The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1908-11-20
.LATROBE ON THE APPOMATT0S.


WRITTEN FOR THE HERALD
Is. II. Latrobe, the architect Of tn,
Capitol at Washington, (he carried
out most Of the earlier work both az
architect and as supervising engineer
was born in England, and after an ed
ucation in Germany and much prac
ticsl experience in London, came &c
this country in 1896. He landed at
Norfolk and was for two years a resi-
dent Of Virginia, living at Richmond,
Until his death in 1870 Mr.. Latrobe
was the foremost architect in this
country. Among his works were the
United States Bank at Philadelphia,
the south wing aud the interior Of the
Capitol, the Cathedral at Baltimore,
and st. Johns Church at Washing
ton. At the time of his death he was
installing a system Of water works for
the city Of New Orleans.
Mr.. Lstrobe kept sort Of journal
which was published few years ago.
1t appears that about two weeks after
he reached Virginia he was employed
by the Appomattox Company to ex-
anime the river and report on the pos
sibilities of improved navigation.
This seems to have been his first work
Of importance in this country. He was
poled down the Appomattox from
Cumberland county to fame and a
share of fortune. The Mr.. Nenable
mentioned in his notes was doubtless
Richard n. Nenable who about 1890
published pamphlet on the feasibil-
ity Of connecting the Appomattox and
Roanoke rivers by means Of improve
ments to he effected in the navigation
Of Buffalo Creek aud the Little Roam
oke, these to be joiued by short por-
tage. The following are extracts from
Latrobe's Journal:
My appointment for the eth June
1885, was to meet the superintendent
Of the Appomattox Navigation at Mr..
Venables, in order to proceed from
the head of the river to Petersburg
The weather has been very rainy for
this fortnight past, and all my en-
desvor to hire or beg the use Of horse
has been abortive. | was furnished at
last with a horse which, having car
ried me to Tuckahoe, | exchanged for
another and proceed ID across the coun-
try to Amelia county. ! spent all
Wednesday at Captain Murray's and
on Thursday went TO Major Eggles-
toms. In the evening Major Eggles-
ton arrived, aud we were joined by
Major Scott Charles Scott a veteran
officer of the American Army, and a
man of uncommon, natural ability,
and strength of intellect. Major Egg
glestOn favored me with a letter to
Colonel Skipwith, who has a mill
about twenty miles higher up upon
the Appomattox. The road lay through
Stingytown and by Chinquopin
church. The circumstance that gave
the name of Stingytown to the small
collection of houses around Mr.. James
Downs Tavern is forgotten. The
name, however, is one | daresay, in
delibly fixed, and the attempt Of the
to call it by his own name,
Jamestown, will scarcely succeed.
are durable things
Colonel Skipwith's place (Cumber-
land county h Is name very appro-
priate-Horsdumonde. possibility
Of outside communication by letter or
visit except by riding half a dozen
miles into the world. Bizarre another
French name, but not quite applicable
to Mr.. Richard Randolph's house at
present, for there is nothing bizarre |
about ii that can see. IL was, how
ever, am told, justly enough applied |
10 the first house built on the estate
About eight o'clock l got back from
Bizarre To HorsdumOnde where |
'ound Mr.. Veuable and Epperson
waiting for the freshet to subside. We
we're most Hospitality entertained the
'ense and wit of Messrs. Skipwith and
Venable provided the mental feast.
In the evening Messrs. Nenable, Ep-
Der on and myself rode, accompanied
" Colonel Skipwith, part Of the way
o Capt. Patterson's, about five miles
Iown the river. Mr.. Nenable and Ep-
,erson, Mr.. Anderson and /, and Mr..
Wiley, treasurer to the company Of
Appomsttox, slept in a small room