Stephen Tarleton

This information was found in the book Tidewater Virginia Families by Virginia Lee Hutcheson Davis. Extensive notes listing sources are given in this book.

Stephen seemed to like trouble:

He was involved in Bacon's Rebellion and wrote the following letter to the Honorable Herbert Jeffries, Sir John Berry and Francis Morton, his Majesty's Commissioners in Virginia:

"The humble petition of Stephen Tarleton of New Kent County most humbly sheweth" "That your petitioner as he most pentitently and sorrowfully ackowledgeth seduced into the late horrible Rebellion, and taken yet unlawful oath imposed by the late grand Rebell Nathaniel Bacon, Jr. and being conscious of his guilt thereof did upon the firste publishing his most sacred Majesty's gratious and surpassing Act of pardon, to his distressed subjects of this late disloyall Colony lay hold of the same, and take the oath of allegiance and then was and still is ready to performe those other due and reasonable conditions which by his Majesty's said pardon he is justly enjoyned to doe and being by the Honorable Governor's proclamation of the 9th of february last referred to the determination of your honor." "Your petitioner in all humility beseecheth mercy and pardon for his said crimes, and humbly prayeth yet he may be admitted to the full benefit of his Majesty's said Act of pardon."

Following that, he took part in the Tobacco Riots. In May 1682 he was taken into custody by the sheriff of York County for words greatly encouraging the present distractions, by cutting up tobacco plants.

On April 12, 1660 a servant girl named Mary Gunnell made the following deposition in court:

`"says Stephen Torlington got her with child and did use her several times a day and also by night in her master's hall and also in other places"`
	-York County Records, 1659-1652