The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-01

.ifgthe reader is not weary. with our old lire.
side stories aud traditions. Just below
Bushfield Is The Giebe, called so because II
was the property OF the Church OF Eng.
land and the residence OF the pastors. Ills
an old brick building Of colonial times, and
was built In a solid, substantial manner !;
looks now az IL it would defy the tooth OF
Time itself. This is one Of tho estates con.
siscated BY the State under the influence o.
Mr.. Jefferson. Whether tire act was JUST OF
not It Is not our. province to speak OF mere
Peckatom or Peckatome, an Indian name
was a magnificent estate, owned py TUE !E.
bins. The houses built OF imported Dr,ch,
within few hundred yards OF Tue .Ns.
bank, shaded by old forest trees, srounos
laid off on a large scale, il bore some years
since more the appearance OF plouu::, ATS
tocratic residence than any osher pu!lo,ns
IN the county. Since then the estate has
been sold and the family scattered. Many
wild stories were told in my youth OF how
a lady owner played the part of petty ~
rant among her overseers and negroes, con-
finiug the former in her dungeons beneath
the house, and she latter sometimes whipped
to death, How she travelled at night iRher
coach-and- four armed with pistols and guns.
How, in the last day of her reckless1css.
she, her coach, horses and coachman were
borne aaoft Ia q terrible hurricane, and lost
to sight. From that day the house remained
unoccupicd for years. Then in popular
opinion It was haunted; lights were seen
passing from room to room, and awful
creams aad shri6ks at night would assail the
ear OF the luckless traveller who happened
to be in ITS vicinity With the BauGueting
Han and cid Wic1nico church wewM close
our weary story of Westmoreiand az she
was. =. =. ..... 80. r,-n'e.., .,.s1e",.'
To ard history our ancestors had "a com
rne1aaahse way Of perpetnating their acts.
Among the records Of the County Caart is
fle1 su ancient argument between John
Lee, Henry Osrbin. Thomas GnraTd, and
Isaac Ailerten, dated 30th Of March, 500,
and not necaraed until the 9th OF March,
l74a, DO builda banqueGng ball at or near
the head OF Cherive's creek, now calledsack.
son, On Eeckatom, near the lines where the
four estates eornered. This instrumeG re.
cites that each man or, his heirs :" shall
yearly, according to bis due course to make
an hoD@rable treatment fit to entertain the
undeHtakers thereof, their Elen, masters,
and friends yearly, and every year thereaf-
ter, to begin the goth Of. Mak- 1911: Cor
bins first treatment, Lee next, Glrrafd
next, Aqlerton next, the year ruund. Every
four years the parties to have procession
to every mans land for renzrking ana
bounding out by line-trees or other partlcul-
lar Givident or scat in which ne course hath
been taken by the County CoNrS OF West
moreland This is for the better preserva-
ton OF that friendship which onght to be
between neighbors, that each mans line,
wherever any one OF US is bounded, one
upon the ether be remarked and psainiy set
forth by trees" &c. ..s.. ,....
This banqueting hall must have been
kept up for number of years. We can
picture aordly set OF jolly old fellows in
their short breeches, knee-bslcGles. and
shoes. surrounded by their wives, dangh-
tiers, sons, and friends feasting on the luXu-
ries of the river and forests, washed down
BY old wines and brandies from home the
grave seniors, settling colonial and church
matters, the young talking poetry and love
The hall is gone, the actors gone, and We
will run our allotted race and 60.
A mile 0. two from the banquettng hall
stands Wieomieo church, the resort Of these
old cavaliers and, tetainers. Built in an age
when churches were built as much for their
solidtty as for an imposing appearance, it is
the only remaining one in this county. The
high-back pews that kept the audience from
noticing the newest style of bonnet and
dress from London, and combining their
thoughts to things spiritual, not temporal,
are still there. The remains Of an old wall
enclosing about an acre OF land around the
church are still seen. A number OF sunken
graves point to where the shovel had done
its last duty to the dead. Close to the east
ern facade are two large marble slabs erect
ed ever the remains Of a McCarty family,
now nearly buried in the bricks and mortar
that sustained them. A copper dial dated
in 1706, in front of the main entrance, points
out the never-ceasing rounds Of the sun,
and looks as Sright as when shipped from
London. MONTRoss.