The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-09-17
virginia iIis,orical Society.

heliey, valentine. C9beli, and BarkSdale
IFreeording secretary. A large number Of
valuable gifts Of books, newspapers, manu-
scripts. and autograph letters were reported,
among them files OF Richmond, Petersburg,
and Washington newspapers, from Mrs.
William b. Calwell, While sulphur Springs.
West Virginia; an autographs letter Of
Thomas Jefferson, dated Monticello, Au-
gust 10, 1913. addressed TO f" Mr.. Craven
Peyton," from Colonel John Lewis Pey-
ton, Staunton, Va; patent for 1000
acres OF land 10 Northampton county,
Va; granted "Argold Yardley " March
%. 1866, and signed by Sir William
| Berkeley, Governor OF the Colony, and
Philip Ludrell, clerk Of the Council, from
Severn Eyre, Esq, Cberrystone post-ofice,
Northampton county, Va; an order to Cap
tain Charles Ellis, OF "Red Hill" Abe
marie county, Va, (now Amherst,) CON-
manding a company OF militia, from Peter
| Jefferson (the father OF the President),
county lieutenant, dated June 6, 1856,
signed "Pet. Jefferson -; two autograph
letters Of James MoDroe; a passport signed
| by John Armstrong, United States Minister
to France, dated July IL, 1920; two auto
graph letters Of Thomas Mann Randolph,
| Governor OF Virginia, ETC., and autograph
letters OF Hon. st. George Tucker, Hon. w.
| c. Rives, and Hon. Joseph e. Cabell (two)-
the earliest letters addressed TO Charles
Ellis, ESQ. and Major Josiah Ellis, and the
later 10 Colonel Thomas III. Ellis-from
Colonel Thomas Harding Ellis, Chicago, lll.
A loan to the Society by Miss Salie B. VIII
| lis, No. III FIRST street, Richmond, Va, OF
an original inYitatlon.card to the ball given
General Lafayette at the Eagle Hotel, Rich
mond, October 10, 1924, addressed TO Miss
s. A. Johnston, was also reported.
LETTERS WERE READ
by the corresponding secretary from the
! following gentlemen, all expressing deep
interest in the welfare and progress OF tue
Society: Colouel John Lewis PeytOn,
| Stsunton, Va; Hon. Amos Perry, Pfoyi-
dence, Il. L.; Colonel Thomas II. Ellis,
Chicago, ILL.,. Hon. William hcCreery Bur-
well, United States Land Office, New Or
leans, La; Hon. William W. Corcoran,
vice president OF the Society, White Sui
phur Springs, w. Va; DR.. Robert Patter-
son Robins. Philadelphia, Pa; DR.. Chris
topher j. Cleborne, surgeon and medical
inspector United states navy. Portsmouth,
| n. H.; Hon. Alexander ii. II. Stuart, pre-
sident OF the Society, Staunt0n, No.; Sew
ern Eyre, Esq. Cberrystone, northampton
county, Va; Captain X. X. Carter. Of Shir-
| ley, James river, City Point, Va; Conway
| Robinson, Esq, Washington, ID. C., and
| William Holman, Esq, Gainesville, Va,
from which last the following interesting
extract is given:
"There is place called Barracks Hall,
| located in Powhatan county, about four
miles from the line Of Cumberland county,
| lust in the fork Of two large branches
called Mosby's and Anpen branch re-
spectively, which is Invested with interest
as having been a camp OF Lafayette whilst
| he hung upon the hdnks OF CORVALLIS s
army during the march Of the latter from
Carolina TO Yorktown. Lafayette must
have remained eucamped ut BarrackS
| Hall for some length Of time, siHce in the
rayines near number OF human skeletons
have been found supposed 10 have been
the dead OF his command), besides martial
relics. Whilst encamped at 'BMNeks
Hail.
| LAFAYETTE CONSTRUCTED A MILITARY ROAD
from thence in the direction Of Richmond,
! which has been a public highway ever
since. II IS known as the Middle Road,
and is distinguished from other roads by its
being almost entirely straight. / have
! travelled over a portion OF il frequently,
and so far as my observation has extended
| it is almost perfectly straight IL com
mences at Barracks Hail. aud runs due
east. passing by Peteryle church, and a
few miles north Of Powbatan Courthouse.
The tradition OF the origin Of the road was
related TO me by Or. William HenDg, who
resides near it. During the Revolution my
great. grandfather, 1andy Holman, lived at
! EEK Hill,' GoOchland county (now Cum
berland county,, the late residence OF Ran
doIph Harrison, Esq, the father OF Colonel
Julian Harrison. At that time Goochand
embraced the present counties OF Gooch-
land, Cumberland, and POwhaian. Not
| long before the surrender at Yorktown a
portion OF the British army made a raid
| through this section OF country and cap
tured am American fort Ut the mouth OF tue
Riyanna river called Point OF Forks
| On their retreat down the river they stopped
! at 'Elk HILL Whilst there a British Of
| fcer insulted my great'grandmolher, Mrs.
Tandy HOlmsn, who was i true patriot and
sDiriled aud fearless woman. She re-
sented the insult by giving the "aending
officer a severe
RAP ACROSS his FACE WITH A SWITCH.
"Ny great.grandiatber bad two sons in the
army Of the Revolution, both OF whom
we're either killed or died in the service.
! Nv great.unce, George Holman, late OF the
county Of Fluvanna, and the father OF DR..
| George Il. Holman, Of Cbristiansburg, Va,
n few yeaks before bis death related to me
an incident exhibiliye OF the patriotic ardor
of one OF his brothers. A recruiting officer
| had been in the neighbOrhOOd, and on the
day appointed for the examination and re.
| centjon OF the recruits this brother, who
was lad OF small size and tender years, on
taking his place in line for Inspection, sup
plemented his stature by standing on a
large stone so that be might be deemed
eaual to the regulation standard and be al
lowed TO enter the Continental army"
There were also read
AccePrANcEs OF MEMBERSHIP
from julius Dexter, Esq, and Hon. Man
ming f. Force, Cincinnati, OHIO; Hon.
william MeCreery Burwell, New Orleans,
La; Charles S. Hill, Esq, Department OF
state, Washington, ID. c.. DR.. George Ben.
Johnston, Abingdon, Va; Major William
L. Royail, New York city, and Dr. X. c. NJ.
Page, New York city; Charles Edward
Willford, Esq, and AdOlph Dill Williams,
ESQ, Richmond, Va; Professor Maximi.
lian Schile de We're, Ii. D., University OF
Virginia, Va.
The following gentlemenw were
ELECTED To MEMBERSHIP
In the Society:
life Members-Robert w. Hughes, Esq,
Norfolk, Va Jnnius ). Morgan, Esq, 222
Ola Broad street, London, e. G., England (;
Hon. George Bancroft, LII. d., Washing
ton. ID. c., and l.. u. Letter, Esq, Drawer
L, Chicago, III.
Members-Dr. Robert Patterson Robins,
Hosnital OF the Protestant Episcopal
Church, Philadelphia, Pa; DE-, Chris