| The purpose of the Society of the Descendants of Peter Francisco is to compile and maintain the documented records of Peter Francisco and his descendants and to give Peter Francisco his rightful place in history. |
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| Establishing Curdsville Local tradition tells that Joseph Curd, a Revolutionary soldier from Buckingham, gave land to Peter Francisco at the end of the Revolutionary War. The land was at the meeting place of several plantations and two well used highways. There Peter set up his blacksmith shop and established Curdsville (just west of present-day Curdsville on US Highway 15). In his diary entry of December 1784, Samuel Shepherd describes Peter: "I watched the blacksmith...and never before saw muscles as great and developed in so young a man...I noticed first his great hands...his feet are as exceptional for length...His shoulders like some old statue...His jaw is long, heavy, the nose powerful...uncombed black hair...His voice waslight...He talked of the war...he told me he was Irish but also that he was Portuguese...He was proud of viewing the great Washington and describing him...Words of praise that sounded much like remarks of...Patrick Henry." The relationship between Peter and the Winstons was strained and there are records indicating that Judge Winston filed suit against Peter but that Peter won and the Winstons had to pay all costs. Also, there was a suit between Peter and Anthony Winston, Jr., in which Peter was awarded "6,500 pounds net crop tobacco and costs of the suit." |