Deposition of Thomas Doe - 22 August 1778 - Transcribed by Gail M. Walczyk
Spelling remains the same
By Virtue of the Commission hereto annexed on the
22d day of August Anno Dom. 1778 in presence of James Henry of the Complts and of
Richard Bonniwell Guardian in right of his Wife to Robt. Russell Inft. the Deft.
we have taken the Following Deposition viz ---
Thomas Doe aged fifty years
and upwards being duly Sworn on the holy Evangels of Almighty God deposeth and saith
that he was well acquainted with Henry Custis Father of the Complt. Williams's Wife,
that the said Custis was in possession of the lands now in question and dyed possessed
thereof, and he was also well acquainted with Robert Russell Father of the Deft.
who married the said Custis's Widow --- That he was a tenant on the Lands in Question
both under Custis and Russell and as he has been informed a certain Thomas Custis
formerly of Accomack County Gent deced warned the said Russell while he was in possession,
to survey the Lands, a Survey was accordingly made by the said Russell, and this
Depnt. assisted in Carrying the Chain That he understood from the said Russell he
had enterd this Surplus Land in his own name and said he was advised so to do, but
for what Reason, this depont. never heard; --- this Depont. further saith that he
was acquainted with the Complt. Williams's Wife and with Tabitha Scarburgh the only
two Children of the said Henry Custis, and at the time when this Survey was made
they were both very small he judges they were both under the Age of fourteen Years,
and he thinks the said Russell surveyed in behalf of these Children, whose mother
he had married as before deposed to And further saith not
Thos. Doe
Sources:
_____. Accomack County VA Chancery Causes, 1727-1805. William Williams & Wife Etc vs Robert Russell 1774-011. Local Government Records Collection, Northampton County Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. Accessed 1 January 2012.
© Copyright 2011-2012 by Gail M. Walczyk