Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-03
ABOUT"BEAvERDAM'
Interesting Rseollsctlons Of the Han.
oYer Village,
NOTABLE NATIVES OF THE PLACE.
The Writer Tells Charming stories
Of the school Days of the "Old
Boys,-ThriiIing War and other
Historical Incidcnts Related.
written for the plspatch.l


Thirty years had passed since I had
the privilege OF visiting this scene OF my
boyhood. 1t is now the property OF Mr..
Catlin, OF Richmond, though the resi-
dence OF a tenant. 1t stands overlooking
the Beaver Dam creek and Ellerson's
mill. and was the main portion OF the
field over which was fought the first OF
the series OF battles around Richmond.
A good picture Of the house and environs
and also OF the ruins OF the mill hangs
on my study wall. cut from the war
, articles OF the Century magazine. On
pious purpose bent one Sunday In No
vember, walked in rain and mud around
the old homestead. where were passed
the pleasant days OF studious but happy
boyhood.
My father bought the place from old
Mrs. William White, whom i vaguely re-
member as a resident OF her sons home.
on Church Hill. This was Mr.. 7. B.
White, Of the firm of Massle White,
at the corner OF an alley on Main De-
tween Fifteenth and Sixteenth. There
was a maiden daughter left In those days,
Miss Elizabeth White. boon companion
Of my mother. Liz" and Betsy" they
called each other, and when my mother
came to Richmond the carriage always
called at Mr. Cullingworths, on Union
Hill, and Liz. came over to dine ana
get sick from over-sumptuous fare with
Betsy when the shopping hours were
over From those dinners l do not won
der at the size of her son, your worthy
postmaster, as ne seems to have had a
constitution TO digest them.
Rev. Dr. William s. White. pastor oil
Stonewall Jackson, was also a son OF
Captain Billy White, and was born at
Beaver Dam, and SO was Mr.. Thomas
White. who lived at the house on Me-
EVANSVILLE turnpike afterwards owned py
Rev. DIR. Leonidas Rosser. This Mr. White
moved to Missouri. a kind Of Western
Eldorado, when | was boy.
Al Mechanicsyile lived a Mr.. Chester
man. whose son, Alonzo d., was school,
mate OF mine, and is now an honored pro-
fessor In the University OF Mississippi
He is a cousin. think. of your facetious
idle Reporter" who ought to have been
born, along with Henry Clay. Patrick
Henry, and the rest Of us In, or near
the "slashes of Hanover" At the
head of the turnpike now dubbed
Mechanicsville, was also Tap
pahannock stage stand Kept oy
Mr.. Achilles Lumpkin. father OF
DIR. John l.. whose name was uni
versally called by the negroes Mars
Kills Lunclns" Near the village also
liver Mr.. Bnford, one OF our most pro-
gressive farmers. who was the fret OF
our neighbors to introduce Peruvian GU
ano-pronounced ''juano' by the negroes.
| Across the road from my old home lived
Mr. George Washington Trueheart with
| n very large and most respectable fsmi-
| ly. The old gentleman had vineyard,
! and like Noah, he made some wine,
| pressing out the juice in my fathers
cider-prers. and storing IL to ripen in the
cellar. Then he got him a round phal
! to 1T the bung-hole, and tied a string to
| II, and tasted that wine from day to day
until he acquired a thirst for strong
drink Then calamities came on him, and
he moved South. The family were MEM
bers OF DR.. Plummer's church. and some
times on Sunday evening the Doctor
would come out and preach to us in the
ACCOUNTED FOR SIZE.
DR.. Plummer never forgot face or
name. and when I met him Unexpectedly
| at my own door in Alabama he remarked.
| a. few moments afterwards / asked.
Doctor. do you remember that you used
TO preach at Mr.. Truehearts when I
was a boy?' Certainly" he said, they
were members OF my church." The Doc,
tor was old-school and my father was a
new-school elder, hence he was looking
after his sheep. ''Well," said !, 81 re-
member that during one of those SER
vices some other boys and myself got
to cutting up while you were preaching,
and you Just turned around and walled
those big eyes OF yours at us, and IL
scared me out OF ten years growth"
With twinkle OF the eye, but with his
deep-toned voice he said "That accounts
for your not being as large as your
father. I suppose?"
Mr. Trueheart sold out to DR. Arson
when he moved South. and to show the
neighborly feeling of the community.
remember that at the sale OF personal
effects my father bought an old pair of
wheels and axletree Of a cart, which
had been borrowed from our house and
worn out at Mr.. Trueheart's.
My first school days were passed here,
and one OF the daughters OF the worthy
house taught me my letters But / mis-
took thunderwood for elder and became
poisoned In the effort to make a popgIn,
for several weeks.
EARLY EDUCATION THOROUGH.
The principal school for our nelghbor-
hood, however. was Meadow Farm
Academy" at the residence of Mr.. Will
liam b. Sydnor At that time. | think.
Mr.. Sydnor had twelve children, and
my father about ten In all. DR.. Curtis
had quite a number. Mr.. Miller Macon
large family. and so we had full
school. The daily session opened as soon
as we could get there after an early
breakfast, and We got home after sun
down. And make bold to say that edu-
cation I'm the country in those days, in
all it's essential elements. was more thor
ough and lasting. II not as diversified,
than II Is to-day. with all our modern
appliances Tor Education made easy"
And while the patrons who were able
to do so were expected to pay tuition
fees. no worthy boy or girl was rejected
on account OF the lack of funds.
/ am also such an "Old Fogy" as to
insist upon IL that we had more real,
unadulterated fun in those days than
the young people do these days. Our
fathers had an unpleasant habit some
times, IL we had laid a scheme for a
hunt or a fishing without consulting
them. of nipping our nascent plans in
the DuQ ny tcbllS uS W cut WODu, or
shell corn. or, In the spring, plant corn.
But I had two hounds and the Sydnor
boys had several. while our genial neigh
Dor. Captain Austin. would swear that
we should not have his: still boys and
hounds have an instructive affinity for
each other. and when one of our dogs
would hear the yelp Of another or the
blast OF horn we we're obliged to see
what the matter was. The now famous
historic Chickahominy heard sweet music
In those days. when we were after Bre'r
Rabbit. or Bre'r 'Possum, or Bre'r Coon.
Bre'r Fox was. In those days. "a buckle
berry above our persimmon."
Then. too, we played squirrel. climbing
trees. and jumping from limb to limb.
Instead of the brutal baseball and foot
ball OF to-day. we had chermany. roly-
boly. little cat. handy, and stung each
other with dogwood berries, shot from
pop-guns.
SAD CHANGES.
But. returning to Beaver Dam. what