This Page Was Last Updated February 17, 2004 "The Mayberry Project" PETITION May 17, 1774 Bedford County, Virginia To the Honourable Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Burgesses: The Petition of a Number of Presbyterians, Members of a Presbyterian Church or Congregation in the County of Bedford, known by the Name of the Peaks of Otter, humbly sheweth, That your Petitioners have in time past and are still willing to contribute their Quota in Support of the Church of England as by Law established in this Colony of Virginia: which they do with the more Cheerfulness, as they have hitherto enjoyed their Rights and Privileges and the free Exercise of their Religion as Presbyterian Dissenters unmolested: nor have they any Fears or Doubts of being disturbed therein by this Honourable House, while your Petitioners duly obey the Laws of this Country, continue good Subjects to their most gracious Sovereign, and are useful Members of the Community. And as they look upon obedience to the Laws and protection from the Legislation to be reciprocal, they therefore pray the Protection of this Honourable House in future, in the free exercise of their Religion, which they humbly concieve is well calculated to make A unwise ..... ..... is, so ......d is .....nce to their .....ful Sovereign, and to live in ..... subjection to the Laws. While they thus implore your Protection and favorable Notice, they beg Leave to inform this Honourable House that they find it very inconvenient to support Clergy of their Denomination by the usual Method of Subscription; therefore, a Number of well disposed patrons? in said Presbyterian Church or Congregation have made Contributions to purchase therewith Lands and Slaves for the Support of a Stated Minister of the said Congregation: but not believing their Elders or Church Session a Body sufficiently corporated by any express Law of this Colony, in which to vest the Freehold of the Land and Slaves in Trust for the Purpose of raising a Salery, and the same being in Obeyance would be liable to various Trespasses without Redress, for Remedy whereof your Petitioners further pray That this Honourable House would pass a Law impowering the Elders of said Congregation to dispose of the Benefactions that now are or hereafter may be given for the Support of a Minister of the Presbyterian Profession in the Purchase of Land and Slaves, or to place the same or any Part Thereof To Interest as shall seem most for the Benefit of the Congregation, and vest in the said Elders and their Successors the Freehold of the said Land and Slaves to ----------- of the said Minister, as long as he continues in the Doctrine and subject to the Discipline of the Presbyterian Church as held and exercised by their sessions Presbyteries and ---------------: with Power to withhold the Profits of the said Lands and Slaves and the Interest of the Money whenever the Minister shall deviate from the Doctrine or Discipline according to a Judgement of the said Judicatures: and if the Profits of the said Lands Slaves and Money should at any time exceed the salery agreed upon with the said Minister, the Elders are to dispose of the Overplus, as also the Profits arising from the Lands Slaves and Money between the Death or Removal of a Minister and the Admission of his Successor, according to the Rules of the Presbyterian Church, as shall be directed by a Majority of the Congregation: that the Elders shall have power to sell any Lands or Slaves that may be thought less useful and with the Money arising from such Sale to purchase other Lands or Slaves of more Value to the same uses: that the said Elders and their Successors shall be regular Members of the Presbyterian Church according to the Doctrine and Discipline thereof and that they shall be annually accountable to the Minister for his Salery, or --------- thereof as shall arise from the Profits of the Lands and Slaves and the Interest of the Money: that the said Elders keep a fair Book of all their transactions in the said Trust, and render a just account thereof to such actions? as shall be chosen by a majority of the Congregation when thereunto demanded; and on refusal or ------- to be liable to the Law? of the said Persons so chosen with the Consent of the said Majority. This our Petition being solely intended for promoting Religion and Virtue amongst the Presbyterians in this Part of the Colony is humbly left to the Various Considerations of this Honourable House to -------------------------------------- and Amendments -------- in ------- a --------- wisdom----------------- expedient. And your Petitioners as in Duly bound shall ever pray Robt. Ewing Charles Ewing Robert Ewing Jr. Fradrick Maybery Henery Maybery Wm. Boyd ----- Ewing Andrew Ewing Charles? McClallen? Michael Boxer? Alexnder Armstrong Willm. Armstrong John Armstrong ----- Read George Dickson John Kennedy James Kennedy William Kennedy Thomas Kennedy William Cenedey John Slayner/Waynes? Kege Stone Adam Linn Joseph Linn Adam Linn James ----- Transcriber's Notes: This document was folded and much of the text in the fold lines has been worn away. Although this was apparently one page at one time, it is now two pages. The bottom of the first half of the document has for the most part also been worn away and it appears that it may have been wet at some time as the edge is quite dark and has a bleeding effect to it. I left the spelling as it was, as best as I could interpret it. On the outside of the folded document is noted "18 Bedford Petition of the members of the presbyterian church, pray that the elders thereof may be enabled to take and hold lands and slaves, to the use of the ------- under proper regulations. 17 May 1774, referred to the committee for religion. 21 of May 1774 reported reasonable." As you can see, Frederick Mayberry was the fourth petitioner on the list and Henry Mayberry was the fifth. This file was found at the Library of Virginia, Virginia History and Culture, Early Virginia Religious Petitions, 1774-1802. This image of this petition is available through their Digital Library Program. Transcribed by Teresa Lee-Coker on April 28, 2002. 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