The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-03

In Chapter VII, under tho head OF Old
Residences, Mofdecai. In the Bygone Days
of Richmond. tt:s his readers much that
Is worthy OF their consideration. The
old times, the old manners, the old
WORTHLESS, are briefly but pleasantly
sitetched IN him.
OF rr. James McCurg he says: on
the square south Of tile CAPITOL, where
the United States IS now tiS56) erecting
n courtroom. custom house and post
Office resided one of tho most eminent
physicians and talented men of his time,
which is no faint praise. mean DR..
James McClurg. He served in the med
teal staff during the Revolutionary War
and was declared to he the most skillful
and accomplished medical officer In the
division Of the army serving in this part
/, Of tho Union. He was a member OF the
convention that formed the Constitution
of the United States. but did not sign 1t.
His original residence In Richmond
was n small Dutch rooted, wooden house.
recently demolished, as has been a por-
ton OF tho larger one OF brick erected
near It by the doctor and afterwards oc-
cupied by the Bank OF Virginia. His
third and most spacious dwelling was
built on Grace Street, the grounds at
tached to it extending to Broad Street.
Now shorn of suportluous territory, but
retaining 4 spacious one, 1t is occupied
by DR.. c. b. Gibson. a short biography
OF DR.. McClurg, who wns tho uncle of
DR.. McCaw, has been published by q.
grandson of the latter"
Like many other local biographies, the
precious little book Is unknown to me
general reader. ! have never socn IT,
McClGrg had q widely extended repnta-
ton as a master of the medical science
of his day and also rs q man OF letters.
3 Says q competent authority: He gained
M De Galore. an Essay on the Human Bile.
published in London, and Discourse on
Reasoning in Medicine, published in the
Philadelptia-Dr Chapman Journal of
the Medical Phys Sciences. Tho Bellies
CT Williamsburg. c series of poetical char
acters, were principally from his PEN
Other writers have noticed In brief
this gifted yrsnian, John w. Francis,
NJ D.. OF New York. in Thacher's Amer
lean Medical Biography, and Professor
George Tucker in Discourse In Amer
tcan Literature OF December ~, 1897 The
third and most spacious dwelling house
built by the learned physician. accord
ing to Mordecai. like many another man.
sion OF the oiden time, has given place
to one Of modern style. 1t was formerly
situated at the northeast corner Of Grace
and Sixth Streets, and was long In the
$ occupancy of q worthy descendant nf
McC,lurg j shall continue Mr.. Mordecai's
"reminiscences by way OF prelude to my
own of a much later date
.On the square west of the last mem
toned residence on Grace Street (A1c-
\ Clurg's) stood the oid-fashioned double
winged. triple pOrticoed house OF Major
Du VAL one of the Inst OF the cooked
81 hats, satin shorts and bag wigs.
Dangled Like Pendulum.
For the Information Of my younger
readers | will tell them that bag wig
was furnished with black silk plated
appendage, something like lady's re'i-
Guile. land entitled to the appellntion OF a
gentleman's ridicule) The queue or tail
OF the wig was inserted into this bag.
which was drawn tight at the top 10
retain The hair. and dangled behind like
Il q pendulum.
The Du Val lot was said to he the
scene of Ralph Ringwood's adventure as
told by washington Irving. 1t was after
wards occupied by the celebrated William
wooden structures; it has of late years
changed its location, and retired to one
] IN the suburbs
1t Is to be presumed from this de-
scrption, that the od-fash!oned residence
4 Of DuVal stood alone on the square west
s OF (alcClurg's) most spacious dwelling"
.Inere were doubtless outhouses adjacent
TO the Tot which many have extended
:. rorthward to Broad Street. And II so,
we may reasonably conclude that DuVal's
historic house was set in the midst of
q welltended garden with Its sunny
breadth of floNGrs.
Mordecai, cont1pulng'his description OF
the sites upon which old residences mad
been erected, tells us in paragraph
following. those last quoted, that con
the opposite square Uo that In which
Du Walls residence was seD stood the
unpretend!ng abode of that learned, wise
and excellent man George Wythe, one
Of the s!gners of the Declaration of In
dependence, and whose life is interviewer
With the history of Virginia. from his
early manhood TO his latest years.
Fy some unaccountable confusion of