Punishment in the Stocks, or Pillory
Life in the colonies was a struggle between nature and Indian tribes who did not accept the presence of the white man on his hunting grounds. However, English laws were also in the frey. Although the colonists did not carry the gruesome habits of torture into the colonies, such as those performed in the Tower of London, local Indians used tomahawks to scalp settlers and other basic tortures. The Indians also threw spears with power and accuracy.
In the early days of Virginia, Edward Boyls was a soldier serving with Captain John Buchanan, Augusta County, in 1742. At the May term, 1746, of the County Court, Boyls was sentenced to the stocks for two hours and fined twelve shillings for damning the Court. Later, in 1756, the Indians killed Mrs. Boyls on Jackson's River, and the savages captured five children of Charles Boyle.
The genealogist who wonders what happened to his adventuring ancestor after arriving on the American shore may discover that his name was mentioned in the local militia or an Indian attack and then never again. This is why it is important to read county histories—tidbits of data help to assemble the story.
Source: History of Augusta County by Waddell; Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 2, page 402.
The stocks, used as punishment, have been traced to ancient times by the Greeks. A pillory kept both the hands and the head in a wooden or metal frame, often on a raised platform. The stocks only held the feet, so the offender would sit up and face the mocking crowd. Although this punishment may be considered a minor infraction, it was not. The humiliation and embarrassment tainted the sufferer's reputation so much that he had to find his home elsewhere.
The same results were for liars and scoundrels whose names were published unfavorably in old newspapers. It was a different world, folks. There were no banks or credit cards. If borrowers did not pay their debts, the community suffered. The researcher views estate records that list all accumulated foundations and tools necessary to run a farm, as well as names on promissory notes, etc. Reading the items sold by old estates is an eye-opener. Our ancestors built and paid for our country, not only by fighting a war with the Indians and Great Britain but also financially.