CJ (#35) An Oath 1686

At a Rappahannock County court held the 4th day of August 1686 it is recorded:

"Ordered that Mr. John Catlett (CA-1) & Mr. John Taliaferro (TA-4) do meet at some convenient place on the 15th day of next Septemr: then & there to Inventory & appraise the Estate of Robert Cash (CAS-1) decd and that they make report of their proceedings herein to the next South side Court to be held for this County. Colnll. Cadwalader Jones (JO-1) is requested to administer an Oath to the sd Appraisers for their more just & true appraisement as also to call before him all such persons as shall be any wise suspected to have any of the Estate of the sd Cash in their hands & to administer an Oath to them for the discovery of the same "

It would seem that our Cadwallader (JO-1) was still active on the south side of Rappahannock River in August 1686.   John Catlett (CA-1) and John Taliaferro (TA-4) were both involved continuously in the life of our Cadwallader. (JO-1) 


The document is recorded in (Old) Rappahannock County Orders 1685 - 1687, p. 51.

CJ(#19) Behind the Blue Ridge in 1682

It becomes increasingly difficult to imagine that our Cadwallader (JO-1) could be involved in any additional exploits during the year 1682.  It was not until John Taliaferro(TA-4) testified in court many years later (yet to come) stating that he was with Cadwallader Jones(JO-1) in the summer of 1682 exploring the mountains and rivers toward what is now called The Blue Ridge.  It would appear that it was during this time [1682] that Cadwallader explored the headwaters of the Rapidan River leading to the discovery of what was to become the Shenandoah River.  The following figure is a scan of his map published in the early 1690s, but marks the geographic positions he claims to have visited.

The compass is drawn in the upper right showing "due north" to the right. [It was common during this time period to draw your maps facing west to the top of the page.]  The red lines are drawn along the latitudes which have been carefully scaled by Cadwallader (JO-1).  [39th - 36th degrees]  The blue outlines the Potomac River with the "Poto Falls" (Potomac Falls) marked in the lower right.  The orange color marks the locations that Cadwallader (JO-1) claims to have explored.  The "S. forke of Potomack" is drawn into what is now the Shenandoah Valley.  About equal distance between the 39th and 38th parallel Cadwallader (JO-1) places himself on the western side of the Blue Ridge. 

Much, much more will be presented from this map as the chronology evolves.  But for now, give it a view, and see for yourself what was behind the Blue Ridge in 1682..