Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-14
his removal the property passed into the
hands of
COL. FERDINAND BLACKWELL,


COL. FERDINAND BLACKWELL,
OF Northumberland. who. having removed
with his family and slaves to Texas. and
not liking the Lone-Star State, had re-
turned i'm quest OF Virginia home. and
here settled on Mr. Berkeley's with
drawal. Colonel Blackwell was
man of compact and vigorous build,
with rudy complexion. an album
dant humor. a big. open heart, and
most cordial spirit Of hospitality.
He had married Julia Anderson. OF his
native county. and 4 numerous pro-
geny-three daughters and seven sons
had blessed this union, and were stinu-
lating his toll amid his ample fields,
and solacing his leisure beneath his
shade, when the ominous cloud of the
civil war came TO cast dark and dread
ful shadow on the peaceful home scene.
Exposed. as the place was, TO gunboats
and pillagc, the war prospect broOded
like nightmare on the Colonels spirits.
The two older sons shouldered their
muskets and went early into service
when the tremendous issue was joined,
and on a memorable day in April, 1861,
when Richmond and nearly all Tide
water Virginia was seized with panic,
the large farm-wagon at Bushiield was
made ready. the great fat-bottomed boat
placed on it. and the family pre-
pared to travel by land or water, set
forth with provisions and household
necessities to find a place Of refuge Ie-
mote from molestation and danger. They
eventually found such a retreat among
the hills beyond the headwaters Of the
NOmni, and thus Bushfield became again
desolate and abandoned.
With the return OF peace in 1865 the
scattered family returned and the home
entered upon a part OF its history that
is not without a pathetic and painful in
terest. The servants were gone from the
plantation, the implements Of agriculture
were worn out. broken, or lost, grain for
planting even was scarce, the bitches
were choked, brlers grew thickly about
the fields, and widespread impoverish-
ment witnessed TO the four years of en-
forced neglect through which the place
had passed. The country adjacent was
in restitution and bankruptcy, and all
around prevailed a feeling OF uncer-
tainty and depression, bordering on de-
SPAR. Amidst it all the health OF the
fond wife and mother was hopelessly
failing, the eldest son sank under the
lingering effects Of bullet received in
battle. and a younger son died. Another
bright and beautiful boy. verging on
manhood, was accidentally killed while
cunning On January 10. 1872. Colonel
Blackwell died, and soon afterwards the
estate was sold. and his surviving chill
dren went TO find other and scattered
homes. Two sons did not long survive,
and then the daughters-Julia, Laura,
and Eva-followed in rapid succession
amidst their early bloom, TO lind their
graves beside their parents and brothers
in the old battle-ground of the Black
wells, on the banks of the Wicomico.
Midway between the mansion and the
outer gate, where the managers house,
some servants houses, the corn-crib, and
cattle-sheds used to stand by the road
side, | could, on a recent visit, see only
a solitary chimney remaining 1t stood
like a sentinel, mute and lonely. amid
the wrecks and changes that time has
wrought. And of the large and
happy family who made their
home here i'm 1851. only one
now survives. Like that lone chimney, he
fingers, a pensive watcher amid life's
broken ties and the graves Of all the
other inmates of his early home.
Bushfield after being for a number Of
years in the possession az a gentleman
of Washington (Alr. BryanO, has recently
changed owners Mr.. Paul DERRICK, from
Kensington, Md. is its present proprietor.
To restore the place TO its Old-time pros
perty and value will make large demands
on his energy good management, and
means. But the plowman is hopefully
turning the sod, and the buzz OF the
steam saw-mill is heard among the tim
Der. and it is to be hoped that the life
and glory of the New South will soon
come to these shores as enectually as
those Of the Old South have departed
from them.
Heathsvile. Va. G. W. Il.