The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-10

Mrs. Indiana Fletcher Williams, to
whose Inunificelce this Institution owes
5ts establishment, was the last survivor
of her immediate family Her father,
Elijah Fletcher. was born in Vermont.
and, as a young man just OUT OF COLLEGE
with a Bachelor of Arts degree. he carr
in the nineteenth century started South
10 seek his fortune. Tradition says that
he walked to Washington. He there met
Hon. David S. Garl2nd. who Was at one
time 4 representative in Congress from
Virginia and who lived at New Glasgow.
in Albenarle county, where, because of
his excessive possessions, he MAS locally
known as King David. At New Glasgow
there was a 1lourishing academy Tor
young ladies, under the principalship OF
she Rev Mr. Crawford, the rector Of St.
Stevens Episcopal Church there, one OF
The oldest churches in this section of
The State. To the Vermonter Mr.. Gar
land gave d letter of Introduction to Mr..
Crawford. and with this. his college dip
Iona and all OF his worldly possessions.
as tradition again says. tied up in a red
bandanna handkerchief. Elijah Fletcher
turned his face towards the land of pro-
mise, which lay for him under the blue
hills of Amherst county. Mr.. Crawford
received him kindly and gave him posi-
ton as an instructor in>h his school Here
the New England youth fell a victim TO
the charms of the rector's daughter. Ma
ria. who. in 1873. became his wife
While the young fortune-seeker brought
with him but little of this worlds goods
he yet possessed a large Inheritance Of
New England thrift. which. in the fav-
cred land where he cast his lot. soon Sc
cured for him the beginnings of a large
estate. The years passed by and he grew
in wealth. and when at last, in 1855. he
found q resting place within the bosom
Of his adopted home he was perhaps the
wealthicSt man in the county BY WILL
he divided his estate about equally
among his three children-Sidney, Eliza
beth and Indiana.
Ills daughter. Elizabeth. married VIM
Hamilton Mosby. of Lynchburg, and built
near what is now the Southern Railway,
"a handsome home. Mt. st. Angelo. on
farm adjoining the Sweet Briar planta-
1ion, the familys home-place. Mrs Mos
by survived her husband. and at her
death. leaving no children. by will give
the bulk of her estate to her brother Sid
ICY. This brother had received medi-
cal education and was known as DR..
FLETCHER, though he had never entered
upon the active practice of his profess
sion. DIR. Fletcher died unmarried in 1925,
leaving by will the bulk of his large es-
tate 10 his sister. Indiana.
Indiana Williams, i'll 1865. married Jas.
Henry Williams. an Episcopal clergyman
OF New York, who later came TO live at
Sweet E;,iar. where he was highly re-
Earded and received honors at the hands
OF our people. having been elected as a
Conservative Delegate TO the Constitu
tional Convention Of 1859.
To Mrs. Williams was born one child
IA darghter-Daisy. Who, had She lived
3ons enough. would have been sole heirass
of the four fortunes, which finally came
to her mother.
Daisy Williams died in 1854. IN her sew
enieenth wear, and her father followed
her 10 the grave in 1889. leaving his
wealth 10 his wife. with the desire eX-
pressed in his will that she should cs-
tablish at her death a school for girls
at Sweet Briar. rs a perpetual memorial
OF their deceased daughter.
And so it came TO pass that when tho
shades of evening fell about the life of
Indiana Williams they found her alone.
The last years Of her life were spent in
seclusion which seemed strange to
those who did not know the depth OF
her mothers grief and her longing to
keep alive the memory OF her daughter.
She surrounded herself with mementoes
Of that daughter. Daisy.s piano at her
death was locked. neyer to be opened
again during tho 1nothexS lifetime. The