The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-01
FAIR GLOUSTER
OF T|DEWATER
Continued from Thirteenth Page.)

CONTINUED from Thirteenth Page)
new as an office by the treasurer OF the
cot hty. The clerks Office has been pre-
coded by two former buildings. The first
of these was destroyed by fire the night
Of the Sd of June. 1920. when most vaiu-
able records were lost. It would appear
from the reward of 800 for the appre-
hcrsion of the incendiary. as appears on
the court book. that the house was set
OIL fire.
The following justices met at Gloucester
Cou, ty Court on Monday, the fifth day Of
June. one thousand eight hundred and
twenty. two days after the fire: Present
Philip Tabb. John Lewis. Thomas T.
Tsbb. James G. Watt. Richard Jones.
William K. Perrin. John F. Scott. Will
liam G. Watt, Henry L. Nuttall. John
Stevens. James Dabney, Thomas Jones.
James Baytop, Mathew W. kempt, Rob
ert Thruston, Thomas Is. Fox and John
In obedience TO an ordsrof Gloucester,
dated the IT May 1886, laying off
the Prison Bounds. lime 31st, 1854,
began at a stake running BY the spring
NJ 10 1880 yards, to stake, thence
N 20 E 800 yards to another stake in
Mr.. Francis Whiting corn field, thence
running by William Komp's House, S
70 E 800 yards to a stake in the P.
Writings Pasture, thence S 20 w 300
yards to the beginning place, containing
1871 acres.
All af whch is HumbH presented to
the Court, By
John Thyockmorton, S. G. County.
UP-TO-DATE CLERKS OFFICE.
The building put up after this fire. be-
ing of late years judged an unsafe re-
pository for valuable documents, new
and up-to-date fire-proof clerks Office.
all modern compartments for books and
papers, was erected in the courthouse
lot six years ago.
The first Jail in the same lot was
small two-story building. The upper
room was once used as a magazine for
| powder, and had the roof blown Off
This was replaced by another Jail house
which lasted until 1872, when it burned
down and the present one was erected.
A number of causes have conspired to
retard the growth Of Gloucester Court
house. One fire after another has laid
almost the whole village in ashes only
the quaint brick hotel. about one hundred
years old. four residences, two old store
houses. the courthouse, debtors Jail and
Masonic Hall having escaped.
All of Gloucester Courthouse except an
acre OF land upon which the public build
ings stands and few lots were for
number of years owned by MIR. John
Tabb and his heirs. There are no re-
cords in existence to show how Mr..
Tabb obtained this property. Mr.. Geo.
Hughes, OF New Jersey. purchased from
the late DR.. Prosser Ia BIB. son of the late
Mr.. John Tabb. the vast courthouse tract
of land and all the courthouse property
about. the year 1872.
After little. trouble arose. growing
! out of the will Of the late Mr.. John
| Tabb, which threw the whole estate into
| court, where it remained Tor a number
| of years. The court decided about 1884
| that the title was vested in the Hugheses
| Thus after stay of a long period this
| property became salable. purchases were
| made, improvements began and the
| growth has been steady.
BELATED DEVELOPMENT
Another cause of the belated develop
ment of Gloucester Courthouse is its To-
cation, which is in the highlands. The
| negro of Gloucester declared '.the high
lands were made from the Ieavings of
| the lowlands." and, in fact. most of the
quality lived on the rivers and the coun-
ty seat sat solitary and alone a social
center Yet with Church HILL the home
of the Throckmortons and Taliaferros.
the Shelter of the Seawells. Seclusiville
and Kenwood of the Carys. Springfield
of the APP. Joneses, Roaring Springs
of the Fieldses, Hailwestern of the
Davieses, Sunmerviile of the Tabs. ali
in close proximity of the courthouse,
there was no dearth of social life in the
neighborhood.
The Astounding hospitality Of these and
other families made the hotel only one
in name except on court and general
| muster days, and this brings us to the
times when Gloucester Courthouse was
the center OF the county.
GENERAL MUSTER DAY
Early in the morning of general mus
ter day carts and wagons began to pour
into the village from the four corners
and it was said anything from diamond
ring to a jack-knife could then be bought
at Gloucester Courthouse. People from,
Guinea. the dragon and other distant
parts of the county with large contin-
gent from Mathews and MiddeIsex and
King and Queen arrived early on the
scene. Later the gentry in all the brav-
cry of fine cloths with shining carriages
drawn by biooded horses. the proud
Goa Gilman and footrnan on the foot the
rack behind filled with baskets of all
kinds of good cheer. made their appear
ance. With the sound of ffe and drum.
neighing of horses. crying OF wares by
the vendors. the shouts Of the militia. and
above all. the laughter OF light-hearted