John Crosland, Oath of Allegiance, 1777, Sussex County

Edward Crosland, Petition for a Tobacco Warehouse at South Quay, 1784, Nansemond County

Nathaniel Crosland, Petition for a New County, 1784, Nansemond County

John, Nathaniel & Edward Crosland, Petition for Religious Freedom, 1785, Nansemond County

Jonas Croslin, Voting Poll, 1813, 1814, 1815, Southampton County

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John Crosland,
Oath of Allegiance, 1777, Sussex County¹

The persons Named that hath Taken and Subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity to this Common Wealth, August 9th, 1777.

I do hereby certify that the persons whereas their names are here above subscribed has taken the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity to this ComWealth of Virginia. Given under my hand this 9th day of Octr 1777.

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Edward Crosland,
Petition for a Tobacco Warehouse at South Quay, 1784, Nansemond County³

11 November 1784, Nansemond County, Virginia

Petition of the Inhabitants of Nansemond, Southampton and adjacent Counties stating the warehouses which were at South Quay soon after the commencement of the war were sufficient to contain all the tobacco which went there with the greatest safety.  In July 1781 they were entirely destroyed by the British, which obliged the proprietor to rebuild them, and they are now sufficient to contain 600 hogsheads.  They seek a revival of the warehouse.

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Nathaniel Crosland,
Petition for a New County, 1784, Nansemond County³

20 November 1784, Nansemond County, Virginia

Petition of the Inhabitants of Nansemond and Isle of Wight Counties stating they suffer inconveniences from their remote situation some forty miles from the Court House and having two ferries to cross.  They ask for a county to be created, beginning at the mouth of Currywaugh Swamp on Blackwater River in Isle of Wight County, running up to the head, a direct course to the head of Summerton Swamp, down to the mouth of Knuckle Swamp, up the swamp to Summerton old road to Summerton, to the Carolins line, to the Southampton line, to Blackwater River and up to the mouth of Currywaugh Swamp.  An individual has engaged to build a Court House and prison on his land at South Quay.

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John, Nathaniel & Edward Crosland,
Petition for Religious Freedom, 1785, Nansemond County²

27 October 1785, Nansemond County, Virginia

To the Honourable, the Speaker & Gent^m of the House of Delegates.

The petition of the Inhabitants of Nansemond County humbly sheweth:  that whereas it hath pleased your Honourable House to publish a Bill obliging the Inhabitants of this Commonwealth to pay the teachers of the Christian Religion, and required their opinion concerning it.

Your petitioners therefore do most earnestlly declare against it: beliving it to be contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, and the Bill of Rights.

And having duly considered that worthy clause in the late revisal of our laws in "A bill for establishing Religeous freedom".  "That to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he unbelieves and abhors, is sinful & tyranical; that even the forcing him to support this or that teacher of his own Religious persuasion is depriving him of the comfortable liberty of giving his contributions to that particular pastor, whose morals he would make his pattern, & whose powers he feels most pursuasive to righteousness, and is withdrawing from the Ministry those temporary rewards, which proceeding from an (absolution) of their personal conduct, are an additional incitement to earnest & unremited labour for the instruction of mankind," do humbly conceive it will be nothing less than an infringement on the Rights of a free people.  The blessed Author of our religion suffered, died and maintained his Gospel in the world for several hundred years, without the aid of (___) (___), & against all the powers upon Earth.  Neither was it the better for the Church when Constantine first established religion by human laws: though there was rest from persecution; but quickly was he overrun with errors, superstitions & immorality.  We humbly conceive it the duty of the Legislature to enact such law as shall punish the vices & immoralities of the times; & let there not be wanting such men placed in authority, who by their pious examples shall recommend religion, and by their faithfulness scourge the growing vices of the age.  As touching the Christian religion, the teachers thereof, & a support for them, we think the work is the Lord's: & those whom devine grace hath called to the work of the Ministry will esteem it their highest Honour to do his pleasure without being moved thereto by temporal interests or lucrative vice & then we shall have religion flourishing in our land, & Deism be put to open shame: but while religion is endeavored to be (preached), & held up by human laws, & the people constrained to a conformity thereto; we trust your Honourable House will very well recollect, that it has been very much the reverse, & Deism gained ground & grew a pace, till it got possession of, alass! but (humaness).

Under these considerations your petitioners hope that the Wisdom and uprightness of your Honourable House will leave them entirely free in matters of religion, & the manner of supporting it, and your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray.

... Jonathon Darden David Howell Jethro Darden Jacob Darden John Birdsong Rob Fisher Charles Hedgpeth Willi Harcum John Glover William Glover jun John Airs Hezekian Johnson Tim Boys Jordan Williams Rich Hammond Charles Birdsong James Williams Thomas Oberry James Scoggins John Cobb James - William - Thomas Boyt James Daughtrey Lewis Daughtrey Arthur Howel Bartholemew Cutchins Robert Daughtrey James Gardner Robert Darden Kader Parker James Roundtree Holland Virdsong Joel Pope William Tyre Emit Pope

John - Bennit Lawrencw Anthony Birdsond Edmond Bishop Jacob Lawrence Robert Pibworth John Glover jun Miles Lawrence Jesse Lawrence John Talbert John Crosland Edward Crosland Nathl Crosland David Howel sen Elph Cary Will - Hoplin Howel Ivey Whitfield William Williams James Williams - - William Williams Dempsey Sumner Hardy Journigan William Caster David Jones Henry Jones Rob Whitfield William Wright Abram Will John Howel - Jones Willis Wiggins Robert Fisher ...

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Jonas Croslin,
County Voting Poll, 1813, 1814, 1815, Southampton County²

1813

Voters Names		   Gray		Johnson
Jonas Croslin			           X

1814

Poll taken at Southampton Court House the 18th day of April 1814 (being Court day) for election of two delegates to represent the said County of Southampton in the General Assembly of Virginia for one year.

	      Thomas	  Samuel	Benjamin    Carr
Voters Names  Ridley	  Gray	        Johnson	    Bowers
Jonas Croslin	X			              X

1815

Poll taken at the Court House for the County of Southampton Court on Monday the 17th of April 1815 (it being Court day) for electing two delegates to the next General Assembly of Virginia.

Voters Names		Ridley		Bowers		Johnson
Jonas Croslin		                  X	           X

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¹ Sussex County, Virginia Tithables & Oaths of Allegiance, 1754-1778, Library of Virginia
² Library of Congress
³ Library of Virginia

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