Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-10

A Glance Mt the mode Of Life Of the
Leading Families Of Ola Virginia.

'irginia's "tirst families can DC
found all over the State, but nowhere
in such purity and antiquity as in Stat
ford county, the home Of Governor Lee.
The county is not very large AID by no
means prosperous, but 1t stands first
as the exponent Of sll that is conveyed
by the expression 81. T. v" Nearly
every family here can trace its origin by
lineal descent to the first English set
tiers, while not few can speak Of their
neutrality-suspicious. and graudmo-
theirs as Lord and Lady SO and So. The
county is named after the famous Earl
Of Stafford, and not few Of its people
are descended from the family OF that
noblemsn. Before the war these peo-
pie lived IN the style Of nobility, 1t
without its name, and nov that the
course Of events has reduced their
means they preserve English customs
in all except the splendor which on'y
wealth can afford.
In The first place each family has its
little domain. and, however small, 1t
has an imposing Eoglish name. just as
if it were an earldOm. Somerset, Rich
land, Aberdeen, Lennox, and Wayside
are few of the names Of small farm
houses nesting in the Stafford pines
and surrounded by thousands Of acres
OF partislly- cultivated lands. These
houses are all frame, generally two
stories high, and the poorest Of tbom
is surrounded by lawn, through
which runs ore or more carriage
drives. One would expect to see cas-
ties when coming in view Of the beau
tiful lawns and the tenturied oaks, and
would feel disappointed at the little
white houses at the end OF the drives
but there is a sort OF rustic harmony
in the picture after all. Seated in the
vsrsndss at evening and looking ont on
The oak-csnopied swards, you would
forget the absence Of the castle, and, If
you were an Englishman, fancy your
self amidst tie lime-trees on one Of the
grand old estates across the water.
The former home Of Governor Lee is
called Richland. 1t is like all the es-
tates in The county-a two-story frame
house. large lawn, and several hun
bred acres of anything but rich land.
Here the Governors ancestors have
lived for hundreds OF years. Oicourse,
the Lees can trace tAeir descent to titled
Erglishmen: at least all books of
heraldv make it out so. At a dis
lance of a few miles is Somerset, the
home ofthe Moncure family. represent
Mrs. Mopcure is a granddaughter of the
famous Lady Spotswood, whose portrait
hangs in the Capitol at Richmond. The
family has lived in Stafford county for
nearly 200 years. All its deceased
members are buried in the graveyard
at Aquia church, and a tablet near the
pulpit contains the rather royal insCrip-
| ton: Sacred TO the Memory Of the
| Race Of Moncure." There are about
$50 members of the family in the cOun-
ty. Tho women, taken all in all, are
| the most beautiful the writer has ever
seen within the same area. They seem
to have inherited in remarkable de-
gree the queenly beauty Of Lady Spots
wood, and some of them bear a strong
resemblance to her portraits.
The Waller family little further up,
at Wayside, are related to the Lees,
and trace their origin to the same
source. The first of the SCOTS came to
Stafford from England to take charge oil
| Aquia church. lie was one OF the I'M
fortunate class known as Roblemen's
Younger sons, and was assigned, as is
usually the case, to the ministry. One
of his descendants is Congressman
w. L. Scott, who passed his boy
hood on the Stafford hills. Mr.. Scott
/ has not forgotten his old home amidst
Lis PENNSYLVANIA millions. A few
months ago he sent 81 200 to the pastor
Of the AQUA church for the purpose o
repairing the old building, and is nov
contemplating a trip to the home Of hi
distinguished ancestors.
The names Of all the families VIII
have lived in this county since ante
Revolutionary days would fill halfa col
uun Of The Times. and although they
cannot all claim titled rrogenitor the
are the very first of the "F. F. "
A great deal of nonsense has bcel
written about these " first families.
They are usually represented as thrift
| less, vain. and scornful to all outsld
the magic circle Of their society. The.
lack, it is true, much of the energy an
go-aheaditiyeness Of the northern man
but it must be remembered that most o
those yet living were brought u
under conditions that psrslyZed en-
erey. With large estates and hundred
OF slaves they had no motive for exeT
ton, and now that the war has sTep
away all their wealth they must chang
their very nature before they can be
come the pushing businessmen VIII
build up communities. The new gen
Grafton is growing up quite different
aud it is more than likely that whei
they come to the fore the Virgini
farmer will no longer let his acres Ii
useless or half cultivated. The fact i
that the landhoideTs in Stafford count.
are vet in a dazed state over the result
Of tic war. They cen hardly realiz
the change, or If they have they thin
it is too late in life to start GU
afresh.
As to the proud, 5cornful women
of the "F. F. " it is pity to strik
a blow at the pictures which have bee
drawn by imaginative writers, an
which have long been regarded as genu
inc in the North still, the fact remain
that the pictures have no prototypes i
real life. Every one has read those fan
ciful stories about rich and culture
no1therners suing for the hand Of poo
Virginia girls and being refused, sOlel
because they did not belong to the " +
+. W. These are veriest bosh
Here among the very Oldest Virgiui
families there are many marriages ever
year between northern men and Stat
ford women. and vice rersd. The SC
ciety line differs from that in the Mort
only in this particular that her
wealth without culture is insuiiicier
to gain entrance into society, while
other places it is sometimes quite gu
ticieDt. On the other hand, culture
, cyenifunaccompanied with dollar, wi