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"Duelling was quite common on the Eastern Shore in the seventeenth century, and some of the indentured servants seem to have been as fiery in nature and as quick to resent an affront, real or imaginary, as were their masters. In 1661, a servant belonging to Christopher Calvert, sent a peremptory challenge to Goslin Van Netson, a citizen of Dutch origin. The challenge was accepted, the duel fought and the servant badly wounded. Calvert was ordered by the county court to pay for the present, all the fees which Dr. George Nicholas Hacke should charge for medical attendance on the injured man, but they were ultimately to be shared by Van Netsen, who had inflicted the wound. Calvert was to be compensated by an extension of the servant’s term of service.1 It is probable that, in this case, the servant sending the challenge really belonged to a higher social grade than appears in the records. Many of those bound by articles of indenture were, as we have seen, young men of gentle connections, whose social antecedents were inconsistent with the position in which they placed themselves; or it may be they had signed the articles in order to learn some specified pursuit, like tobacco planting, before embarking in it on their own independent account.2
Dr. Severn, Peter Cropper, and the first of the Tullys were entered in the records as servants, though they were all men of high social standing, the first named having received his professional education in Germany. But let return to the duel. It is not likely that Van Netzen would have accepted a challenge from an ordinary servant, as that would have been regarded as a confession on his part of the social equality of his antagonist with himself. At any rate, the servant seems to have got the worst of the affair both in the conflict and the subsequent settlement of damages, which after all was quite proper in view of his insolence.
1Northampton County Records, Vol. 1657-64, p. 132. (Bruce)
2Bruce’s Social Life of Virginia, in Seventeenth Cent., p. 248.
Various depositions suggest birthdates of 1600 to 1617.
Christopher came to the Eastern Shore of VA about 1635. He settled in Accomack Co. before 24 Jun 1636, when William Bibby was granted 300 acres for the transportation of six people, including Christopher Calvert.
On 25 Sep 1637 Christopher verified the will of William Bibby, deceased.
On 13 Feb 1637 Christopher witnessed (by mark) a sale by Philip Dodsworth of two cows in Northampton Co., VA.
On 31 Mar 1651 Christopher and Samuel Calvert were among those promising allegiance to the Commonwealth of England "as is now established without King or House of Lords."
On 17 Jun 1682 he deeded a cow to his grandchildren Waitman and Garrett Sipple. Witnesses were George Porter and Will Stevens.
2 Oct 1655: On 02 Oct 1655 Christopher received a land grant of 800 acres in Northampton Co. for the transportation of 16 people into the colony. It was a neck of land on the south side of the main southern branch of Anancock, bounded on the west by a branch parting it from the lands of John Jenkins and on the east by another branch parting it from the land of William Mellings.
3 Nov 1660: On 03 Nov 1660 Christopher assigned the grant to Charles and Mary Calvert.
20 Oct 1661: On 20 Oct 1661 Christopher received a grant of 700 acres in Northampton Co. on Pungotege Creek, previously owned by Thomas Teackle and before him by Sampson Robins.
Christopher appeared on lists of Accomack Co. titheables from 1663 through 1671.
On 13 Feb 1668 Christopher (signed X) of Accomack Co. appointed William Mellings of Northampton Co. his attorney in a suit against John Dikes for 1500 pounds of "tobacco & caske" due Calvert for a year's service by his son Christopher Jr.
On 01 Mar 1668 Christopher won a judgment against Dikes for the 1500 pounds of tobacco and caske and costs.
30 Nov 1668: On 30 Nov 1668 Christopher and his wife Elinor (X) sold some patented land received from James City 20 Oct 1652.
1679: In 1679 Christopher and his son Charles sold 200 acres, now occupied by the town of Onancock, to Charles Scarburgh."
Dr. Severn, Peter Cropper, and the first of the Tullys were entered in the records as servants, though they were all men of high social standing, the first named having received his professional education in Germany. But let return to the duel. It is not likely that Van Netzen would have accepted a challenge from an ordinary servant, as that would have been regarded as a confession on his part of the social equality of his antagonist with himself. At any rate, the servant seems to have got the worst of the affair both in the conflict and the subsequent settlement of damages, which after all was quite proper in view of his insolence.
1Northampton County Records, Vol. 1657-64, p. 132. (Bruce)
2Bruce’s Social Life of Virginia, in Seventeenth Cent., p. 248.
Various depositions suggest birthdates of 1600 to 1617.
Christopher came to the Eastern Shore of VA about 1635. He settled in Accomack Co. before 24 Jun 1636, when William Bibby was granted 300 acres for the transportation of six people, including Christopher Calvert.
On 25 Sep 1637 Christopher verified the will of William Bibby, deceased.
On 13 Feb 1637 Christopher witnessed (by mark) a sale by Philip Dodsworth of two cows in Northampton Co., VA.
On 31 Mar 1651 Christopher and Samuel Calvert were among those promising allegiance to the Commonwealth of England "as is now established without King or House of Lords."
On 17 Jun 1682 he deeded a cow to his grandchildren Waitman and Garrett Sipple. Witnesses were George Porter and Will Stevens.
2 Oct 1655: On 02 Oct 1655 Christopher received a land grant of 800 acres in Northampton Co. for the transportation of 16 people into the colony. It was a neck of land on the south side of the main southern branch of Anancock, bounded on the west by a branch parting it from the lands of John Jenkins and on the east by another branch parting it from the land of William Mellings.
3 Nov 1660: On 03 Nov 1660 Christopher assigned the grant to Charles and Mary Calvert.
20 Oct 1661: On 20 Oct 1661 Christopher received a grant of 700 acres in Northampton Co. on Pungotege Creek, previously owned by Thomas Teackle and before him by Sampson Robins.
Christopher appeared on lists of Accomack Co. titheables from 1663 through 1671.
On 13 Feb 1668 Christopher (signed X) of Accomack Co. appointed William Mellings of Northampton Co. his attorney in a suit against John Dikes for 1500 pounds of "tobacco & caske" due Calvert for a year's service by his son Christopher Jr.
On 01 Mar 1668 Christopher won a judgment against Dikes for the 1500 pounds of tobacco and caske and costs.
30 Nov 1668: On 30 Nov 1668 Christopher and his wife Elinor (X) sold some patented land received from James City 20 Oct 1652.
1679: In 1679 Christopher and his son Charles sold 200 acres, now occupied by the town of Onancock, to Charles Scarburgh."
Ancestry.com, Ancestry Story: Court Cases by Ancestry Member kanawha_1 on 11 Aug 2009.
| Owner of original | kanawha_1 |
| Date | 11 Aug 2009 |
| Linked to | Charles Calvert; CHRISTOPHER CALVERT, Sr.; Christopher Calvert, Jr.; MARY CALVERT; ELINOR S. STEVENS |
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