In 1776 our country had just declared independence from England. The legislatures of the 13 colonies were busy developing the new laws that would govern each of them. Citizenry was heavily involved in the process, by means of petition to their legislatures. William Fretwell Jr. signed a petition, from Albemarle and Amherst County residents to their Virginia Legislature, that vigorously supported disestablishment of the Anglican Church (Church of England), and religious equality as part of the revolutionary government policy.
This William Fretwell Jr. is in our lineage, the son of William Fretwell Sr. and Mary Evatt.
This copy of a small section of the petition shows his signature as it appears on the original document.
Click <here> to view photographic copies of the entire petition. Several hundred other petitions of the period can be viewed at Early Virginia Religious Petitions.