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Note book originally belonging to Edward Lowry Tabb (1769-1834), the clerk of Mecklenburg County, Virginia. The cloth bound book appears to contain Tabb’s handwritten copies of approximately a dozen court records beginning in 1787, which provide a glimpse of life in the first few years of Virginia’s independence, just prior to its official statehood. Recorded are disputes between neighbors over money owed, power of attorney appointments, Bills of Lading, indentures and land leases, interspersed with what appear to be copies of letters, sermons or essays, various handwriting exercises, math problems and “rules”. (Note: The signatures in the book all appear to be in the same hand, presumably Tabb’s).
Of particular interest is the copy of the will of William Gatewood of Essex County, bequeathing his plantation and 1100 acres to his son Philemon along with “ten Negroes to wit: Peter, Jack, Tom, Lynn, Toby, Sarah, Phyllis, Jane, Moly and Aggy” while to his daughter Frances he bequeaths “Daniel, Will, Lucy and Fann.”
Another page of interest recounts the discovery of a child’s dead body “in a very obscure part of a Gentleman’s home in Dunwiddie County… which it is supposed was left there about a week before by an unfortunate young woman whose unhappy lot it had been to fall victim to an ungenerous seducer. A jury of inquest was summoned to examine the body but they could find no marks of violence. We forebear mentioning the young woman’s name who is suspected to be the perpetrator of this cruel act from a regard to her connections, who are very respectable, but that such a black deed as this cannot be too much execrated, as it is the most cruel, as well as the most savage like, of any that can be committed and might if unnoticed, produce the most calamitous effects in society. The hand of justice will certainly overtake her… she will receive the reward due to her Demerits.” The book measures 13 1/2 in x 9 in.
Biographical Note: Edward Lowry Tabb was born and died in Mecklenburg County. His sons left Virginia and settled in Mississippi and Alabama. Several other lots related to later generations of his family, through the Civil War, are also included in this auction.
PROVENANCE: The Estates of Thomas Maxfield and Sara McIntyre Bahner.
CONDITION: Covers and binding are extremely worn and fragile, with some sections detached from the binding and several areas of loss. The first ten or so pages are supple but very fragile, with chipping and losses. Later pages are in better condition but still heavily toned, with occasional losses.
