The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-12
BULLOCK MANSION.
THE ASSOCIATIONS CONNECTED
WITH THE OLD HOUSE.

Something in the way 81 commemoration
is always due to long established land
marks when from any cause they fall
under condemnation. and are doomed 10 de-
struction before the inoxorable march oi
n,odorn improvcment. The tribute on such
an occasion may Be expressed in various
WAYS. 10 may be in the language Of tender
regret. as when one takes leave Of an old
friend. or It may be merely in the silent hea'
ipeofa sigh. Atall events tits always sad
reflection when objects thus suggestive OF sen
umental regard are % disappear, so that the
places that knew them shall know them no
more forever. Whether this be weakness
of our nature. ora sentiment honorable 10
the human heart need not be here consin-
cred. Nevertheless the fact remains tnal
upon occasion our emotional nature 10 ihu7
stirred. and 10 is safe 10 add not al all 70 the
dDtrim-nt of our higher and better FEELINGS
Although every change does not necessarily
involve progress. vet it must Doe admitted
that the demand. of a new order OF ihih-
hy advanced civilization should always De
respected.
So &c 10 that the taste and habits of modern
society assert their claims 10 recognition ln
this age. They insist upon uniNef-al ca
preston of such diycr-itic7 as now exist pe-
tween them. and the customs oi former
period. This demand includes almost ever!
DEPARTMENT of human life. People DO not
live as they once did. They do not dress
dine. nor seek diversions as formerly; thel
build houses differently; divide their TIME
and transact the daily affairs of IRE in
different wav from that of their ancestors.
Whatever may Doe the respective views oi
the 0ptimist, or the pessimi-t 10 TINS matter
need not cause concern. Inc worm l7
fteadiiy advancing in an that CONSTITUTE
the great and tie good, thus iuihiiihs .N.
requirements of The divine command W Ai'N
sent man forth upon the earth i0 suulut
and eonauor IL. Who win dare FOB re-
-i-f fine oiicit These reflections nave
baen suggested Dv Comparatively
lfno,enfui incident among the or-
rurrauca. common 90 an prosperous
towns An old house is 10 Doe pulled down :
.fli- and nothing m1re.' us de7Iuclu'
Is about f0 illustrate ile truths just referred
fo. When 10 was built. three-quartefs Oh %
century ago. nO one at that day expected d.
would ever cease tO exist. unless destroyed
bv some direlul catastrophe. Oidinai
dwelling houses might. boo iime' pe removed
but these mansions of the itch were expect
I'd fo stand until. under the cOrrodng iooii
of time. they should sink into una'oid-
able ruin. This idea of pcrmanency came
over with the English settlers OF Mr. 4ihid-
but was mot carried ont until after they began
i9 abandon the use of wooden houses. lnel
then m de bricks. and constructed 200 ine
colonies the substantial mansions, SURROUND
I'd bv ampie grounds and broad acres,
whose antiques were i'm the ola country .
A. may De known by most people. tle
word descriptive of this style of dwell
ing is from the Latin, and eApfes-e
stability and a certain dignity ol presence
Most of these structures were 90 ue luuh1 i.
the country. and were usually surrounded
hv a ''lawn, which. after sweeping Droauis
round the house. went trucking through ihe
.hrubborie- in q stream of tender turf. and
lost ITSELF among the neignD0rin- llelds ana
forests. That tO which reference d. mere
made is among ihe last of lbs KIND. There
were once many OF them standing az 1t were
ON tho .ragged edge" OF town, Just Whtlt
the artificial streets dissolved tnemseif
into Quiet lanes leading ont tO The country
They are fast disappearing. "BellYille
and .srhe Hermitage" and BelYioere, ana
other country mansions are gone, ana hu'
few now remain in tine city. me mousse i"ltil
purchased bv an association oil gehtieiht. f
soon 10 De superseded by m elegant mou-
ern clubhouse. was erected 10 the ine year
1914. by Mr.. Peyt0n Drew, Well-k noMh
citizen and merchant of Richmond. lie
was brother To- the late Thomas ii. Drew
whose name was historically associated
with the career of Aaron Burr, from inc
fact that DE was sent out as Deputy lmteN
States Marshal 90 arrest Burr, then in tine
west. and conduct him 90 Richmond 10 DE
tried for treason. This latter gentleman
lived fO De nOnOgenari2n. and within
few wears past took pleasure in recounilns
his experience with DIS noted prisoner.
Mr. peyt0n Drew put mp only hali OIL lhis
house. His successor. Ar. john Mutlcif
another prominent merchant aduel tne
other half. This gentleman was lhe iai,i'
of the late Dr.. Thomas Mutier. oi the Jei-
f.r.on Medical College of Philadelphia. dis
tineui.hod as 90 bold and successful surgeon,
and one Ofthe pioneers i'm the progress oi lnai
art towards its present high Developments
Merchants are pr0YerDlaly tne most uh-
fortunate of business men. Mt. Mutief De-
came insOlyeut. bad 90 sell his house, ANA
.0lnafcrdied. The mansion was aitcrWa
occupied br Dir. John Allen. the father OF
Mr John T. Allen, then Dog Nr. Thomas
richardson. father of Mes,rs. Robert j..
and b. vs.. Richardson, &C this ciiy. BON
SIR. Alien and Mr. Richardson were promi-
ueut t0b8cc0nists. a little before ihis iiiut-
gentleman from Louisa county came
10 Richmond TO practice law. lie had
already been connected with ine bu-l-
na.. interests of the town. and was known
ais % man 0i Affairs and "a good lawyer. lie
had married into one of the best lamilie, OF
the State. and was living in what WAS
known as The "pillared house. late The
residence of AIR. John $. Wise. on irankiin
street lt was called the 'pllarod house.
because. Iat iis eastern end, was large,
airy. uorfio0. upheld by four lall. dOrlc cole
umns. the effect of which i'm that suburban
region was quite striking. hr. David
Bullock. Afterwards better known as Colo
mel Bullock. determined t0 give mp this less
uretenfiOus home for one more adapted %
his taste and means. Accordingly, ln The
year $780, Dee purchased One mansion now Co
hs pulled down with three and tlree-g uaf-
Ter acres of ground around DO. Tor the small
sum of SIS 500. Money was scarce 40 that
time. and everything was Tow. The CONT
munify had mot recovered from the eleci7
OF "a great financial crisis. ami property was
especially low at that distance from ile
heart Of the town. To show how things had
CHANGED ln this respect. 10 was only about
fifteen year. before that vacant land DID, mat
region had been sold at fifteen hundred dole
Ian, am acre. The speculative lever ran
mNHU II-IHI even imam Iill~sl4|Nr M'i" ''lA ti"
FAR out as where the New Reservoir now
stands at five dollars foot. Many people
We're. of course. ruined by the madness ut
such adventures. and 10 was many years be-
fore the financial alairs of the community
we're restored 90 their normal status.
Col. Bullock established himself az bis
new and elegant home. where DE dispensed
an abundant hospitality during the rest
of his life. Unfortunately This came % ~
end within the next ten years, when his
childlcss widow was leit in possession. The
place at this time was characteristic
specimen OF a Nirginian mansisn. lts
grounds were ample; its gardens were dec
Grated with shrubbcry and floral arches
and payilions, upon which hung lavish
prOiusi0n of the yellow jasmine and The
coral honeYsuckle. the grefiile, the BLUSH
cluster and muiti-lorll roses. There were
90 Dee found. ~ in an the private gardens n
the day. every variety of vegetables and
fruits. from the smallest % the greatest.
Even the tender and luscious o. came 90
perfection I'm pr0lusi0n upon bushes strong
enough 90 bear the weight of large boy ON
their brittle limbs. There were DO Negeta-
BILE markets In those days, and no ifuli
vendors, except when. by the arrival Of "a
c0asting schooner from the West indies.
the shelves of one or TWO primitive coniec-
tiOnaries received "a small supply OF lla-
wanna oranges.