Vestry of Dettingen parish in

ed.

CHAP. XX.

An Act for dissolving the Vestry of the Parish of Dettengen, in the County of PrinceWilliam, and for other purposes therein

mentioned.

I. WHEREAS the vestry of the parish of Dettengen, in the county of Prince-William, have been guitPrince-Wil- ty of many illegal practices, very oppressive to the inliam dissolv- habitants of the said parish who have petitioned this present general assembly that the said vestry may be dissolved: Be it therefore enacted, by the Lieutenant-Governor, Council and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted, by the authority of the same, That the aforesaid vestry be, and it is hereby dissolved; and that all and every act and acts, thing and things, which at any time hereafter shall or may be done, performed, or suffered by the said vestry of the said parish shall be absolutely void and of none effect.

11. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That the freeholders and house-keepers of the said parish shall meet at some convenient time and place, to be appointed and publicly advertised by the sheriff of the said county, at least one month before the last day of July next, and then and there elect twelve of the most able and discreet persons of the said parish to be vestrymen thereof; which said vestrymen, so elected, by virtue of this act, having, in the court of the said county of Prince William, taken the oaths mentioned and required to be taken by an act of parlisunent, made in the first year of the reign of his late majesty king George, the first, intituled, An Act for the further security of his najesty's person and government, and the succession of the crown in the heirs of the late Princess Sophia (being Protestants) and for extinguishing the hopes of the pretended Prince of Wales, his open and secret abettors, and taken and subscribed the oath of abjuration, and repeated and subscribed the test, and also subscribed to be conformable to the doctrine and discipline of the church of England, shall, to all intents and purposes, be deemed and taken to be the vestrymen of the said parish; and

upon the death, removal, or resignation of any of the said vestrymen, the remaining vestrymen shall be, and they are hereby impowered to chuse and elect another vestryman in the room of such vestryman so dying, removing, or resigning.

III. And whereas two actions are now depending in the general court of this colony, commenced by the church-wardens of the said parish of Dettengen, against certain persons who contracted with the vestry of the said parish to erect their public buildings: Be it enacted, That such actions, and every of them, shail and may be prosecuted and continued to judgement and execution in the same manner as if this act had never becu made; and the money recovered in any such action shall, by the plaintiff or plaintiffs, be paid to the churchwardens of the said parish, for the time being, for the use of the said parish. And in case any person or persons, plaintiffs in any such action, shall neglect or refuse to pay the money by them recovered to the churchwardens of the said parish, for the time being, as aloresaid, it shall and may be lawful for such church-wardens to commence and prosecute an action or actions upon the case for the recovery thereof against every such person, his or their executors or administrators, and to declare for so much money received to the use of such church-wardens.

Princess

145

Jouslin to

IV. And whereas James Jouslin, formerly of the Certain lands county of Princess Anne, by his last will and testa- in ynhaven ment, in writing, bearing date the eighth day of Janu parish, in ary, in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred Anne, devisand ninety four-five, did give and devise a certain tract ed by James or parcel of land, lying and being in the parish of Lynhaven, in the said county of Princess-Anne, unto phans of the the poor orhis son Richard Jouslin and his wife Elizabeth Jous parish, aulin, to be equally divided between them during their thorised to natural lives, and after his wife's decease to his said be sold. son and his heirs for ever; but in case his said son should die without heirs lawfully begotten. then to the poor orphans of the said parish, towards their maintainance and education, and never to be sold by his said son to any person whatsoever. And whereas the said Elizabeth is since dead, and also the said Richard Jouslin the son, without any issue lawfully begotten of his body. And whereas the said tract or parcel of land is poor, and inconveniently situated, and of little advantage to the poor orphans of the said counT-VO 7.

ty; and it would be more advantageous to them if the said tract or parcel of land was sold, and the money arising by the sale thereof laid out in the purchase of a more convenient tract or parcel of land, and in making necessary buildings thereon: Be it therefore enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor, Council and Burgesses. of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted. by the authority of the same. That all and singular the tract or parcel of land aforesaid, with the appurtenances, be, and the same are hereby vested in the present vestry of the said parish of Lynhaven, in the said county of Princess-Anne, and in the vestry of the said parish for the time being, in trust: Nevertheless, that the said vestry, or the greater part of them, shall, by deed or deeds of bargain and sale, duly executed, convey all and singular the said tract or parcel of land to such person or persons as shall be willing to purchase the same; to hold to such purchaser or purchasers. his and their heirs and assigns, for ever; and that the money arising by the sale of the said land shall be by them applied for and towards purchasing a more convenient tract or parcel of land, and in making and building such houses and improvements thereon as shall be necessary for the purposes mentioned in the said last will and testament of the said James Jouslin.

V. Saving to the king's most excellent majesty, his heirs and successors, and to all and every other person and persons, bodies politic and corporate, their respective heirs and successors (other than the persons claiming under the last will and testament of the said James Jouslin, deceased) all such estate, right, title, interest, property, claim and demand whatsoever, as they, every, or any of them. should, or might have had, or claimed, if this act had never been made.

CHAP. XXI.

An Act to enable the Vestry of the Parish of Stratton-Major, in the County of King and Queen, to sell their Glebe, and for other purposes therein mentioned.

I. WHEREAS the glebe of the parish of Stratton- Vestry of Major, in the county of King and Queen, is inconve Stratton-Ma niently situated, and the minister and vestry of the jor parish in said parish have petitioned this present general assem Queen auKing and bly that an act may pass to enable them to sell the thorised to said glebe, and to lay out the money arising from such sell their sale in purchasing other land for a glebe, and erecting glebe. convenient buildings thereon: Be it therefore enacted, by the Lieutenant-Governor, Council and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted, by the authority of the same, That the said glebe land, with the appurtenances, be, and the same is hereby vested in the present vestry of the said parish of Stratton-Major, and in the vestry of the said parish for the time being, in trust: Nevertheless, that the said vestry, or the greater part of them, shall, by deed of bargain and sale, sell and convey the said glebe, with the appurtenances, for the best price that can be got for the same, to any person or persons who shall be willing to purchase the same; to hold to such purchaser or purchasers; his and their heirs and assigns, for ever.

II. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That the money arising by the sale of the said glebe, shall be by the said vestry laid out and applied for and towards purchasing a more convenient tract or parcel of land for a glebe, and erecting buildings thereon, for the use and benefit of the minister of the said parish of Stratton-Major, for the time being, for

ever.

CHAP. XXII.

An Act for dividing the County of Fairfax.

1. WHEREAS many inconveniencies attend the Fairfax coun- upper inhabitants of the county of Fairfax, by reason ty divided. of the large extent of the said county, and their remote situation from the court house, and the said inhabitants have petitioned this present general assembly that the said county may be divided: Be it therefore enacted. by the Lieutenant-Governor, Council, and Burgesses of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted, by the authority of the same, That from and after the first day of July next ensuing the said county of Fairfax be divided into two counties, that is to Loudoun Say: All that part thereof, lying above Difficult run, county form- which falls into Patowmack river, and by a line to be run from the head of the said run, a straight course, to the mouth of Rocky run, shall be one distinct county, and called and known by the name of Loudoun: And all that part thereof below the said run and course, shall be one other distinct county, and retain the name of Fairfax.

ed.

II. And for the due administration of justice in the said county of Loudoun, after the same shall take place: Be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That Court days. after the first day of July a court for the said county of Loudoun be constantly held by the justices thereof, upon the second Tuesday in every month, in such manner as by the laws of this colony is provided, and shall be by their commission directed.

II. Provided always, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to binder the sheriff or collector of the said county of Fairfax, as the same now stands entire and undivided, from collecting and making distress for any public dues, or officers fees, which shall remain unpaid by the inhabitants of the said county of Loudoun at the time of its taking place; but such sheriff or collector shall have the same power to collect or distrain for such dues and fees, and shall be answerable for them in the same manner as if this act had never been made, any law. usage, or custom to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.