Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-02-04
A Region Rich In History.

awakened interest in her lineap
r Her father was the distinguish
l Colonel Thomas H. Benton of Mi
souri,, who sat thirty-one years
: the United States Senate. 81
was born in Virginia, on the famil
, estate of her maternal grandfathel
, Colonel James Mcdowell, to who's
father, Northumberland in th
British service, the crown grant fo
military services was original
made, and who was killed there b
Indians in 1742. The domain wa
in Rockbridge county, and extende,
" from the Valley to the tops of al
the hills in view" the point O
view being lakelet formed by tn,
meeting of two streams that crossed
the valley. There was another
grant of ten thousand acres OF
pasture land in Greenbrier county,
adj dining; with yet another, called
"the military" of some thousands
OF acres in Kentucky; and another
on the Ohio side of the river, on
which part of Cincinnati was
built.
These grants of "wild lands ="
were made by the English govern
ment, instead of payments in money
to their young officers. The in
heritor of this magnificent estate
was distinguished not only by noble
aspect and dignity of manner, but
by uprightness, justice and liber-
ality, with a temperance rare in
those days. He divided his patri.
mony with his mother and sisters.
who, like him, bestowed on the
lands the most careful cultivation.
such as those born on the soil they
expect to transmit to their children.
are willing to give.
1t was a section where the chief
crops were tobacco and wheat. and
where the Scotch settlers had in
troduced a through system of farm
ing. The best imported stock and
horses always belonged to the
property; and thrift, order and
abundance reigned.
Colonel Mcdowell married into
he Preston family, and held
position during his
life. He was a private court of
ppeal on questions of property and
lonor among the neighbors. 1t
las been recorded that but ten
asses on which he had pronounced
is opinion, had afterwards been
AIKEN into court.
In this region stands the Wash
lgton and Lee University" en-
owed by Washington, of which g
ne late General Robert Z. Lee was a
resident. On the same college /
ILL.," is the Military Institute, in S
hich StOnewall Jackson was for t
ears a professor. There stood b
so the Ann Smith Academy" "
here the daughters of prominent F
miles were sent, attended in their
vn carriages and on horseback. n
cir brothers at the adjoining h
hool having their special servants, .,
'gs, guns and horses. Besides =,
e ordinary branches, the girls ;,
ere taught fine embroidery, and II
e care of their compilations. No -,
gh-born Virginia maiden would r,
spread her hand" by turning a n
or knob, or touching the tongs, d;
handling heavy object. Long N
ives and deep sun-bonnets were 20
nstantly worn, and they ate little bo
at or butter. Every girl was
lght her duties as head of a
use. The homely, hearty English ia
ddle-class country life formed wi
model, to which greater breadth ag
given by the large extent of he
estates and number of laboreIs wi
Ne managed. The Scotch elements Ne
diligence and conscientiousness, an
tified by more liberal scale of up
ng, created form of rural life tn
ost peculiar to the true Vir- mi
la home. 1t was the pleasure Jol
pride of other proprietors be- In
IS Colonel Mcdowell that they exl
d on land which had never been his
ght or sold, and that in sixty 4
RS no negro had been transferred OH
mother owner. Each plantation for
a little kingdom, producing an
hin its own limits everything She
led, except groceries and fine auil
he's, which were brought from CON
lmond in the wagons that car the
the harvest of flour and to- pas,
o. city
the
IL I'll.