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DIARY OF FRANCIS TAYLOR,
1786
April
26, Wrote a deed of Gift from Zach Burnley to Garland Burnley-shall not charge anything for doing it. Col'o Pendleton & Bro'r James went to Col'o Madisons-Went to Ch's Taylors. He & his family just got down from Capt.Conways-my father & Geo.C.Taylor & the Doct'r from Caroline- Had bowl of Punch and some good fish-
27, Went to election. James Madison had 225, C.Porter 187 & Jas Gordon 105 votes. I paid C.Porter jurr £4.10. for w'ch he gave his bond to deliver 1500 feet scantling for my fathers house- Pd.F.Cowherd 8/9 w'ch he won of me at Col.Burnleys. Paid A.Holmes 24/- on Taylor acco't. Went to Col'o Madisons in the evening with my father. Let C.Conway have two Int Warrants for 1.19.5. & 2.11.2. am't £4.10.7-Gave W.Finnell & B.Porter notice that my father would motion against them at next Court if they don't pay their repleyy bond before that time.
28 My father & self remained at Col Madisons and adjusted the accounts of their Trustee business to H.Beverley dec'd. Very dull and somewhat more unwell than usual-
29, Oliver Towles & Charles Porter, two of the Com'rs appointed by Act of Assembly to settle the acco'ts of Beverleys Trustees, met at the Court House and passed G. Taylors & J.Madisons accounts, but did not fix the sum to be paid the Trustees for their trouble. Mr.R.G.Beverley was there and Col'o Madison having in his hands above two thousand pounds paper rec'd for Lands on the Trust-he told me that Mr.Beverley sold it to him for 1/500 part in Cash. Mr. Gordon, J.Willis, G.Stubblefield, Col.Burnley and several other persons were there, Stubblefield seemed to have much to say to Beverley- At my return to bro'r James's found John & Robert Taylor & understood that Wins Parker, Capt Burnley, E.Taylor & family's had dined here. Will Madison went to Culpeper to Housekeeping this day. Reuben Taylor went to Housekeeping on the place he bought of H.Taliaferro the 22nd instant. Reuben went to Culpeper for money due him, called on his return & said he rec'd none.
30, Weather rather cool, remained at home. My health somewhat mending.
May,
1, Had some hills made for melon patch. Went to Mrs.Thomas's with bro'r James's family-Col.Barbour & wife there. Mr.J.Thomas complained of having no appetite. I think he drank too much was all. Bro'r James planting Corn towards Mrs.Thomas's. The weather warm and dry. Rob't Taylors wife came to bro'r James's and stayed till the morning.
2, She went with Aunt Taylors to C.Taylors. My father came from C.Taylors after C.Ddinner. Cha's Dickenson (with A.Overton apprentice) came to work for my father
3, C.Dickenson began to underpin Kitchen with stone, having first levelled the house- I stayed with him till near 12 o'clock when I went to C.Taylors' Maj'r & Mrs.Moore dined there.
4, Sale at Mr.Terrills-I went to where Dickenson worked-
5, Col'o Barbour & family dined here and my father.
6, Went to Vestry- J.Taylor resigned, being Clerk - F.Taylor [the diarist himself] chosen. W.Moore & T.Barber [Barbour] Deputed to attend Convention of Clergy & Laity.
7, Mr Waddill preached at Brick Church. I have been since yesterday morning unwell than common- Charles Taylor's slave Jenny died this day after a few days sickness-
8, Dry smoky weather, continue unwell. Went over the road where Dickenson was at work. My father & Ch's Taylor came there- Went to Ch's Taylors Dined on fish.
9. Health better. Reuben Taylor & my father was where Dickenson was working. They came and dined at Bro'r James's. Bowie Pendleton got here afer dinner. Maj'r Madison & Capt.Burnley came in the evening-Majr. Madison said he saw T.Brown from Kentucky who told him the Indians were very troublesome-had killed a Schoolmaster at E.Taylors. That E.Taylor, "was Edmund Taylor, brother of the diarist, then living on Beargrass Creek, Jefferson Co.Ky.,]
From the TAYLOR DIARY, #1907-z in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina Library, Chapel Hill. FOR REFERENCE ONLY: PERMISSION TO PUBLISH MUST BE REQUESTED. WARNING: MOST MANUSCRIPTS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.