PEPPER- Fauquier Co. Petition 1774

"To the Worshipful Court of Fauquier County-
The Petition of us the Subscribers Sheweth, that we Being Desenters bearing the Denomination of Baptists &c. Desiring to Worship God According to the Best light that we have In Holy Scriptures, and the Dictates of our Own
Consciences, Humbly Prayeth that your Worships would be Pleased to grant us liberty To meet together for the worship of God in our way the Prosecution of what We believe to be Duty at the Meeting House Built for that Purpose on a Tenement of Land Occupied by Burr Harrison, and Also would beg leave further to Pray That the same might be Entred on record And a Certificate thereof might be granted to the Barer of these Presents and also that our
Brother John Monroe might be Permitted to Qualify according to Law for the Attending on us with the Preaching of the Gospels and the Administrations of the Ordinances. And your Petitioners as in our Duty will Pray for your Worship &c.

Burr Harrison
John Hitt
William Hollen
James Winn
Dawson Burgess
Wm Elliott
Geo. Bennett
Richd Oldham Jr.
Alea (possible Alex) Holton
Matthew Smith
James Winn
Samuel Pepper
John Elliott
Richard Oldham
Henry Snider
Thomas Elliott
William Lain
John Pepper
Jeffry Johnson
John Oldham
Joseph Neavel
James Neavel
Henry Asbury
Junr John Wright
William Hammon [and others]


NOTE: Several of these names (about ten of them) are in the same handwriting as the preamble, and the preamble is in the same handwriting as that of Burr Harrison; he therefore put down himself such of the names as are in his handwriting, doubtless at the request or knowledge of such persons. Among these named so written is that of "Junr John Wright." The prefix "Junr" seems to confirm that John Wright, junior, did not write his own name in this instance.'

This petition was acted upon in the following May, as per the entry on page 232 of the court minutes for the May term 1775, when Capt. John Wright, Jr., had gone South: "Leave is granted the Anabaptists in the lower part of this County to erect a meeting house on the Lands of John Kelly."

It is believed (but not satisfactorily proved) that Richard Oldham and Richard Oldham, Jr. migrated soon after this to Caswell Co., NC. One or both may have sojourned in Amelia Co., VA on their way to North Carolina. One of the Oldhams, possibly Richard Oldham, Jr. married an Anne Pepper



CROOKED RUN BAPTIST CHURCH