Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-03-18
Another NonagenariAn.

| Frequent mention of late has been made of
| the aged citizens in the community over nine
| ty years of age, among them MIR. Matthew Pill
son, Mr.. G. L. Argenbright. and Mr.. George
| Peyton but we have OF observed that any. ref
| erence has been made to Mr.. Reuben 7.
| Burnett. who resides with his son. Mr.. William
| A. Burnett, the honored clerk of Augusta
| County Court Mr.. Burnett is in the 9th year
| of his age His home has beea with his son
| many years. Mrs. l. z. Hartman of stanton
| is a daughter.
Mr.. Burnett Is native of Nelson county
where he grew up filling from his manhood a
station of the highest trust all through the
long years intervening till the changed condi-
ton of our agricultural pursuits came about,
and advanced age relieved him from the cares
| of managing a large farm. He was quite q
| young man when he became the manager for
MIR. William Massie of Nelson county. who
| owned many farms and large boundaries OF
| lands. Mr.. Massie was one of the most ad-
| vanced thinkers in the special fields of the
mixed as well as the staple products of his sec
ton of the State, and it may be truthfully said
| the most advanced in the application of ap.
proved methods of culture; in word, one OF
| tt e most liberal and enlightened patrons of
| agriculture in Virginia.
| "Montebella," just over the crest of the Blue
| Ridge mountain on the Eastern Side. through
| which is tho highway from the Valley at Vesu-
| vius furnace on the west to Massie's Mill at
| the foot of the mountain to the east was one
| of Mr.. Massie's highly priced estates. 1t was
| principally appropriated to tobacco-culture
and the raising of cattle. Many small streams
| coming down from the higher points of the
| mountain sides and springiug up in the boun-
Diary formed within its area the Tye river. A
ri
lowing the highway, a view Ia obtained of the
| famed Crab-Tree falls. The water precipitated
over the end of a mountain falls in cascades
and cataracts eighteen hundred and eighty
feet over an inclined surface of three thousand
| feet
Such was the character of the man in his
general business pursuits, but he was, In addi-
tion to being distinguished patron of agricul-
ture, leading and philosophical citizen rep
| resenting the people by the call of their suf
| fraees in the Councils of the State. Such was
| the man In whose service Mr.. Burnett entered
when a young man; such, too, were some OF
| the SUR ound1ngs as the young manager LOOK
| ed abroad and around when be undertook the
| task of opening the fields and squariDg out the
boundaries OF "Montebella." How well ard
| systematically he executed the task-how SUI
perbly he placed in position the stationary and
| handled the portable implements of husband
ry, which his enlightened and sagacious prin-
cipal desired, opened a new era in agriculture
in that sparcey settled mountain country.
Tho elegant buildings of a style that existed on
but few James river farms. and the industry,
the method, the neatness, and the complete
order of the whole establishment. are yet rec
ognized though many years have elapsed since
the aged and good old man ceased to direct the
afalNa In nFyiu xUhn
were familiar with that noted place from 1880
to 1860; who knew it as it was. and not as now
imagined as it then existed. The occasional
and weary travellers crossing the mountains
never passed mon tebella" without resting In
Its shades and partaking OF its bountiful hos
pitality and such as can call to memory those
days and are now informed that the generous
host at "MontebelIa" in those times Is still
living, gratefully invoke blessings upon him.
What was known in a former era of tobacco
culture, aud may be now. as shipping
tobacco" was principally grown in the Pied
mont counties of Virginia. Transportation
lines and new movements in trade have trans
ferred the production 10 a great measure to
other fields. This class of tobacco was wholly
the kind grown in Nelson county. It was a
long, full, rich leaf OF strong properties. and
the term "shipping" arose from the fact that 1t
was bought for consumption in European
countries by several governments of those
countries and Its use regulated by law.
In tobacco.culture for which Mr.. Burnett
had gained fine reputation, his experience
passed through several eras, and methods of
its culture, of curing and OF marketing it. The
writer thinks he can without doubt state that
the first screw and lever which superseded the
old lever and rock weights in pricing into
hall
where all methods of neatness and economy
were introduced rapidly as they wer e
studied. In the transportation Of hogsheads OF
of tobacco to market, Mr.. Burnett was an &C.
tive participant in production before the first
method passed away, and has lived to see in
full tide of success the railroad doing its work
in that department of commerce.
What would our young men, or old ones for
that matter think of seeing hogshead OF
tobacco weg Ching from one thousand to one
thousand five hundred pounds actually rolled
along the road to market. sometimes by levers
in hands of men and sometimes by applied
horse power. Mr.. Burnett witnessed, and
when boy participated. in that method of
transportation. In addition to Lynchburg and
Richmond there were in early times and in
one in stance continuing to 1860, several tobac-
CO market towns in the James River valley to
which the producers in Nelson county trans
ported their tobacco. They were Warren.
Warminster. and New Market, the last named
finally closing such interior trade.
Mr. Burnett has been in many of the scenes
in and al ound those busy little marts of trade
away back when the tobacco was rolled down
to them. His great age and enfeebled strength
prevent a recital now of the Inng and inter-
esting history of the past as hS,oud relate the
occurrences and the affairs of the people where
his life was spent till long after he had reached
the allotted days of man on earth. He has dt.
voted his life in earnest effort to aid the so.in
bearing Its richest fruits and realized all
through his toll the comforting pleasures
which are only possessed by the faithful Hon
ored for good works and faithful friendships,
and esteemed for virtues aud duties well per-
formed will be of the affectionate reflections of
his descendants. Some OF those who wildly
remember the impressions he made when in
control at 'Montebella' would deem it a pleas
ure 30 offer their grateful tribute of apprecia-
ton of his generous hospitality aud instruc-
tive CONVEX ,atlon, and sincerely hope that the
long evening OF lifs sinking into twilight may
be as peaceful as the many years of his activi-
ty were fruitful in doing good.
DEATH OF SAMUEL McCoRKLE.-Mr, Samuel
McCorkle, one of Rockbridges Oldest and
most respected citizens, died at his home three
miles south ofLexington on Tuesday night, at
the ripe age of seventy-nine years. He was
born on April Eth, 1912, on the adjoining farm
| to which he lived and died. BE was a son of
William McCorkle and brother of VIM. H. Nc
Corkle, who occupies the o d homestead. He
was married on June 10Th, 1883, to Miss Mary
Simons of Kerrs Creek, who died about seven
years ago. OF this marriage seven children
survive. Mrs. J. J. Dixon, Mrs. VIM. HI. Sale,
| Mrs S. C. Mackey, Mrs. Vim. A. Sterrett, Mrs.
| George F. Liebig, and VIM. a. and Samuel B.
NcCorkie.
Mr. McCork 10 was q man OF unusual practi-