Whence I Came

A few years back, I came across the below 1778 Virginia Gazette advertisement while researching my Thurman family.  This Revolutionary War era ad created more questions for me than answers.  I couldn't help but wonder why "Mr. John Thurman", a young man originally from rural Hanover County, was acting on behalf of Dr. William Pasteur , the eminent 18th century Williamsburg surgeon and apothecary.  Pasteur's Beaverdam Creek plantation, mentioned in the ad, was comprised of 700 acres on the north side of the James River.  Today, there is a historic home known as Mount Bernard which proudly stands on a small portion of the original plantation which maintains sweeping views of the James River valley.  According to a historic survey of the property prepared by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources , it is believed that Mount Bernard was built upon an 18th century foundation - the time frame of the below subject ad.    1778 Virginia Gazette...

The first extant St. Paul's Parish procession record after Mr. John White's 1744 death is for the year 1751, followed by a procession order in 1755 and a return in 1756.   Below is a comparison chart showing the names of the land owners in the Yellow Community between the processions of 1744 and 1756.  Fortunately, there appears to have been a pattern of recording the names within the precinct beginning each time with John Howard and followed similarly.  Changes in ownership can be determined by analyzing the names going across the table.  For example, in 1744, John Muirfield owned a tract of land within the Yellow Community.  But in 1751, Anthony Winston and John White took possession of Muirfield's land.  They held this tract of land through 1756.  The mention of Whites as property owners are highlighted in yellow.    St. Paul's parish, H. co. (1940). The vestry book of St. Paul's parish, Hanover county, Virginia, 1706-1786. Richm...