The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1886-07-24
vlHGlNIA'S FIRST FAMILIES.
A Glance ut the Mode Of Life Among the
Oldest Residents.
philadelphia 'rimes.l

1ONnu all over the STATE, Out uOW hele
in such purity and antiquity as in
Stafford country, unit! recently the
home of Gov. Lee. The county is
not very largo and by no means pros@
porous, but stands first as the exponent
Of all that is conveyed by the expires
sion "F. f., "" Nearly every family
here can trace its origin in lineal
descent to the frs, English settlers,
while not few can speak OF their
great great grandiathcrs and grand
mothers as lord and lady so-and-so.
The county is named after the famous
Earl of Stafford, aud not q few of its
people are descended from the family
of that nobleman. Before the war
these people lived in the style of no.
bility, if without its. name, and now
that the course of events has reduced
their means they preserve English
customs in all except the splendor
| which only wealth can afford.
In the first place, each family has
its little domain, and, however small,
it has an imposing English name, just
as if il were an earldom. Somerset,
Richland, Aberdeen, LennoN and
Wayside are few Of the names OF
small farmhouses nesting in the
Stafford pines and surrounded by
thousands OF acres of partially cu!;iva,-
c.l lands. The houses are all frame,
generally two stories high, and the
poorest OF them is surrounded by n
lawn, through which runs one or more
carriage drives. One would expect to
see castles when coming in view of
the beautiful lawns and the ccntured
oaks, and would feel disappointed at
the little white houses at the end Of
the drives, but there is Il sort of rustic
harmony in the picture after all.
Seated in the verandas at evening and
looking out on the oallecanopied swards
you would forget the absence of the
castle, and, il you were an Euglishman
fancy yourself amid the limo trees on
one of the grand old estates across the
water.
Tho former home OF Gov. Lee is
called Richland. 1t is like all the es-
tates in the county-a two story frame
house, large lawn and several hum
dred acres OF anything but rich land.
Here the Governors ancestors have
lived for hundreds of years. OF course
the Lees can trace their descent to
titled Englishmen; at least all books
of heraldry make it out so. At Il dis
tance of few miles is Somerset, the
home of the Moncure family. The
present Mrs. MOncure is Il grands
daughter of the famous Lady Spots
wood, whose portrait hangs in the
Capitol at Richmond. This family
has lived in Statford county for nearly
200 years, All its deceased members
are buried in the graveyard at Aqua
churh, and tablet near the pulpit
contains the rather royal inscription.
"Sacred to the Memory Of the Race OF
Moncure." There are about $50 mem
bcrs of the family in tho country. The
women, taken all in all, are the
most beautiful the writer has over seen
within the same area. They seem tC
have inherited in remarkable degree
the queenIy beauty of Lady Spots
wood, aud some of them bear close
rescm blance to her portraits.
The Waller family, little further
, up at Wayside, is related to the Lee;
aud trace their origin TO the same
, source. The first Of the Scots came tt
t Stafford from England to take charge
of Equia church. lie was one of the
, unfortunate class known as noblemen
younger sons, and was assigned, as l.
, usually the case, to the ministry. On'
t Of his q, sceudants is Cougrossman w
| l.. Scott, who passed his boybood OF
the Stafford Hills. Mr.. Scott has no
forgotten his old home amid his Penn
t sylvania millions. A few months age
he sent $1,000 to the pastor of Aqui;
r church for the purpose of repairing TIT
2 old building, and is now contemplating
G a trip to the home Of the distingu' shet
, ancestors.
The names of all the iamiiiC3 "h'
c have lived in the country since ant
c revolutionary days would fill hal
c column, and although they cannot al
h claim titled progcnitors they are tn
;. very first of the "E. +. ""
= a great deal OF nonsense has bee
p written about these fist families.
" They are usually repre- 3cntod aS triiI
Z less, vain and scornful to all ou'5id
1t the magic circle of their society. The
lack, it. is true, much of the energy an
e go-aheaditivencsS in the Northern mar
Of but it must be remembered that mo.
,Ln.n lix,ipu pyprp brDup hi n