In 1805, John Conaway of Brooke County, Virginia, signed a three-year lease for land belonging to Samuel Roberson. John died in late 1806, and his wife Elizabeth was later taken to court for breach of contract. Brooke County is now a part of the panhandle area of West Virginia.
An Article of an Agreement made and Entered into this twelfth
Day of April one thousand eight hundred and five Between Samuel Roberson of
Washington County Pennsylvania of the one part and John Conaway of Brook County
Virginia of the other part witnesseth that the said Roberson Doth Rent unto the
said Conaway a plantation where the said Roberson Formerly Lived on the Waters
of Cross Creek Brook County Virginia for the term of three years Commencing the
first Day of April in the year of our Lord 1806 and to end in the year of our
Lord 1809 April the first And the said Conaway is to pay the said Roberson
three hundred Dollars in manner following on hundred on the first Day of April
1807 One hundred on the first Day of April 1808 and one hundred On the first Day
of April 1809 and the said Conaway is to Clean up a Certain peace of ground
already under fence adjoining to the shugar Camp and that the Conaway is to
give the said Roberson one third of the shugar every year and the said Roberson
is to find pot Mettle in proportion to his part of the shugar and the said
Roberson is to have one wagon Load of Apples every baring year during the three
years and the said Conaway is to grub pick and fence in a piece of ground
adjoining to the great Road and make it fit for the plow and the said Conaway
is to clean up another peace of ground adjoining the peach Orchard and put it
in good Order for the plow and the said Conaway is to have Liberty of seeding
twenty acres of ground in small grain the first year of his time and that
the said Conaway is not to double crop any of the afore mentioned place without
the said Robersons leave the plantation to be left in good tenant able repare
and no timber to be used for anything but firewood and fence bales and the said
Conaway is to deliver up peacefully possession at the expiration of the three
years in the penalty of two hundred if either party of lying from this contract
shall forfeit and pay the other the above mentioned penalty.
John Conaway {seal}
Samuel Robinson {seal}
Witness
Daniel Nicholls
John Wiggins
Source: Superior Court Records, Brooke County, West Virginia, 1810, Envelope 284, "Samuel Robison vs. William Henry and Elizabeth Conway Adm. of John Conway, Dec." Family Search Microfilm #186281.
John Wiggins
 |
| A copy of the lease agreement in the court records |
Source: Superior Court Records, Brooke County, West Virginia, 1810, Envelope 284, "Samuel Robison vs. William Henry and Elizabeth Conway Adm. of John Conway, Dec." Family Search Microfilm #186281.
