“I give to my good, affectionate, and faithful servant, Burwell, his freedom and the sum of three hundred dollars to buy the necessaries to commence his trade of painter and glazier, or to use otherwise as he pleases. I give also to my good servants, John Hemings and Joe Fosset, their freedom at the end of one year after my death, and to each of them respectively, all of the tools of their respective shops or callings, and it is my will that a comfortable log house be built for each of the three servants so emancipated, on some part of my lands convenient to them with respect to the residence of their wives, and to Charlottesville and the University, where they will mostly be employed.—I give the use of an acre of land to each during his life.—I humbly and earnestly request of the legislature of Virginia a confirmation of the bequest of freedom to these servants with permission to remain in this State where their families and connections are, as an additional instance of favor, of which I have received so many manifestations in the course of my life, and for which I now give them my last solemn and dutiful thanks.” (Two boys were to receive their freedom upon coming of age.) COURT HOUSE VOTING Until towards the middle of the 1800’s this court house was the sole voting place in Albemarle County. Elections were held on court days. Only “Freeholders”—white, adult males owning at least twenty-five acres of land with a building on it—had the franchise. The secret ballot was unknown. Candidates were required to be present throughout the election, and by popular custom they were expected to furnish a “treat” for their followers. These supplies of food, and especially of drink, became an expense which friends sometimes had to share. Rum punch was the usual drink, although cider was also offered. The procedure was as follows: the voting was by voice. A long table was placed in the court room. At the center of this sat the High Sheriff; on either side of him were a few of the county Justices; then at the two extreme ends were the respective candidates, each with a clerk who recorded his party’s votes. The room was open to the crowd. Singly, each voter advanced before the bench. If unchallenged, the Sheriff asked his choice and the man named his candidate. The candidate then usually rose, bowed, and expressed his thanks: “I thank you, Sir”; “You honor me, Sir.” The crowd at the same time expressed its feelings in cheers or sharp retorts. (_See The Freeholder, Charles S. Sydnor, Chapel Hill Press._) It is interesting to know that Jefferson and Monroe both voted in such elections many times. This method continued until after the death of both men.