Local Historical Marker: 1652 Protest
The marker can be found at the edge of a farm field near the entrance to Chatham Vineyards. Photo credit: Jean E Flynn
Location: Near entrance to Chatham Vineyards on Church Neck Rd. Chatham Vineyards is located at 9232 Chatham Rd, Machipongo, VA 23405
Inscription: First organized protest in Colonies against taxation without representation in response to poll tax at nearby tavern, March 1652.
Northampton County Tourism Fund.
Below is an excerpt from the book EXPLORING THE OLDEST CONTINUOUS COURT RECORDS OF AMERICA compiled by Traci Johnson, Northampton County Circuit Court Clerk, Frances Bibbins Latimer and Jean Mihalyka:
In 1643 Ye Kingdom of Accamacke was named the eighth original shire in the Virginia Colony. As a shire (County) Accamacke was entitled to and received representation in the House of Burgesses, as well as the responsibility to pay taxes. Several years after being designated a shire, the name of Accamacke was changed to Northampton. The name change came about through the influence of Obedience Robins, a settler from Northamptonshire in England. For a few years, representatives from Northampton were called for and sent to James City to serve in the lower chamber of the House of Burgesses. And then for no known reason four years passed and no call came from the Governor and no representatives were sent from Northampton County. By March 1652 citizens of Northampton County had lost their patience and drafted the Northampton Protest. When the Governor’s call went out for the fall session, a call was sent to Northampton. On November 25th 1652 Lieutenant Colonel Obedience Robbins and Stephen Chariton answered the request to serve the Eastern Shore in the Virginia House of Burgesses.
NORTHAMPTON PROTEST, AT COURT 30 MARCH 1652
Wee whose names are under written this daye made choyce of by the Inhabitants of Northampton Countie in Virginia to give Informacons and lnstruccons to the gent Ellected Burgesses for this present Grand Assemblie (in relacon to such matters as conduce to our peace & Saftie). And for the Redresse of those agreevances wch (art prsent) wee are capable & sensible of in our Countie of Northampton. Imprimis. Wee the Inhabitants of Northampton Countie doe complayne that from tyme to tyme (pticular yeares past) wee have been submitted & bine obedient unto the paymt of publeq Taxacons. Butt after the yeare 1647, 11 since that tyme wee Con-ceive & have found that the taxes were very weightie. But in a more especiall manner (undr favor) wee are very sensible of the Taxacon of fforty sixe pounds of tobacco p. poll (this present yeare). And desire that the same bee taken off the charge of the Countie; furthermore wee alledge that after 1647, wee did understand & suppose our Countie of Northampton to bee disioynted & sequestered from the rest of Virginia. Therefore that Llawe wch requireth & injoyneth Taxacons from us to bee Arbitrarye & illegall; forasmuch as wee had neither summons for Ellecon of Burgesses nor voyce in their Assemblie (during the time aforesd) but only the Singlur Burgess in September, Ano., 1651. Wee conceive that wee may Lawfullie ptest agt the pceedings in the Act of Assemblie for public Taxacons wch have relacon to Northmton Countie since the year 1647. The Gent who are (att prsent ) to speake in our behalfe can sufficiently declare what is necessary to bee expressed to this effect wch wee referr to them. Our desire is that there may bee an annual Choyce of Magistrates in Northmton. And, if our Countie may not have the privilege of a pecular govrmt & propriety (att prsent) granted wthin our prcincts that then you Request and plead that all Causes, Suite of Tryalls (of what nature soever) may bee concerned (for future tvrne), determined in our sd Countie of Northampton. If there bee a free & genrall vote for a Governor wherein they shall Ellect Mr Richard Bennett Wee the inhabitants of Northampton Countie wth unanimous consent & plenary aprobacon Rendr our voyce for the sd Esq. Bennett. The people doe further desire that the Taxacons for Horry sixe pounds of tobac a heead maye not be collected by the sheriffe (until answr of the questions from the Grand Assemblie nowe Summoned). Witness our hands subscribed the day & year aforesd
Stephen Charlton
Llevyne Denwood
Jno Nuthall
WmWhittington
John Ellis
Steph Horsey