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The Case of the Missing Gunpowder aka
Gray vs. Rowland
Robert
Rowland, son of Lt. Col. Thomas and Mary Rowland of Botetourt County,
Virginia, owned a powder mill (assumed to be black powder, i.e.
gunpowder) and
made powder on order. It appears that a powder order, made
before
Robert's death in September 1801, had not been fulfilled. In
addition,
there was some unpleasantness between the Rowlands and the Rev. Gray
having to do with charges for a funeral service --presumedly for
Robert-- and the following exerpts from court records detail, but do
not fully explain, some of the arguments presented in the suit brought
by Rev.Gray. The outcome? If you know,
please contact me.
From the CHRONICLES OF THE SCOTCH-IRISH SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA; Vol 2, pp 42-51 Compiled from the court records of Augusta, Botetourt, and Rockbridge Counties, Virginia, by Lyman Chalkley and available online at rootsweb.com Samuel Gray vs. Thomas
Rowland, administrator of Robert Rowland.--
Superior Court of Law at Staunton. James Breckenridge deposes, 7th September, 1811, in Botetourt County, before Mathew Harvey, William Anderson: That shortly after the death of Robert, Thomas informed deponent that he had lost a considerable quantity of gunpowder, perhaps about five hundred weight, which he said belonged to Robert's estate, and had in his lifetime been made and packed perhaps for the plaintiff, to discharge a debt due to him which was payable in that article; that he apprehended it had been stolen by negroes in the neighborhood and desired this deponent to collect at the Court House such as he suspected for the purpose of examining them, which was done immediately. This happened shortly after the insurrection among the negroes in the neighborhood of Richmond was discovered. Deponent had no reason to believe that any quantity of gunpowder was stolen. Botetourt County records prove that defendant was convicted of slandering Paxton. John Smelzer was convicted in Sweet Springs District Court of slandering Joseph Ghent. Joseph Ghent is known to deponent since Joseph's infancy and is entitled to credit. On defendant's complaint many negroes were brought to the Court House and regularly examined, but nothing transpired to excite in deponent's understanding the least suspicion of their guilt. Gray vs. Rowland--Papers,
April, 1813.
From District Court, composed of Botetourt,
Montgomery, Greenbrier, Monroe, Kenawha, Mason and Giles. Commission to take deposition of Jno. Ritchie, living in Cumberland County, Ky. Suit originally brought in County Court, Botetourt, November, 1804. Removed from Monroe Circuit Court to Staunton by writ from General Court. Rev. Saml. Gray vs. Thomas Rowland, admr. of Robt. Rowland. Part of the account sued on is, viz: To attending the interment, writing an eulogium and preaching a funeral sermon, £900. George Rowland's deposition, Madison County, Kentucky, 13th January, 1806; brother of Robert, 18th September, 1801; was a few days before Robert's death. Mr. Gray had a relation--Mr Miller of Tennessee. Robert Lindsey is about to remove to Kentucky, 16th September, 1809. From Rockbridge. Joseph Allen, ditto. Robert Rowland had a powder mill and made powder on order. David, William and Jesse Rowland are about to leave this commonwealth, 10th January, 1811. This suit was founded on a contract by Gray to purchase 500 pounds of powder from Rowland, and it was charged that the powder was made and stored and subject to Gray's order for several years before Robert's death; a few days before Robert's death it was feloniously stolen and the impression was that it was in possession of the negroes at the negro insurrection in Richmond, about 1800. John Cartmill deposes that Gray's reputation is that he is a dissipated character. John Cartmill is about to leave this commonwealth, 1811. Botetourt County. Hopefully, this story will be continued. Rowland Archives Col. Thomas Rowland HOMEPAGE |