A necessary sustenance in colonial days on the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck were biscuits made from half English wheat and the other half by choice of the baker — most likely some type of household American flour.
This is known because citizens of Middlesex County were ordered by an Act of the Virginia Assembly through the Middlesex County Circuit Court on Aug. 22, 1676 requiring the county provide 36 soldiers, armed with guns, ammunition and biscuits to go off to war in Nathaniel Bacon’s rebellion.
“Whereas, this county is commanded by a late Act of Assembly (to provide) . . . considerable quantity of bread . . . to be provided and made ready, it is therefore by this court ordered that ye quantity of three pounds of good and well ordered biscuits to be made of at least half English wheat be provided by each master of a family, for every tithable person in his or their homes within this county. And that they deliver … at ye courthouse of this county by the last day of August.”
Colonial Virginians paid taxes to the colony, the county and to the parish church. Colonial taxes were poll taxes, allocated per capita. All slaves and free men 16 years and older were classified as tithables and heads of family units paid the tax. In this case the price was soldiers, weapons, ammunition and biscuits.
Bacon’s Rebellion (1675-1676) was an early sign of the independent spirit of Virginians that would one day lead to independence from Great Britain.
The rebellion stemmed from cultural and economic conflicts that were going on within Virginia. One area of unrest dealt with local Indian tribes and the other involved tension between the classes as large landowners controlled the political climate of the times limiting opportunities for lower classes.
During the time, some living in Rivah counties supported Bacon, while others supported Gov. William Berkeley, the governing status quo. On Oct. 26, 1676, the rebellion faltered when Bacon died of natural causes in Gloucester County. Berkeley was to regain control of the colony and the first American Revolution ended. Even though Berkeley had promised a general pardon to restore order, 23 of Bacon’s men were hanged and their property turned over to the governor.
This was a momentous event in Virginia history and Bacon and Berkeley are names that are etched in time. Those three pounds of biscuits per tithable pale in comparison to such names, but the hands of those who made those biscuits from half English wheat speak clearly to the way life was here in Rivah country 345 years ago.
Lord! I bet those biscuits were good covered in black strap molasses and melted homemade butter!
It happened right here in Rivah country!
* The colonial assembly records were provided by the late Carroll C. Chowning Sr., who over 30 years researched, transcribed and in 1955 had the collection of Middlesex County Assembly Records bound in a single hardback book.
