS (This is believed incorrect as Amos [sic] COOMBS is later found in Harding Co, KY with wife, Tacy, and the only known Bayliss COOMBS m 1799, Frederick Co, MD, Sarah RICHARDSON. Amos was the s/o Samuel & Mary WILKES Coombs I of the Tonoloways Settlement and Loudoun. Bayliss' ancestry has not yet been documented. (See also William BOORAM above re PA marriages)
DUNKER [DUNKEN?], John
FINNEKIN, Wm.
GRANT, Jasper
GRAYDEY, James
HANCONK, Lina [HANCOCK?]
This is obviously an error. Only males signed the petition. I find no reference to a Lina Hancock in the available Loudoun Co. records. The actual signature may have appeared to be of "Lina Hanconk," but it was more likely of "Simon Hancock" - the cursive "S" looks very much like "L" - "m" looks like "n" - and if the "on" tapered-off at the end of "Simon," as people often do, would make the end look like an "a."
There is quite a bit of supportive evidence as well. (Capt) Simon Hancock had many connections with people who were involved with the 1774 resolution - for example, Robert Combs served under him in the Loudoun Co. militia - Robert's wife, Sarah Linton, was Simon's 1st cousin. Also, Francis Peyton and Simon Hancock were 2nd cousins. According to The Anglican Parishes [Cameron] of Loudoun Co., Va., Francis, Simon, and William Smith, were ordered to view the most convenient way for turning the road leading from Broad Run Church to Sugarland Run. The family of Simon's mother, Anne Linton, had many connections with the Harrison and the Powell families
Simon Hancock was born, probably in Prince William Co., Va., about 1744. He resided there until about 1767, when he conveyed property across from the George Mason's Gunston Hall property, located between the mouths of the Occuquan River and Neabsco Creek, to John Tayloe, Esq. of Richmond County. He is referred to as "Simon Hancock of Loudoun County" in regards to his marriage (1st) to Mary Smith, in Deed Book E Pages 549-50 (Culpeper Co., Va) dated 4 Feb. 1768, recorded 21 July 1768. Mary Smith, the daughter of Thomas and Anne Fowke (Mason) Smith, was a first cousin of Colonel George Mason, IV. Simon Hancock signed the Loudoun County Resolution of 1774. He was appointed a Captain in the Loudoun County militia on 9 Sep 1777. He served in the militia with George Mason. He was shown as a Loudoun Co., Va. taxpayer in 1782-87. Simon and Mary (Smith) Hancock made a Bill of Sale in Loudoun Co - Sept 11, 1789. Mary apparently died shortly thereafter as no further record of her has been found. Simon and his family traveled through, and may have briefly resided in, Mason County, Kentucky, on their way to Woodford County, Kentucky. They may have been a part of the group of former Loudoun County militiamen which included Captain Richard Spurr. Simon is listed as a property owner in Woodford County, 1791-1794; and in Franklin County, by 1795. He married (2nd) in 1796 in Woodford County, Kentucky, Martha "Patsy" Bartlett, the daughter of Thomas Bartlett of Henry Co., Ky. Simon and his family appear in Henry County, Kentucky, listed there in the 1810 US Federal Census, and resided there until his death about 1830. Martha, his wife, died there in 1834.
(Submitted by James R. Hancock - Louisville, Ky 3rd Great Grandson of Simon Hancock) See also here
HANSON, Richard
HARRISON, John Peyton
HENDERSON, Samuel
HIRST, Richard
HUMPHREY, Benj. Isaac
KENDRICK, John
LUTTRELL, Thomas
MCVICKER, John
MILLER, Edward
MILLS, Samuel
MORTON, John
NOLAND, James
NORNAIL, William
O'NEAL, Edward
OVERFIELD, Benjamin
PEUGH, Samuel
RAY, Thomas
REARDON, John
John Reardon, who you have listed in the 1774 Loudoun Co. Va. petition is John Reardon, son of William and Mary Reardon of Fairfax.
He married the widow of French Mason. His father (William) was raised by gaurdian Jeremiah Bronaugh Sr. whose son Jeremiah Bronaugh Jr. married Rosa Mason.
William farmed for Travis Waugh and was a large landowner in Granville Co. N.C.
John was very active in Fairfax, Pr. William and Loudoun Co.'s. and showed up for a while in the N.C. militia and the Cumberland area with his brother, William Jr. and uncle Henry Reardon and cousins.
(Submitted by Harold W. Rarden)
ROADS, Bazzell
Basil Rhodes (aka Bazzell Roads) was my 5th great-grandfather. He was probably born ca. 1740 in St Mary's Co., Md. “Bazill Roads” was a witness to the 1760 will of Edward Horn of St Mary's County. He moved to Loudoun Co., Va. by 1774 when he signed the Loudoun County Virginia Resolution. He married (1st) ca. 1779 Sarah (Lee) Thomas [ancestry unknown] in Loudoun Co., Va. They lived there until about 1793, at which time they moved to Montgomery Co., Md where his family lived a few years. By ca. 1800, however, he resided in Nelson Co., Ky. Sarah died between 1800-1810. He married (2nd) ca.1812 in Nelson Co., Ky., Nancy Ann Middleton. Basil and Ann were divorced in 1815. Basil died there in 1828.
(Submitted by James R. Hancock - Louisville, Ky) See also here
RUST, Matthew
SANDERS, Isaac
SANGSTER, Adam
SIMS, Barney
SIMS, John
From Goff-Sims Researcher Phillip Goff, who writes: Like many from Loudoun County, John and Barney (Barnard, Barned or Barnet SIMMS in the tithables) SIMS moved west to what is now Tucker County, WV. Both men appear in in the Loudoun tithables lists for the last time in 1775. The following WV references tell the rest of the story of the ultimate demise of Bernard SIMMS in 1780:
Chronicles of Border Warfare by Alexander S Withers, 1831, page 96: “Cheat river too, on which no attempt at settlement had been made, …, became an object of attention. The Horse Shoe bottom was located by Capt. James PARSONS, of the South Branch; and in his neighborhood settled Robert CUNNINGHAM, Henry FINK, John GOFF and John MINEAR… In this year too, settlements were made on Simpson's creek, the West Fork river and on Elk creek. Those who made the former, were John POWERS, who purchased Simpsons's right (a tomahawk improvement) to the land on which Benjamin STOUT now resides; and James ANDERSON and Jonas WEBB who located themselves farther up the creek.” On page 210: “The savages likewise visited Cheat river, during the spring, and coming to the house of John SIMS, were discovered by a negro woman, who ran immediately to the door and alarmed the family. Bernard SIMS (just recovering from the small pox) taking down his gun, and going to the door, was shot…”
From the History of Tucker County, West Virginia by Hu Maxwell, 1884 [selected references] pages 48-49: “It was in March, 1780; and the Indians, …moved down Cheat River toward St. George. That had been a severe winter for Minear's colony. In addition to the suffering from want, the small-pox broke out among the people… But some who had small-pox were excluded from the fort… Among those thus excluded was the family of John SIMS, who lived about five miles above St. George at a place ever since known as SIMS' Bottom.”
(Provided by Sims Researcher Phillip Goff whose interest in the Simms is due to their close association with his ancestor, James GOFF, and his brothers, John Turton GOFF and Salathiel GOFF)
SINGLETON, Joshua
TRIPLETT, Simon
TRIPLITT, Francis
WILDEY, John
WILLIAMS, John
WILLIAMS, Thomas
WILLIAMS, Thos.