The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-31
||COUN7'YI SEAT Of
|OL.D| SOUTHAMPTON ]. |
CORTLAND, One Of the Lovcliest
Villages Of All the
Plain.
AZ ---- ~ ~ 49, ~
4 THE BUSINESS II ENTERPRISES Il !: St:
Many Stores, Two Banks, Sub
stantial Churches and Splendid
Schools Flourish There.
THE BUSINESS ENTERPRISES

Especial Correspondence Times -Dispa tch)
s COuRTLAND, VA, March 30.--Al few
years before the eighteenth century, SO 4
the records tell us, Sou hampton was
cut off from Isle 4 Of W lght,BSand the
county seat was temporarily located two
miles east OF the present lo 2, ton, on
q farm known as the Bloomfield
owned by Mr.. Jas. F. sebrell. Of
CORTLAND. Not so many years, after this
Jerusalem, on the north bank OF the
Nottoway, was chosen as the county
seat and II a wooden courthouse built
which was repla ced by the present brick
building in 1874. Southampton has been
fortunate in preserving its records, while
sc many counties OF the South have had
theirs destroyed by fires. Deeds under
! date OF a 49 are in the fre-proof vault
at the clerks office.
Southampton's first clerk Of the court
| was Samuel <ellO. gs He was succeeded
by James Rochelle, who held the office
for many years. Mr.. Rochelle was an.
uncle Of General George H.. Thomas, of.
the Union Army. Next came Mr.. l.. r.
Edwards as clerk. Following Mr.. Ed
wards was the late Judge j. B. Prince
who, up to that time had been Common
wealth's Attorney, and who afterwards
resigned the Sclerkship to accept the posi-.
! ton of county judge. Next clerk, Mr.. b.
4 T.. McLemore, who now holds the posi-
/ ton. The old system OF county govern
i ment known as the magistrates court"
obtained In Virginia until "Underwood's
4 Constitution" was embodied in the State
government in the Reconstruction period
/ Just after the Civil War.
4 Mr.. j. w. Urquharts was the first
i county Judge, and was succeeded by DR..
! f. G. Barrett. Dr. Bnrrett's successor
\ was the late Judge J.. B. Prince. After
4 his death his son filled the position until
i the office was abolished by the Con-
stitutionnl Convention in 1902.
Jerusalem was the former home OF
General William Mahone,f tho hero OF
THE Crater" and one of Virginia,s
most fearless generals In the great
Fl conflict OF 1S61-'G5.
Perhaps no bar in the State of Wiz,
Il Glnin was more renowned for It's able
legal talent, both native born ana fron
n adjoining counties. They are as follows
2 Broadnax, Claiborne j. y. Mason. 70. w
Massenburg, c.. b. Hayden, Gray. j. r.
'Chambllss, j. A. Jones, w. II. Pretlow
T.. s. Gholson. r. H.. Whitfield (ufter.
wards a member Of the Confederate Con.
J gress), w. B. Stands and II. J. Kindred
, The last was a member OF the Secession
: Convention In 1861.
! Nat Turner's (colored) insurrection i.
too well known to repeat. Tle was hanged
from a sycamore tree now standing Ii
!, Courtlnnd
, The Modern Town.
i In 1ss7-'Ss the Atlantic ana Danvi
: Railway (now the Norfolk division OF tn
: Southern system) was built, passing
: through Jerusalem, giving 1t valuabl
f outlet to the outside world. At the re
!, quest Of tho citizens OF Jerusalem til
y Legislature OF 1sS7-'SS changed the nam
@ to CORTLAND. The town was incorporate
y by q bill introduced by Mr.. James Il
q Sebrell, who WIS Southnmpton's repre-
!, sentative at that time. In speaking G
y, this calls to mind the fact that South
9 nmpton has had four members or tn
: Sebrell family In the Virginia House q
!, Delegutes---Dr. N. M. Sebrell, j, d. Sc
!, = brell, Nj, sebreil (the Commonwealth
:. Attorney at presently, and j, NJ Sebrcl
= il,
:. Passing from the old town, we no
2 find CORTLAND an attractive place {
- over, five hundred Inhabitants, prospel
N Gus and Industrious.
" Courtland's Hustlers.
y The firms are: II. Whitfield gener,
70 merchandise: Fl. L. Williams 81 Co., FIJI,
y 'niture and undertaking; DIR, W. II. Mt
= I4emore, drug store. also DIR. II. f. Rec.
4 has Il drug store; S, 7, Whitfield. har,
y ware, Dsmuke &4}Williams, dry good
!, Williams & kitchen, general merchundl
"a and millinery; j.. ~ Saunders & Son. 81,
J. ceries; II. a. Wynns, general merchal
"a disc, also Simon Merrs and Al B. Cob
"a merchandise; j. l.. Emery, groceries, al
ar H. Weston Bain 4 Co., and w. j. S
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