The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-18
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E1lSN1G. EENhEEAE0 Cal COLUMN
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siiddlexcx.
IN THE RApPAHANNocK COUNTRY.

II
1IiddlcScx.
Although Major Robert Beverley took
up 10000 acres Of land. the name OF
his homestead does not appear. It has
been asserted that he lived at Bran
don. In Middlesex, but this was the
residence OF General Robert Smith.
whose granddaughter and heiress. Eliz-
abeth. married Harry. the son OF Ma
jor Robert Beverley. and tho latter
could not have lived there.
In 1852 there was great excitement
in the counties OF Middlesex. Glouces-
ter and King and Queen. Tobacco had
been raised In such quantities that the
price was low--too low for the spirits
of the cofonists--and something hac
to be done. A number of planters de-
cided that in order to raise the price
the now crop. green and graceful In
the fields. must be destroyed. And the
great. drama of plant cutting was en-
acted. AS soon as one splendid field of
promise was laid low, the planters
rushed to other fields. and from one
Of these three counties to the other.
ruthlessly cutting down the thick
green crop. This "plant cutting" Gre
ated great disturbance, which has not
subsidized even to the present day. IT
is a bit of history over which students
gloat, and the tale Is told over and
over again, and Imagination Sits
through two hundred and more years,
and fiickers about the fact In the ef-
fort to explain the good or evil conse-
quences of the remarkably heroic act.
With this historic aud dramatic plant
cutting" Robert Beverley had much to
do.
Col. Matthew Kemp was put at the
head OF the militia, and oppressed the
excited plant cutters, and number
were arrested, among them Hopert
Beverley, who was confined on SNIP
in the Rappahannock. for the TOBACCO
lay withered on nearly 200 plantations
and he was called the prime actor
and chief promoter. Although ne
was a. very great man, and clerk OF
the House OF Burgesses, Beverley was
put out of all of his "emp1oyments.
but after this inconvenience he for
year led a quiet life. and then Went on
indefinitely being clerk of the House
Of Burgesses, and doing other things
as we'll.
Four wears after this event Is the
first Beverley record in the only extan'
register of Christ Church in Middeses
II confirms our opinion OF the 81
estate of the family; for Thomas beV.
erley. the son of Major Robert ane
Madam katherine. his wife. departee
this life goth September. 1856. and was
buried at the Lower Chap'li In tho iie
None but folks lay In such an eA-
allied locality
The year that Thomas died. Chr'sto-
pher Beverley. Col. Roberts third son
was horn. william was the Oldest
4, "A a
liam. continued to live in Middlesex'
+ba others strayed off TO other coun-
ties.
In 1898 the officers OF Middlesex
county were William Skipwith, Barone. !,
who had accepted the office OF sherin
Mathew Kemp. William Churchill, WI.
liam Wormeley, Gaum Corbin ana
Thomas Landon No vestige OF any OF
these names remains in MidueseN.
There are Kemps In Gloucester anu
perhaps in King and Queen.
SIR GREY Skipwith, Baronet, fed Eng
land because he loved his King too
wall. He was Cavalier. seeking ref
uge In the Old Dominion. There IS SO
much talk against the presence in VIZ
sinia Of Cavaliers that 1t is good TO put
ones niger on the real thing, suen
was Sir Grey Skipwith, whose son,
William (2) Skipwith, Baronet, Wa
sheriff of Middlesex county.
This baronetcy was conferred De-
cember 20, 1922, upon Sir Henry SHIP.
with, Knight, of Prestwoula, ihs Sa,,s
descended from Robert O'Estotevilie
Baron Of cottingham IN time OF une
8Connueror. Sir Henry married MISS
EKempe. and the skipwtths and Kemps
who settled near each other IN tne
county OF Middlesex were also related
Although Sir Henry evidently couio :,
not keen Prestwould for his heir, as ~
was sold soon after his death, yet ne
was noted for his "person. his Vaior'
his learning, his Judgment and MS WIS.
DOM. He also was q gentlemen "
witty conceits. who made mt ana acute
cpl rams, poems. notices anu W
vices" He was succeeded by his ela-
est son, Henry ca. who died ulmai
ried, and the title went to Sir Grey
k(o). who came to America to set rln
az cromwell and his threats. Sir Grey
(ao was succeeded by Sir William (s)l
sheriff Of Middlesex county, VINO was
his only son.
NIiddlesex was the refuge of seveFa'
we'll known Cavaliers. There We're
Maior-General Mainwaring Hammond
Col Philip Honeywood. Col q enry] NOT 9,
wood, Sir Henry SkipWith anu ~
Henry chicheley. No mattey where H1,F' lhes
wundere later, they first went g MIG y,
dlesex to talk matters over with ths
Hon. Ralph Wormeley, at Rosegill. ans
skipwith and Chicheley concluded ~ :
stay.
William (31 skipwlth Baronet mar
ried sarah. daughter Of Sir John PeS'
ton. Of Isleham. and had Grey ~. whc
succeeded him as haronet; William go
HENRY, t4), Fulwar (4), Ann (4). Doro'
thy CA and Sarah (4),
He speaks of his cousin. MhtheW
Kemp, showing that the Virginia
Kemps come from the same family q
Sir Thomas Kemp, KNIGHT, w mos
daughter married. Sir Henry ga sk'p-
with. ~,
-. whog In the MiddleseN regis
ter is recorded
"rhe Lady Ann Stacy skipwith' q
this parish. departed this life 9Th OF
March. and was buried 9Th Of March,
1855"
Grey l4o died early, and his
brother. William t4). succeeded to the
haroHietcy; William (4) married Eliza
beth, only daughter aud heiress o!
John Smith. High sneritf Of Middlssex,