John Conaway's Lease for Land in Cross Creek, Virginia, 1805

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

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.