Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1900-11-21
A MUN1TrCENTLy ENDOWED
SCHOOL FOR GIRLS.

Oh October Goth Mrs. Indie Will
liams, probably the .weslthIest woman
in the South, died at her nome near
New Glasgow, in Amherst county.
Her large fortune she left to en- low q
whit school for girls, undenomina-
| t MAJ to b, .locAtel on her homestead,
Sweet Briar," and will be most liber-
/ aly endowe institutions of its kind in
he South. The location is one of the
most pictures que and beautiful IN the
country.
AS this seminary will be but short
i.-lance from the kockbndge line,
any hing concerning it would be Of in
tercst to our lea lers. It's location, at
ear New Glasgow, is a village that
WIS once the seat OF the most cultured
an refined society in Old Virginia. IT
las now fallen into decay. The mother
0 Patrick Henry, the kinswoman Of
the benefacress to whose generosity
Sweet Briar College will owe its exist
eLce, lies buried at New Glasgow on
the home place OF Captain Samuel
Meredith of the Revolution. The wife
OF the latter sleeps there too.
Mrs. Williams, whose wealth will
estitl sh this new institution, and
which is to be a monument to her
family, was a granddaughter of Elijah
Fletcher, who located i'll Amherst in
1901. The history Of this gentleman
If an interesting one. Some time
during the year 1901 he stopped in the
city of Washington, having walked all
the way from Vermont, his native State.
He was educated in New England
college, and was on his way South 10
find school. David S. Garland, who
then represented the Amherst district
in Congress, and who was man of
wealth and influence, became inter-
terested in young Fletcher. Mr.. Gar
land was the son.in-law of Captain
Samuel Meredith, Patrick Henrys
brother-in-law, Congressman Garland
at that time lived at New Glasgow.
An academy had recently been estab-
lished there, of which Parson Crawford,
a brother of William H. Crawford, Of
Georgia, afterward a Senator, candi-
date for President, was the head master.
To this gentleman Mr.. Garland COM
mended young Fletcher for a position
in the school. With this letter the
,oung Vermonter found no difficulty in
procuring the coveted position o.
teacher in the New Glasgow Academy.
Mr., Fletcher was successful as teacher
and marie Miss Crawford, of Tusca-
lam, near New Glasgow. About 1903
Mr.. Fletcher established the Lynchburg
Virgi Hian and took as his partne Rich
ard Fl. Tole", who became chief edito.
rial writer for the new venture. The
enterprise was signally successful. Mr..
Fletcher made what was in those days
a colo ssal fortune. He had two daugh.
tiers and one son. The latter was d..
Fletcher, who inherited the ancestral
g tate, and who died about two years
ago unmarried. Ore of the daughters
married W. Fl. Mosby, a cousin of Col.
John T. Mosby, who lied some years
ago without issue. The second daugh-
ter married Rev. John H. Williams, an
Episcopal minister of New York, a |
gentleman of fine mental attainments.
He settled in Amherst and at the in.
stance OF the best people in the county
permitte / himself TO be elected to the
Underwood Constitutional Convention
Of 1867-6S. All of his children we're
highly educated, most Of them spend.
ng much of their tine abroad. All of |
.hese children died without issue, Mrs.
Indie Williams up'n their death be-
coming tie residuary legatee. She
came into possession Of the splendid
estate, valued at the time of his death
1t rearly million do lars. The Sweet
3riar College, which is to be memorial
# her generosi y, Is to be under the
Management OF Bishop Randolph, OF