CHAPTER XVIII

Country Roads in Tidewater Virginia.

When the colonists reached Virginia there were no roads, public or private, laid out upon this continent. There was no necessity for such openings through the lands and forests of America as are now known as public roads or highways. The Indians trafficked only in such articles as they could shoulder. They did not know the use of metals and therefore had no weighty material to transport such as at the present day, and if necessity arose for roadways they had no implements with which to construct them. They were content to march in single file when journeying. They had no draft animals, nor vehicles for carriage or transportation other than boats, many of which were constructed of material so light in weight as to admit of their portage from stream to stream upon the shoulders of men.

When the colonists extended their settlements into the interiors of the peninsulas, away from the navigable streams, and when public places were established, such as churches, court houses, and grist mills, there arose a necessity for roads, but such roads as were constructed in the early years of the settlement, though their construction was forced by acts of assembly, were, nevertheless, nothing more than bridle paths.

Act. L, 1632 provided: "Highwayes shall be layd out in such convenient places as are requisite accordinge as the Governor and Council, or the Commissioners for the monthlie corts shall appoynt, or according as the parishioners of every parish shall agree.'

Act IX, 1657 provided for surveyors of "High Waise."

"That surveyors of highwaise and maintenance for bridges be yearly kept and appointed in each Countie Court respectively, and that all generall wayes from county to county and all churchwaies to be laid out and cleered yeerly as each county court shall think fit, needful and convenient, respect being had to the course in England to that end."

In 1661 Act LXXXIX, provided for the yearly appointment of surveyors of the highways by the justices of the peace to "lay out the most convenient wayes to the church, to the court, and make the said wayes 40 foote broad, and make bridges where there is occasion."

The surveyors were also directed to keep the " wayes clear from fallen logs, and the bridges in good repair. They were empowered "to order the parishioners everyone according to the number of tithables he hath in his family, to send upon the dayes by the surveyors appointed to help them in cleering the wayes and making and repairing the bridges according to the intent and purpose of this act.” There were penalties attached payable in tobacco for neglect to perform these duties.

Building roadways through the primeval forests, and over low bottom lands, and marshy grounds, and bridging numerous streams, was a mighty laborious undertaking at the early period of Virginia's settlement, especially if this task were to be done by the single individual and not by the collective community.

As a matter of fact, each seating place of a planter when first settled upon was devoid of any passageway or roadway to or from his home in the primeval wilderness connecting him with the outside world, and because of the gigantic task of road building many of the settlers postponed this work, thus placing their homes remote from all intercourse with the public highways and beyond the reach of their fellow man. So common was this condition that the general assembly deemed it necessary to enact laws compelling the opening of roads to "houses and plantations."

Such was Act V, 1667, "For Roades to Houses." "Whereas the despatch of business in this countrey is much obstructed for want of bridlewayes to the several houses and plantations: It is enacted by this grand assembly and the authority thereof, that every person haveing a plantation shall, at the most plaine and convenient path that leads to his house make a gate in his ffence for the convenience of passage of man and horse to his house about their occasions at the discretion of the owners."

In 1705, there was passed an act for constructing roads "to and from city of Williamsburg, the court house of every county, the parish churches, and such public mills and ferries as now are, or hereafter shall be erected, and from one county to another county, at least 30 ft. wide." All male tithables when called upon by the surveyor were to assist in the work.

The condition of the public roads of Tidewater Virginia were never a source of very grave anxiety to its people until very recent years. So long as there was a hard spot in the road to straddle upon, or a rut so shallow that its bottom was within reach of the cart-hub, the repairing of the road was postponed.

This condition was owing mainly to the fact that the largest shipment of agricultural products, were usually from the wealthier planters located convenient to some stream where a vessel or lighter could be reached by a short haul. Many planters had vessel landings upon their own lands. The farmers located at the greater distance from rivers or creeks, were generally the less wealthy class. Their main products for shipment were such as "could walk off "-horses, mules, cows, calves, yearlings, steers, hogs and sheep. What corn or wheat they raised was consumed at home, or trafficked with neighbors who were engaged in occupations other than tilling the soil.

Including the high and dry and level areas, there are hun