The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-26
NELSON PAGES ANCESTORS
WHAT THEY WERE In COLONIAL
DAYS,
And for Long After the Revolution.
Their Bar0nial Hall and Happy.
Gc.Lucky Modes OF Life.

"Sydney's" letter to the Nail: If
there are any folk in this country who
cling TO the doctrine that blood will
tell they may point proud y to Thomas
Nelson Page, author OF Meh Lt.dy and
Mdrse Chan. Thomas Nelson Psge
himself is a eentlemanly looking
Young man about 30, and has mod
est law Office in Richmond. Ia July
he married Miss Bruce, of Virginia,
the niece Of Mr.. Seldom, the Conied-
crate Secretary Of Wa. They are
now in Europe, this being Mr.. Pages
fret visit. He belongs 10 the branch
OF the family known as the "white
Pa2es," to distinguish them from the
"black Pages" one branch being as
fair as the other is dark. The Pages
rank among the greatest families 10
Virginia. When the Astors and the
Va derbilts were day laborers, the
Stuyve;ants kept general store"
and Nicholas Fish was the proprietor
Of Dutch tavern, Sir John Page, bar
ouet, reigned over q principally in
the rich lowlauds Of Virginia. Sir
John and his successors, ps
well as his foreiatheIs, were
people Of extravagant tastes. They
owned in Roosevelt, in Gloucester
county, by far the grandest colonial
maneion in this country, by which the
Philipse house and the Craigie man
zion sink into insignificaucs, and not
even the great piles of Brandon and
Westover, on the James river, could
really rival. AS il was originally toe
center was vast cube, ninety feet
square, with semi circular wings ex-
tending from the sides, forming an
oval court yard. Every brick In it
was brought from England, as the
case frequently was in Virginia, whe.e
the tobacco ships brought EDglish
bricks as ball ST, and found ready
sale for them among the English set
tiers in Virginia. In the same county
as Roosevelt, and near IL, ia a beautiful
old parish church-Abingdon of
which all the bricks came from Eng
land.
ROOSEVELT
was the ambitious dream OF certain
Page who married an heiress, Mary
Mann. His SOD, Mann Page, furnished
1t, and then set out to enjoy his money
after the old Virginia manner. He
had vast quantities OF silver plate, all
marked with the Page crest--tbree
starlings. Much OF this yet remains
in existence, including silver castor
with silver bottles and a pair Of eilver
candlesticks, the last In the possession
OF DIR. John Page, professor OF agri-
culture at the University OF Virginia.
Then they had superb family dia-
monds, and these also exist. But the
last Page who owned Roosevelt had
twenty.one children, OF whom fifteen
lived TO be men and women, 30 that
there was long division in the family.
The diamond necklace had three
large pendants. Two OF these, set as q
pair OF earrings, are now in possession
OF member of the family, and have
been valued at $1,000. Likewise, the
Pages had q great fancy for family
portraits and extravaganza tombstones.
Upon the last they have ex-
hausted eulogy in msgnifying the
defunct Pages, and in the family
burying ground at Roosevelt one finds
ones self in O great assemblage
OF worthless, renowned for their
moral and physical perfection, II their
epitaphs don't lie. Roosevelt in the
old days was crammed with family
portraits, and when the Pages were
forced to quit the place for q smaller
and palmer establishment, many OF
the portraits. were too large to be
hung in their new home, and we're left
upon the walls of the upper hall for
more than fifty years. Among these
was a besutiful full-leDgth Of one OF
the ladies of Roosevelt, who was the
daughter OF the great Bishop Burnett.
She was celebrated for her fine hand,
and in her portrait she stands in a
blue satin court dress with one hand
held out, the lace falling back and
showing the exquisite arm TO the
elbow. Then there was Count Brown,
who won his title under Prince Eu-
gene, and Sir John Page in his Ok
ford cap and gown, besides innumeTa-
BILE hard favored old Pages in full bot.
toned wigs, scowlipg fierCely out Of
their hirsute ambush. The upper hall
had been originally picture gallery.
The lower hall was an immense p ace,
with staircase 80 broad and shallow
that tradition has il that party
OF young bloods assembled there
once drove q horse and gig up
the stairs. The upper hall is large
and imp sing, with corridors leading
off in diffrren directions. The old
Pages ev IDENTIFY believed in generous
&C ommodation, for in the center
buildipg-now the only one left
were the two halls, six large rooms
besides fiices and four corridors. The
third story was never finished of, as
the fitst serious blow to the Page for
tune came from the building aud fur
nishing OF Roswell. They did not
omit, however, TO furnish the wine
cellare, OF which there Ia perfect
labyrinth underneath. Tradition has
it that there was originally q fish pond
on the roof-a practice common
enough in building English houses OF
that date. The roof wss OF lead, and
Gov. John Page, who was the first 10
drop the title, stripped II off to mould
into bullets for the Continental army.
This same magnificent old gentleman
during the siege of Yorktown, when
pruvisio 8 ran low in the American
army, signed requipiior s in blank to
feed III. oldiers. 1t is not surprising
TO know that this fac old person died
bankrupt, and his children had to
cell Ros well.
THOMAS JEFFERSON AS A FIDDLER.
ThomAs Jefferson was a Crony Of
G Page, and spent mo { OF his time
at Roosevelt. HIS iavcrite seat in the
cupola is still shown, and it is eaid be
drew up there the first rough draft OF
tho Declaration OF Independence.
Jefieiso hal another reason bessie es
the charms Of r sewell and his worthy
friend J hn Pake, E,q., 10 keep him
in Glou ester. He was dreadfully in
love with Rebecca Burwell, q beauty
snd an heir, ss, whose home W not
far fom Roswell 1t is said that
JeffeFon rad dim idea OF putting
an end - himself when the fair hat
false X mecca finally gave him his
congo. The fact is when Thomas
wooed becca he was a stumbling,
..I..-a.l ,tuanNt ~ civilian, arI