Page:Annals of Augusta County.djvu/38

 sioners obtained a verdict and judgment against him for six pounds.

When James Patton located in the county he took up his abode on South River above Waynesborough, at or near the present Porcelain Works, and called the place Springhill. Beverley's patent embraced the land occupied by Patton, and the latter had no deed till February 21, 1749, when Beverley conveyed to him the tract, 1,398 acres, more or less, for the nominal consideration of five shillings [83⅓ cents].

Outside the large land grants to Beverley, Borden and others, patents were issued from time to time for small tracts to various persons. One of the earliest of this class, which we have seen, is dated September, 1740, and is signed in the name of King George II by James Blair, acting Governor. It granted to James Anderson 270 acres "lying in that part of Orange county called Augusta, on a branch of Cathry's river, called Anderson's branch," &c., in consideration of the importation of five persons to dwell within this our Colony and Dominion of Virginia, whose names are: John Anderson, Jane Anderson, Esther Anderson, Mary Anderson, and Margaret Anderson," and the further consideration of five shillings—provided the "fee rent" of one shilling for every fifty acres be paid annually, and three acres in fifty be cultivated and improved within three years. The tract is probably the same now owned by Thomas S. Hogshead, near StribHng Springs. But no stream in that neighborhood is known at this day as Anderson's branch.

The inhabitants of the new county discovered before long that living without payment of taxes was not desirable. Poor people could not be provided for; roads could not be cleared, nor bridges built; and, especially, the wolves were multiplying beyond all endurance. They, therefore, made "humble suit" to the assembly, and in accordance with their wishes, in May, 1742, an act was passed "for laying a tax on the inhabitants of Augusta county." The act provided that the County Court of Orange should divide the county of Augusta into precincts, and appoint persons to take lists of tithables therein, and that each tithable should pay two shillings (33⅓ cents) yearly to James Patton, John Christian and John Buchanan, to be laid out by them in hiring persons to kill wolves, etc., etc., in such