Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-12-12

,eriences of Mr.. Charles II. Box
well. of BerryvilIe, who was for
forty-two years connected with the
Rosemont estate as manager, under
the ownership of the late Jesse
Tyson. succeeding his father, Mr..
Isaac Tyson. We think the arti-
cles. which will extend over :
period of several weeks, will be
wellworth reading. -ED. CoURrERl
On Tuesday, May rs, lS61-
eight days after the Confederate
Congress adjourned from Colum-
bia to Richmond and one day be-
tore Mr.. Davis was SO JOY fully re-
ceived in Richmond-I was at my
home at the foot of AppIepie Ridge
preparing stock for Winchester.
Gen. Joseph r. Johnston had been
five days.at Harper's Ferry; the
Yankee Commanders, General
Patterson. at Williaihsport. ard
General Mcclellan. from beyond
Romney were trying to join forces
at Winchester. That morning
gentleman by the name of Aaron
III. Griffith came TO see me. saying
ne only knew two men he could
recommend to Isaac Tyson. of Bal-~
timore, father of the late deceased
Jesse Tyson, To take charge of
Rosemont Farm, near Berryville,
and said to me, Charles, can you
take III " My answer was mo;
look at that stock business and that
blacksmith shop; how can / take it,
Friend Griffith - Charles, then
I'll have to write to Friend Tyson
that | am not able to find any body
suitable for the place" On my
way to Winchester Wednesday
morning we met him coming from
his Brooklyn wooden factory. when
| told him, "I'll take the farm"
"Oh, dear me. Friend Charles, I'm
afraid I'll not have time to get my
letter in the mail. The blockade
is shutting down." He tore open
the letter and added these words:
Il have found the man to take
charge of Rosemont. As / went
on into Winchester the camps were
Joining beyond Winchester, the
soldiers were gathering from the
Southern States. and / distinctly
remember that they were speaking
of the chilly air of Northern Vir-
ginia. On Thursday afternoon
about 4 o'clock, stranger with
horse and buggy meeting two
school children, one of whom is
Fred Boxwell. of Berryville; said,
Whose little children are youl"
They said "Mr. Boxwell's." " well
get in; l want to see him." and
with that came to our home on the
Bond place at foot of Applepie
Ridge in Frederick county. His
name was Owen Rissler, agent
for Isaac Tyson. He had been
able to get to Winchester by train.
With personal friend, John Pur-
cell, | met him Friday morning,
May 81, on Rosemont Farm. We
found all the farm in one field ex-
cept little piece of clrn ground
and a small piece of wheat between
the house and Berryville. Some
good horses, some Devon cattle,
90 Cottswold sheep (as fine as i
ever saw were all roaming at large
for the fences were all down ex-
cept line fences. One of the fences
in good preservation was the pres
ent stone wall from the east corner
along the pike to the hill above the
tOllgate. Returning from the farm
we agreed to meet him Saturday
morning at the Taylor Hotel, in
Winchester, and close the bargain.
On Saturday morning / said to
him, We need contract, do we
nots " You may have one if
YOU want it, but we don't. We
mean To do just what we say"
30 do i, SIR" and the agreement
was closed right there. One min
ute made contract that lasted
torty-two years. During that time
there was but one mistake made
on either side in settlement, and
that was found in an hours search.
We packed Immediately and with
wife and four children taken in
carriage by Mrs. William Henry
Gold, myself with the wagons,
drove into the gate of Rosemont,
Monday morning, June 3, 1861.
The agent. Mr.. Rissler, spent
three days, until Thursday, with
us. He tried To- get out of the