Transcription of Petition for an act authorizing the inhabitants of the town of Mecklenburg to elect seven commissioners, etc.
COVER: Mecklengurb (sic) or Sheppards Town (sic)
25 Oct 1793
(reasonable)
(reported)
Bedinger
The Honorable the General Assembly of Virginia,
The petition of the inhabitants of the Town of Mecklenburg ( Commonly Called ShepherdsTown ) in the County of Berkeley , Humbly Showeth, that the Populousness and intercourse within the Said Town require the Streets therefor to be kept in Constant repairs, that from the present mode of working on the said Streets, they are in particular Seasonal most impassable___That the said Streets are unprovided with footways____That certain of the inhabitants by Raising the Ground in the Streets for private convenience, injure the property of Others___That Murmurs and Disputes arise Between the inhabitants on account of encroachments on the Streets and Alleys and Publick Grounds of said Town; as also disputes between Individual owners of Lots and parts of Lots concerning their Boundaries and the use of the Mill Stream running through Said Town___That the Said Town is wholly unprovided against accidental fire___That the firing Guns and Pistols in Said Town, Straining Horses in the streets thereof is dangerous to the inhabitants, and that the streets of Said Town are frequently incommoded with Nuisances.
Petitioners therefore humbly pray, That your Honorable House do pass an Act authorizing the inhabitants of Said Town to Elect Seven Commissioners, in such manner, and to continue in office such time, as to your Honorable House may appear most advisable___Vesting in the Said Commissioners full Powers to Remove the above Recited Grievances as also with powers to Levy a tax on every tithable within the limits of Said Town not exceeding Twenty Five Cents Annually; as also a Tax not exceeding Seventy Five Cents on each and every One Hundred Pounds worth of taxable property within the Limits of the Said Town, to be applied by the Said Commissioners to Repairing the Streets in Said Town and from thereto the ferry Landing, and to purchasing a fire Engine, and other implements thereto belonging , for the use of Said Town_____And for Removing Nuisances where no Reimbursements can be had from those who Occasioned the Nuisance____And with whatever other powers your Honorable House may find it expedient to invest the Said Commissioners, and under such restrictions and Limitations as maybe necessary___And your Petitioners as in Duty Bound Shall pray, & c.
Cato Moore John Mark Will’m Richardson Th’s White John McMorran John Jameson Cornelius Winecoop Henry Moore John Wolford Bernhard Miller Josannah Miller John [Jones?] James Bell John Morrow Christopher Young Abraham Shepherd Danile Morgan Tho. Pollock Wm. Ainsworth Wm. Good Wm. Brown Jacob Entler John Hiser James [Morely? Masely?] James Likens John Colligan John Goff William [Way?Avery?] Bern’d Wesenall John Motter Sam’l [Darnheit? ] Peter Stone John Hanes Charles [Beatty?] Jacob Hains Daniel [Merßel?] Michael Fouke Senior Michael Fouke Junior Frederick Fouke Jacob Fouke Jon. [Waters?] Joseph McMurran [ Boll Brashour?] John Be/ne [ Bedinger?] George Reynolds
2nd page 1st column
George [Cromby?] Martain Entler (sic) Wim. Morley _____ Andrew S____ John [Dearnhafner?] Aaron [Keasecker?] Frederick Weltzhymer John Yontz George Hummel [Ludwig Zwar?] Benjamin Gardner Christian Fouke Jonathan Osborn Parry Washington Brown Enoch Watson Peter Baker Adam Bishop Geo Bishop Richard Doyle Alex Lindsey George [Taythan?] Jn. [Nasenger?] Henry Eckhart Senior Henry Eckhart Junior Jacob Harris ___ ___ Daniel Cameron Ely Jeffers Willian [Ealy?]
2nd page 2nd column
Jacob Craft Jacob Lay Philip Sheetz Frederick Smith Henry [Nace?] William [Chapling?] Thos Mugg Lewis Wisenall Joeseph Swearingen ______ Jacob [Haber?] John Brwon Michael Cookham Wm Taylor Wm Hendrix John [Marsh?] Henry [Kimer?] [Walling?] Williams Jacob Bedninger John Gooding Richard Butte Robert [Schly?] George Morgan [Raleigh?]Morgan George M. Bedinger John Getz John [Kine?] Geo Peter Barnhart John [Canby?]
2nd page 3rd column
Abram Davenport _____ Jacob [Kensecker?] Jacob [Wolf?] Philip [Crist?] William Tabb George Sprangler James Wood ___ ___ J Pierce Lorentz [Zanfil?]