640 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
1779. 
March 3: Rented my fishery on Wood's Island to James Matthews for theseason to find hima sceine and canoe, for 
100£, to be paid at the end of the season, and to have the use of the sceine and fishery ten nights in the month of April, 
when I shall choose them. And he, the said Mathews, is to return ihe sceine and canoe at the end of the season, or 
others of equal value in lieu thereof. Present, James Nevil and Nathaniel Watkins. March 31: Began to hall the 
sceine, and caught ten shad, and delivered the sceine and fishing canoe to James Mathews all in good order. 
Present, Robert Hughes, Chas. Stewart, and many others. 
April 2: At night there were 200 and odd shad caught at my fishery. April 10: Paid Mrs, Raly 25 shad, for which 
she paid me 4 dollars last Dec. April 18: In the morning finished fishing, and in 10 nights caught about 2,200 
shad. April 28: By Chas. Stewart, $6 for 12 shad. 
June 15: Charles Stewart, with one of my fellows and one of Landrum’s, brought home my sceine, with many 
lead lost and much impaired by the cattle getting to it. 
October 3: Caught 24 rocks in our traps, one of which weighed nearly 10 lbs., and had caught a few of a morning 
some time ago. 
March 27: Begun to catch fish, 8 shad. 
May 10: Sent Major Reid 47 shad in full of 65 which he paid me for some time ago (by negro Bob). 
October 8: Caught a rockfish which weighed 12 lbs., and Hughes kept one that was much larger. 
1780. 
1781. 
April 3: John Mays, James Mays, James Edmonds, John Layne, and Elijah Mays to have my sceine and fishing 
place on Wood’s Island every Tuesday night during the present season for catching fish, for which they are to 
deliver me one-half they catch at my landing opposite the fishing place, to be careful of the sceine and keep it in good 
order; and if they fail to fish when the weather and river will permit, they are to be answerable to me for their 
neglect by paying me for one-half the fish, at the customary price, which are usually canght. At the end of the season 
to deliver up the sceine in good order. April 4: Moses Campbell, Ambros Campbell, Kellis Wright, Menos Wright, 
and John Alfred, same terms, every Wednesday night. April5: J. Wright, C. Lavender, T. Largen, G. Wright, and 
J. Hollandsworth, every Thursday night caught in the course of the night 408 shad and fore some time past caught 
them very considerably. April 6: S. Edmunds and his company, same terms, every Friday night. Caught 473 shad 
in the course of the night. dpril 7: Sent Col. Sam’l Merideth, by Watt, his barrel with 200 pickled shad. April 8: 
James Mathews, with Col. Nevil’s hands, to fish every Sunday or Monday night as shall be agreed between him and 
Capt. John Loving, on the same terms as the companies befor mentioned; at night caught 558 shad. April 13: At 
night the most severe frost I ever knew for the season, It has carried off all the fruit, killed most of our tobacco 
plants and those of all other kinds, destroyed our turnip and colewart seed in a great measure, and in short did every 
injury that frost could do. We caught at my fishery 64 shad, but when ever the sceine was a moment out of water 
it was frozen, and the water constantly froze to the poles while carrying the sceine out. 
May 3: Caught 608 shad last night. May 4: Caught 508 shad last night. May5: Caught about 400 shad last 
night. May 23: Declined fishing on account of the river rising; the fish tolerable good we caught the preceding night. 
1784. 
March 1: Wm. Ray (my tenant) to fish every Sunday night during the season and to deliver me one-half the fish 
that’s caught, and am to find a sceine and canoe, and if he neglects to fish when the river and weather admit it, is 
to be answerable to me for each neglect; and Sam’l Edmunds & Co. same terms every Monday night, Jas. Edmunds 
& Co. every Tuesday night, Wm. Bibb & Co. Wednesday night, Killis Wright every Thursday night, Wm. Walton 
every Friday night. 
April 13: At night caught 40 odd shad for the first, the winter being very severe and the spring very backward. 
1785. 
March 10: James Edmunds & Co. to fish every Monday night at my fishery, on Wood’s Island, during the season, 
for one-half the fish he catches. Sam’l Edmunds & Co. Tuesday night, with Wm. Bibb & Co. Wednesday, do. ; 
Killis Wright, do. Thursday, do.; Wm. Walton & Co. Friday, do.; Rich’d Murrow Saturday, do.; Young Landram 
Sunday, ditto. 
April 15: Caugh 76 shad, for the first this season. 
May 9: Monday night John Ball failed to haul my seine at the Swift Island, and the weather very good; to be 
answerable for the same. May 16: Paid Rich’d Murrow, jr., £3 for netting a seine in the presence of his father, 
Sam’l J. Cabell, and others, 
