I am forwarding this note at the request of a non-lister: >From: "nursemacd" <nursemacd@yahoo.com> >Subject: Orange & Frederick Co. VA Tithes & Polls... >Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2000 12:53:12 -0500 > > >Attention: Bad News for researchers of ancestors on the South Branch in the > >late 1740s (Re: Frederick Co. VA 1748 Census being unfound(ed?) > >Good news is that other records do exist. Within some book, probably >available at the Virginia Library, possibly entitled Virginia Tax Records, >are lists of inhabitants during the late 1730's (additional lists undated) >of then very large Orange Co. VA, which included the area of present >Frederick Co. VA, a large portion of present WV and the entirety of KY. I >only have machine copies of a few pages, given to me a few years ago, with a >handwritten note "VA Tax Records by GPC" at the top. A printed note refers >the reader to the following for a full account: "A History of Orange County, >Virginia, from Its Formation in 1734 (O. S.) to the End of the >Reconstruction in 1870, by W. W. Scott, Richmond, Va. Everett Waddry Co., >1907. > >Another 11 pages of machine copies, again with the "VA Tax Records by GPC" >handwritten note at top, include a list of voters, the poll written by a >court clerk at the Winchester, VA courthouse on the 24th Day of July, 1758, >when Col. Washington, Col. Martin, Mr. West and Capt. Swearingen were >running for office. I understand this was the first occasion of George >Washington running for public office, to the House of Burgesses, he won -- >from other writings (votes were made audibly.) Identical names of several >voters appear under two of the runners so I suspect people were voting for >two of the four. While Hampshire Co. VA (WV) was formed in 1754, I suspect >several of these voters in Winchester were from the South Branch area. I >note the names Hite, VanMeter and Ashby for examples, but only a very few >multi-syllable Germanic sounding names. > >Of interest to me is that one "Joseph McDonnell" is listed as voting for >Col.'s Washington and Martin -- the name of my earliest known McDonald >ancestor, whose son, Valentine, was born 11 Jan 1760 at South Branch of the >Potomac River per Valentine's Rev War pension records. Alas, when George >Washington's clerk transposed these courthouse records for his colonel's >official papers, the name 'McDonnell' was written 'McDowell.' > >Possibly a more knowledgeable subscriber may be able to quote the precise >source of these lists. Judging from my copies, the book must measure about >5" x 8" , containing at least 295 pages. Is the "GPC" possibly Genealogy >Publishing Company? > >Whoops....I just found it at http://www.bibliofind.com : >Parks, Gary (with and index by): Virginia Tax Records ; Baltimore: >Genealogical Publishing Co., 1983. First Edition, HB, Fine. Blue cloth >covered boards, gilt titles, A hint of rubbing to the tips. Insides very >clean and fresh, From the Virginia magazine of History and Biography, and >Willian and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler's Quarterly, Genealogy >Virginia Tax Records Reference Research Periodical Literatu Tithes Polls >Rent Rolls (UR#:BOOKS003081I) Offered for sale by Bryan Matthews at >US$100.00 > >Maybe an inter-library loan is best..... > >Neil McDonald