Whence I Came

FamilySearch.com never ceases to amaze me! Today, from the comfort of my own home, I came across the original pages that were transcribed by C. G. Chamberlayne for his publication  Vestry Book of  St. Paul's Parish Hanover County Virginia 1706-1786 ! Thank you FamilySearch.com! In a previous entry, I noted how many Burnett researchers have ignored Chamberlayne's transcription of Precinct 27 in 1708. In his transcription, Chamberlayne listed a John BARNET and an Edwd BURNET within the same precinct. Unfortunately, Chamberlayne's meticulous transcription effort has been ignored for this precinct and some Burnett researchers decided that a transcription mistake was made and that the transcription for "John BARNET" should have read, "John BURNET". So, let's take a look at the full original page! And here's a cropped version. Without a doubt, the original entry is "John BARNET" who was listed as an interested landowner in the 1708 entry and ...

Did John and Elizabeth Burnett of 1695 New Kent County ever live in St. Paul's Parish, Hanover County, Virginia?  Many researchers believe they did.  But where is the evidence for this claim?  Researchers refer to two documents to support the claim that John Burnett of 1695 New Kent lived in early St. Paul's Parish, Hanover County.  Let's take a look at the evidence.   1677 Blisland Parish Grievance In 1677, the Crown sent to Virginia representatives to investigate the state of affairs as a follow up to Bacon's Rebellion the previous year.  When the Crown's representatives arrived, they let it be known that they would receive written grievances that were signed and sworn to by inhabitants.  One such written grievance was submitted by men of Blisland Parish, New Kent County.  The Blisland Grievance was  dated April 2, 1677 and listed a number of  oppressions under Governor  Sir William Berkeley including high taxes, Native Amer...