King George County, Virginia
Spotsylvania (now Orange County), Virginia
Essex County was established in 1692 from the old Rappahannock County, Virginia
Culpeper County, Virginia was established in 1749 from Orange County.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
In January, 1720/21, Anthony leased 50 acres in St. Mary's Parish, Essex County, Virginia for 2,600 pounds of tobacco.
In Feburary, 1721/21 Anthony witnessed a deed in Essex County, Virginia.
1718-1721 Essex County Deed Book No. 16;
18-19 Feb. 1720 [1721]. Richard Long of Essex County, planter, to Gabriel Long of same, planter. Lease and release; for 60 sterling.
100 acres part of a greater tract belonging to the said Richard Long formerly taken up by John Gillet ... at the head of Taliaferro's branch belonging to the Mount Creek on the south side thereof ... to the main run ... in the low ground...
Richard (R) Long
Wit: John Munday, John (J) Larance, John (J B) Bendal Anthony (A) Head.
21 Feb. 1720 [1721].
Acknowledged by Richard Long.
In 1723, in King George County Anthony brought suit against David Anderson.
In November, 1730,
Anthony Head moved his wife and seven children 80 miles to Octonia to set up ". . . a new place beyond the little mountains . . ." and he and three other men apparently built a house in 17 days.Octonia land – thus their being left their respective 200 acres in Robert Beverley’s will.
Anthony Head was listed in King George County, Virginia as a carpenter and innkeeper.
In 1731 the family was living in the Octonia tract in Spotsylvania County which was owned by Robert Beverley of Williamsburg. Anthony, Robert Dearing and Michael Pearson were overseers. Octonia was a 1728 grant of 24,000 acres in Orange (now in Greene) County, Virginia.
In 1733, Anthony inherited 200 acres from Robert Beverley.
give unto Anthony Head & to his heirs forever two hundred acres of land, part of my said Octonia tract to be laid off on the upper side of the Clow run in an exact square and to include the plantation the said Head now lives on. Item.
July 4, 1733, John Rucker was Anthony's security in debt action brought byBenjamin Winslow.
In 1734 Orange County, Virginia was created from Spotsylvania County.
In February, 1734 in Orange County, he was appointed as the Surveyor of the highways from the upper side of Poplar Bridge to Francklins Road. He was responsible for clearing the road and repairing the bridges.
In November, 1735 he was on the grand jury in Orange County, Virginia.
In 1736 the tax list for the south side of the Rapidan River included:
On September 20/21, 1736, Anthony Head sold his 200-acre plantation on Blue Run in St. Mark's Parish in Orange County to Jeremiah Murdock of King George County, Virginia. The family moved to the north side of the river by 1737.
The first jury ever impaneled by the first court of Orange county was composed of Abraham Bledsoe, Francis Browning, William Bryant, William Pannill, Edward Franklin, Philip Bush, Anthony Head, William Kelly, Henry Downs, John Bransford, David Phillips, John Howard, George Anderson, Mark Finks, William Carpenter and George Woods.
The 24,000 acre Octonia Grant was recorded in 1722. The land is now in Greene and Orange Counties, Virginia. The original eight grantees failed to meet the settlement requirement and the grant was renewed in 1729 to Robert Beverly. William Stanard inherited a significant portion of the Octonia grant in 1756.
The Octonia Stone (Octoney, Octeny, Octona, and Octuna) marks the end of the western boundary. It is near Stanardsville, Greene County, Virginia. The stone is engraved with a figure 8 with a cross touching the top of the 8.
The first European settlement in Orange County, Virginia was in 1714 and the county was officialy formed in 1734 with no western border. In 1738 the western part became Augusta County.
Spotsylvania County, Virginia was established in 1721 from parts of Essex, King and Queen, and King William counties. In 1734 Orange County was created from part of Spotsylvania.
Essex County Deed Book No. 16 31 Jan 1720/21.
Richd. Long of Essex County to Anthony Head of Richmond County. Lease and release; for 2600 pounds of tobacco.
50 acres in St. Mary's Parish, Essex County ... white oak of Edwards Evans and John Lawrence's standing upon the main run called the Mount run taken out of a patten formerly granted to John Talat in 1657.
Richard (R) Long.
Wit: William Thorp George (X) Head.
21 Feb. 1720/21.
Acknowledged by Richard Long.
Ann wife of Richard Long relinquished her right of dower.
Essex County Deed Book No. 16
18-19 Feb. 1720/1721
Richard Long of Essex County, planter, to Gabriel Long of same, planter. Lease and release; for £60 sterling.
100 acres part of a greater tract belonging to the said Richard Long formerly taken up by John Gillet ... at the head of Taliaferro's branch belonging to the Mount Creek on the south side thereof ... to the main run ... in the low ground...
Richard (R) Long
Wit: John Munday, John (J) Larance, John (J B) Bendal, Anthony (A) Head.
21 Feb. 1720/1721
Acknowledged by Richard Long.
from King George County Order Book Abstracts 1723-1725
Page 145, 7 Dec 1723
The suit brought by Anthoney Head against David Anderson is continued till next court.
from King George County Order Book Abstracts 1723-1725
Page 158, 8 Feb 1723/4
non-suit is granted unto David Anderson with one attorneys fees in the suit brought against him by Anthony Head which is ordered to be paid with cost.
from Spotsylvania Court Order Book 1724-1735, 6 March 1733/4
In the action of Trespass upon the Case brought p Anthony Head Plt. against John Pillo defent
from The Octonia Grantin Orange and Green Counties
In November 1730 Anthony Head moved his wife and seven children 80 miles to Octonia to set up ". . . a new place beyond the little mountains . . ." and he and three other men apparently built a house in 17 days.
Later in 1731 he and his wife and daughter took eight days to drive cattle to Octonia. A dwelling house with two outside chimneys and two rooms was built and a tobacco house, barns, a dairy, cornhouse, hen house and 800 panels of fence were erected; 67 acres were cleared and 50 acres were used for woodland pasture for the 13 head of cattle. Head evidently put out 1,000 peach, cherry, and apple trees.
Robert Beverly died in May 1733 and the Octonia Grant was divided up according to his will, which was probated in Spotsylvania (now Orange) County. One of those mentioned in Robert Beverley's will was Anthony Head, to whom was left 200 acres
to be laid of on the upper side of the bleu run in an exact square and to include the Plantation the said Head now lives on.
1 June 1731 O.S., Page 49
On Motion of Robert Beverley Gent.
It is Ordered that Anthony Head and his Gang Do Clear the road from the Chappell road over the blue run to his Upper Quarter, and that Benjamin Cave With his gang Do Clear from Poplar bridge to the Rappadan River, and keep the Same in good repair
A gentleman had no title, but descended from an aristocratic family, was of the landed gentry, and had a coat of arms.
1 August 1732 O.S., Page 129
Ordered that the road from the Chappell road to the Upper side of the Blew run Whereof Anthony Head is Overseer be Devided in two precincts and that the Said Head be Continued Overseer of the Upper Part of ye sd. road and that from the Top of the hill above the blew run to Rippons Quarter, and that all the Tithables above the blew run to Rippons Quarter, and Robt. Dearing and the Tithables at Rippons Quarter Do help him Clear the Same and Ordered that Richard Winslow be appointed
from Spotsylvania Order Book 1732-34
1733, July 4 In action of Debt Benjamin Winslow agst Anthony Head … John Rucker security for sd Head …
from Orange County Road Orders 1734-1749 by Ann Brush Miller
18 February 1734, O.S. p. 7 Anthony Head is hereby appointed Surveyor of the highways from the upper side of Poplar Bridge to Francklins Road & is ordered that the said Anthony Head cause the highways to be cleared & the Bridges repaired in the said Precinct according to Law And it is further ordered that if blue run Bridge should go away John Howard & all the male Labouring tithables in his precinct are to help to rebuild it.
Grand Jury sworn, 18 Nov. 1735:
Robert Cave, foreman, Abra. Bledsoe, Francis Browning, Wm. Bryant, Wm. Pannil, Edward Franklin, Phillip Bush, Anthony Head, Wm. Kelley, Henry Dovins, Jno. Bransford, David Phillips, John Howard, Geo. Anderson,. Mark Finks, Wm. Carpenter, George Woods.
8 November 1735, O.S. p. 37
At the Court held for Orange County on Tuesday the Eighteenth day of November 1735
Present
Goodrich Lightfoot
James Pollard
James Barber
Abraham Ball &
Abraham Field
Gentleman Justices
A Grand jury for the body of this County to wit Robert Cave foreman
Abraham Bledsoe, Francis Browning, William Bryant, William Pannill, Edward Franklin, Phillip Bush, Anthony Head, William Kelly, Henry Downs, John Bransford, David Phillips, John Howard, George Anderson, Mark Finks, William Carpentor, George Woods, were empowered and Sworn
and after having received the Charge withdrew and in a Short time returned to Presentements and ordered the Several Offenders be Summoned to Appear to the next Courts which sd presentement is as followeth.
We the Grandjury of our Sovereign Lord the King and the body of Orange County upon our Oath present as followeth the vizt. (Several entries follow, of which the last one is:) Edward Haly Overseer of the Road from the tombstone to the old mountain road in this County for one Month last past have failed to keep the said Road in repair according to the directions of the Act of Assembly in that Case made and provided.
To be presented to the court meant to be charged or indited.
24 August 1738, O.S. p. 373
Liberty is granted to Thos Rucker on his petition to clear a road for himself along Anthony Heads Tract into the road to blue run Mill.
28 February 1739, O.S.
Anthony Head is hereby made Overseer of the road from Benja Thomsons into the blue run road
And its ordered that the tithables of Beverleys Upper Quarter, the tithables belonging to John Howard Benja Thomson Trueman ffry Thomas Wood Thomas Rucker Elizabeth Keaton and Wm Crawford do work on the said road and be exempted from all other roads
And its further ordered that ye said Head Cause the ways to be cleared & the bridges repaired in the said precinct according to Law.
A tithable was a person for whom a head tax was to be paid. The definition varies over time and place, but generally included members of the potentially productive labor force.
A poll tax is a tax levied on every poll. The definition of a poll also varied, but was generally a man of legal age.
25 March 1742, O.S. p. 112
Ordered that the people under John Duglass clear the Lower part of ye road to ye Church and that Anthony Head clear ye upper part of ye sd road with the tithables under them & its further ordered that the cause ye sd road to be cleared & the bridges repaired in the said precincts according to Law.
27 May 1743, O.S. p. 448
Thomas Rucker is hereby appointed Overseer of ye road in the room of Anthony Head and its ordered that he cause the said road to be kept in repair with the tithables that were under ye sd Head according to Law
23 July 1747, O.S. p. 7
Michael Cook John Zimmerman & Zacharias Blankenbecker in Pursuance of an Order of This Court for Vewing a way This day made Return That According to an order of the Worshipfull Court of the County of Orange
We the Subscribers have viewed the new Road
Begining at a Poplar by the Corner of Robert King's Plantation
And runing along their old Rolling road to James Youills Plantation
& Turns out of the said Road on the Top of a Hill
& Runing a Straight Course to John Thomas's rolling road
& along the said Road upon Peter Fleshmans land
& Turns out of the said Road by the side of a Branch
and a run up a Bottom on Top of the hill into John Thomasís Old Rolling road
& along the said road into John Zimmermans Plantation & Turns out of The said road into John Zimmermans Path
& along the said Path & turns out of the said Path in a Bottom
And runs a Cross the Cattail Branch to Bloodworths road in a Bottom by a Ring Oak
Whereupon It is Ordered That
Robert King
Joseph King
John Thomas
John Sheppard
Christopher Youill
James Youill
David Youill
William Hensley
Thomas Garrott
Richard Mullice Anthony Head
William Carrol
John Sampson
do clear the said Way & Keep it in Repair.
