Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-01
GENERAL r. KENYON.
Grave OF Revolutionary Hero In Meek
Ienburg County.

CHASE CITY, VA, May l9.-(Special)- |
In a few miles OF this place is the grave |
OF a hero Of the war Of the Revolution. |
His descendants are scattered In many |
States. who are doubtless ignorant OF the |
last resting place Of their distinguished |
ancestor. in a retired spot at Finney- |
wood, near the residence Of Captain VIII |
liam Bacon, IS grave enclosed by rock |
wall. now falling In some places, upon |
which Is laid q large fat soapstone with |
the simple inscription General r. Ken
non" and the date Of death Is so much |
effacsd that only IS can be seen. Some
years ago the farm was rented out by
Colonel Lyddal Bacon, then the owner
and the tenant took away the soapstone
slab and used Il for making UP bread
upon the smooth surface. Colonel Bacon
hearing Of this had il restored to its pro-
per place, where 1t now remains.
HIS DESCENDANTS.
General Richard Kenuon, who Is there
Inferred, at his old home, married Eliza
beth Beverley MunfOrd. daughter Of
Robert MunfOrd. the presiding justice of
MeCklenburg's first County Court In l765
They had a large family OF children
and among the members Commodore
Beverley Kennon, who was killed in 1874
by the bursting Of a cannon on the
steamer Princeton. A daughter, sally
Short Skpwith Kennon, married Commo-
dure Arthur Sinclair Their eldest daugh-
ter. Elizabeth Beverley Kennon married
Commodore William c. White. A son,
Erasmus Kennon. married a daughter of
Major John Nelson Of Mecklenburg.
General Kennon at an early age entered
the revolutionary war as lieutenant or
the Fifth Virginia Regiment; he served
with distinction, and rose to the rank OF
hrigadier general. He received the thanks
Of the Continental Congress for consplcu-
Gus gallantry at the battle of Cowpens.
fought between the armies of TaIleton
and Morgan 10th January, lIa; was q
member Of the order Of the Cincinnati;
made county lieutenant of Mecklenburg
i'm 1859. was a member Of the House OF
Delegates and State Senate and president
Of the Senate. He was also the first Gov
ernor of Louisiana, appointed by Jeffer-
son, and died in that position before he
lad attained his 50th year. But few
peoule. even Of this county, are aware
that "A general Of the Revolution rests be
meath the turf Of Mccklenburg, and the
writer only recently learned 1t from a
descendant Of Colonel Bacon. who owns
the old Kennon homestead.
AN OLD BOOK.
had lately sent me an old book Of iS9
pages. with the following or the title
page: Poems and Compositions in Prose
on Several Occasions. by William Mum
ford. Of the County Of Mecklenburg, and
state of Virginia. Not free from faults,
nor yet too vain 10 mend. Richmond:
Printed By Samuel Peasants, Jr., 1898.
The author frankly states in his preface
TO the work that il Is submitted to the
public eye for several reasons: The
first is, that the author hopes II may
AFFORD some entertainment and perhaps
Improvement to those who choose TO
read it; me second, that 1t may procure
TO the author some small reputation;
and the third; that his not overburdened
purse may receive very agreeable sup
ply" This Mr.. William Munford was a
brother Of General Thurman's wife, the
I father Of Colonel George Wythe Mum
ford, Of Virginia.
FIRST CONCEIVED.
/ The sights Of Richmond and Petersburg
were first conceived by Colonel Byrd in
/ the county Of Mecklenburg. In his his
I tory of the Dividing Line BetwtXt Viz
.yinia and North Carolina and Continuing
a Journey TO the Land OF Eden In 1913,
I and first published by Edmund and Julian
]
ne stopped at Blue Stone Castle, which
was located about two and half miles
| north OF Ciarksville. In this county, and
moi far from the StauntOn river. This
: castle ne called his home when on tours
Of exploration. Here he conceived th'
' idea of two cities He says: When we
got home, Blue Stone Castle, we laid inc
foundation OF two large cities-one AZ
Sbocco's, 10 be called Richmond, anI
the other at a point OF AppomattoN river
IN De named Petersburg. These Majol
NIayo offered TO lay out into lots, wllhou
Zee or reward The truth Of IT is, theS
two places being the uppermost Landings
az LANES and Appomattox rivers, ar
Z naturally Intended for resorts where I'M
traHic Of the outer inhabitants mus
centre Thus we did not build castle
only. but cities I'm the air. AFTER restih'
several DAYS at Blue Stone Castle he con
tinues: .,,r,.,r,.
"Our ammunition arrived safe ana IN
Indians came 10 US, resolved 10 max
mart OF our company upon cohdllioh
MIR beIng supplied with powder and sho
nd having the skins of all the deer the
1 kined 20 their own proper use ana W
left Bluestone Castle for the Lana q
eden on the Dan river My compan
consisted OF four gentlemen, namely, Ma
ior Mayo, Major Munford, MT Bdhlste'
and MIR. Jones, and 1ve woodsmen- III
nor Wilson. Henry Morris, Joseph Coisol
Robert Boiling, and Thomas Hooper-fou
negroes. and three Tuscavuda Indians
. With this small troop he proceeded u
the stanton river, which ne Iorded ne"
the prsseut site OF Abbyville the waite
running into the top Of his boots ana COT
tin,,c3 Mia tourney until ne reached
large stream, which II was agreed TO ca
| Banlster river, in honor of one Of n
/, | company. This river Is In the county
| Halifax on hts way near the bahisl'
ne SAYS: We Killed two very large ia
tlesnakes. one Of fifteen and the otner
, twelve rattles. They were both iat' p'
: | nobody could be persuaded 70 carry the,
70 our quarters, although they Woui
have added much 70 the luxury OF OF
: | supper. We pitched our tents upon Banl
ter river one and half miles from a
pan. where we Toasted on young buS
which had the III luck 10 cross our wa
/, IL rained great part Of the night, WI
) very loud thunder. which ruu1bled frigh
| fuIly amongst the tall trees that su
; rounded us I'm the low grounds, but, that
. God, without any damage
= Our Indians Killed three deer. but we
so lazy they brought them not TO cam
pretending for their excuse they We
TO lean.
DISAPPEARED.
There may still be some deer on 9
t,snister river. IN Halifax, but the rattl
: snakes. like the Indians. have long sin
7 disappeared Colonel Byrd's book possess
:, a great deal OF local interest for this 50
= ton. All OF the tributaries OF the ~
= and stanton and Roanoke rivers we
:, named by him, and every name mas
. history, or was suggested by some loo
Z surroundings. The first buffalo We 80
y were on a stream In this county emptyi
y into the Dan, which we named buna
n creek. ana the next on stream IN hs
fax flowing into the Hyco river nam
y from Hyeo,be tribe OF Indians) a.
d called Buffalo creek But the buHai'
= IKE the rattlesnakes and Indians;
G eede from the eneroachment OF eiyiha
i zion. and have been driven towards !
Z setting sun.
= .,..... a.. .vAa.ffnH all Kin.