England attempted Pro-hibition in the Virginia Colony

Sites of old ferries

Virginians brewed peach and apple brandies, described as Virginia drams, however, these brandies were to be sold within the restriction of the rates laid down for English spirits. Permission was granted to keepers of ordinaries to secure as large a profit from the sale of beer as they could make within a limit of four shillings a gallon, or forty pounds of tobacco. This was a very high price in those days. To make things worse, for many years the accounts of innkeepers for the liquors furnished to customers had not been pleadable, athough they had been charging at established rates.  It was not until 1668 when the right was granted to them to sue upon these accounts in a court of justice and to recover judgment, but required that the action be brought within a year after the debt was contracted. That same year, there were so many taverns and tippling houses in the colony that the number was reduced in each county to one or two, unless, for the accommodation of travellers, more should be needed at ports, ferries and the crossings of great roads. It seems that every court house also a drinking-shop!  During the high time of Nathaniel Bacon's rebellion against the local government, many laws were passed (1676) for the purpose of suppressing long-standing abuses, and a legislative attempt was made to enforce what practically amounted to general prohibition. Thus, the licenses of all inns, alehouses and tippling-houses except those at James City and at the two great ferries of the York River, were revoked! Such restricting and taxing laws by Great Britain amounted to a general dissatisfaction of the mother country. Many of the early Virginia families have been traced and these genealogies are available to members of Virginia Pioneers

Source: Hening's Statues, vol. II, p. 113.

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