Business / Tax Records
Among the residences of Union (later Unison) were a number of individuals that plied either a trade, a business, or some other services to the locals and the surrounding citizens. In the slower days of travel by carriage or horseback, it was common to find “Ordinaries” – later known as Taverns – in every town or village, on conveniently set along the main thoroughfares. Early Ordinaries were often merely residences that were large enough to accommodate travelers needing food and drink, and a bed for the evening. They also were used as local meeting halls for village, local, and district matters.
The county took great care in ensuring that Ordinaries were properly licensed, and that the prospective inn-keeper was of good repute. It wasn’t uncommon to see a petition to the county to deny a prospective applicant the right to a license – this being similar to the case of Robert Adams of Middleburg when it was recorded in the court records there was a ..“Petition signed by Middleburg residents requesting the court to deny Robert Adams his ordinary License as being “unfit” to keep a tavern.”
Below are the Loudoun County Archives records (alphabetical order) for the following prospective Ordinary applicants of Union/Unison. Apparently all appeared to be all of upstanding virtue, and their licenses approved by the county.
Ordinary Licenses
| Last Name | First Name | Year License | Location |
| Cummings | William | 1848-1850 1852 | Union[sic] |
| Miller | William C. | 1834 1835 1860 1867 1869 | Union/Unison |
| Monroe | James | 1852 | Union[sic] |
| Taylor | Franklin | 1860 | Union[sic] |
| Weedem | John | 1807 1822 1827 1828 | Unison |
Below are the Loudoun County Archives records (alphabetical order) for those individuals in Unison applying for, and receiving, a liquor license:
Liquor Licenses
| Last Name | First Name | Year License Issued | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | George | 1830 | Union[sic] |
| Cornell | Stephen | 1858 | Union[sic] |
| Fred | B. P. | 1846, 1847 | Union[sic] |
| Hutchenson | Lycurgus | 1866 | Union[sic] |
| Plaster | John H. | 1860 | Union[sic] |
| Swenny | A. R. | 1869 | Union[sic] |
Taxes
Tithes and taxes have been collected from the settlers and landowners of the American colonies from the moment the first British citizens set foot on American soil. When Loudoun County was formed in 1757, the new county government’s first priority was to establish the court in Leesburg. The second prior was to establish the Tax Assessors! Early taxation took the form of tithes – a head tax paid to the Church of England. These tithes lists are still extent in the Loudoun County Archives.
After the Independence War the tithes were abandoned, and government looked to taxing of personal property and lands to meet government revenue needs. Loudoun County retains its Tax books date back to 1851 – the prior years having been sent to the Virginia State Archives many years ago. The tax records of Loudoun County give a welcome page-turning view of each resident as well as the “neighborhoods”.
Below are some tax record transcriptions of the Unison (Union) village inhabitants and landowners in or near near the village (within 1 mile).
1824 Tax Records – Unison
| Lot Owner | # Lots Owned |
|---|---|
| M. Bowies (Winchester) | 1 |
| Wlm. F. Dossey | 2 (1 unimproved) |
| Henry Evans | 2 (1 unimproved) |
| Eli Gallahan | 1 |
| Thomas Gallahan | 1 |
| Nancy Graves | 1 |
| Bernard Gilssis | 2 |
| William Gellahan | 1 |
| Lewis Hunt | 1 |
| Joseph Lovett | 1 |
| George Lloyd | 1 |
| Alvin Lloyd | 1 |
| Edmund Lovett | 1 |
| Seth Smith | 1 |
| Joseph Torrison | 1 |
| Willis Triplett | 1 |
| Cravin Walker | 2 (1 unimproved) |
| Richard Weadow | 3 (1 unimproved) |
1851 Tax Records – Unison
| Last name | First name | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | James | $100 – $100 | Union (residence Pr. William County) |
| Carter | Priesley (heirs) | $600 – $650 | Union |
| Cummins | William E. | $350 – $400 $100 – $125 0 – $15 | Union |
| Evans | Henry | 0 – $50 | Union |
| Gallher | Thomas | $200 – $300 | Union (residence Pr. William County) |
| Gallher | David | $517 – $100 | Union |
| Garrett | Israel | 0 – $50 | Union |
| Humphrey | Thomas L. & Abner G. | $700 – $750 0 – $50 0 – $50 | Union |
| Leith | 0 – $50 | Union | |
| Littleton | ______ | $375 – $400 | Union |
| Machlin | Mary (her children/heirs) | $350 – $400 | Union |
| Milholland | Patrick | $350 – $400 | Union |
| Plaster | Michael | $100 – $125 | Union |
| Plaster (Jr.) | Henry | $125 – $150 $450 – $300 0 – $50 | Union |
| Plaster (Sr.) | Henry | $100 – $150 $125 – $175 $100 – $150 | Union |
| Roby | Andrew | $100 – $150 | Union |
| Smith | Seth | $850 – $900 0 – $100 | Union |
| Weadon | Noah & ______ (heirs) | $450 – $500 | Union |
| Weadon | John | $100 – $105 | Union |
1851 Tax Records – Near Unison
| Last name | First name | Acres | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitacre | John | 157 | near Union |
| Thomas | Mary L. Willima P. | 101 | “ “ |
| Smith | Seth | 3˝ | “ “ |
| Seaton | William | 125Ľ | “ “ |
| Readon | William A. | 64 & 47˝ | South Union |
| Readon (Reador) | Gourley | 140 & 72 ($2,000) | South Union |
| Richard | Samuel (estate) | 100 | near Union |
| Plasters | George (estate) | 130 | “ “ |
| Perry | ? | 24 | “ “ |
| Piggott | Isaac | 202, 89 ˝, 4, 24, 101, 5, 13 ˝, 1ľ, 105 | “ “ |
| Plaster | Michael | 117, 24, 4, 57, 23, 84, 5˝, 55 ľ, 110 | “ “ |
| Plaster | Henry Sr. | 63 ˝, 9 Ľ, 37 Ľ | “ “ |
| Plaster | Henry Jr. | 34, 105, 7 ľ, 18, 24, 6 ˝ | “ “ |
| Nickins | Richard | 1 | “ “ |
| Leith | Thomas | 10, 69 ˝, 62 Ľ | Union |
| Keen | John | 103 | South Union |
| Keen | George | 909 (11 plats of land) (323, 262, 48, 90, 1 ľ, 96 130,43, 73, Ľ, 160 ˝ , 3) | near Union |
| Gibson | Soloman | ˝ | “ “ |
| Furr | Fulton | 148 | “ “ |
| Fred | Thomas | 198 ˝ , 30 Ľ | “ “ |
| Gibson | Alice (L. Carter, Trustee) | 7, 1 ľ | “ “ |
| Chamblis | William | 122, 3, 55 Ľ, 98 ľ ` | South Union |
**All tax and road information, census records, business records, deeds and will info, are held in the collections of the Loudoun County Archives Department at the courthouse in Leesburg. The data was researched and compiled by Flora Hillman**