The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-27
In the Rappahannock
Country

Country
Just back OF Belvedera the Por
Royal River Road Joined a mile per,
.haps below the Nlassaponas bridge. the
Ethen great Northern and Southern
f'Stage Road through Fredericksburg
and tho county seats OF Caroline and
Hanover to tho then aspiring city OF
Richmond. This stage road, better
known In the neighborhood as the
Bowling Green Road" fthe county
seat OF Caroline), diverged at every
southwark step from the valley OF the
Rappahannock. but Its close contiguity
identified its people for great dis
lance below with the inhabitants OF
the Valley. A mile or two below the
divergence OF the roads was, on the
north side, the estate OF Mount Zion,
! owned by the Conways. relatives OF
Mr.. Madison, and across the road was
small farm. owned by Bland Dam
geried. and afterwards the homo OF
Edmund Taylor, grandson OF old John
Taylor, and of his lovely wife. sis
ter OF Mrs. Robert A. Lancaster. ST.,
| of Richmond.
Next below Glen Mary" tthe Taylor
| honey was the estate OF st. Julien. for
a long time tho residence OF Hon
| Francis T. Brooke, for very many years
| Judge Of the Virginia Court Of Appeals
Judge Brooke in his earlier post-Rev-
| olutionary life as circuit Judge, pre-
/ sided In the courts of Richmond. and
there began lifelong friendship with
Henry Clay, a young deputy In tho
/ clerks Office, whose carly promise at
| tractcd the attention and patronage
| OF the Judge.
! MIR. Clay, when in the zenith OF his
| fame, peid n visit to ST. Julien. and
| on his return to Fredericksburg to
take the stage. breakfasted with other
| distinguished guests. among them the
! Hon Henry A. Wise, then one of Mr..
| Ciay's most pronounced friends, and a
most promising leader of the old Wing
party, whose high and Justiiahle pre-
J tensions as types Of the best blood OF
| Virginia were we'll voiced In Wise's
proud breas. that the wings Of vir-
glnia knew each other by the instincts
of gentlemen
Below Muddy Creek the name North
I ern Neck Road defects from the river
! grounds to the ridge lands, and passing
I-by noted colonial church. Lambs
| Creek pursues It's eastward course by
| the great houses of King George.
! westmoreland and Richmond to tho
/ bay. About two miles above King
George Courthouse il passes the once
4 nOSOlIHDl6 nome VI why NY AhoSchi
the father OF Mrs. General Dabney II.
Haury. Mrs. General Charles w. Field
and Mrs. Major Collins, OF the Con-
/ federate army Mr.. Mason was for some
time the only lawyer resident In this
4 county, popular with all classes AMI
the steemed and trusted legal and IL
4! duciarv advisor of all his people.
He never aspircd to political prefer
ment. hut when called out as candt-
Il date for the Constitutional Convention
of 1S4o. he had the unique honor OF
receiving every vote-with probably
one exceptlon--cast at the polls.
state all such reminders OF afore-
I time British rule. Hc proposed 10
: change the names of King George.
4 King and Queen. King William. etc.
The proposition met no acceptance put
!, nrovoked much ridicule and was the
end OF Meriwether TaliafeTro,s ponu.
ca1 aspirations. Somebody told .hing
nut we must return to st. Julien!
Tho frst Brooke of this family,
which can be placed with certainty is
Robert "a Brooke justice OF the peace
Who lived in Essex county In 1888
HE wife was Catherine Booth, and his
Oldest son was Robert CD, knight OF
the Golden Horse Shoe"
In the quaint old courthouse at Tap
| DanannOCka lS d NeAy SAhtPNe ~
ouent tablet:
"In Memory OF
ROBERT BROOKE, Gentleman,
Justice OF We old Court 1692-1706
and OF
ROBERT BROOKE. JR,,
Deputy Clerk of We old Court, 1900,
and Horse Shoe Knight.
YHere ia placed the horseshoe with
motto and date, 1714.l
FRANCIS T. BROOKE,
Judge or the Supreme Court OF Appeals
lS11-rs."
This Is record Of extremely good ser
. vice or three generations OF Brookes
ana there Is much moro besides, which
|, we cannot chronicle, because this pa
per /. especially for the Brnokes o
j "St. julien" In the Rappahannocl
, country.
. Did those immortal horsesho
the ridge OF blue. fancy what ram
, this Jolly intoxicating ride would Civ
!, them? Who knows even what tn
next step viii be:
A gay party sets out with an appe
lite for adventure keen taste TO
punch teddy. etc., bound together wit
much good fellowship, and, 10! eacl
: hoof-beat comes echo1nG down en-
aees with sonorous charm. for THU
merry cavalcade assembled the grea
: mountains, and saw beyond the rlcf
: promise OF golden West.
> Robert f2) brooke, who pranced or
so merrilv towards the mountains witt
y Snotswood and the rest, lived IN rs
4 sew at place called "Farmer's Hall
: This place Is stu In the family IN tn.
0 fomale line, being owned by the Sales
Z vince ancestors, Mary Brooke was the
i d hnu;n Of the Horseshoe Knight"
Richard tao Brooke ss o. Rober'
! Brooke, 1r., as Robert Cal Brooke al
] ways signed himself. lived at smith
q f1eld." already noticed In these pa
n ners, and was called Richard OF Smith
o field. He married Ann Hay Taliaferro
q THESE Taltaferros began in Essex, too
I r. Is very interesting to notice thu
o westward movement Of these families
Their sons and sons sons wended theil
o. several ways up the Rappahannock
: MOVING on to Orange, and still on
: ward to the, further West.
4 Lawrence Tsl.aferro married Sarah