The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-05

The house is long and old-fasn- toned. Many of the beautiful manteis having been removed and the non-de- caying walls have here ana there lines written by its old aristo- cratic inmates. When my grandmother Browning was a girl it was the delight of her heart toavisit this elegant home and the magnificent hostess and IL IS from her lips that all these incidents came to me. Mrs. Thornton arrived aI the advanced age of s5 without being confirmed. there being no Episcopal Church in the county and being too old to travel, Bishop Meade came to Thornton Hill" and performed the right of confirmation, my grandmoth- CT being one of the guehts of the oc- casion. "Thornton Hill" has passed out of the family, but Is still owned py appreciative people; the place now De- longs to MT. Fletcher who married niece of Bishop Meade. They live on another part of the estate, but revere and love Thornton Hill" It was the eastern end of the county settled by the Thorntons; the Strothers came first and settled the central portion, obtain ing grants for large bodies of land from George II King of England through his agent, Lord Fairfax. The first Strothers who came over were William, Francis and Colonel John Strother. The former was the ancestor of President Taylor, and the latter a man of large means and a staunch churchman, who built his own church called "Strothers" The ancestral home of the Strothers is "Wadefield" two miles from Washing ton. The Strothers intermarried with the Dabneys, Wades, Pendletons, Tay- lors, Thompsons, Buckners, Tallifer- ros and Brownings.
 For beauty of scenery this country has no rival; for grandeur and sub limity We have our own Blue Ridge. There is a wonderful gorge in the Ridge called Devils Stairs said by those who have seen both to be the equal of Watkins Glen. The vast mountain seems to have been rent as- under, and solid walls of stone rise up three or four hundred feet on each side of the stairs, down which flows a beautiful stream that dashes in falls and rests In quiet basins surrounded by moss and stone. Another place of interest called "Mary's Rock" one of the highest points of the Blue Ridge, called after Mary Thornton. who was among the first to reach It's summit. The view Is magnificent and bewild- ering in it's extent. and just few miles down the mountain is the picturesque little village of Luray made famous by the discovery of the wonderful Luray Caverns. Luray being in Page County, Va.
 Elizabeth Lorrimer Browning.
 of Kappa County.
 Invalid Pensioners In Alabama, 1850.
 John Booth, Sergeant Major, Mobile County. pension granted under act of April 24, 1916.
 Josiah Bentley, private, Benton Coun- ty; act of April 24. 1916.
 Edmond Brown, Corporal. Lawrence County; act of April 30. 1S16.
 William R. Cowan, Second Lieuten- ant Barbour County; act of April 24, 1S16.
 Hugh B. Cameron private. Jackson County: act of April 24. 1876.
 Thomas F. Doty, private. Jackson County. military establishment.
 Abner Dickson. private. Franklin County; act of April 24. 1s16. John Greer, private, Cherokee Coun- ty; military establishment. John Garner. private. Wilcox County; military establishment
 | Thomas Graham. private, Cherokee County; act of April 24. 1S16. Reuben Goldsby. private, Jefferson County; military establishment. Sanford Hutson. private, Randolph County; military establishment. James M. Hendrick. private, Dallas County: act of April 24. 1876. Barton Hamilton. private. Blount, Act of April 24. 1916.
 Daniel Lookingbill, private, Tusca- loosa County. Act of April 24, 1916. John MadisonA corporal. Tuscaloosa County; military establishment. Peyton Madison. priyate. Green | County: military estab tahment. Duncan More. privatt Tuscaloosa County; Act of April 24, Nts1ss
 Nathaniel Willard, privtte Dallas | County. act Of Anril 9A 4H