The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-11-02
Communicated
A TRIP 10 CAROLINE.
Interesting Historical Facts Noted.

fredericksburg Va. Nov, !, 1901.
To Tux FREE LANCE:
During trip into the interior Of Caro-
line county the early part of this week, |
came into possession Of some interesting
facts which thought would please your
readers To know | attended the Baptist
conference held at Upper Zion church last
Tuesday in company with the learned
Judge of Caroline County court Judge f..
e. Moncure, who has impariially prcsld-
ed over the County court for 80 many
years and who is destined to continue in
that position until he retires Of his own
accord. | was behind Lawyer Richard
Moncures fine trotter which had been
kindly loaned me. and the trip to Upper
Zion through dust and over sandy roads.
was made ON schedule time.
About one and a hall miles east oi
Bowling Green at a fork of the road, the
Judge pointed to place in the fork and
informed me that that was the spot
where Caroline Court house stood from
l727 until 1910, when the present court
house at Bowling Green was erected. and
so there the people Of that good old
county met for eighty-thrce years to set
tie their disputes and arrange their
business affairs. This spot should be
held in lasting remembrance 10y the citi-
zens of Caroline, aud, at county expense,
it should be purchased and n marker
placed there 10 designate the spot Tor all
time to come. II the commonwealth \
Attorney will start the ball in motion, he
will find "A good second | think IN the
county Judge.
Carolneis the home of Edmund Pendle-
ton, and although he was slow in catch
ing the spirit Of liberty that so fired
Henry and was caught mp by young lei
lerson, Carr and Others, the county has n
right TO be- proud OF him. Although hc
fingered with the anti Americans, when
he turned patriot he was earnest and
progressive and a. a member OF the Con
tinental Congress. favored the war until
independence was secured. The high
position he attained makes two state
ments made me OF interest 10 the public
One il. that the records of the County
court show that Edmund PendletOn
wasapprenticed To the Clerk OF thecOunty
to learn the duties of Clerk. The other
il. that he was buried near Sparta where
he lived, and that the old grave yard
passed into the hands Of colored man
some years ago, and but for distant
relative. the grave would have been lost
TO the world \ Philadelphia relative
some time since came down looking for
the grave, found it, purchased the place
and had it suitably marked with sub
stantial stone That relative deserves
the thanks OF the country.
Among other interesting things told
me was the claim that General Wade
Hampton. the great cavalry commander
of the Civil war. was horn at Hampton
vile, in Caroline county Thinking il
might be another james Madison case, !
inquired How did this happen And
was told that his father lived nj that
place when he was born and that the
place took its name from the General X
father. 1t is further asserted that the
Bamptons aud DeJarnetts OF Caroline
are related. and that some of the latter
bear the name nj Hampton. And yet !
could but feel that there was some mis-
take about the birth place OF the General.
and upon examination, | find that the
| Generals biographer in the confederate
Military History" states that he was
born in Columbia, :. e.. in 1918, and
| that he was the third member OF the
family bearing that name So it may be
that the Generals grandfather lived in
| Caroline where his father was born, who
| afterwards moved to South Carolina. II
any OF your readers can throw any light
| on this matter, hope they will do so.
| and let Us know the facts.
Upper Zion is located seven miles east
Of Bowling Green in a prosperous part OF
| the county. where they raise sweet pOta-
| toes. tobacco. land my companion said
| chinquapns and old hares) 10 perfection.
| No one is uncomfortable rich. and no one
il dead poor Everybody has something
before hand, and owes few, il any. debts.
| The church building il made OF brick, Is
| beautifully frescoed. elegantly located
| and the congregation is said to be
the best feeders in the county. You
| alluded to that in your last issue.
The lamented DR. Baynham was pastor
| Of this church for thirty -four years, and
he has a memorial tablet in the church
Just to the left Of the pulpit. The in.
scription reads as follows: In memOriam,
Rev. VIM. 4. Baynham, VI. ID born Oct.
10. 1913, died June lG, 1887. For
thirty-four years beloved pastor OF PIPER
Zion church. by whom this tablet is erect
ed to his memory Pure in life, iervent in
| spirit. diligent in duty. he has entered in
to the glory of his Lord.
At Sparta the great Baptist oratorand
historian, Rev. Andrew Broaddus, lived
and died, and all through this part OF Vir'
ginia was his field OF labor. He lived in
a time when there was a great work to
| do. and great difficulties were to be over
come, and with his great ability and
energy he was set apart for the work
and succeeded well After organizing
churches and nurturing them into state
of seli-reliance, he entered other fields
where his labors were signally blessed
including fredericksburg. where he or
gained the present Baptist church in
| 1901 His spirit was no doubt felt IN
the conference on Tuesday in which. as
| delegates, he had n son and grand son
| DR.. VIM. l. Broaddus. of Bowling Green,
| and Rev. Andrew Rroaddus, of Sparta.
Before closing thiSnOte, might men
ticn another thing about the Rev. His
| tOrian Broaddus that perhaps has no
parallel He organized Salem church at
| Sparta. in the latter part of the 18th
/ century. and it has since its organization
| had but three pastors, and all of them
| bore the name OF Andrew BrOaddus.
| They were father, son and grandson.