Hi, Thought you might enjoy this from the book "Settlers, Southerns, Americans: The History of Essex County, Virginia by James B. Slaughter, page 47 "An English gentleman named Daniel Fisher passed through the country in 1755, and described his stop at Essex justice William Roane's ordinary near the Essex-King and Queen county line: "This Ordinary belongs, it seems , to one Major Roane, a person of Influence in these parts. He obtains a licence at County court, whereof he is a member, and puts into the ordinary some Lazy Person or other, at a salary of so much percent, as is likely to pint off the greatest quantity of liquors for him. THis is a common practice in the Country, by which means, through the Proprietor avoids the Reproach of being deemed an Ordinary keeper, and the scandal of what is transacted, yet reaps the greatest share of the profits."
This book also mentions on page 57 that William Roane was part of the 889 white men who served in the county's militia, William Roane was a major of horse and foot troops during 1750s. At that time they were fighting the French and Indians.