The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-13
The Memofia the Gift of Mrs, Letitia
Tyler sempIe.
COVERED WITH INSCRIPTIONS.
DR.. William Pettis, of Washington, Made the
Presentation Address, and the Other Ex-
ercises Consisted Of Prayer and Sing
ing-honumentis isa White Marble
Shaft, With the History of
the Palace Cut Upon 1t.

Especial Dispatch to The rimes.>

Especial Dispatch to The Times.)
WILLIAMSBURG, VA, Nov. PA
monument marking the site of the old
Colonial Palace, and erected by Mrs.
Letitia. Tyler Semple. of Washington, to
the College of William and Mary and the
citizens of williamsburg was presented
thi.; morning.
The exercises opened with a hymn; then
came a prayer by Rev. W. T. Roberts, of
Bruton Episcopal Church. DR.. ". NJ.
Pettis, distinguished divine of Washing
ton ana q native of williamsburg, made
the presentation address in words allud-
ing: beautifully TO the historic interest of
! every spot in this old town.
THE MAYOR RECEIVES IT.
Mayor John L. Mercer accepted the
monument in behalf of the people of VIII
iamsburg and the Board Of Visitors and
Faculty of the college. DR.. Pettis closed
the exercises with prayer and beneoic-
tion.s
The monument is a simple shaft of white
marble, closely written on all four sides
with the motive for erecting and to whom
erected.
Mrs. Matthias, of Leavenworth, Kas,
and Miss Seawell, of Washington. are
here with Mrs. Semple..
THE INSCRIPTION.
The inscription. which explains tha
motive is long, but is probably of very
great *interestgtcr many Tersons in thu
State 1t is as follows: = Ct he east side.)
! TO the students, faculty and visitors
Of William and Mary this manument is
inscribed. and to the Mayor, Council and
citizens of Williamsburg is given its care
| and protection
ic
tory connected with this spot, on which
stood thcsold - - 8; ~ s-. -..9-s.
,sE Colonial Palace,
built8fn "A D. 1E40, and designed for the
residence Of the colonial Governors The
main building was a large brick struc-
ture, "A feet long and 64 feet wide. To
the right and left of the main building
were two smaller buildings. one used as
an office and the other as guard house.
Beautiful flowers, fruit trees of all
kinds and the Ivy, of Old England. which:
covered the cornices of the greenhouse
added much to the surroundings, and
withal it was a picturesque place.
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary
War, Lord Dunmore, Royal Governor,
was driven from the Palace by the CO.
lonial troops under the leadership OF
John Tyler, the patriot.
After the Revolutionary War the Pal
ace, passed into the hands of private In
dividuals, and various times was oc-
cupied by distinguished Virginia families.
At ths outbreak of the Gil. War
it was owned by Mrs. Letitia Tyler Sem
pie, daughter of President Tyler, and
mistress Of the White House during part
of her fathers administration. During
the war the building was destroyed ana
laid to waste by Federal troops; there
fore, it was necessary for the preserva-s
ton OF its history that.this monument
be erected The property then passed
into the hands of Wilia... ana Mary Col
lege, the site Cor this monument ne,lls
granted to Mrs. Letitia Tyler Semple
by special act of Board of yIsltnrs Of
William and Mary. college, June Is, 1901.
THE SOUTH SIDE.
JAMESTOWN,
A. d. 1907.
The London Company sent out Our
ing the reign of King James l. a party
of colonists. They called the point at
which they landed Jamestown, in honor
of their king. The colonists became dis
couraSed by the non-arrival OF aid and
boarded their ships to return to Eng
land. When they reached the mouth OF
the James river they met the ships OF
Captain Newport, who brought them
aiG from home. They landed on point
of land jutting out into Hampton Roads
and called the place Newport News, to
commemorate the good news brought
by Captain Newport.
In July, 1919, the first cotton seed were
planted. In 1922 the colony of James
town was nearly destroyed by fire, whic4l
caused them to move to Bruton Parish,
| where they built a church, courthouse
| and mansion for the Governor. Alexan-
| der Spottswood, the Governor, sent a
troop to find road over the Blue Ridge
mountains and thus the order of the
knights of the Golden Horseshoe was
established
Nicholson. one of the earliest colonial
| Governors, was active in promoting the
| educational interests Of the colony. He
| attempted to establish a colony at Hen
| rico. but the massacre of 1872 prevented
! it. His attempt, however, led to the es-
| ia biishment of William and Mary Col-
| lege.sS
In l69S the seat OF government W45
transferred to- Williamfburg,zsan and the
following year the Assembly helcs lts
sessions there. williamsburg renalned
/ can't of Tie state until after the
| I.Revolutlonary War, when IL was moved
! to Richmond. Va. 81
THE NORTH SIDE.
William and Mary College was estab-
Elished in 1888 my roya L charter from
i William ard Mary, sovereigns OF Engiand.'
! George Washington received from the
| college his commission as public land sur
ycyor. He surveyed the 320,e00 acres. en-
dowment land of the college. and Letter
was elected Its chancell lor- During her
successful career of over eco Xears &Nvil-
i liam S and Mary College has graduated
more. great men than any $otherscollege
lin the United States. Among her distin-
g,,ished alumni are three Presidents OF
/ the UniteG# States: five signers Of the
Declaration of Independe nineteen
4 members OF the Continental Congress
twelve I7iitsaf States Cabinet officers. four
i Judges of the Supreme Court, twenty-nine
United States Sena tors, sixty-six repre-