"In the Colonial period Virginia had, of course, a state church. In other words, the Episcopal Church was establishedb by law, and supported by a compulsory charge or tax.
The state was therefore divided into parishes for the administration of the religious and semi-religious affairs coming under the jurisdiction of the vestries. These parishes frequently, but not always, coincided with the boundaries of the counties. Sometimes, for convenience counties were divided into more than one parish. There were often noticeable differences between the character and calibre of the men composing the vestries and the early ministers who came over from England. The vestries, in general, were composed of men drawn from the more able and important part of the citizenry of the parish; the ministers were such as were willing to become adventurers, more or less, in the new, sparsely settled, and relatively impecunious communities of the new world. That a minister was willing to come to America at that time, often was indicative of the fact that he was not of the character and capacity to make a success at home, or that there were other reasons of not wholly creditable character impelling the move.
The ministers who came over seeking the livings afforded in the colony, were, as a general rule, so indifferent and undesirable, - many of them being gamblers, and intemperate and immoral, - that it was a
very serious thing for a community to have such a person settled upon them, with legal powers to enforce their salaries by the levy and collection of taxes.
There were notable exceptions. Some of the parish ministers were men of the highest integrity, morality and character, such as example as Reverend Peter Fontaine of Westover Parish, Reverend James Craig of Cumberland Parish, and Reverend James Maury, who, notwithstanding his controversy with the vestry over the two penny act, was a man of high character and a patriot in the cause of American liberty.
Bishop Meade contends, not without considerable reason, that the vestries were the real depositaries of power in Colonial Virginia. He says, "They not only giverned the church by the election of ministers, the levying of taxes, the enforcing of laws, but they made laws in the House of Burgesses; for the burgesses were the most intelligent and influential men of the parish, and were mostly vestrymen." Reference: OLD CHURCHES, MINISTERS, ETC., by Bishop Meade, VolumeI, 151...
..."When the county was created in 1745 it embraced, in addition to its present area, the now
comprised in Mecklenburg, Charlotte, Halifax, Pittsylvania, Henry, Franklin, and the greater part of Bedford and Campbell counties". "This great area was comprised in one parish and was named Cumberland. While Lunenburg County and Cumberland parish were created by the act of 1745, it was provided that they should come into existence 'from and immediately after the first day of May next'". Reference: Hening V. 3110 "it was directed by the Act that the sheriff should advertise 'some convenient time and place' for the meeting of the 'freeholders and housekeepers' to elect 'twelve of the most able and discreet persons' of the parish as vestrymen".
"The first vestry of Cumberland parish seems to have been composed of the following: Lewis Deloney, Clement Read, Matthew Talbott, Abraham Martin, *Lyddall Bacon, David Stokes, Daniel Ferth, Thomas Bouldin, John Twitty, Field Jefferson, John Edloe, and John Cox"...
William Hardy was a Vestryman of Cumberland Parish from 1780 to 1786. He was a Revolutionary soldier. There were two Covington Hardys in Lunenburg County, one a brother and the other a son of William Hardy. The Covington Hardy who was a Vestryman of Cumberland Parish from 1786 to 1802, is thought to have been a son of William Hardy, the Vestryman.There is an extensive genealogy of the Hardy family in The Old Free State.
Source: CUMBERLAND PARISH Lunenbrg County, Virginia 1746-1816, Vestry Book 1746-1816 by Landon C. Bell, Ph.B., M.A., LL.B. Genealogy Publishing Co., Inc. Baltimore 1974 pp.250
...William Hardy was a Revolutionary War soldier. He entered the Army on February14, 1778, and served in the company of Captain William Grimes, in the 15th Virginia Regiment commanded by Major Gustav Wallace. He was transferred in June to Lieutenant Colonel John Cropper's company, 11th and 15th Virginia Regiment, commanded successively by Lt. Col. John Cropper and Col. Daniel Morgan. He was again transferred about December of 1778 to Captain David Mason's company, 11th Virginia Regiment in which he served until February, 1779, when the company's Munter roll shows he was discharged. His will was dated 21 Oct 1790, of Lunenburg County, Virginia.
Source: "Hardy and Hardie Past and Present" Authors and Compilers H. Claude Hardy and Rev. Edwin Noah Hardy, 1935 Printed by The Syracuse Typesetting Co., Inc. Third printing, 1977 The Village Press, Inc. Concord, NH. 03301 page 242
William Hardy enlisted, 1778, as private in Capt. William Grimes' 15th Virginia regiment commanded by Maj. Gustavus B. Wallace. He died, 1791
Source: Lineage Book, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume XC, 1911, Alice Louise McDuffee, Historian General. Washington, D. C. 1927 # 89442, page143-144
241. Hardy, William 10-21-1790; 3-13-1791; W.B. 3/389
Mentions: Wife: Mary Hardy
Sons: Samuel Hardy, Thomas Hardy, Stith Hardy, Covington Hardy, John Hardy
Daughter: Mary Hardy
Son-in-law: Lyddal Bacon
Executors: Covington Hardy (brother), John Hardy (son)
Witnesses: John (his X mark) Cook, Morning Gunn, Elizabeth Winn, Bettie Winn, Edmund Winn.
Source: LUNENBURG COUNTY VIRGINIA WILLS 1746-1825 by Landon C. Bell, Indexed by Lorraine L. Fuller and Jean V. Sipe, Virginia Book Company, Berryville, Virginia, [1972]
Below is a copy of the will of William Hardy, 1st, third child of Richard Hardy
dated October 21, 1790, age 62
Will of William Hardy
In the name of God Amen, I William Hardy of Lunenburg County being by the Blessing of God Almighty in my perfect senses do make and ordain this my last will and Testament as follows to wit. In the first place I desire that my just debt that I owe at the time of my making this will may be discharged as soon as may be out of my Estate, likewise I lend to my dearly beloved wife Mary Hardy two Negroes to wit Will and Lucy, during her widowhood likewise I give to my son Samuel Hardy seven thousand pounds Tobacco to be paid next to my aforementioned debts as soon as it can be done with Conveniency, to him and his heirs forever. Likewise I give to my son Thomas Hardy five thousand pounds tobacco to be paid in like manner, to him and his heirs forever. Likewise I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Hardy One Hundred and Twenty pounds to be paid in like manner, also one horse bridle and Saddle one feather bed and furniture and two Cows and Calves to her and her heirs forever, likewise I give and bequeath to my son Covington Hardy one Horse bridle and saddle one feather bed & furniture and two Cows & Calves to him and his heirs forever and at the Expiration of five years one Negro man named Stephen if the same Stephen should die before the Expiration of the aforementioned time that then said Covington Hardy shall have fifty pounds as soon as it can be paid with Conveniency to him and his heirs forever. Likewise I give and bequeath to my son Stith Hardy one horse bridle and Saddle one feather bed and furniture and two Cows & Calves to him and his heirs forever and at the Expiration of nine years one Negro named Charles if said Charles should die or anything should happen so that he should not be fit for Service said Stith is to have Sixty pound as soon as it can be paid with Conveniency to him and his heirs forever. Likewise I desire that my Dearly beloved wife should have the use and Occupation of my land & plantation together with all Utensils in doors and out doors as long as she remain my Widow & at the Expiration of her Widowhood all to be divided among the Survivors of my Children and their heirs, likewise I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Hardy Two Hundred Acres land together with plantation whereof he now lives beginning just far enough below his spring branch to run west course to Covington Hardy lines to him and his heirs forever then fall down said branch to lay off my son in law Lyddal Bacon fifty acres to him and his heirs forever, likewise I give and bequeath to my son Covington Hardy Two Hundred Acres to be laid off below said Bacons on same branch to his & his heirs forever. Likewise I give and bequeath to my son Stith Hardy all the Remains of my lands and my part of the Mill not interrupting his Mother to him & his heirs forever; Lastly I nominate constitute and appoint my brother Covington Hardy together with my son John Hardy my whole and sole Executors of this my last will and testament. Given under my hand & seal this 21 day of October one Thousand seven Hundred & Ninety
William Hardy
Signed, Sealed & Delivered
in Presence of us
his
John X Cooke
mark
Mourning Gunn
Elizabeth Winn
Betty Winn
Edmund Winn
Source: From Genealogy Report & notes given to me by Donald Forrest Hardy. Donald Forrest Hardy is the Grandson of Lewis Barnett Hardy & Martha "Mattie" Rebecca Brown Hardy, son of Forrest Clinton Hardy and Dora Edna Neville Hardy. Have since obtained a photocopy of the original will.
Henry Thomas Stainback Hardy's farm was called Wattsboro. His wife, Mary Campell Wilson Hardy ran the Wattsboro post office for 47 years out of her living room of her house after the Wattsboro Country Store owned by Dr. Boswell burned down in 1890. The Wilson farm that Mary Campell came from is right across the road from Reedy Chapel. This area of Lunenburg County was known as Loves Mill. A mile down Reedy Creek towards Wattsboro and on way back in the woods is the family plot of Charles Madison Hardy and his descendents both Hardy and Hawthorne.
The first family home in Lunenburg of all the Hardys is White Hall located 1 mile west of Kenbridge off
Rt. 652 on Big Hounds Creek. William (15th Virginia Regiment Revolutionary War) son of Richard II Hardy is buried in the family plot behind the house. His son Covington is also buried here and so is William Hardy's wife Mary Elizabeth Wynne. Covington Hardy son of William added to the house and his son Vincent Hardy built directly across the Big Hounds Creek from Whitehall and named his plantation Breezy Valley. Covington Hardy's son Henry Hardy Inherited White Hall.
Source: Craig W. Hardy, great grandson of Henry Thomas Stainback Hardy.
[Information found on B J's Family Genealogy Web site Documentation Section]
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/7241/
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