"Stump the Yankee"

[L Verge]

Roger,

You are soooo close, but I refuse to give that Yankee the satisfaction of having another Yankee win this one. Sorry, I'll make it up to you sometime.

John Harrison Surratt (in the 1852 records, it is spelled Serratt - one of at least 7 spellings of the name that we have found so far) paid $10.90 for his license on September 23, 1852. HOWEVER, there is a notation "Middleton to pay." It appears that Mr. Surratt had already begun his bad habit of borrowing money that would later get his widow in a heap of trouble. When he died in 1862, he left over $3500 in bills.

BTW: His license was to run an "ordinary" and by May 10th of 1853, he was paying $18. On May 9, 1862, he was being charged $200/year. He died in August of that year, but the license was evidently renewed under his son, John, on May 21, 1863 for $200. The records seem to indicate, however, that he could pay in installments.

What's the score now, Mr. Yankee? Or, are you preparing to throw a hidden loophole into the game?

Gotta run - a Smithsonian tour bus is on its way.