The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-15
RECOLLECTIONS
OF JOHN RANDOLP PHI.
Discussion Of the Origin of the Name
Roanoke.
PROUD OF HIS INDIAN BLOOD.
Various destinations of the Character
OF the Statesman by the Old peo-
pie of Charlotte Cuunty-.all
Agreed He Was Great.
PROUD OF HIS INDIAN BLOOD.

Living within a few hours ride Of the
former home OF the celebrated John Ran
dolph, of Roanoke. l have often passed
and viewed the place where tradition says
his sepuichre is, with his head to the
east. the reverse OF the custom then und
now prevailing.
Among the old people of Charlotte coun-
ty who knew HAN the question has often
been asked why Mr.. Randolph, with his
dwelling on an eminence overlooking the
Stanton River. with its broad stretch
OF magnificent lUwlands, should have
named his residence Roanoke and at
fixed it after his signature
There is Il large creek. with headwaters
near the Prince Edward county line,
flowing from north TO south through the
county of Charlotte, called Roanoke. On
both SIDES of this stream near it's mouth
where it empt.es into the Staunton, Mr..
Randolph owned d large body of land.
His home place. not far distant from
the creek he called Roanoke" follow
ing colonial custom of the old landed
propretors of Virginia in having d:stinc-
tive names for their mansions. On the
James, York and other rivers of Eastern
Virginia the custom prevails to this day.
Mr.. Randolph owned no land south Of
the Stanton River, but he was master
of the adjacent lunds on both sides OF
Roanoke Creek for a long distance
AN INDIAN NAME.
Old people who knew Mr.. Randolph
have told me that the attix 'of Roanoke
was taken from the name of the creek.
He said it was an Indian name, und he
prided himself on his Indian blood being
descended in the seventh generation from
Pocahontas.
The first mention can find OF Roanoke
was in 1855. when Sir Richard Greenvil
left one hundred and eight men on the
Island Of Roanoke. But in the history
and biography Of the Indians Of North
America by Drake. no mention is made
of any tribe OF Indians named Roanoke,
although four hundred and seventy four
different tribes and nations of Indians are
named in the publication of Dr. Drake.
Roanoke Island is in the extreme eastern
part of North Carolina, near Albemarle
and PamIico Sounds and attached to Dare
county. About twenty-five miles be-
low Randolph's landed estate, in Char
lotte, the Dan and Staunton Rivers unite
and form the Roanoke River in Mecken-
burg, and it then flows into Albemarie
Sound.
Until few years ago Randolph sta
ton, on the Richmond and Danville Rail
road, was called Roanoke as it is stu
ated about one hundred yards from the
creek and two miles from the Randolph
residence.
Howe in his History of Virginia. pub
lished in 1S45. says: The name Roa-
nolse 10 derived from a small creek run
ming through the plantation of Randolph.
ROANOKE RIVER.
Colonel Byrd in his history of the di-
viding line between Virginia and North
Carolina, ran in 172S, says of the Roanoke
River: ut is forty-nine polls wide, and
rolls down crystal stream OF very sweet
water insomuch that when there comes to
be a great monarch in this part of the
world he will cause all the water for his
own table to be brought from Roanoke, as
the great kings of Persia did theirs from
the Nile and Choaspis, because the waters
of these rivers were light and not apt to
corrupt. The kings of Denmark order all
the East India ships of that nation to
call at the Cape OF Good Hope and take
in 81 but of water from a spring on the
Table Hin and bringtit to Copenhagen for
their Majesty's own drinking
The waters of the creek are not limpid
as those OF the river as mentioned by
Colonel Byrd, but on the contrary the
stream is muddy and stasnant. Some say
Roanoke means red water but L can
find no authority for any Specification of
the name, but it is no doubt of Indian ORR
u
descriptive and euphonious
4 WONDERFUL MAN.
In talking with old people years ago
about Randolph and especially with those
who knew him personally. | have been
often impressed with the various ana
contradictory views entertained about
him Some looked upon him with fear.
many with admiration. and others with
derision- But all agreed that he was
wonderful man" and of unsurpassed
mental brilliancy. Every one would say
that when Randolph Travelled it was in
a coach drawn by four horses and accom-
panied by positions.
My father was High Sheriff of Char
lotte county for a number of years (and
that office then collected the State and
county revenues), during Randolph's life,
had high regard for him, and always
supported him, except when Randolph oD-
Randolph was a courteous and Hospital
bic man at his house, and when he visited
him TO collect his taxes always had the
exact change. having been previously
Randolph on one occasion to go over the
calculations and see if correct Mr.. Ran
doph replied IAN official like YOU, who
attends to his duties and lets other peo-
pies business alone, is not likely to make
mistakes.
Another favorite recollection often re
peated was when Mr. Randolph called
to see neighbor he found his wife busily
engaged. as she said, in making clothes
for the poor Greeks cat the time so much
sympathy was expressed in this country
for the Greeks in their efforts to throw
off the Turkish yoke. When he closed
ragged negroes in the yard. He returned
and called the lady, and pointed to the
negroes and said: Madam, the Greeks
are at your door" and then mounted his
horse and was soon out of view.
ThOS. d. JEFFRESS.
Chase CITY Va