Re: Stephen Tarleton, Bacon's Rebellion
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In reply to:
Re: Stephen Tarleton, Bacon's Rebellion
9/29/09
Thanks for the information. There were a lot of Tarleton's living in Liverpool,England. One was even a Mayor. Some of the Tarleton's were involved in the slave trade. Here is a little more of what I have found on Stephen Tarleton.
Stephen Tarleton was living in York County, Virginia by 1659, and worked as a Tabacco appraiser. In a deposition given by him on June 24, 1659 in the York County Court, he stated he was 22 years of age. Thus Stephen was born in 1637. He was involved in a dispute with a servant, Edward Jenkins, and there are several refrences in the county records. Stephen lived in New Kent County, in Blisland Parish, in the area that later became St. Peter's Parish at least by 1663, when he patented 394 acres of land. His land was on the north side of the main branch of" Blackwater Creek" and a fork of "Chickahominy Swamp". This was just a short distance from the Woodson's over the line from what is now "Hanover County", The Blackwater Creek area is just across the" Pamunkey River" from St. Peter's Parish , where Stephen was a vestryman (1685-1687). Stephen was one of the men involved in Bacon's Rebellion. A number of New Kent County men were recruited by Nathaniel Bacon, when he set out on his mission against the Pamunkey Indians. One of the groups remained in New Kent County, after the Rebellion, at the Brick House, until Christmas time, months after Bacon had died. The group finally disintegrated with the show of British force in York River. This was still in Blisland Parish at the time. Stephen was one of those who suffered because of his part in the Rebellion, and his letter to the honorable Herbert Jeffries Morrison, his Majesty's Commissioners in Virginia follows:
The humble petition of Stephen Tarleton, of New Kent County most humbly sheweth."
" That your petitioner as he most pentiteently and sorrowfully acknowledgth, seduced into the late horrible Rebellion, and taken yet unlawful oath umposed by the late Grand Rebel; Nathaniel Bacon, Jr. and being conscious of his guilt, there of upon the first publishing his most sacred Majesty's gratious,and surpassing act of pardon, to his distressed subject of his late disloyall Colony , lay hold of the same, and take the oath ready to perform those other due and reasonable conditions which by his Majesty's said pardon he is justly enjoyed to doe,and being by the honorable Governors, proclamation of the ninth of February last, referred to the determination of your honor beseeched mercy and pardon for his said crimes, and humbly prayeth yet he may be admitted to the full benefit of his Majesty's said act of pardon".
It is not known when Stephen went to Kent County, to live, but he had lived a colorful life before he left York County. He had appeared in court there, concerning the deposition of Mary Gunnell, a servant girl, on April 12, 1660; Mary deposed, says Stephen Torlington got her with child, and did use her several times by day; and also by night in her master's hall and also other places. Even after all this; his reputation must have not been to badly tarnished. For he surely met his future bride in York County.
Stephen married Susanna Bates, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Bates of York County.John Bates was born in Kent County, England in 1598, and settled in York County Virginia. John Bates, age 24, was listed amoung the muster of Mr. Abraham Peirsey, at"Peirsey's Hundred" in 1624. He was amoung the servant's of Abraham Peirsey and had come to the colony on the "Southampton" in 1623. The Bates family would be leaders in the Quaker movement. Most of this information is from "Tidewater Virginia Families" by Virginia Lee Hutchenson Davis.
Would love to know from whom you are descended from of the Virginia Tarletons.