Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-01
OLD CUMBERLAND.
Historical "reminiscences Of Men and
Places In This County.
THE CAROLINA MAIL ROUTE.
How Geveruor VIM. Smith Got the Name
Extra BnIy "-Reminisceoces
Of John Randolph and Others.
fNvritten for the DispatchN


With the exception. perhaps, of some OF
the original shires, there is no county in
Virginia with more interesting reminis-
cences of places and men than the county OF
Cumberland. II was formed by the House
of Burgesses in l74s, ard bears the name
of the Duke of Cumberland, who bad Just
achieved his signal victory over the forces
of the Pretender. 1t Ia one OF the counties
of the Virginia peninsula lying between
the waters of the James and Appomattox;:
The most Of the county IS IN the basin OF
WIllis's river. which rises near farmFliie,
and runs northeast and empties INTO tne
James near Cartersvllle. ms stream
rises near Wilhs's mountain, anu
was once known as Buck river
from the large number OF deer ouco
roaming there. and now returning 10
their ancient haunts. The legends are
shadowy about the old hermit Wills VINO
lived alone on the solitary mountain
which Mr.. jefferson used TO sec from MS
portico at Monticello in certain stages OF tue
atmosphere looming like distant SNIP ~
sea. 1t 10 supposed that hucA IItel WI
the origin OF the name OF the main road
from Richmond. once called the Buck aud
Game road, which was considered q cor
ruption. Ii bore this name long before lne
county of Buckingham was formed A'
this county before I'LL comprised IN lts
territorial limits the county OF fownatan
the first courthouse was in the latter
county near the centre OF the TWO on Deep
creek In those days, before the dams on
James river. the lawyers forded James
river on horseback near Rock Casue'
going to and from Goochland Courthouse
and Cum berland Courthouse.
BARRAcK HILL
Near umberland old courthouse por-
ton of General Green's army went INTO
winter quarters during the Revolution,
and the spo, is now marked Dy 4, a rlch
plateau on the crest of q gentle hill sur
rounded bv pines, and still known as
BarIack HILL" In less than three miles
away il SCOTS Hill" where General
Charles Scott was born. who carried tue
first troop OF cavalry into the Hevoluuoh
under a remarkable silk flag. now IN glass
case IN the state Library. General Scott
went in the early DAYS TO KENTUCKY ana
was Governor of the state. The malnroad
in Cumberland. thirty-four miles from
Fa7myille TO Cartersyille, IS historic III
was the route of the southern and western
members of Congress to and from
Washington. Mcssrs. Clay aud Calhoun,
BENTON and McUufie. in gong TO
Congress IN stage coaches or private car
races STAYED one night at Earmville. at
the Randolph House, and the other AZ
PoWell's Tavern IN CartersVllie. III was
then known as tho Carolina road. over
II rolled the great northern and south
erp mail. run 10y VIM. Smith, twice Gov
esnor. and from the extra pay he got TO
carry on his enormous contract from New
Orleans to Washington be was ever
aft arward known as Extra Billy. This
road was one OF the principal "a II was
the nearest route of John Randolph on
his way 10 Congress, accompanied on
horseback with Juba and John, with
portmanteaus behind the saddle, and
some times with a pack OF his tavorIte
hounds This county was always coun-
t. of his district and always supported
HIM. Some Of his greatest speeches were
made IN this county TO such cOnstltu-
ents man never had and never Will be tsd
agnin." His famous rencountre with MT.
Eppes and his complete rOut of the Bap-
fist preacher took place IN this county
and buckingham.
HIS LAST SPEECH.
Forty wears ago many old citizens de-
lighted to tell the numberless anecdotes OF
thls remarkable man. and they are still
handed down by their descendants. His
last speech was made at Efiingham. the Old
name for Cumberland Courthouse, when
he left Roanoke for New York. whore he
died. Chilled by the frosts of Russia, en-
feebled by age and disease. at war with all
orr public men and all parties, ne sat on
the Judges char with Ju6a and John on
each side Of him. plying him at intervals
with port wine, and. IN ramDl deeui-
tory manner, he satirlzed everything
and every body. He spoke OF the Guinea
and Angola neighborhoods, so called
from the tribes OF negro slaves first I'M
ported TO the county and located on creeks
called after them. as tine country for
which God shed more and man less tears
than any country on the globe" lie
smoke of the decline OF the landed arls-
tocracy accustomed by the abolition OF en-
ta;'- and primo genlture by Mr.. JEFFERSON.
Surely. he SAID, such man never had a
son" He paraphrased the lines he said
when a school-bOy on hy-leat IN Dbl
worth's Arithmetic
qualification is yexauous, Division is ne bad, -
1.-THE Rule Of Three, IL posters me, aud Prac-
tice runs memad,'
| thus:
Notification is vexatlous. Secession Is as bad, -
Tho Rule OF the Three it posters me, then
| Practice runs me mad"
abiding to Clay, Calhoun, Webster, or
Jackson.
He recited the old phrase, Dead as last
I
! such manner that it sounded entirely
new, aud Lieutenant-Goyernar Henry H.
| Hopkins. on his road home, was lnvoiun-
tarily all che way, trying 10 say 1t as he
| did. Randolph Early's manhood was
| spent at " Bizarre" near FarmvIllc, the
! residence Of his brother Richard, who Was
tried for felony and was cleared by PatricA
Henry.
EMAEoIPATED THEM.
| Richards will, more vituperative of slave
nv than ever Wendell Phillips or WILDER
force were. emauclpated about 100 slaves
after the payment of his fathers British
debts, and directed his executors, Chan
cellor Wythe, Britt Randolph. Judge st
| George tucker, and others. to locate them
on a portion of his land on the south aide
! of the river above Farmvlle, giving eact
| family small tract of land. yoke oil
oxen, aud horse and years provisions,
q near approach to the forty acres and 4
| mule promised by the Freedman's Bureau
The settlement WAS made, but by drink
| contagious disease, filth, and vice, nike
up with mean whites, they dwIndied
away to small number. and fol
years lzraei Hlll was terror t'
| the neighborhood. 1t has improved now
! The land all around Farmvllle belonged I,
the Randolphs. Beverly Randolph. Gov
ernor of Virginia, in 1888 lived at ChlllOe
in Cumberland. a short distance below
| Chancellor Taylor, at his residence Need
ham (near halfway between Farmyiil'
and the famous Rains's Tavern, celebrate
by DR.. q. w. Bagy tor good eatlngs"
kept q famous law school which raised NJ
some OF the ornaments Of the Virginia bal
and bench. Judge Daniel A. Wilson ON,
of the purest of the old Virginia judges
was born in this part of the county. liz
was Judge of the circuit until the Constr
tuition of 1872, which threw him anC
Judge VIM. Leigh in the same cilcuit, anc
as the most OF the counties OF the circul
formerly belonged 10 Judge Leigh's cir
| cult he was defeated. Judge Leigh wa
as remarkable for strictness as Judge vii
son was for amlRbility and kindness o
| heart.
JUDoR WILLIAM DANIEL.
One of the most remarkable men evel
| born in this or any other county wa
Judge William Daniel. With no advan
tages in early lte by the force of IN
character and intellect he rose to the frs
rank in his profession IN this and the sur
rounding counties. He was q member o
the famous Legislature Of 1893 -17Ss, and a.
member OF the House OF Delegates iron
Cum berland advocated and voted for Mr.
\