Another point of view into the Joseph Rash Sr. Mystery

I found a Joseph Rash who was transported from Middlesex England in 1735/36,for stealing Malt,and a Hemp Sack.

From the proceedings of old Baily,London,Middlesex County,England......
( Joseph Rash, defendant, theft: simple grand larceny, 08 Sep 1736.)
. Joseph Rash, was indicted for stealing 2 Hempen Sacks, value 18 d. the Goods of James Massingale, and 18 Bushels of Malt, value 18 s. the Goods of Thomas Root , August the 3d. Guilty. [Transportation.

He was transported to Virginia on the ship Dorsetshire,by Captain William Loney.Could this be The Joseph I`m looking for? More Documentation is needed before we can accept this as the right Joseph.

Facts:
(1) A Joseph Rash was transported to Virginia in 1736/1737 on the ship Dorsetshire.
(2)The wife of Joseph Eave(Eaves) Jr. attended Barbara Rash in her Illness and was granted compensation by the St. Georges Parish Committee.
(3)Joseph Eve Sr. was transported to Virginia,on the Favourite in 1733,3 yrs before Joseph Rash.
(4) Joseph Eve was a neighbor of Joseph and Barbara Rash,who lived just over the Louisa county line ,in Orange County Va.

Joseph Eaves , John Oaks , theft: simple grand larceny, 25 May 1732.
The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Ref: t17320525-23

Trial Summary:
Crime(s): theft : simple grand larceny,
Punishment Type: transportation,
(Punishment details may be provided at the end of the trial.)
Verdict: Part Guilty: theft under 1s


Joseph EVE Sr.
Born: England Died: about Mar 1770 Orange Co., VA Father: unknown Mother: unknown
Married: to Mary _____
Children: Thomas EVE, John EVE, *Rev. George EVE, Sarah EVE, and( Joseph EVE Jr.)
Joseph Eve arrived in Virginia in 1733 as an indentured servant. He had stolen a pewter sign in London and was unable to pay the fine of 10 pence, so he was transported to the colonies in October 1732 aboard the ship "Favourite." He served three years, was a carpenter and farmer, and left an extensive will which was probated in Orange Co., VA on 22 Mar 1770.

(5)Joseph Rash was Married to Barbara Halcomb(Martha Halcomb is listed in the Passenger list of the Dorsetshire with Joseph Rash) could this be her daughter?

Martha Halcomb , theft: simple grand larceny, 10 Jun 1736.(Came over on the same ship as Joseph Rash.

The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Ref: t17360610-57
Martha Halcomb
Trial Summary:
Crime(s): theft : simple grand larceny,
Punishment Type: transportation,
(Punishment details may be provided at the end of the trial.)
Verdict: Part Guilty: theft under 1s,
Punishment: Transportation

(5)Joseph Rash is shown witnessing a Land transaction in Spotsylvania between Joseph Martin and Francis Meriwether in 1755. Both of these men were wealthy land owners who imported transports from England to Virginia.

Virginia County Records SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1721-1800
DEEDS
DEED BOOK E 1751-1761
page 200
Joseph Martin of Louisa Co., Gent., and Anne, his wife, late wife of Wm. Sandige, late of Spts. Co., Decd., to Francis Meriwether of Spts. Co., Gent. 1/3 part of a tract of 150 a., called Elk Neck, in Spts. Co., purchased by sd. Wm. Sandige in his lifetime of John Davis of King Wm. Co., and by sd. Wm. devised to his son, Wm., who sold it to the sd. Meriwether. Witnesses, Benja. Holloday, James Pulliam, Joseph Rash. Dated, Sept. 1, 1755. Recd. Sept. 2, 1755.


These are just a few of the circumstances that makes me beleive that our Joseph was an indentured servant.and that he is our Joseph Sr.


Explanation of Transportation:

The first major innovation in eighteenth-century penal practice was the extensive use of transportation. Although there was some idea that transportation might lead to the reformation of the offender, the primary motivations behind this punishment were deterrence and the exile of hardened criminals from society.

Although some convicts were transported in the seventeenth century, it had to be done at their own expense or at the expense of merchants or shipowners. In the early eighteenth century there was a desire to extend transportation as a way of creating a more effective alternative to the death penalty (in terms of deterring crime) than benefit of clergy and whipping. In 1718 the first Transportation Act allowed the courts to sentence felons guilty of offences subject to benefit of clergy to seven years transportation to America. In 1720 a further statute authorized payments by the state to the merchants who contracted to take the convicts to America.

The first Transportation Act also allowed those guilty of capital offences and pardoned by the king to be sentenced to transportation, and it established returning from transportation as a capital offence.

In 1776 transportation was halted by the outbreak of war with America. Although convicts continued to be sentenced to transportation, male convicts were confined to hard labour in hulks on the Thames, while women were imprisoned. Transportation resumed in 1787 with a new destination: Australia. This was seen as a more serious punishment than imprisonment, since it involved exile to a distant land.

Heres proof that some of the indentures from the Ship Dorsetshire were in Spotsylvania county Va. during this time frame ;
Advertisement..
The Virginia Gazette,
Thursday, April 24, 1746. Number 508. Page 3, Column 2.

Ran away from the Subscriber, in Fredericksburg, on Saturday Night the 12th Instant, a servant Man, named Henry-Valentine Beveradge: He is an Englishman, and came into the Country last July, in the Dorsetshire, Capt. Bowman, a Convict; a middle siz'd Fellow, of a ruddy complexion, aged about 28, with dark Hair. Had on when he went away, a light colour'd Kersey Coat, an Oznabrig Shirt, a pair of Oznabrig Trowsers, a Felt Hat, Shoes and stockings, and is a Skinner or Tanner by Trade. It's suppos'd he has forg'd a Pass. Whoever brings the said servant to me, shall have three Pistoles reward, and all reasonable charges

Samuel Hilldrup. (Owner)




The parish records show on 14 November 1781 a processioning order for a precinct between the south fork of Pritties Creek, the top of the Little Mountain (the Louisa Co. line) and the Orange Co. line: "lands of William Sims, James Isbell, Henry Shelton,

(Henry Shelton , theft: specified place, 08 Dec 1731.
The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Ref: t17311208-31

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trial Summary:
Crime(s): theft : specified place,
Punishment Type: transportation,
(Punishment details may be provided at the end of the trial.)
Verdict: Part Guilty: theft under 1s,
Punishment: Transportation)

and Joseph Rash. (William Sims was an appraiser of Mr. Thomas Barlow's estate in 1778; Henry Shelton had daughters who married James Isbell, Jr. and John William Crostwaite, who died in 1783 on Beaver Creek, Wilkes Co., NC, where his land was acquired by Elder John Barlow.)" This material comes from a book, "Bunches of Barlows -- The Descendants of John Barlow of Wilkes Co, NC.," by Elizabeth H. Michaels and John O Hawkins


Seems a lot of Men who were indentured by the wealthy land owners were given land on the Louisa county,Orange County,line and especially the Pritties creek area,and some of them came to Wilkes County North Carolina in the late 1700,s as did my 6th Great Grandfather Joseph Rash.

As I said all of this is still circumstantial,until something can be documented.